Matthew 20:26-28 "The Greatest" on this week's Word of Grace Devotion with Pastor Joe Marquez.1/30/2017  The Word of Grace Devotion for the Week of January 30, 2017
The Greatest Matthew 20:26-28, “It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Beloved, it was Muhammad Ali who proclaimed, “I am the Greatest!” This was not the first time that someone had proclaimed this sentiment. Throughout time many others have felt the same way. Even the disciples of Jesus would argue among themselves as to who was the greatest. Jesus responded to this question with an answer, which leaves us no compromise. So you want to be the GOAT? You want to be the greatest of all time? Well to be the GOAT, according to Jesus, you need to become a servant. I realize that this smacks against everything that the world teaches us. The world is constantly teaching us that in order for us to be the GOAT, we need to be above everyone else. Jesus tells us that the true GOAT is the one who is below everyone else. Matthew 20:26-27 says, “It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.” Thankfully, Jesus did not only tell us what it takes to be the greatest but He also showed us. Matthew 20:28 says, “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords could have easily come and demand to be served. Instead He left us a legacy of service to the least, especially to those who could in no way repay Him for His kindness. His example then is the road map for our lives. If we are to become more like Christ, we are to die to ourselves and serve others. We are to esteem others better than ourselves and elevate Christ above all else! I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you! In Jesus Name, Pastor Joe
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 The Word of Grace Devotion for the Week of January 23, 2017
God Speaks Through His Creation Psalm 19:1-2, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” Beloved, you have often heard me say that God has spoken to us through His Creation, through our conscience and through his Son and His Word. Here in Psalm 19 we find Scripture, which reveals that God has been speaking to us through His creation. From these two verses we learn a couple of very important truths. Truth one is that God is the creator of everything. Psalm 19:3-4 verifies this truth, “There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun.” Here we learn that God Himself has set a tent for the Sun, He is the creator, nothing has happened by chance. Truth two is that God is speaking as Psalm 19:2 says, “Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” So to whom is God speaking and what is He saying? The simple answer is that God is speaking to us! Beloved He desires to have a relationship with us that can grow. So the next time you catch that sunrise or sunset or check out the stars or moon at night, remember God is speaking to you! He wants you to know you and wants you to know how special you are to Him! Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork!” Beloved, I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you! In Jesus Name, Pastor Joe Matthew 4:14-17 " A New Hope." on this week's Word of Grace Devotional with Pastor Joe Marquez.1/16/2017  The Word of Grace Devotion for the Week of January 4, 2016
A New Hope Matthew 4:14-17, “This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah: 15“In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, 16the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.” 17From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Beloved, with a New Year comes a new hope, a new hope for change. The above passage is quoted from Isaiah 9 in the Book of Matthew and speaks of the coming of Jesus bringing hope to a land that “sat in darkness.” This New Year also gives us hope for those of us who may have areas of our lives that have sat in darkness. For our family and friends who have not received the Lord, Jesus is a “great light” that has shined in the hearts of people searching for an answer. The necessary response is to, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” This response will lead to a new relationship with the Lord and they will never be the same! May our prayer this year be that many will come to know Jesus! For us, the believer, there may be areas of our lives that have, “sat in darkness.” Our devotional time with the Lord, our prayer life, our ministry to His people, and even our relationship with others may have taken a back seat to our personal selfish agendas. May this New Year bring a renewed sense of purpose and hope as we allow the Lord to work in us through His Word and then to work through us through His Power. Beloved, I pray that this year may be the best year of your life! Be intention and focus on cultivating your relationship with the Lord through a daily reading of His Word, a time of prayer and fellowship with the saints! I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you! In Christ, Pastor Joe |
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