Hill City First

06/03/2026

HEAR YE, HEAR YE!
Romans 10:17

“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
(Romans 10:17 NLT).
13 words that carry a great doctrinal truth. This well known verse of Paul’s letter to the Romans shares some insight into the culture of Paul’s Day and speaks a great truth to us as well!
Understand that in Paul’s day, The Bible, (in that day Old Testament Scrolls) was not readily available and even as Paul writes this single letter, several books of our New Testament had not even been written yet. Yet Salvation’s message had been spoken of in these old writings! But again these writings were not available for easy access! Thus the importance of the spoken Word!
Let’s address the importance of the spoken Word of God! Yes we may quietly read God’s Word, but when we put voice , ours, or someone else’s, there is an added element. When Satan tempted Jesus immediately following Jesus 40 days of fasting, what did Jesus do? Did he read quietly the Scriptures? Did Jesus just think those thoughts? No! Jesus spoke God’s Word! Verbally, out loud, and with conviction!
We all have times when faith in our lives must increase! Speak God’s Word out loud with conviction! Speak it with boldness! Speak God’s Word with Authority! Speak The Word using it as The Sword that it is!
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God! Proclaim it in all situations! Hear ye, Hear ye!

06/02/2026

FAITH IN GOD ALONE!
James 1:5-6

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”
(James 1:5-6 NLT).
I have read this passage of scripture and quoted it many times throughout my life! The emphasis has always been on asking God for wisdom, and God has answered that prayer countless times as I have asked him for that wisdom. This morning, as I read that passage once again, I am caught by JAMES admonition to us as he writes.“Be sure your faith is in God alone“. The dilemma that we often find ourselves in is that we feel that something needs to be added to the mix. Something like my help, someone else’s involvement, or asking God for his help and then relying on someone else’s help! Yes, I understand that faith requires action on my part, but my action should only be what God is directing me to do and not my own ideas of what should be taking place! That is where my faith only in God comes into play! David, the psalmist, looked at it this way. God was his only help, his only salvation, his only hope. Human intervention often times hinders what God is desiring to do. My faith must look solely upon the Lord for his help! Yes, ask God for wisdom! He will give you a liberal amount! Then make sure your faith is in God alone!

06/01/2026

HOLD ON TO FAITH TIGHTLY!
1 Timothy 6:11-14

“Paul’s Final Instructions. But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”
(1 Timothy 6:11-14 NLT).
Wavering faith, wiggling from your grasp, is not desirable. Paul’s instruction to Timothy was to hold tightly to the eternal life to which God called him. This instruction is applicable to each of us today!
I have caught many fish over the years, mostly from shore. I have successfully pulled some nice fish onto shore, grabbed them to take the hook out of their mouth, only to have them flop out of my hands and back into the water. I had not held them tight enough. My loose hold allowed my catch to slip away. Paul’s admonition was that we must hold tightly, that is with a sure grip that securely grasps, the salvation that God has given us through Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ has given you Salvation on your confession of faith! Hold it tightly! You don’t want it to slip away!

05/31/2026

THE SOIL OF THE HEART

05/31/2026

HOLD ON TIGHT!
Hebrews 19:23

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”
(Hebrews 10:23 NLT).
The authorized King JAMES version says to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering! The writer of Hebrews would go on to say in chapter 11 that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen!
In our verse that we have selected for today, we are admonished to hold on tightly to our hope, our faith! How many times in my life have I come to a realization that I lack faith? Far too many for a man who is serving the Lord as faithfully as possible. So how much faith does it require to move mountains? Jesus taught us that if we had the faith the size of a mustard seed, one of the smallest of seeds, we could say to a mountain to be removed to the sea, and it would be done!
The writer of Hebrews here is teaching us that whatever amount of faith we have in Jesus Christ for our salvation, we must hold it tightly. Think of it as something that is very precious and is held in our hands and we carry it with us. Our instinct is to grip this precious thing very tightly in our fist and to never let go. That is the picture that the author of Hebrews paints for us with this verse.
So how do we make our faith grow? Once again, the author of Hebrews tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God! As I consider this, I am challenged to not just read the Word of God, but to speak it out loud. There is power in the spoken Word of God! Get ahold of your faith, your hope, and hold on tight! Life will bring bumps, twists, and turns, and unexpected interruptions! These are satan’s efforts to dislodge your faith! Hold it tightly!

05/30/2026

A TOWERING ROCK OF SAFETY!
Psalm 61:1-3

“From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.”
(Psalm 61:1-3 NLT).
We all have had instances of being afraid and in need of a safe place. This Psalm was written by David who had much experience fleeing from his enemies. He is known to have spent much of this time in the hills, valley’s, and caves of the land of Israel. David knew the importance of having the advantage of the “high ground” and was a part of his thoughts as he writes this song.
Some translations say “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I”. David was aware of his inadequacies and inability. He also knew that God was his help in time of trouble and he simply asks God to lead him to the rock (the Lord) that is higher than himself.
In need of safety? Ask the Lord to take you to a safe place that only he can provide. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I!

05/29/2026

SHELTER FOR THE OPPRESSED!
Psalm 9:8-10

“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.”
(Psalm 9:9-10 NLT).
There have been times in my life that I have had to take shelter! I recall that when I was a teenager, we had a violent series of thunderstorms move into our area. As a typical Kansan, our family, particularly my dad and us boys would go out and watch the weather. We could see a very large tornado to our west about 2 miles spinning with a great cloud of debris. We had a basement in our house, but dad determined that we needed to go to an underground cave at my grandparents house about a mile and a half away. We rushed into the pick up, drove over there as quickly as we could and took shelter in that cave. We did spend some time there, but curiosity got the best of us, and so we slipped out of the cave to look at the weather. My grandparents yard was surrounded by trees, and just as we had come out of the cave to look around us, a tornado dropped down right on top of us and took the tops out of the trees, causing us to rush back into that cave for shelter. Other than taking the tops out of trees, this tornado did not do any damage. The tornado that we had seen earlier was roughly 1/2 mile wide and took a swath of about 12 miles destroying houses and buildings, killing, livestock and destroying fences and growing crops. I was never so thankful for shelter in my life as I was when that tornado dropped right on top of us and took the tops out of the trees. We were safe in the shelter.
The Psalmist shares with us that the Lord is a refuge for those who are oppressed, and those who are facing trouble. Several times in my life I have been in that place of oppression or facing trouble. God has been my refuge, my shelter. He has always protected me, watched over me, and kept me from harm and I am thankful.
Today, you may be facing oppression, difficulty, even in trouble! Race to the shelter that is the Lord! Put your whole trust and confidence in him, and he will save you! Take refuge in the Lord and have a blessed day!!

05/28/2026

WEAKNESS - WHERE GOD DOES HIS BEST WORK!
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. ” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
As I read this passage today I note that God through the Holy Spirit directly told Paul that God’s Grace was all that he needed and that God does His best work when Paul was at his weakest!
Human Weaknesses are prevalent in the work of the Kingdom of God! I’m not qualified! I don’t feel like doing this, I’m intimidated! I don’t know how! Just a short list of the human weaknesses that we bring with us when God asks us to do something within His Kingdom! But that is when God does His best work! When we acknowledge our weakness, and tell God about it and ask for His help, great things are about to happen!
Paul had what he described as “a thorn in the flesh” and had asked God 3 times to remove it. The two verses listed above was God’s response to Paul! Sometimes, God places us in a place of weakness so that we must rely upon Him. I love what God says. “My Grace is sufficient!” If God says that He has enough, then He has enough! It is everlasting and is not diminished no matter how much is used!
So in our weakness and need, and God has not removed our “thorn”, we can rely upon the Lord to do what He has asked us to do! In Christ when I am weak, then I am strong!

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

LORD HELP!
Psalm 117:6

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress.”
(Psalm 117:6 NLT).
Rescued from their distress! That is an encouragement for all of us and especially if we are experiencing distress in our life.
What is satan’s agenda? God’s Word clearly teaches us that Satan comes to harm, kill, and destroy! If that doesn’t bring on distress! So you and I are caught in the middle of a battle for our souls and distress is going to happen in our lives.
The Psalmist was speaking about the children of Israel as they wandered about in the wilderness for the 40 years prior to going into the promised land. They experienced distress many times during this 40 year period, but he says this about them as they faced their trouble! They cried out to the Lord, “Lord help!” And The Lord Responded! God rescued them out of their distress!
So you are facing distress today. If that is you, follow the example that the Psalmist gives us here. Cry out to the Lord. His promise is that he will rescue you!