WCH House of Prayer

WCH House of Prayer We believe that the lost and sinful man must be saved, and that man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

09/06/2026

09/06/26

09/06/2026

Too often in our thinking, mercy and pity are used more as synonyms when in reality, they aren’t one and the same. Pity feels sorry, while mercy does something about it! While the English language contains words from multiple other languages, and often we pride ourselves in being so inclusive, there are still times when going back to the original is necessary for a proper understanding. This is especially true when we are looking at scripture.
Matthew 5:7 says “blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”. We make this a transactional statement. If I’m nice to people and extend mercy to them, God will be nice and extend mercy to me. The nicer I am to others, the nicer God is to me!
This is a misconception that needs corrected. The Greek word “Eleos” is a stand in for the Hebrew word “hesed”. This Hebrew word is one our English language can’t do justice to, because no one English word can adequately define it. So, our English bibles utilize multiple words in the translation of it. Sometimes it’s translated “mercy” sometimes “lovingkindness” , sometimes “steadfast love” . The word is referring to God’s covenant love. Love that keeps showing up even when the other party has broken every promise. It’s the love referred to in Psalm 136 where the psalmist says, “His
mercy endures forever” 26 times in a row! His “hesed” endures forever.
So...when Jesus says in Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, he isn’t saying, blessed are nice people, or blessed are the ones who let things slide. What he is actually saying is “blessed are the ones who show “hesed”...steadfast, active, covenant-shaped love to people who may not deserve it, exactly the way God has shown it to you!
We aren’t merciful so we can obtain mercy, we are merciful because mercy has already been poured into us. So much so that it overflows to others around us. It’s only when we recognize that we are undeserving of anything except the “guilty” verdict and judgment that should be levied against us, yet Jesus showed us mercy, that we can be truly merciful to others.
Being compassionate and merciful to those who don’t deserve it isn’t a badge we can earn. It is a requirement for all who have truly experienced God’s mercy in their own lives.
Sadly, those who are critical, unbending, judgmental, and passing sentences on those who are struggling or unable to stand firmly, are not showing the same “hesed” that God showed them.
In all honesty, that attitude speaks strongly to the fact that you likely haven’t allowed God’s “hesed” to flow into you as He wants it to, because He does it in such abundance, we can’t contain it, and it WILL flow out to others.

08/30/2026

08/30/26

08/30/2026

In Matthew 5:6 we read "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."
If you’re like me, you memorized the beatitudes when you were in elementary school in Sunday school. Back in those days my understanding of the verse was...if you hunger and thirst for God He will meet that need.
That’s a good basic concept, enough for a 10 year old to begin developing a sense of desiring God. Fast forward 50+ years and I am developing a much more meaningful concept of this verse. Taking it word by word, understanding the meaning of the original language, sort of takes a fuzzy, grainy, black and white photo, and digitizes it in blazing color...UHD if you will! I find this exciting and enriching!
Disclaimer: I am NOT a Greek scholar, however, I can look up the words and learn the meaning!!
Blessed, makarios in Greek describes a present, settled reality! A state of complete transcendent well being, despite your circumstances!
Hunger, peinontes, and thirst, dipsontes are present, active participles, describing an ongoing action. It doesn’t just happen once and it’s over, rather it continuously, actively is happening right now and will keep happening. Not a little hankering, a little puckish feeling, rather a gnawing, can’t stop thinking about it, and honestly don’t want to! This isn’t a casual interest, it’s a desperate longing!
Righteousness, dikaiosyne, this word is doing double duty here. In order to get the full truth, we have to get both sides. On one hand it’s right standing before God. This is a legal, positional side. It’s what happens when we confess and forsake our sins, and are forgiven! However it doesn’t end there! It also refers to right living, actual, genuine, righteous conduct, justice, integrity, holy living. These two sides aren’t in competition with each other, rather we hold them together, they go hand in hand. This is justification and sanctification. Hungering for God, and becoming right with him, and allowing him to transform us moment by moment, day by day...becoming more and more like Jesus.
Lastly, shall be filled, chortasthesontai. Future passive. This filling is guaranteed. It’s an absolute certainty. Stuffed, filled to the brim, content, no more room. A present certainty as well as an on-going process.
Let’s put it all together: Right now, I am living in a state of complete well being, because I am actively hungering and thirstlng for more of God. I have a gnawing hunger for Him, yes He satisfied my longing when I was saved, but He continues to satisfy my hunger and thirst for Him daily, moment by moment! I can never get enough of Him.
That is a synopsis of my current understanding of Matthew 5:6. I’m excited because in the days to come I fully expect it to deepen and expand! That’s just how good God is!

08/23/2026

08/23/26

08/23/2026

In Matthew 11:23 we read some very familiar words. We’ve quoted them over and over. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Most likely we have this memorized, we’ve heard it since we were kids. It’s an invitation from Jesus to lost sinners right? Well...yes, but it’s way more than that! Stay with me here!
If all we apply this verse and the one that follows it to is to those that are lost, as followers of Christ, we short ourselves on one of God’s most gracious gifts! That is one simple word...rest!
I believe one of the reasons we don’t consider ourselves in this particular equation is that admitting we are weary and heavy laden to a believer is a sign of weakness, maybe even failure! As a result, we hide it with the proper spiritual language, we say we are blessed, we say we are happy in Jesus, we say it’s all good, because admitting anything less means we have “walked against light” likely sinned and “broken fellowship with God”...all which while they may be possible, are likely NOT the case. What am I saying?
In I Kings 18 we read the account of Elijah, standing against 450 prophets of Baal, and God, in a mighty way came down with fire and consumed the sacrifice, stones, water, sacrifice and all! Talk about a mountain top experience, Elijah had one literally!
I King 19 Tells a different tale altogether. Everything just falls apart! Jezebel sends word that she’s going to kill him within 24 hours, and this man who had just stood up to 450 false prophets fearlessly, ran for his life!! He runs into the wilderness and cries out to God, “it is enough! Now LORD, take my life.
Did Elijah stand up to the prophet’s of Baal, pray and God answered mightily, then committed some sin that caused him to “lose out”? NO and it’s lunacy to think so!! Elijah was simply human, like you and I!
Times of weariness in our lives can come immediately on the heels of a great and mighty miracle! We may not even know where it is coming from, but it’s there nonetheless! It’s during these times that Satan attacks and calls us failures, or worse. God on the other hand doesn’t, and he didn’t with Elijah! He sent an angel, fed Elijah two times, he allowed him to rest, he never castigated Elijah for anything, simply told him to come to the mouth of the cave, he’s about to pass by!
Elijah is obedient, wind that destroyed rocks, mighty earthquake, a fire, all dramatic acts...God wasn’t in any of them...then the still small voice!
To Elijah, who was physically, spiritually, emotionally spent, God spoke in a gentle whisper. He had seen God’s awesome power in the fire that fell from Heaven, he didn’t need to see more drama, and God doesn’t meet exhaustion with a show!! He met Elijah with a gentle whisper!
Is it making sense yet? Often the wind, earthquakes, and fire represent more what we are chasing, when what God really wants for us is His quiet presence! Let go of weariness, embrace God, allow Him to speak to you! Be still and know that He is God!

08/16/2026

08/16/26

08/16/2026

Meekness is a misunderstood trait in our world today, much like it was in Jesus’ day. Human nature has at it’s very root a strong sense of self-preservation, and anything we feel is less than that isn’t well received. No one wants to be a little spineless, mousey, wimpy, push-over.
This thinking reveals itself woven throughout the fabric of our entire society. Books about the loser losing aren’t popular, whereas books about the loser standing up and taking down indomitable odds may make the best seller list.
Who wants to watch a movie where the bad guy always wins!? Right...no one ever!! On the other hand, who likes movies where the person who always gets dominated, happens upon someone who trains him to stand up for himself, and he takes the bad guy out in a spectacular manner! I see all those hands!!
Well, Jesus had a entirely different lesson for us in the beatitudes when he said, “blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”. Who wants to read that story!? Who wants to watch that movie!? I see both of you loser’s slowly putting your hands up!! So you want to read or watch something about a “meek” dude . You enjoy weakness!? You like softness, sponginess?
Sadly this is what our culture tells us today. If you don’t stand up for yourself, no one will. So get a backbone, and fight back! Don’t be a doormat for people to wipe their muddy feet on. Punch back quickly, and punch harder!! Knock them flat, meekness is weakness!
Actually, the Greek word interpreted “meek” has a picture that goes with it. A mighty stallion, muscles rippling, standing at the ready, with a rider that has trained him, and the stallion is under complete control of the master. The stallions strength is not lessened by it’s immobility, it’s there! It’s as great as ever, but amazingly, it doesn’t have to do anything it’s wild nature may tell it to do in order to demonstrate that power. A slight nudge from the master, an imperceptible movement of the reins, and that powerhouse will throw it’s weight and strength into the job at hand to tackle it with ease. Nothing wimpy about meekness, “praus” in Greek, “power under control”.
The way our society tells us to respond is the way that stallion acted in the wild. Rearing, bucking, kicking, biting. Letting everyone around know, don’t mess with me! I’m a force to be reckoned with.
Jesus says, learn from me, I am meek and lowly in heart! That quiet stallion is every bit as powerful as that wild one. But think about it like this. The master of the stallion, the one who trained him, the one he learned from, is there to imperceptibly steer him in the proper direction.
Jesus said if we learn from him, we would find rest. Just like this stallion is resting under the master’s control. I know this isn’t what we want to read or watch. We all love to see the bad guy broken and wasted on the ground, reaping what he has sowed.
However, Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth! Sounds like a wonderful end result of meekness to me! One day soon, Jesus will set up his millennial kingdom, and those who have learned from Him will inherit it. I don’t know about you, but I plan to be a part!

True North VBS 2026 was a great success. Grateful for all who helped! God blessed and it was a fantastic time of growing...
08/10/2026

True North VBS 2026 was a great success. Grateful for all who helped! God blessed and it was a fantastic time of growing closer to Him and one another.

Sarah Adams Riley
Randy DeAtley
Tom Butcher
Mary Butcher
Colton Carr
Katie Carr
Carla DeAtley
Briana DeAtley
Tammy Webb Coy

08/06/2026

Tuesday night fun and more @ VBS!

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