"And very early in the morning on the first day of the week..." -Mark 16:2

This is of course referencing the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God, from the dead. This we know. But there are some details about this that can often go overlooked. First, let's begin with Friday. From Thursday evening to Friday evening marked the 6th day. In the Creation narrative the sixth day is when God created mankind. Hold on to that detail for a moment. At the Temple, a lamb was offered at 9am and 3pm. This perfectly coincides with Jesus' time on the cross, and it's certainly plausible to assume that as the Lamb of God is crying out at the start and conclusion of His death the lambs at the temple are also letting out their bleats as well. Back to the 6th day. It was humanities taking of the tree that brought about death, and it was the one man's faithfulness to endure death on a tree, of which we partake to receive life. So, that's Friday.
As we recall from the Scriptures, they were in a hurry to get him down from the cross and entomb him before sunset which would begin Sabbath, the 7th day. The day God rested from all of the work He had done. Likewise, the Son of God, from which all of Creation was made, and who had just accomplished the great work of conquering death, rested on the 7th day.
Now we come to our verse listed above. "Very early in the morning (the implication is that it was still probably dark out like in the opening chapters of Genesis) on the first day of the week..." What do we have here? Is it that Jesus was just ready to be done being dead? Perhaps, but more than likely the implication presented here is new creation or re-creation. Jesus walks out of the tomb in a newly created body- still Jesus- but new. Jesus is the firstborn of the New Creation- the new humanity. When we come out of the waters of baptism we come out new. A new week begins with resurrection Sunday and continues for all the days to come.

Walk in the newness of life.

- Aaron

VERSE:
“Teach me your ways oh Lord, that I may walk according to your truth.  Grant me purity of heart so that I may honor you.”  (Psalm 86:11)

COMMENTS:
Teach me your ways.  Not my way, but God’s ways.  This is a surrendering of one’s self to what God wants to impart upon us.  Jesus was called a prophet, and rabbi (teacher).  He taught God’s word, and how to walk according to that word.  I know God’s word, and have also learned a greater understanding by experiencing God’s word.  During Sunday’s message we heard a prayer, “My desire is to know your name and be at peace with your ways.”  Pastor Pete explained that to know God’s name, means to have an experiential intimacy of the very nature or character of God.  My readings of the Bible, tied in with my meandering life’s walk, have led me to a deeper understanding of God and his essence.  I have experienced his love, grace, healing, blessing, forgiveness and so much more.
In Matt. 21:11 “and the crowd replied, it is Jesus the prophet…”  As Pastor Pete stated, here was “the prophet” the nation of Israel was waiting for.  I am saddened (my words) that the nation of Israel is still waiting for the Messiah to appear, to set them free from their enemies, and to bring peace.  I wonder how many followers of Christ are waiting for Jesus to set them free, to solve all of their problems.  Christ setting them free not just from illness, troubled lives and more, but even just “Lord, tell me what you want me to do” issues.
Like many, I have my times of struggling while waiting for an answer from God.  Lord, please show me what you want me to do.  When will this personal crisis be over?  Why is this happening?  A few years ago, I lost a younger brother during a surgical procedure.  I had driven him to the hospital.  I waited with my Mom through the procedure, and was there when the life support was turned off.  He had been living with my parents, so they were extremely devastated.  I had to wait until I returned home before I could grieve.  I needed to wrestle with God and my feelings.  I went to my private place to cry, shout, question, and pray.  God met me there and wrapped me in his love.  I still do not fully understand why my brother died.  I have my thoughts, but through faith I trust God’s process.  
During holy week, Jesus knew what was going to happen.  He warned his disciples, who did not truly understand his words.  After the crucifixion, I imagine some of them cried, shouted, and questioned just like I did about my brother.  After his resurrection, Christ met them and wrapped his love around them.  Remember how Jesus restored Peter in the book of John.  Earlier Peter had denied knowing Christ three times.  In John 21:15-17 Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”  Peter replied yes three times.  Each time Jesus told him to “feed or care for my sheep.”  
Eventually the disciples received the command, “Go and share the good news of the gospel to all parts of the world.”  Like the disciples we may not understand God’s process.  What it requires of us is to know the name of God.  It calls upon us to recognize that at his core God loves us more than we can imagine.  Whether it is life in general or wrestling with understanding Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, trust God’s ways.

CHALLENGE:
Praise God when things are going smoothly and praise him when they are not.  
Christ was lifted up for the whole world to see, to understand that he loved us so much he died for us.  He did it with his arms wide open, like a mother hen waiting to take her chicks under her loving, protective wings.  Like that mother hen, he takes us where he goes.  One day, that will be his eternal kingdom.
Share God’s word!

“I remain confident of this.  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!  Wait for the Lord; be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord.”  (Psalm 27:13-14)

He is Risen!
Steve G.

Growing up, I remember success being defined by the culture around me as going to a big college, making a lot of money, and people knowing your name. As the years have progressed, I realize that I was believing a lie. Striving to be a “boss babe, or a “hustler” is not the life God intended for us. That lifestyle can leave us feeling burnt out, disconnected, anxious, and depressed.

Let’s pause. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath…. I mean it. Don’t just keep reading on. There is a purpose to this pause…

In…. Out….

Be honest with yourself. Did you close your eyes and take a deep breath when you initially read it? If not, it's okay. We have been conditioned to always be in a hurry. To take matters into our own hands and “git ‘er done!” We see this parallel with people we read about in the Bible. Moses was denied entrance into the Promised Land because he chose to do things his way rather than the way God instructed him to. We read this story, and it sounds harsh. It’s because it is. It displays the seriousness of listening and being obedient to God’s instructions and commands. If we don’t, there may be consequences.

But what about when we are obeying and remaining faithful, and life still isn’t going our way? We fast, we pray, and we wait patiently. We do all the “right things,” but still, we don’t get the miracle. We still don’t get the answers we were looking for. Well, we focus on what is known. Psalm 57: 2,7 “I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me… My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!” So, we remind ourselves daily who God is, how much He loves us, and remember He is faithful. We continue to pray. And wait. And trust.

Psalm 27:14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. We will inevitably experience trials and detours in life. With the Lord, these detours can be divine appointments. I lost my job suddenly and was terrified. During that time, I was heartbroken and confused, but I remember praying to God and asking for answers. I didn’t receive an immediate answer, but looking back now, I see that He was in the middle of all of it, slowly working things out. I just needed to rest. We yield, and let God be God.

The Holy Spirit gave me this phrase a couple of years ago, and it has saved me from a lot of trouble. He reminds me of it a lot. “Self-control is one of the greatest forms of love.” Look at the self-control Jesus displayed while he was being mocked, spit on, and beaten. He could have called down all the plagues and killed everyone with a snap of his finger like Thanos. But He chose to have self-control and endure the most brutal death. Why? Because of his great LOVE for us. He trusted the Father and yielded to His will. He was obedient to the point of death. As followers of Christ, I believe we can do the same. Let’s keep our minds fixed on Jesus every day. Let’s let God’s truths be the ones that echo in our ears throughout the day. Let’s trust that He really does have a purpose and plan for all of it.



Raquel Simmons

In the Scriptures                    
March 15th, 2026
 
The question from Pastor Pete’s sermon this week that has me thinking was – “Why do
you think God made a special week?” It has my brain going all over the place. Was it so we
could dye eggs and eat lots of candy? I don’t think that was it- perhaps it is so we could all slow down and really think about what this special week means and Renew and Restore our Souls.  

The time leading up to this holy week is important as well when we learned – There are
ordinary times and there are sacred times. As it is written in Ezekiel 44:23- “They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to
distinguish between the clean and the unclean.” While Ezekiel has many dos and don’t for how we are to live, knowing the difference of these things listed above is very important. This is how we can make a lifestyle change and not just a fad change. When we know the difference, our lives will change to be more Christ like and the temptations of everyday living will ease and the rest in our souls will give us the peace we seek.

When we seek to live a life that includes sacrifice it can turn the ordinary into the
sacred. Instead of flying by the seat of our pants, as my grandma used to say, we have a more focused life. One that is focus on Christ. The journey to renew and restore our souls may not always take an easy path, but the Lord will transform us as we make our own story.  One that will make us proud when we realize our lives are not about us but about Christ. The sacred time we spend with Jesus will involve offering mutual sacrifice. It is never just a one and done, but a new way of life, because as Pastor Pete said, the process of sacrificing takes time, it has a cost, and there will be planning involved, and as we know, anything worth doing well takes some sort of sacrifice. Psalm 51:19 – “Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit-with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your alter.”  

So- Why do I think that God made a special week? 2 Chronicles 7:15 “Now My Eyes will
be open and My Ears attentive to prayers made in this place.” I realize that I have work to do to be ready for what God has in store for me, and given this time to get my mind where it needs to be. Will you be ready?

Thank you, God, for your new mercies given every day.  

Peace – Prayers – Love
LuAnn Kleemeyer

Weekly Devotional
Gloria Miller
March 08, 2026

Wow! What an Amazing continuation of “In the Scriptures”, by Pastor Aaron. For sure, we must get in the scriptures to find out what God says about us and how God wants us to represent Him to others. When speaking to Moses, God says in Exodus 19:5-6, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Israel was chosen to be God’s people. He wanted them to represent His way of life, to teach His Word and to be an agent of Salvation to the world. The very same assignment we are given today as “the children of God.” Gods Plan does not change. From the time of Adam & Eve; Abraham & the Israelites; Jesus and His 12 disciples, God has been trying to cultivate a relationship with man. Jesus is still our example today, as we see when we search the scriptures. It is written in Leviticus 19: 1-2, The Lord spoke to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: “Be holy because I The Lord your God, Am Holy. So, God set up standards or commandments for them to live by. Pastor Aaron states that Jesus did the same thing, in His ‘Sermon on the Mount.” He too would give a series of rules; things to live by; how to conduct your life. Refer to Matthew 5:48---“Be perfect therefore, as your Heavenly Father is Perfect.” So, Jesus is giving commandments to the people and it’s questionable whether the Jewish people would be able to live up to the standards set by Jesus. Pastor Aaron says to consider the fact that Jesus is speaking to His Jewish audience and is probably speaking Hebrew. Jesus is making references or call-backs to the Law. When Jesus referred to being perfect, perhaps He’s not thinking about perfection as we know it, but that, He’s probably thinking about Leviticus 19, when God tells his people to be holy. Pastor Aaron introduced the Greek word ‘Teleios’, which means completeness, mature, fullness, lacking nothing. Pastor Aaron said that maybe ‘perfect’ isn’t necessarily the perfect word. Jesus says, ….I come to give you life and life to the fullest, complete, lacking nothing. Peter in 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s Special Possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His Wonderful Light.” This statement is exactly what God said to His people. God’s Plans have not changed. Peter is now talking to people who are following Jesus and Peter is simply letting them know that [God wants a relationship with them.] The plan has not changed. Fill-In #1---Being holy means being distinct, set apart, and intentional in every aspect of our life. If we are called to be a holy people, then we must be intentional about what we eat; what we wear and how we conduct ourselves in society. It is not to distinguish between us and them, but to say that our lives belong to The Lord. Set apart for His use and purposes. Because God’s desire is to give us a full and complete life, lacking nothing.

Refer to Philippians 3:18-21. It refers to those who live as enemies to the cross. Pastor Aaron says the truth of the matter is that everyone is being shaped, formed and molded by something. We are all pursuing something. We are all trying to define what’s holy or profane in our own lives, even if we don’t use those titles exactly. We are all pursuing our own idea of what it means to be holy or perfect, and we come up short. We must allow God to do the things in our lives that would mold us and shape us into the person that He wants us to be. Why? Refer to 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 20-21. “….Because we are convinced that one died for all, …..that those who live no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again…..” God’s Plan has not changed. The truth of the matter is that everyone is being shaped, formed or molded by something. God is asking us to establish a relationship with him; to walk together with Him, so He can teach us some things; so that He can mold us, shape us and make us a holy people, a set apart person, a distinct person; giving us purpose; so that He can give us a life that is complete and whole and lacking nothing, so that we can cultivate this relationship to the ends of the earth. Why? Because God is making His appeal through us. There are people looking for all sorts of things and God wants us to be a light in dark places. He wants us to look for opportunities to serve our communities and neighbors. He wants a people that will learn what it means to love God and our neighbors. Not to distinguish between us and them, because people are looking for healing, for hope, for peace and they are going down all sorts of alleyways to try and find and fill what they are looking for. We can be intentional and holy in every aspect of our lives. We can be set apart and distinct so that the world would know that there is a God, who cares for them.

Pastor Aaron gave us food for thought: How is your life communicating the Gospel? Fill-In #2: God is asking you to be holy, not holier than thou. Refer to Acts 16:16-19. Paul & Silas were being followed by a seer, shouting “These men are servants of the Most-High God…….” She wasn’t wrong in her prediction however she was persistent; how she was doing it was ineffective; how she was doing it was annoying; how she was doing it got lost on the ears of those who heard it. Paul became annoyed and cast the spirit out of her. So how are we communicating the Gospel? Like this woman, are we telling the truth of the gospel, but doing it in an annoying way? How are we representing God? There is a whole city out there filled with people who are looking for something, looking for hope, healing & peace, people who don’t know that there is a God who cares for them. A God who wants them to be holy; to give them a complete and full life lacking nothing. What is God doing about this? He’s making His appeal through His people. God is asking us to be a Kingdom of Priests. God wants us to reassure the lost, that He has made a way for them. We must let them know that there is hope, there is healing and there is holiness there. Pastor Aaron asked us to be a people that get on our knees before God and plead for our nation and our leaders and the nation of Iran, so that God would be merciful to them and to us. May we be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, whom God is calling us to be. Refer to Romans 8:19---“For the creation waits in eager expectation, for the children of God to be revealed.” Why? Because it’s the people of God, who will care about creation! It’s the people of God who can be intentional with every aspect of their lives. It’s the people of God being holy and a set apart people providing hope and healing for those who are looking for it. May we be that people. May we be a holy, distinct set apart people, because God is making us whole. He’s making us complete, lacking nothing. He wants us to tell others this too is available to them.

This was a great message to remind us to be intentional about spreading the gospel and giving hope to all, letting them know that Jesus cares and wants a relationship with them. Thank you, Pastor Aaron.

Gods Lavish Love

 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3NIV

There is something deeply comforting about the way this passage begins: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us.”

Lavished.

Not measured. Not rationed.

God’s love is poured out generously on us. And that truth becomes the foundation for our hope. We are not hoping in circumstances, outcomes, or even in our own strength. Our hope is rooted in who we belong to. We are God’s children today, and one day we will see Him fully. That promise gives our present moments meaning.

Hope, though, is not just a feeling that appears on good days. It is a decision we make as we walk through life. Some days feel light and joyful, and hope seems easy. Other days are heavy, uncertain, or frustrating, and hope requires intention.

There are days when that intention has to show up more than once. Sometimes it’s in the morning, when I wake up already carrying the weight of the day ahead. Other times it’s in the middle of the day, when everything feels chaotic and responsibilities seem to be coming from every direction, and it can feel like the world is closing in. And sometimes it’s at the end of the day, after giving so much of myself to others, when the quiet settles in and I realize how empty or alone I feel. In each of those moments, I have to pause and remind my heart of the same truth: I am God’s child, deeply loved by Him.

Choosing hope means remembering who we are and whose we are. Even on a rotten day, when life feels messy or unclear, we hold onto the promise that God is still working, still shaping us, and still leading us toward the day when we will see Him face to face.

Now I encourage you to reflect on this question (even if you only have a moment); Where in your life today do you need to intentionally choose hope because of the promise that you are God’s child?

-Sam Mosca

In Hebrew, words carry more meaning and depth than what they appear to be on paper. We see in Genesis 16 that Sarai was unable to conceive a child with Abram. God promised her she would one day have a child; however, she grew impatient and in her desperation took matters into her own hands. She instructed her husband, Abram, to have a child through her Egyptian slave, Hagar. Things did not go well with this, and eventually Hagar fled.

On the run, in the desert, an Angel of the LORD came to Hagar, telling her that she should call her son Ishmael, that she would have innumerable descendants, and to return home. During this encounter, Hagar refers to the Lord as “El Roi,” the God who sees me. She called the Lord this when she was experiencing suffering and loneliness. She was forced to become pregnant, had to flee her home from being mistreated, and then had nowhere to go with a baby on the way. This is a very desperate situation.

Then, an angel comes down to her telling her to go back to the very place that brought upon all this suffering. I can’t imagine! I would be feeling ALL the emotions: confusion, loneliness, fear, anxiety, but at the same time possibly joy, excitement, awe, and anticipation. The Lord didn’t just see Hagar externally; He saw into her soul, heart, and mind. He could see and experience what she was feeling emotionally. And He met her right where she was. He came down to a lowly servant to let her know that even though everything felt like it was falling apart, she would be okay. That even in her current state of turmoil, one day He would make it right.

This Sunday, Aaron shared a vulnerable moment where he experienced “El Roi.” In my walk, I have also experienced El Roi, this God who sees me. Face to the ground, crying that guttural cry where you can’t catch your breath. Feeling alone, ashamed, and like no one understands. He has reached down and pulled me from the dark pit.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:1–4.

When the words cannot be found, the Lord understands and He rescues. 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast ALL your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you.” God responds to our cries. He hears us. He sees us. He steps into the mess and experiences it with us. Be careful not to believe the lie that your worries are too small to share with God, that He has “more important things to deal with.” God is infinite and cares about ALL that His people are experiencing. Surrender every concern, fear, and anxious thought to Him. He will do abundantly more with it in His hands than you will ever be able to do with it in your mind. Trust in El Roi, the God who sees us, and He will carry you through.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30 NIV.


What is one area of your life where you need to remember that God truly sees you and is inviting you to trust Him with it?

-Raquel

"I remain confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." -Psalm 27:13-14

There is this theme that is constant throughout the entire Bible: wait on the Lord. Perhaps you have heard it this way: God is never too early or too late, He is always right on time. These make for great bumper stickers of course, but are much harder for us to accept in everyday life. This is especially true for those that have felt God was incredibly late, or didn't show up at all for their loved one or themself in a crisis. When trouble comes we can think God is distant, angry, or unconcerned with our plight. In the small book, A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis is reflecting on the sudden death of a wife he had been married to for less than 10 years., maybe even less than 5. He writes that his cries to the Lord were met with a door slammed in his face. The Christian response to all of this still is, wait on the Lord. Either, God will redeem and restore in this life, or He will redeem and restore in the next. No matter what happens, good or ill, if our hearts are oriented towards Him, you are exactly where you should be. As Pastor Pete said multiple times this past Sunday, "It is as God intends... for right now." Now, to be clear, we don't always know the 'why' of the place we find ourselves in at any given moment in our life. I'm not sure there is any answer that would 'make it all better' for C.S. Lewis in his moment of loss. Saying it is as God intends for right now does NOT mean God is the author of your chaos. It DOES mean that our faith (ie. trust) will sustain us, and get you through to the point where all things are made right and well. When He wipes every tear from our eyes, and we see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. We wait on the Lord because there is nothing for us to do, but wait; to abide. To not wait upon the Lord means we feel the need to take matters into our own hands. We begin to micromanage everything in our life; the people and situations in our life, and we quickly lose grip and control of reality. We spiral, and then we are forced to wait on the Lord so He can fix our mess. The Scriptures are trying to save you years of heartache, regret, and anxiety by telling you that there is essentially one thing that God requires in our trust: wait on Him. If we trust in Him, we are exactly where we should be... for now. It is as God intends. For now. Abide. Breathe. Abide.

Challenge:

This week, try eliminating hurry and micromanaging your life. Sit in a period of silent reflection, and actually wait upon the Lord. Allow Him to gently speak over the worries and concerns of your life, and provide space for His spirit to envelop your whole being. Take intentional breathes and reflect on the statement: It is as God intends... for now.

Awesome and Terrifying Love

There are moments that naturally slow us down. Moments where we look up and realize how small we are in the best possible way. A wide-open sky. A powerful storm. A view that makes you pause instead of rush. Those moments don’t scare us. They steady us.
That’s often how Scripture talks about the fear of the Lord.

It’s not about being afraid of God. It’s about awe. It’s about letting God be big again in our lives. The Bible calls this the beginning of wisdom and the starting place of apprenticeship to Jesus, because when we see God clearly, everything else starts to line up.

As Pastor Aaron shared this Sunday, problems arise when the fear of the Lord gets replaced by other fears. Fear of losing peace. Fear of upsetting people. Fear of things not going the way we planned. Those fears quietly begin to shape our decisions.

Solomon’s life shows us this clearly.

He was loved by God. He was wise. He was blessed. But over time, his fear of losing stability and control led him to compromise. What started as a desire for peace slowly pulled his heart away from wholehearted devotion to God. Loving God wasn’t the issue. Letting other fears take the lead was.

This is where the tension matters.

God is powerful, beyond what we can fully grasp. And at the same time, God is kind and near. We see both truths held together at the cross. Strength and sacrifice. Authority and love. Not a God who pushes us away, but one who invites us closer.

When Job encountered God, he didn’t panic or defend himself. He simply grew quiet. He recognized he was in the presence of something holy and good. That kind of awe doesn’t create distance. It creates trust.

A healthy fear of the Lord doesn’t make us rigid or anxious. It settles us. It helps us live with clarity instead of fear, and with trust instead of control. When God is rightly placed at the center, the rest of life doesn’t feel quite as heavy.

Reflection Question
What fears tend to quietly shape your decisions, and what might change if you allowed awe of God to take the lead instead?

-Marissa

Devotion January 26, 2026      
Rhythms of Apprenticeship
The decision to start the journey of becoming a follower of God may be the easiest part. It is the start of your apprenticeship path for spiritual development that you will quickly find that it takes strength, determination, and growth above all else in your life. No two journeys are alike but when we allow ourselves to let God in and help us with our brokenness, success will come.

I often wonder what God feels when I think of myself as a disciple of his. I know I fall short of what he may have planned for me, but he also knows my head and my heart and he will never give up on me. The world is a bright shiny thing- dangling right in front of me and even at my age I fall for the shiny more than I care to admit. But as I grow in his word, He is always there pulling me right back to him. He never leaves me and He never will.

As Pastor Pete said in his sermon to be on this journey - Every day I will be intentional and that also includes Every day I will be in the bible. Psalm 19:7 says- The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. I see myself all over this scripture. The more I am reading Christian books, in his word, in bible studies, around like-minded Christians, I know that I am learning and discovering how much more clearer the bible becomes for me. As Pastor also said- Every day I will be praying about my insight. This gives me a new and different way to see my life as I spiritually grow. I feel more at peace with the daily challenges I face. Many of the old ways are no longer a part of my life-anger is slower to rise and easier to see coming and easier to stop it. Holding on to grudges, resentments, pettiness, all seem worthless to me now. God helped me to see that.

So, everyday I will be praying about my brokenness and rejoicing in his Mercies, Grace, Word, and Love. He is never stingy with any of these blessings.

Psalm 119:130- The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

Thank you Lord for your daily help!

PEACE- LOVE- PRAYERS
LuAnn Kleemeyer

Rhythms Of Apprenticeship
Sabbath & Retreat

Scriptures:
Romans 12:2a—NIV— “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Matthew 12:1-2—NIV—At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27--NIV—Then He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Exodus 20:9-10--NIV— “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to The Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.”
Exodus 20:11—NIV--“For in six days The Lord made the Heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it Holy.”

Pastor Pete reintroduced the Apprenticeship Guide, designed to walk us through the discipleship process here at Thrive. We were reminded that when we give our heart to Jesus, an instantaneous spiritual change takes place—we move from darkness into His marvelous light. This spiritual moment is our salvation.
What happens in our soul—our mind and thinking, our will and desires, and our emotional life—is a process that takes more time. Walking this narrow way isn’t always easy, but it is worth it. As we engage in discipleship, we begin to experience the fullness of salvation, not only in the world to come, but in this world as well.

Paul gives us a clear picture of this process in Romans 12:2a (NIV):
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Practices That Shape Transformation
Fasting with Prayer
We embrace three seasons of fasting and prayer each year. We recently completed seven days in January. Our next season will take place during Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday on March 29th.

Reading, Memorizing, and Studying Scripture
Acts 2:42 (NLT) reminds us:
“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.”
This practice represents our spiritual growth ingredient of personal study. Thrive offers a custom Bible reading plan found in the Apprenticeship Guide.
To support this journey, we offer a Bible-In-A-Year Discussion Group, taught by Pastor Aaron. This group provides cultural context, historical background, and practical life application from each week’s reading. Pastor Aaron does a great job helping us understand the Word.

Please be sure to register.
Church of the Nazarene
Mondays | 6:30–8:00 p.m.

Staying Connected in Your First Year at Thrive
In your first year at Thrive, we recommend completing the four-week Growth Track and engaging in key discipleship opportunities:
•Sunday services
•Prayer and fasting weeks
•Men’s Camp or Women’s Retreat
•Serve Day
•Holiday events (Passover Seder, Easter, Christmas)
•Bible-In-A-Year Discussion Group (most important, as life’s foundation comes from Scripture)

Develop a daily rhythm of opening your Bible. If you are new to Scripture, Pastor Pete recommends starting each day with a reading from Proverbs.
The Importance of Sabbath Rest
Pastor Pete also emphasized the importance of Sabbath rest, referencing Matthew 12:1–2 (NIV) (see Apprenticeship Guide, pages 35–39). The weekly Sabbath was central to Jewish discipleship and remains vital for us today—even as non-Jewish, New Testament followers of Jesus.

Fill-in #1:
The Father has given us work/rest rhythms that maximize our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. We cannot love God or others well when we are hurried, burned out, or overextended. The Sabbath is God’s built-in rhythm for rest and renewal after six days of doing too much in too little time (Exodus 20:9–10).
Our Sabbath devotional helps us understand what makes this day holy and why God uniquely blesses it. Sabbath is not meant to be legalistic. Jesus reminds us in Mark 2:27 (NIV):
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
In Exodus 20:11, we are reminded that God created the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh—setting the Sabbath apart as holy.
God’s work/rest rhythm includes:
•Daily moments to stop and refocus
•A weekly Sabbath
•Seasonal retreats or times to pull away

Fill-in #2:
Our observance of Sabbath is voluntary and is given to improve our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
When We Ignore Rest
When we neglect these rhythms, we see the consequences reflected in the story of Esau, who traded his birthright for a bowl of soup.

Fill-in #3:
Neglecting Sabbath and retreats causes our priorities to drift. We make reactionary, unwise decisions and “despise our birthright”—disrespecting the gifts God has placed in our lives and families. We stop living in rhythms that support our mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

Here at Thrive, we offer opportunities to step out of the ongoing rat race and intentionally retreat. More information can be found in your Thrive Apprenticeship Guide.

Gloria Miller

Devotional – Rhythms of Apprenticeship

VERSE:  
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; do not try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he is the one who will keep you on track.  Do not assume that you know it all.  Run to God!  Run from evil!”  (Proverbs 3:5-7) The Message

THOUGHTS:
Are you the type of person who wants to know the outcome of your efforts before you make them?  Then being a Christian can be frustrating at times.  We know that eternity is the final outcome, but what about everything in between now and forever.  Joining a group of believers can help us live as the opening verses call us to live.  

Pastor Aaron called us to be part of a “Community”.  He references Matt. 18:20, “Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  Pastor Aaron talked about finding those willing to come along beside you and grapple with the Scriptures.  A community to help you grow.  A community who can help you understand what you believe.  In return, you will help them grow.  Thrive Church offers numerous opportunities to become a part of a Community through small groups.  

As a young believer in my late twenties, I would speak up in Sunday School (my community) to say what I understood about our readings.  I was looking to see if I was correct, or needed more information.  This required a surrender of ego and a trust in my fellow believers.  Now as a long-time believer I try to remember that mindset for two reasons.  One, to help others grow, and two, to continue to grow myself.  

Pastor Aaron discussed how our culture is hungry, STARVING, for Community.  He stated that we need more than just church on Sunday.  I am reading a book called “Practicing the Way” by John M. Comer.   There is a section about Community; what it is to each of us, and how to develop and nurture one (or several).  I understand that Community can encompass many areas of my life, including non-church related interactions.  I understand that we cannot stay within the safety of our church community.  God wants us to share his word.  I see that we grow by stepping out into other communities, sharing the word, and allowing ourselves to be tested in our faith and knowledge.  These outreaches help us to see what we know and where we need to dig deeper into God’s word.  In other words, it helps us to wrestle with our understanding of God’s word.  Jesus sent the disciples out on their own to spread the good news.  They returned with exclamations of what they saw and miracles performed.
 
Think about this; Jesus’ last commandment to his disciples was to go out into the world community.  “Jesus came and told his disciples; I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20) NLT (I know these verses as the “Great Commission.”)

CONCLUSSION:
The Great Commission sounds so overwhelming.  You might be asking, “How can I go out and save the world?”  Truthfully, Jesus already did it.  He is just asking you to join in, showing others what the kingdom of heaven is like.  This can start by finding your group, learning to grow in the spirit, how to share that understanding, and how to trust the leading of God’s voice.

Pray with me Psalm 86:11;
“Teach me your ways oh Lord, that I may live according to your truth.  Grant me purity of heart so that I may honor you.”  Amen

Your brother, Steve  

Fasting and prayer are two vital and necessary components of Christian faith. But why? What is the purpose of fasting? Is it to get something in return or to gain favor with God? Do we do it just because we’re supposed to? These are valid questions and questions we should be asking. Questions I’ve asked myself over the years.

Prayer is the main way we communicate with the Lord. When we fast, it can grow our prayer life. Whether it be fasting tv, social media, bad habits, or food, when we experience that strong pull towards the very thing we’re fasting, we can use that as a prompt to pray. Choosing to pray and focus on Jesus when your belly is roaring like a lion because of immense hunger will teach you a thing or two about your yourself and about your relationship with God.

Fasting should be hard! As Pastor Pete said, “one reason we fast is to master the beast.” Genesis 4:7, “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” It is human nature to have wants and desires and immediately act upon those wants and desires. To deny ourselves of that instant gratification teaches us that we are not a slave to the influences of the world. The fruits of the Spirit: patience, faithfulness, and self control, develop through fasting. Instead of praying for God to give patience and self control, implement the practices that will help you grow in them.

Throughout my 11 year faith walk, I’ve been called to repentance too many times to count. I’m at the point now where it’s things I wasn’t even fully aware of I needed to repent of until He points it out. Which leaves me laughing and shaking my head thinking, “What?! Another thing? I didn’t even see that one Lord!” But, being the loving Father He is, it’s always in a clear and gentle way. Imagine walking on the beach beside a parent and they turn to you and put one hand on your shoulder. Looking you in the eyes, they calmly point out something they notice that is hurting you or hindering your potential. Instead of condemning you, they remind you of who you are and tell you that they’re going to help you through it. That’s how I feel when He brings something to the light for me. I’m telling you this because it happened to me about two weeks ago, and here we are with a week of prayer and fasting right after!

I view fasting as another way to support me in ridding myself of an “old way” and going forth with the “new way” God is calling me to. It’s exciting because I know from experience that this peeling back another layer of the onion might be a little painful at the time, but the reward of overcoming it is far greater.  Ephesians 4:13 says, “…mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”

If you haven’t taken part in a fast, don’t be intimidated. Start small and stay committed. Then, just keep growing upon that for the rest of your life. Small, consistent, steps of obedience over time add up to a lot in His kingdom! Join us this week for prayer and fasting each night at 7! Hope to see you there :)

Raquel

Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” - Matthew 4:13-17

Simple comforts provide profound peace in times of crisis. Consider simple things like light and bread. For the desperately hungry, a loaf of bread might as well be a steak dinner. For those living in darkness, even the smallest lit candle attracts attention and interest. Jesus goes so far as to make the bold statement that He is both of these things. In other words, for those hungry enough; for those 'poor in spirit' who observe the deep darkness around them, searching for light, Jesus says you will find ultimate fulfillment in Him. The only thing left to be done is to test those bold statements. Does this bread ultimately satisfy? Does this light bring peace and assurance that all will be well? For me, it has been a profound yes! I used to believe the Gospel was simply that God was trying to prevent people going to Hell when they died; one simply needed to accept Jesus, and you would avoid the fiery judgement of Hell at the end of all things. As I read the Scriptures year after year, I began to notice an emphasis not on the afterlife, but on current life. I observed people constantly searching for something; anything, to satisfy the hunger of their soul. Darkness was all around, and continues to be all around our world, and people are keeping their eyes open for light, any light to cast out the darkness. This is the Gospel Jesus is proclaiming! God has come to satisfy the hunger of the human soul. God, the creator of light, is rising over the horizon; the darkest night instantly vanishes at the first crack of dawn. The Light of the World and the Bread of Life have come together to shine in the darkness and satisfy the hunger of every human soul. We all are invited to follow this light, and in that endeavor we will be filled and satisfied. Christmas is the invitation to follow the light that shines upon The Light of the world. What awaits us in that manger; that feeding trough, is the Bread of Life, and we carry that light and sustenance out into our dark world. The darkness of night is heavy upon many in our world, but God has given us light and told us to Go! Rescue those in darkness; Repent! Because repentance lights the candle that reveals the Kingdom of Heaven is near, and there is enough bread for everyone to feast!

-Aaron

When God Comes Close in Unexpected Ways

Sometimes we picture God’s activity like a neatly ordered calendar: He’ll move here, answer there, show up right on time according to our carefully highlighted expectations. But very often, God’s presence arrives in ways that feel upside-down to us. Israel expected a warrior king. Heaven sent a carpenter’s son. They wanted a throne; God offered a cross. And still today, we often want solutions while God offers transformation.

If we’re honest, most of us carry quiet expectations about how God should work — how a prayer should be answered, how a relationship should be fixed, how a season should unfold. And when things don’t go according to our inner script, we wonder if God is distant. But what if He’s closer than we think, simply working in a way we didn’t anticipate?

The invitation of Jesus is simple and freeing: shift your mind, soften your grip, and notice the God who is already moving. Repentance isn’t just turning away from sin; it’s turning toward a new way of seeing. It’s trading our narrow perspective for His steady one. It’s letting Him rewrite our expectations so we don’t miss the beauty of His presence right in front of us.

God is not late. God is not silent. He is forming something in you — and sometimes the most sacred moments are the ones that don’t fit the picture we imagined.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Reflection Question
Where might your assumptions about how God should move be keeping you from recognizing how He is moving?

Prayer
Lord, reshape my thinking so I can see You clearly. Loosen my expectations, steady my heart, and help me recognize Your presence in every unexpected place. Lead me into Your way of seeing, trusting that Your plans are always good. Amen.

-Marissa

The Light Has Come          
November 30th, 2025

The sermon this week had me thinking- Do I throw around the word Blessed to much?

“Today I feel very Blessed, I am Blessed, You are Blessed.” It is a lovely word that I do like to use, but am I overusing it? And as Pastor Arron (Christmas truth #1) so graciously put it- God’s definition of Blessed might be different than ours.

Pastor Aaron quoted the book Rediscovering Christmas and a line really stood out to me- “The world seeks greatness but the kingdom seeks goodness”. It is not speaking of the exterior (material) goodness but the interior goodness that comes from the heart. We have all had those people in our lives that seem to excel in all they do while we struggle to just make the cut. Geez we say- “I wish I could be like (insert name) they seem to have it all”. But do they? Are they content or are they always trying to be the best, the greatest, or one upping others in the next thing to conquer? Being on top or having the biggest, baddest, and bestest can be exhausting. Having more stuff does not make you more Blessed- it can just make you the most tired, unhappy, and insecure for the unending search or reach to stay the greatest (in the mind).

As we see in Matthew Chapter 2- King Herod was just like that, he had everything, wealth, land, livestock, slaves and was still very insecure and evil, striving to be the greatest and to stay king. He went so far as to kill all the male children because of his insecurities. The path of destruction he laid was unthinkable….. all because the prophets foretold of a baby being born who was also called a King- the King of the Jews.

So, beware to those who strive to be great. Things may look good on the outside but the inside may be the polar opposite. (Christmas truth #2) Consumerism, comparison, cynicism, are all gifts that the world gives us- but your character, calling, Christ-likeness (which is your identity & purpose) are gifts from God. So where are we looking to be Blessed? Are we looking in the wrong places to feel Blessed? Do we see what God wants from us in his world? We must look past the great big shiny sparkly things of this world and seek the interior goodness only God can give. That is where you will find your blessing of peace.

2 Corinthians 2:12 says- “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those that are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with another, they are without understanding.” Comparison is the thief of joy! To truly be satisfied we just need to turn our lives over to the one true great King, God will satisfy the needs of every human heart. He asks this daily- Will you follow me?

As Pastor Aaron asked us in the sermon- Do we really understand what it means to be Blessed? I suggest you read the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 and ponder over the wonderful Blessings that God gives us.

Peace- Love- Prayers --- LuAnn Kleemeyer

The Word Defined: The Way

Acts 9:2--- NLT---“He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way He found there.

Acts 19:9 & 23---NLT---But some became stubborn, rejecting His message and publicly speaking against the Way.; About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning, the Way.

Acts 24:14---NLT---But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult.

Pastor Pete introduced a “What If,” scenario with a character whom He called Big Bill. A man in his mid-50’s who smoked, lived life stressed out, with a sedentary lifestyle; he ate unhealthily most of his life; and is now medically classified as morbidly obese.
The Doctor ordered lab work and exams, and his test results yielded bad news. Big Bill is called in and given the bad news; told to get his affairs in order and to make amends. This was evident because Big Bill made wrong choices regarding how he was living his life. He was incredibly unhealthy and near death. His wife looks up at the Doctor and asked, Is there no hope? The Doctor indicated it would be a long hard road that would require a radical change in Big Bill’s lifestyle.

It bodes the question, What in Big Bill’s life would have to change, that he might live?
Big Bill’s entire existence, his entire way of life and thinking would have to transform into something that is completely different and foreign to Bill. And so it is in our lives, when change or radical transformation is needed, we have, to turn to Jesus, for in John 14:6 it is written, Jesus saith unto him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Hence, our first fill-in: Following Jesus is not merely adopting a new set of Beliefs, but converting to a new Way of living.

In, today’s society, Pastor Pete goes further to say that we are Big Bill, and we exist in an unsaved culture. We have inherited brokenness from the time of Adam. Just like Big Bill, we have inherited brokenness in our soul (mind, will and emotions), in this unsaved culture, ie., (mental illness, suicide etc.,). In this society Christianity presents itself as a system of beliefs. There must be a rediscovery of faith as a way of life. Faith is what our society needs.

In Acts 9:2 it speaks of Saul, who was a devout Pharisee who vehemently persecuted the early Christians. He too had a radical transformation. It was on his way to Damascus, as he was in pursuit of followers of the Way, that he himself found the Way. Some time, after Paul’s conversion, he spoke boldly in the synagogues about the Kingdom of God.  (Acts19:9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.)

In our Christian Journey (the Way), defined, Biblical Christianity, must hold us steadfast in our belief and our pursuit in showing the lost, the Way. Our confession ought to be that, “Following Jesus is the Way!”.

As Paul spread the Gospel, he was no stranger to adversity. He was now the receiver of opposition and persecution, yet he endured hardness as a good soldier. Acts 19:23 refers to a riot in Ephesus, that was stirred up by Demetrius, who made silver shrines of the idol Artemis. Paul was bold in his Journey in the Way. Paul preached against gods made by hand. Paul’s steadfast toil in the Way brought many new believers to Christ and there was a decrease in demand for the silver shrines, which caused economic hardship to those, who did not walk in the Way. In Acts 24:14 Paul admits to being a follower of the Way, even though they called the Way a cult. Pastor Pete warned If we as Christians are not being called a cult, then we might not be doing Christianity right.

If Big Bill decides that he really wants to live and is willing to pay whatever price is necessary for life, then things can change. Per Pastor Pete, the desire for change, no matter how heart-felt or sincere it is, does not bring change. Only a new way of living brings change. We must be in pursuit of living in the Way. This is the Way. We need to watch those walking in this new way of living and follow them. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1—"Imitate me as I also imitate Christ.” Adopting, a brand, new way of living requires a new pattern to follow; a pattern that will educate us, encourage us; a pattern that will hold us accountable.

This is the Way.

The average American soul, is incredibly unhealthy. Pastor Pete goes on to say, “You and I are Big Bill.” The way is not easy, in fact, it is hard. Paul wrote two letters to Thessalonica, which he had his apprentice Timothy deliver. He let them know that walking in the Way is hard, but we must walk it with Joy in the Holy Spirit. We must choose Joy in suffering. This is the Way! We must be set apart from the culture that we are in. Surrendering our former lives and adapting to our radical transformation, in suffering like Christ, as we walk in the Way. We must be Holy; having sexual purity; putting away sexual immorality, learning to control animalistic passions; these desires that rage within our souls. We must confront our appetites, our desires, and our wants. How do we do this? By age-old Spiritual Disciplines. We call them---Growth Ingredients. Fasting with Prayer; Relationships with Authenticity and Accountability; Sacrificial Giving; Developing the Fruit of the Spirit, which is Self-Control; Loving each other with a Sacrificial Love. A love that costs us. This is the Way. Jesus said, That People will know you are followers of me, when you Love them like I Love them. Sacrificially. By the Way you Love people, when they are nailing you to a cross. That’s, how people will know we are following Jesus; Minding your own business, then people who are not believers will respect the Way you live. Show people around you that you are following the Way, by the Way you live. Become an example to those who need to believe. The Way is not easy. Jesus says, if you want life, you must give up your life, your wants, your desires, your world views, etc., It’s, only when you surrender your life, that you get life.

Metaphorically, you are nailing yourself to the cross to live a brand, new way. If you are willing to do that, you are ready to be saved!

It Is Worth It!

Gloria Miller 11/26/25

Dear Disciple, Follow Me, with Love — Jesus

True discipleship begins with a simple, searching question: Are you truly following Jesus? Many of us start strong in our faith—I’m picture that iconic Rocky training montage, where he is getting ready for that big fight with Apollo Creed—but then hesitate the moment the path becomes unclear or uncomfortable. When God’s direction doesn’t make sense from our human point of view, the temptation is to tap out, slow down, or quietly drift. That’s when the real internal question shows up: Is my commitment minimal or wholehearted? Jesus never asked us to follow Him only when we understood—He asked us to follow because He is trustworthy, not because the journey is predictable. Real faith is clining to Him even when the road bends in ways we didn’t see coming. “Follow Me” is an invitation—one filled with love, purpose, and yes, a little holy adventure. And who doesn’t love a good adventure!

Follow me. An Invitation.

Scripture reminds us that following Jesus is not self-serving; it is dying to self. And no, that doesn’t mean losing your personality, your joy, or your spark—it means letting go of the pride, preferences, and personal agendas that crowd out His voice. In the Christian sense, “dying to self” is choosing, daily, to say, “Jesus, You lead. I’ll follow.” Pastor Pete reminded us that Jesus defines this relationship with two powerful words: attachment and imitation. When Jesus says, “If you love Me,” He is calling us into deep, secure attachment—like a true, steady, unshakeable connection, not the kind that fizzles like a two-week New Year’s resolution. And when He adds, “You will keep My commandments,” He invites us to imitate His heart, His actions, and His ways—not out of pressure, but out of love.

Follow me. A lifestyle.

To follow Jesus is to mimic Him—not superficially like copying someone’s hairstyle or trendy water bottle- (Stanley mugs- Ahem), but by watching Him closely and doing what He does. This is what He means in Matthew 11 when He says, “Come to Me…” He is not only offering rest for your soul; He is offering direction for your life. To follow Him well, we must align ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically. Spiritually, we anchor ourselves to Him through prayer, Scripture, worship, and obedience. Mentally, we let His truth reshape our thoughts so we stop believing the lies that make us shrink back. Physically, we live out His mission in real, everyday choices—how we serve, how we love, and how we show up.
True discipleship is direction—and it is mission.

Sam Mosca

I hope you’ll take a moment now and speak with Jesus.
Jesus, thank You for inviting me to follow You—not just when the path is smooth, but even when it twists, turns, and feels way above my spiritual pay grade. Help me let go of everything in me that tries to take the lead, control the route, or ask for the itinerary before saying “yes.” Teach me how to attach to You with a steady, confident heart, and to imitate You in the quiet moments as much as in the big ones. Align my spirit, my mind, and my body with Your purpose so I can walk out the mission You’ve entrusted to me. Give me courage to take the next step—even if it’s small, even if I feel unsure, and even if I’m tempted to stay comfortable. Jesus, make me a true follower, one who chooses You daily, joyfully, and wholeheartedly. Amen.

John 6:28-29 NIV they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Romans 10:9-10 NLT If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

“If the words you spoke appeared on your skin, would you still be beautiful?” This quote has always resonated with me. Are the things I am saying to others encouraging, true, kind, and beneficial? Likewise, are the things we do in our day to day life adding “good” to the world. From a Biblical perspective, are my actions having an eternal impact? Do my words bring life or death? Do I carry God’s peace with me? Am I serving others? How am I under pressure… when everything is falling apart?

Pastor Pete referred to two types of belief in Jesus: “Big Foot” belief and “Biblical” belief. Anyone can say “I believe in Big Foot!” and go on about the rest of their day without giving it another thought. This belief in Big Foot would not have any further impact on the decisions they make in their day. It is superficial and means little to nothing. In the same way, we can say, “I believe in Jesus!” but carry on about the rest of their lives without living out that belief.

A “Biblical” belief in Jesus changes everything. This type of belief will guide our day-to-day decision making. This type of belief is full of leaps of faith. It can cost us everything- money, status, comfort, convenience, and sometimes even our safety.

Biblical belief is accompanied by action and behavior change. If we say we believe in Jesus and that we have surrendered our lives to Him, there will be evidence of a life transformed. Who we were before and who we are now will and should look different. No matter how long we have been saved, as we continue to progress through life with Christ, we are on a never-ending journey of transformation. With every passing season, we should look more like Jesus (not physically, of course). We will continue to grow more selfless, more joyful, more peaceful, more patient, more kind, more generous, and more loving and more self-controlled.

I often ask myself, “How did I love today?” Every morning that we are blessed to wake up to, we might have countless opportunities ahead of us to show the love of God to those around us. To notice these opportunities, we will need to slow down and look around. Sometimes, I can get so frustrated with myself with how slow I am. I can often feel behind. But, when I step back and look at myself through God’s eyes, I see that although I move through life at a slower pace, it has helped me notice the beauty that others often miss. We are surrounded by beauty every day in God’s creations- the trees, the stars, the ocean, the animals, the flowers, etc. And His most important creation of all - people. All waiting to feel known and loved. Let’s be the ones who live with a Biblical belief in Jesus, and go live out our days full of love, peace, laughter, joy, patience, generosity, and selflessness. Let’s be the ones that when people look at us they say, “there’s something different about them.”

-Raquel

Church in the Ordinary

These last Sundays have looked different. Pastor Ron (also known as my hubby) is still recovering from heart surgery, so we’ve been worshiping from home these past weeks. Usually, we tune in to the church livestream on YouTube — but this time, the service wouldn’t play. Technical issues. It happens….

We felt the disconnect for a moment —singing songs of worship together, smiling faces with announcements, the shared “Thrive High-fives.” Yup, we even do that at home. But then we remembered… church isn’t a building or a broadcast. It’s the people who are the church.
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them".
Matthew 18:20NIV

Jesus meets us wherever hearts turn toward Him.

So, we made our own little service — Bible open to Hebrews 4:12-13, a verse that reminds us how alive and active God’s Word is, speaking right into the hidden corners of our hearts. We read aloud, prayed together, and sang a few worship songs on our back porch, the sound of the wind and the water joining in.

And right there, by the pond, it was church. Not fancy or polished, but holy all the same. Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 came to life — “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Sometimes rest looks like a sanctuary full of people. Other times, it’s a quiet porch, two hearts lifted toward heaven, and the steady presence of a Savior who meets us right where we are.

Food for Spiritual thought: How might you create sacred moments in your ordinary routines this week?

Sam Mosca

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” -Matthew 11:28-30, The Message Bible

Pastor Clayton delivered a powerful conclusion to our sermon series on walking the narrow pathway of Jesus. What he so profoundly explained and showed us was that this was not a 'new' concept Jesus was illustrating, but something that has been an aspect of humanity since the beginning of humanity in the garden. It seems that discipleship; walking with God, was the intention all along. In the beginning God walked with the humans in the cool of the day. We do not know exactly what those discussions entailed, but one would assume they were productive, life-giving, intentional. The sin of taking from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was not in just the rebellion, but it was in taking matters into our own hands at the improper time. There is an emphasis in our Scriptures on waiting upon the LORD. Waiting. Our impatience has gotten us into more trouble than we may be aware of. It seems, that perhaps, the prohibition to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good of Evil might not have been a forever thing, but a test in trust and holy patience; abiding, and being content in that abiding practice. As we wait upon the LORD He teaches us everything we need to know. The lesson remains the same today. Wait upon the LORD, do not rush to take matters into your own hands. It is in the waiting that His good, perfect, and pleasing will is revealed. Wait upon the LORD, and at the proper time, you will have all that you need and want. It seems to take us a lifetime to learn this lesson, but at the end of all things, we once again gain access to the Tree of Life; whose leaves are for the healing of all the nations, Revelation says. He's not holding back from us at all, but waiting until the proper time. The time in which we willing hand our will over to Him; ask Him to take it, heal us, and make us new. As we humbly repent, and follow Him; abide with Him, wait upon Him. He welcomes us back to Paradise, back to the Garden, to eat from the Tree of Life with Him. Praise be to God both now and forevermore, Amen!

Keep on the narrow path friends,

Aaron

Flawed but Chosen

Peter has always been one of the easiest disciples to relate to—not because he got everything right, but because he got so many things so humanly wrong. One moment he’s bold and brave, declaring Jesus as the Messiah, and the next he’s denying that he even knows Him. That mix of courage and failure, faith and fear, makes Peter feel like… us.
We’ve all had our “highlight reel” moments—times when our faith felt strong and we did the right thing. But we’ve also had those behind-the-scenes moments we’d rather no one ever saw. The words we wish we could take back. The choices that still make us cringe.

The beauty of Peter’s story is that God didn’t just use his victories—He redeemed his failures too. The same man who denied Jesus three times would go on to preach one of the most powerful sermons ever and lead thousands to faith. The same hands that once let go of Jesus would later write letters that still encourage believers today.

Your story is no different. Your mistakes don’t cancel your calling. God can use the moments you wish never happened to shape the testimony someone else needs to hear. You are both imperfect and chosen, human and holy, broken and deeply loved.

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
— Mark 16:7

Reflection Question
What are the moments you’re proud of—and the ones you wish could disappear? How might God be writing redemption into both?

Prayer
Jesus, thank You for loving me in all of my humanity—for my strong moments and my messy ones. Help me trust that You can redeem every part of my story for Your glory. Amen.

- Marissa

The Narrow Pathway

We are given various scriptures and situations to ponder. These circumstances are events centered around God and what He declared in the lives of these people: His power made known in each situation, and their response to the voice of God and what He had declared in their lives.

Genesis 3:8-13---NIV---then the man and his wife, heard the sound, of the Lord God, as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. but the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” he answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so, I hid.” and He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “the woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “what is this you have done? The woman said, “the serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

It’s obvious that Adam forgot the voice of God. If you go back to Genesis 2:16—NIV—and the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” there are consequences when we don’t heed the voice of the Lord. For mankind it was a spiritual death and separation.

As Minister Bridget said, “We have lots of voices in our ears, in these times; the enemy himself, social media, influencers etc., people we don’t even know. What voices have you been listening to, besides God?” That’s a great question. This brings us to Fill-in #1 — How do we filter out the voices?

Going down the Narrow Pathway requires we constantly stay before the Lord in praise, worship, prayer, fasting, and in the Word (Bible). in John 10:27---NIV— “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Genuine followers of Jesus Christ recognize and follow His guidance, distinguishing His voice from other spiritual influences or teachings. Let’s not follow Adam and Eve’s example. As Minister Bridget said, “we must wait on the Lord, seek God’s face, and wait for Him to respond.” God wants a relationship of trust with us.

Minister Bridget led us to Genesis 17:15-18---NIV---God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; Her name will be Sarah. 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.” Abraham fell, face-down; 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?” and Abraham said to God, “if only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

Genesis 18:10-15---NIV---Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of child-bearing. So, Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” but He said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
Abraham and Sarah also knew the voice of God but had doubts and disbelief regarding what they heard. In chapter 15, God made a covenant with Abram and his descendants. In chapter 16 a plan was hatched by Sarah to use Hagar to bear seed for her husband. They had the privilege to hear from God, right in their midst, and did not have the faith to believe. They looked at their circumstances in the natural and responded accordingly — to the point where the question was asked, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

When the Lord speaks to us, let’s activate our faith beyond what we see, stay on the Narrow Pathway, and be attentively open to receive what God has in store for us. Let’s keep our hands in God’s hand, letting Him lead and guide us. When you’re on the Narrow Pathway, there is no “Plan B.”

Here again, we were taken to 1 Samuel 1:2-8, 10-20---NIV---(Elkanah was from Ephraim) he had 2 wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phineas the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat, to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. but to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her, in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the lord, her rival provoked her, till she wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons? in her deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the lord, weeping bitterly. and she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”……………………………so in the course, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because, I asked the lord for him.” Hannah did as she had promised God.

This is awesome. See, the Bible says, “she prayed with deep anguish.” When you walk the Narrow Pathway, everything is not going to be easy. At times you are going to be extremely distressed; have severe mental or physical pain; and all while trying to get what you want from God. I have gone through this many times myself.

Like Minister Bridget said, and I agree with, Fill-in #2 — The difference between Sarah and Hannah wasn’t their circumstances, but how they responded to their circumstances. Sarah laughed and took matters into her own hands. Hannah, with deep anguish, prayed though it felt painful and uncomfortable. She did not relent or come up with a “Plan B.” She put her petition before God, believed God for it, and waited on the Lord — and the Lord remembered her.

Fill-In #3 — In what way are you waiting for God to move? Will you wait on God and allow Him to move on your behalf? Will you trust God to do it His way? What’s your priority — staying on the Narrow Pathway and being a little uncomfortable sometimes, or having it your way?

Minister Bridget admonished us to deeply think about Matthew 7:13-14--- NIV---"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few, find it.”

This question bares asking again, whose voice are you listening to, besides God?

-Gloria Miller

10/09/2025

VERSE:
Psalm 86:11 “Teach me your ways oh Lord, that I may live according to your truth.  Grant me purity of heart so that I may honor you.”
 
I walked away with three thoughts on Sunday’s message.  The first is that I enjoyed the contrasts that Pastor Pete used.  Starting with the narrow gate and path in contrast to the wide pathway.  He worked his way through coal and diamonds and other comparisons to end with King Saul and King David.  

As I listened, I had my second thought.  Do I have the courage to follow on that very narrow way?  Another way to ask the question is, do I have the character to follow the narrow path?  Pastor Pete told us about David’s character test.  How David and his followers were alone in a cave with King Saul.  David’s men encouraged him to take Saul’s life.  David chose to let Saul leave unharmed.  

I remember that Saul had his own character test.  He was heading off to battle.  Samuel tells him to go ahead, but to wait for Samuel to meet up and present the sacrifice and offering.  Instead, after waiting for a time, Saul gets impatient and presents the offering.  Samuel arrives and informs Saul that he will lose his kingdom because of this.

So again, I ask myself if I have the courage/strength of character to walk the narrow way, to be obedient to God’s leading.  This is why I love the first line of Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your ways oh Lord, that I may live according to your truth.”  My desire is to surrender myself to God’s teachings, and then to live according to his word/truth.  I want to do this in spite of what I or the world thinks I should do instead.

My last take away is with the final scripture Acts 13:22, “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, “I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart.  He will do everything I want him to do.”  As I read this, I think of the second sentence in Psalm 86:11 “Grant me purity of heart so that I may honor you.”  I desire to be a man after God’s own heart.  A heart that I know is pure and holy, full of love and forgiveness.

The sermon is about making one of two choices.  The narrow, difficult path and narrow gate.  The other is the broad pathway, the way of the world.  So, do each of us have the courage to follow the narrow way?  Do we have the willingness to be made into a diamond, to live life in slow humbling service, to be formed by the crushing pressure of the spiritual growth ingredients?  It does not sound like fun, does it?  As believers we know that the journey and the destiny is worth it.  

I actually have a fourth thought.  This was the prayer that came to my mind as Pastor Pete was reading Acts 13:22.   I am asking you to pray it.  
“Dear Lord.  Remove the Saul in me and replace it with a David.  Replace it with a man/woman after your own heart.  Amen.”

Your brother, Steve





 

The Narrow Pathway

Matthew 7:13-14 NIV “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Pastor Aaron taught us that, “everyone can fit on the narrow path.” However, not everyone chooses it. To be honest, I can understand why someone would not choose it. It is not an easy and convenient road. It embodies everything that goes against our human nature: humbling ourselves, putting others needs above our own, and self-denial. We may feel tempted to live a life where people know of our greatness and want to be like us. We might want to put our desires above others needs and have the urge to ‘tell ‘em like it is,’ because what we have to say is more important or “right.”

“The biblical definition of humility involves recognizing one’s own limitations and acknowledging God’s authority. It is characterized by lowliness of spirit, dependence on God, and a heart of service towards others. (Proverbs 22:4; Philippians 2:3) It is seen as a virtue that leads to wisdom. (James 4:10).”

Jesus and Job’s lives model this for us. They both endured undeserved and unimaginable suffering. They were ridiculed and harshly judged by others. They both had moments where they cried out to God with their questions and for relief. Finally, they both humbled themselves before God despite their current situations, boldly walking the ‘narrow path.’ Rather than turning away from God, they leaned into the truth about Him. He is good and His ways are beyond our understanding. Their responses were to trust and persevere to the end.

In Job’s story, we see that God restored his life to twice as much as before. (Job 42:10) Job was not given a direct answer as to why God had allowed this turmoil in his life. But, He did show Job who He is and what He was/is capable of. Job was awestruck at God’s majesty. After being confronted by God’s overwhelming power, Job realizes his own insignificance, repents, and humbles himself before the Lord. No one goes by unscathed in this life. At some point we all experience unimaginable suffering, a dark night of the soul. What do we do with it? We can turn away in anger and bitterness, or we can lean in to the truth about God and trust Him even if we never receive answers.

Choosing the narrow path will never make sense to the ‘world.’ If we choose to walk this path, we will stand out. Not because of our remarkable achievements, popularity, or riches. We will stand out for exuding radical humility and for our unrelenting service to others. When people look at us they should think, “there’s something different about them. I wonder what it is…” This is choosing the narrow path that leads to life. This is living out the gospel message the way Jesus intended it.

- Raquel