Ozark Valley Church of Christ

08/09/2025

Not every voice is worth following.

In a world full of opinions, personalities, and platforms—it’s easy to get swept up by the wrong shepherd.

But there’s only One who laid down His life for the sheep.

📖 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
— John 10:11 (NKJV)

Not a pastor.
Not a mentor.
Not a friend.
Jesus.

No one will love you like Him.
No one will lead you like Him.

The Apostle Paul warned the church:

📖 “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”
— Acts 20:29–30 (NKJV)

Even in the church—not every voice is of God.
Even among believers—not everyone is following the Shepherd.

So how do we stay safe?
📖 “…commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up…” (v.32)

You follow the Shepherd by staying in His Word.
By knowing His voice.
By refusing to be led by feelings or personalities.

He leads. We follow.
That’s the only way.

08/08/2025

Many will try to enter—but few will make it in.

📖 “Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’
And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’”
— Luke 13:23–24 (NKJV)

This isn’t a popular message.
But it’s the truth.

There will be many who assume they’re on the right path.
They’ll say, “We went to church… we knew about You.”
But Jesus will say:
📖 “I tell you I do not know you… depart from Me.” (v.27)

Let that sink in.
Not everyone who says His name is known by Him.

The gate is narrow.
And it’s not based on association or appearance—it’s based on relationship.

Being around Jesus isn’t enough.
You must belong to Him.

That means real repentance.
Real surrender.
A real walk—not just words.

🕊️ There’s still time to enter through the narrow gate.
But one day the door will be shut.

Don’t just assume you’re in.
Make sure He knows you.

08/07/2025

Living for God isn’t passive—it’s intentional.
We are called to offer our whole selves—not just our words, not just our church attendance—but our lives.

📖 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service.” — Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

But here’s the thing:
Our flesh doesn’t like discipline.
We’re always looking for the shortcut—especially when life gets hard.

📖 “And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” — Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

Think of it like training.
No one wakes up one day and runs a marathon.
It takes commitment. Consistency. Sacrifice.
You have to train your body and your mind to go against what feels natural—and that’s exactly what walking with Jesus requires.

This world wants you to blend in.
Jesus calls you to be set apart.

So no, it won’t always be easy.
But it will always be worth it.

Don’t conform. Be transformed.
Let your life be the offering.

08/06/2025

It’s not enough to just talk about Jesus.
It’s not enough to sit in a church building or hang around people who believe.
It’s not enough to post verses while living like the world.

📖 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” — Acts 4:12 (NKJV)

Jesus is the ONLY way.
And following Him? That requires more than words. It demands action.

Faith is a verb.
And verbs move. Verbs act. Verbs live.

Jesus doesn’t just want your Sundays.
He wants your life.

Every day. Every choice. Every moment.

So today—don’t just talk about Him.
Follow Him. Live for Him. Obey Him.

There’s no other Name. No other way. No other hope.

08/05/2025

It starts slow.

You step into the current of life—ankle deep.
Just trying to get by.
A few compromises here. A little spiritual distraction there.
Before you know it, you’re swept away—carried by the current of the world.

📖 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
in which you once walked according to the course of this world…”
— Ephesians 2:1–2 (NKJV)

We’ve all been there.
Going with the flow.
Letting circumstances and culture set the pace.

But the current of this world leads to death.
There is only one way to life.

📖 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” — John 14:6 (NKJV)

Jesus isn’t a path. He’s the path.

It sounds simple. But life makes it hard.
Distractions, responsibilities, trials—they shift our focus.
We stop walking and start drifting.

🛑 Today is a reminder:
Check your footing.
Look up.
Ask yourself—am I still on the narrow path, or am I just floating downstream?

Jesus is still the way.
He hasn’t moved.
We just have to fix our eyes and follow.

08/04/2025

The narrow path isn’t easy—because it’s not supposed to be.

📖 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” — Matthew 7:13–14 (NKJV)

The wide path? That’s easy.
It’s like the interstate—fast, convenient, comfortable.
Everyone’s on it.

But the narrow path?
That takes effort. It requires turning off the noise, dying to self, surrendering our flesh daily.
And let’s be honest—our flesh doesn’t like hard.

We are wired to chase ease, comfort, and shortcuts.
But Jesus didn’t call us to ease—He called us to follow.

And the path that leads to life?
It’s narrow. It’s hard. And it’s worth every step.

08/02/2025

Life is heavy. You’re not imagining it.

But you’re also not supposed to carry it all yourself.

📖 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” — 1 Peter 5:6–7

Lay it down.
All the stress. All the fear. All the weight.
He cares. And He can carry what you cannot.

But don’t miss what comes next.

📖 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour…”

This is a battle.
The enemy is real. And he’s after the weary, the distracted, the burdened.

But we don’t retreat—we resist.

📖 “Whom resist stedfast in the faith…”

Stand firm. You’re not the only one enduring.
But more importantly—you’re not enduring alone.

📖 “After that ye have suffered a while, [He will] make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

You may suffer for a little while—but restoration is promised.
He will strengthen you. He will settle you.

Keep walking. Keep humbling yourself. Keep laying it all at His feet.
God sees. God cares. And God finishes what He starts.

08/01/2025

We act like this life is forever.

We chase money, security, success.
We stress about houses, jobs, image, retirement.
But all of it—every bit—is temporary.

King Solomon had everything: riches, wisdom, power. And what did he say?
📖 “All is vanity… grasping for the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:11)

Still, he reminded us: enjoy the simple gifts. Do good. Be thankful.
But don’t be fooled—this world is not our home.

Paul wrote it plainly in 2 Corinthians 4:18:

“The things which are seen are temporary,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

We’re not building a kingdom here.
We’re preparing for eternity. 🕊️

So don’t lose heart when this world feels heavy.
Don’t cling too tightly to what won’t last.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. Live for what’s eternal.

07/31/2025

Where are you running when life feels too heavy?

📖 “I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”
— Psalm 118:5–6

We’re all looking for peace.
But where are we seeking it?

The news tells us what to fear.
The world tells us to trust in systems, people, and power.
But the Word tells us something entirely different:

📖 “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man… better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” — Psalm 118:8–9

When we turn to the world for comfort, it often leaves us more anxious.
When we place our confidence in people, we’re let down.

But when we bring our stress, our fear, and our distress to the Lord—
He answers. He helps. He sets us free.

So today, ask yourself:
Where am I taking refuge? Who am I turning to for peace?

Run to Jesus. Lay it at His feet.
He is near. He is enough. He is your safe place.

07/30/2025

Why are we so stressed… when He promised to never leave?

We stress about money.
We stress about the future.
We stress about things completely out of our control.

But for the born-again believer—those walking with Christ—we’ve been given a promise that should silence every fear.

📖 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” — Hebrews 13:5–6

Stress thrives when we forget who walks beside us.
Fear grows when we doubt His provision.
But when we remember the promise, peace follows.

You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just have to trust the One who already does.

🕊️ He is your Helper.
He will provide.
He will not forsake you.

So take a breath today—and remind your heart: you’re not alone if you are walking with Him.

07/29/2025

Life feels heavy right now.

Inflation is at an all-time high. Pay doesn’t match the cost of living. Stress shows up everywhere—your job, your finances, your health, your children.

And the world offers a thousand ways to escape: alcohol, drugs, entertainment, distractions. But none of them bring true peace or truly relieve the stress and worry.

Born-again Christians have an advantage.
We don’t face the weight of this life alone.

Jesus said in John 16:31-33

John 16:31-33
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

This promise isn’t for the world.
It’s for those who are in Christ.

Peace can be yours—not because life is easy, but because He’s overcome it all.

You can endure. You can stand firm. Because of Him and His sacrifice that allows us to each walk in a new life.

02/18/2022