The Holy Spirit is welcome.
Fill us with love peace and joy.
Lord, fill my satchel with your good fruits.
So I can pour them out
To all your children along the way.
The spirit of the Lord is freedom.
You alone can open these doors
That let your light into the dark places.
All we can do is cross the threshold.
Leave the perverse behind
And be made new by fire.
The weight has been lifted.
Come out of the dark
Lost least and last.
The son sets us free.
Righteous and holy is his name.
I am who you say I am.
As a higher level of glory begins, the shaking comes.
Resting, abiding. Intimacy.
Remembrance of Him.
They will know we are your disciples as we
Love one another wholly and love each other holy.
Resurrection power in the most powerful elements available.
All glory and power abide in you. I seek refuge in you, Lord.
I shall not want. More precious than gold or rubies. Truth is your love.
My cup overflows.
You lead me on paths of righteousness. Along the way, you are with me
All the days of my life.
I shall dwell in your house forever.
Glory of the Lord, mercy and grace are the abundance of riches.
Along the way I can see the feet of Jesus. God, order my steps thusly. As the Son walks, so shall I. Your goodness and love go before. Holy and pure is the truth of your Word. Walk like Jesus.
Open the scroll.
Break the seal.
The unction of the Lamb.
The shadows will align with your light.
Impossible shadows are works by your hand.
Like the shadow of your wing.
Desire to know more of Jesus.
The love of Jesus breaks through.
Chases us down along the way.
His love doesn’t fade or diminish.
His love will be there at the finish.
Peace abides in this love.
The rhythm of Love is in the music of the Lord.
My daughter, we stand with you.
Matthew 6:5-8 (ESV) 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
(ScottM wrote this tonight at church mostly during worship session, but also inspired by what I heard, and we had communion 2/25/2026)
(1 Kings 12-13)
Jeroboam I is known as the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel of ten tribes after it split from Judah and Benjamin. The nation of Israel split into the northern and southern kingdoms following the death of Solomon, Jeroboam was the first king of the north.
He is infamous for leading his people into idolatry by setting up golden calves in Bethel and Dan, declaring them the new places of worship. Not only changing worship practices, but also establishing a pattern of evil that all subsequent northern kings followed.
He was persuaded to do these things because he had a thought, listened to loyal counsel that also wanted to keep the power and giving his ear to of his many wives that worshiped many other Gods. He is famous for leading his people into spiritual apostasy.
He did this as his own solution out of fear and political expediency to prevent his people from returning to Jerusalem where the Temple was and where the Israelite was still supposed to make sacrifices to the Lord. The Temple was located in the Southern Kingdom, so Jeroboam essentially wanted to make it more convenient to worship, thus creating a religion separate from God to maintain control and power.
This is the story of a man driven by fear and not trusting God.
FRESH FAITH
by Jim Cymbala
Chapter SIX (excerpt) The High Cost of Cleverness
UNBELIEF TALKS TO ITSELF instead of talking to God. How much better it would have been if Jeroboam had analyzed his fears and then taken them to the Lord. If only he had prayed, “O God, I didn’t ask to be king, but I know you put me here. The way it looks to me, I could lose everything if my people keep trekking down to Jerusalem. But you said you would be with me and establish my dynasty. So tell me what to do.” Jeroboam didn’t do this. Instead he talked to himself.
When we talk to ourselves, we’re not talking to anyone very smart, because our outlook is very limited. But if we talk to God, we’re talking to someone who knows everything. He knows what he promised in the beginning, and he knows exactly how to fulfill those promises no matter the circumstances.
But faith enables us to see God on top of all our problems. If we see only the problems, we get depressed and start making wrong decisions. When we have faith, we see God bigger than any mountain, and we know he is going to take care of us.
If God is for you, it doesn’t matter how many demons in hell try to oppose you. If God is for you, it doesn’t matter what your opponents whisper in the ears of people. Unbelief has a devious way of envisioning negative things. When you’re walking in faith, you get out of bed in the morning saying, “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6). But when you’re walking in unbelief, you get out of bed saying, “Oh, no! Is this the day I’m going to lose it all?” The glass is always half-empty.
Those who walk in faith are still realists. They often admit that they don’t know how everything is going to work out; but they insist that their God will supply nonetheless.
Let me tell you that God, who began a good work in you, is not about to stop now. After sending his Son to die for your sins, after saving you at such incredible cost, why would he let you fail now?
Let us declare war this very moment on the cleverness that is really a mask for unbelief. Bring your problem to God, as a little child would, in total confidence that he alone can fix whatever is broken. Open your Bible and let the Holy Spirit plant in you the seeds of a fresh faith that will blossom as you wait on the Lord. Don’t give up asking, seeking, and knocking —no matter what pressure you feel to “do something.”
How can our heavenly Father do anything but respond to our persistent prayer of faith? Jesus said, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7-8).
Sing a little louder in the storm.
A sweet noise to the Lord.
Within his love I conform.
Walking in your love, God.
Cleansed on the inside.
Washed white by the blood.
Place for my heart to reside.
I will survive this flood.
It’s not my performance.
I’m not deserving.
I just need to dance.
To celebrate my delivering.
Join me in heavenly places.
There’s room for new faces.
God wants his kingdom filled.
That’s why the blood spilled.
Fill this room with your peace.
Gifts of the spirit you give.
I never want to leave
The feet of Jesus.
I just want you.
I take your hand
You show me where to stand.
My first love, my savior
The bride of Christ.
All truth at his feet
Leave it and love it.
This love pours out for all.
Be still and listen.
When you give it to God.
You can’t go take it back.
He will build a fire.
God is faithful and the fire will come.
(By ScottM during church 2/22/2026)
Psalm 34:4,6,17-19 (paraphrased)
Seek peace and pursue it.
He saves the crushed in spirit.
God delivers the righteous.
2 Timothy 2:21 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
“The truth will set you free.
No matter what it looks like,
No matter the cost,” Lance said.
Holy, holy is your name, Lord.
Upon the mountain so high.
Watching the season roll by.
Remembering the deeds you’ve done.
Amazing and astonishing
Blessings of the One.
All of your works are well done.
Filled with the love of your Son.
The evidence of your greatness.
By faith I confess
Is all around by your hand
In the spirit of God we stand.
Glory and Grace
fill this place
We seek your face
Peace falls
A portion for all
To answer your call
Sanctification
Purification
Consecration
More than imagination
Worship.
A move of God,
Presence in the love of God.
Knock at the door.
Abide in His joy.
You shall live and not die.
Power impartation.
Plug into the rapid charge.
Yoked.
The hearts be filled.
Refreshment is given.
Life more abundant.
Unity is at hand,
The Lord’s loving embrace.
Knowing where I stand,
And I run the race.
O Lord, show the iniquity
And help me understand.
Guide my feet to freedom.
For I seek rest for my soul.
But Jesus says, “Come.”
Revealing truth as you go.
Hand to the cart.
Not rest from walking,
But rest in walking.
(By ScottM during church 2/18/26)
Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV)
Thus says the Lord:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls…
Luke 9:62 (MEV)
Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back at things is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke 10:11 (NLT) ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
While watching The Chosen, this came to me. The fig tree showed leaves that gave the hope of bearing fruit. But it wasn’t in season. Jesus cursed the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14; 19-25) as a metaphor to teach his disciples that their religious leaders may appear outwardly righteous, but without bearing good fruit, what good is the tree. “This tree gave the appearance of fruit, but lacked anything good,” Jesus said in The Chosen, and the fig tree is a metaphor of the Temple in Jerusalem where Jesus overturns tables, and wants to cleanse the wickedness from God’s House.
We should not be like this fig tree without fruit, or as only producing good fruit for a brief season. Instead we should be known by our good fruits in all seasons. Jesus was on the way to cleanse the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18). Don’t be like a Pharisee. This reminds me of “wolf in sheep clothing” which we’ve all heard. The religious leaders in Jesus’s generation were dressed in costumes of the finest materials.
Mark 11:13-14 (ESV) 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
Jesus fulfilled another prophecy by making the leaves wither on the tree with no figs. The harvest is taken away:
Jeremiah 8:13 (NIV)
“‘I will take away their harvest,
declares the Lord.
There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, and their leaves will wither.
What I have given them
will be taken from them.’”
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:32–35).
Got Questions says this:
The presence of a fruitful fig tree was considered to be a symbol of blessing and prosperity for the nation of Israel. Likewise, the absence or death of a fig tree would symbolize judgment and rejection. Symbolically, the fig tree represented the spiritual deadness of Israel, who while very religious outwardly with all the sacrifices and ceremonies, were spiritually barren because of their sins. By cleansing the Temple and cursing the fig tree, causing it to wither and die, Jesus was pronouncing His coming judgment of Israel and demonstrating His power to carry it out. It also teaches the principle that religious profession and observance are not enough to guarantee salvation, unless there is the fruit of genuine salvation evidenced in the life of the person. James would later echo this truth when he wrote that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). The lesson of the fig tree is that we should bear spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), not just give an appearance of religiosity. God judges fruitlessness and expects that those who have a relationship with Him will “bear much fruit” (John 15:5-8). LINK to Got Questions.
Roots, Fruits and Pruning 11/6/25
John 15:2 (AMP) Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit].
Ask yourself: Am I dragging around “dead branches” in my life?
It would be nice if we could see what God sees and say, “Yes, God. Let’s get rid of that dead branch.” But many times we’re too afraid to give up what we know, what’s familiar, for something new that we just can’t see or understand.
God wants us to be so rooted and grounded in His love that nothing can shake us—so we’re able to bear good fruit in even the hardest, most difficult seasons of life.
Keep Your Eye on the Prize:
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
If we will totally give ourselves to God, He will give us His best for us. It may not be what we thought we wanted, but it will be exactly what we need. And it will be greater than anything we could have asked for!
Sometimes the love of the father can be painful for us. Not spiritually, but to our flesh. There are things we don’t want pruned out of our lives but, in order to abide in Him, they can’t exist in us anymore. It can be people or things or habits that we hold dear to our lives. To our flesh. Sometimes, they’ve got to go, and it hurts. But it is part of the process of becoming what the Father created us to be. So don’t fight it. Let the Lord do His work, and trust that He knows what He’s doing. When you see the new growth that occurs, you’ll understand, and be a better, more fruitful disciple of Christ. The blackened, withered branches that couldn’t produce will bear witness to the work He has done in your life.