Grace Fellowship of Kilgore

09/07/2026

Monday – It’s Going to Cost You

Key Scripture:
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." — Luke 9:23

Devotional

“You can do it, but it’s gonna cost you.”

Sometimes a simple phrase can make us stop and think.

Following Jesus is one of those things.

We live in a culture that often presents Christianity as though following Jesus simply means believing the right things and adding church to our schedule.

But Jesus described discipleship differently.

He said:

“Take up your cross daily and follow me.”

The disciples understood exactly what Jesus meant.

The cross wasn't jewelry.

It wasn't decoration.

It wasn't symbolic artwork hanging on a wall.

The cross represented death.

Jesus was telling them that following Him meant surrendering themselves completely.

And that is still His call today.

Salvation is a gift.

We cannot earn it.

Jesus paid the price for our salvation through His death and resurrection.

But once we belong to Him, He calls us to follow Him.

And following Jesus means allowing Him to rearrange our priorities.

Sometimes it means giving up something we want.

Sometimes it means walking away from something that is pulling us away from God.

Sometimes it means serving when we'd rather be comfortable.

Sometimes it means standing for truth when it would be easier to remain silent.

Sometimes it means loving someone who doesn't love us back.

Following Jesus costs us our right to remain completely in control of our own lives.

But consider what Jesus says immediately after telling us to take up our cross:

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

What we surrender to Jesus isn't really lost.

It is redeemed.

Application

Ask yourself:

What is Jesus asking me to surrender?

Don't answer generally.

Identify something specific.

Then place it in His hands.

Prayer

Jesus, I want to follow You—not just believe in You. Show me what I need to surrender. Give me courage to take up my cross daily and follow wherever You lead. Help me remember that whatever I give up for You is nothing compared to what You have already given for me. Amen.

09/06/2026

Thank you for joining us! A Church of Imperfect People Serving a Perfect God. To give to Grace Fellowship of Kilgore: https://gracekilgore.square.site/

09/06/2026

09/05/2026

Closing Thought for the Week
Be Still

This week, we've walked through one of the most familiar verses in Scripture:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

But perhaps we've discovered that those words mean something much deeper than simply finding a quiet place.

Psalm 46 isn't written from a peaceful vacation spot.

It's written from the battlefield.

The earth is shaking.

The mountains are falling.

The waters are raging.

Nations are raging.

Kingdoms are falling.

And right in the middle of all that chaos, God says:

“Be still.”

Cease fire.

Put down your weapons.

Unclench your fists.

Stop fighting as though you're alone.

And know.

Not merely know about Me.

Know Me.

Know My character.

Know My faithfulness.

Know My presence.

Know that I am with you.

The circumstances around you may not immediately change.

The battle may still be raging.

The diagnosis may still be there.

The relationship may still be difficult.

The financial problem may still exist.

The uncertainty may still be staring you in the face.

But you can face all of those things differently when you know who is with you.

God is your refuge.

God is your strength.

God is your fortress.

And God is present.

You don't have to fight every battle in your own strength.

You don't have to carry everything by yourself.

You don't have to have every answer.

There comes a moment when faith says:

“I've done everything I can do. Now I'm going to stop fighting and trust God.”

That's not quitting.

That's surrender.

And surrender isn't weakness when the One you're surrendering to is God.

So as you begin this next week, carry these words with you:

Stop fighting like you're alone.

Turn off the noise.

Put down the phone.

Stop arguing.

Stop blaming.

Stop trying to control everything.

Open your hands.

Take a breath.

And remember:

God is here.

The Father is with you.

Jesus is with you.

The Holy Spirit is with you.

All of God is with you.

So...

Be still.

Know Him.

Trust Him.

And let God be God.

“The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” — Psalm 46:11

Selah.

Pause.

Take it in.

I said what I said.

God is with you.

We hope to see you soon at Grace Fellowship of Kilgore!

Sundays:
GraceGroups at 9:30AM
Worship and the Word at 10:30AM

Wednesdays:
Grace Kids at 7:00PM
Youth Alive at 7:00PM
Adult Bible Study at 7:00PM

09/05/2026

Saturday – Let God Be God

Key Scripture:
"I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" — Psalm 46:10

Devotional

Sometimes the hardest thing for us to do is let God be God.

We want answers.

We want explanations.

We want control.

We want to know how everything will work out.

And when we don't have those things, we fight.

We argue with people.

We argue with ourselves.

Sometimes we even argue with God.

When we're facing difficult circumstances, we often spend our energy blaming someone else—or blaming God—rather than taking responsibility for where we are and asking God how we move forward.

Eventually, there comes a point when we have to admit:

“I can't do this on my own.”

And that's not weakness.

That's wisdom.

The command to “be still” isn't telling us to give up.

It's telling us to surrender control.

The battle may still be happening.

The enemy may still be present.

The circumstances may not have changed.

But something changes inside of us.

We stop trying to be God.

And we let God be God.

That's when faith becomes real.

That's when trust becomes real.

That's when we discover that God's strength is greater than ours.

You don't have to win every battle.

You don't have to understand every circumstance.

You don't have to control every outcome.

You simply have to know Him.

Be still.

Know.

He is God.

And He will be exalted.

Application

Give God control of one area you've been trying to manage yourself.

Tell Him:

“This battle belongs to You. I trust You.”

Then continue walking faithfully—not because you know how everything will turn out, but because you know the One who does.

Prayer

Lord, I surrender my need to control everything. I surrender my fear, my frustration, my questions, and my battles. Help me remember that You are God and I am not. Give me the faith to let go and the courage to trust You. Be exalted in my life and in every circumstance I face. Amen.

09/04/2026

Friday – You Are Not Alone

Key Scripture:
"The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." — Psalm 46:11

Devotional

One of the greatest lies we can believe during difficult seasons is:

“I'm on my own.”

When we're overwhelmed, it's easy to believe that nobody understands.

Nobody can help.

Nobody sees what we're going through.

Nobody is coming.

But Psalm 46 repeatedly reminds us:

God is with us.

David uses the Hebrew word Elohim for God here. This is the plural form of God.

The Father.

The Son.

The Holy Spirit.

All of God is with you.

Jesus came to be God with us.

The Holy Spirit lives within God's people.

And the Father never abandons His children.

So when you're standing in the middle of something you don't understand, you aren't standing alone.

When you're exhausted, you're not alone.

When you're afraid, you're not alone.

When you've run out of answers, you're not alone.

You may feel alone.

But feelings don't determine truth.

God is with you.

And because He is with you, you don't have to fight as though everything depends on you.

Application

Whenever you feel overwhelmed today, stop and say out loud:

“I am not alone. God is with me.”

Repeat it until your heart begins to believe what God's Word has already declared.

Prayer

God, thank You that I am never truly alone. Thank You for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When I feel overwhelmed, remind me of Your presence. Help me stop fighting as though everything depends upon me. You are with me, and that is enough. Amen.

09/03/2026

Thursday – Know Him

Key Scripture:
"Be still, and know that I am God." — Psalm 46:10

Devotional

After God tells us to be still, He tells us to know.

And that word matters.

The Hebrew word yada carries the idea of knowing something personally and intimately. It isn't simply academic knowledge.

It's relational knowledge.

There is a difference between knowing about someone and knowing someone.

You can know facts about a person without having a relationship with them.

You can know their name.

You can know where they live.

You can know what they do.

But knowing someone personally means you have experienced their character. You know what they are like. You know how they respond. You know you can trust them.

That's what God wants from us.

He doesn't simply want us to know facts about Him.

He wants us to know Him.

Think about your closest relationships.

You trust people because you know them.

You know their character.

You know their heart.

You know they will be there when you need them.

That's the kind of relationship God desires with us.

And that's why we can actually let go.

We can cease fighting because we know the One who is fighting for us.

We don't have to understand everything God is doing to trust Him.

We need to know who He is.

Application

Spend some time today simply getting to know God.

Don't begin with a list of requests.

Open His Word.

Pray.

Listen.

Worship.

Ask God to show you more of His character.

The more you know Him, the more you will trust Him.

Prayer

Father, I don't want to simply know facts about You. I want to know You. I want to know Your character, Your heart, Your faithfulness, and Your love. Help me develop a relationship with You so deep that I can trust You even when I don't understand what You're doing. Amen.

09/02/2026

Come join us on Wednesday Nights... This Sunday is about "The Cost." Join us for the Journey!

09/02/2026

Wednesday – Cease Fire

Key Scripture:
"Be still, and know that I am God." — Psalm 46:10

Devotional

Most of us have heard the words:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

We often picture sitting quietly beside a peaceful lake.

Maybe we're drinking coffee.

Maybe we're listening to worship music.

Maybe we're enjoying a quiet morning.

And while there is certainly value in quiet moments with God, the context of Psalm 46 gives these words a much stronger meaning.

The Hebrew word translated “be still” is raphah.

This isn't simply an invitation to find a peaceful place.

It carries the idea of ceasing.

Letting go.

Dropping your weapons.

Unclenching your fists.

It's the picture of a command being shouted in the middle of a battlefield:

“CEASE FIRE!”

Think about that.

God isn't telling the soldier to leave the battlefield.

He's telling the soldier to stop fighting.

Sometimes that's exactly what God is telling us.

Stop trying to control everything.

Stop fighting battles in your own strength.

Stop arguing.

Stop trying to make everything happen according to your plan.

Stop carrying something God is asking you to release.

Cease fire.

Lay down your weapons.

Unclench your fists.

Let go.

And trust God to be God.

Application

What are you holding onto with a clenched fist?

A relationship?

A problem?

A fear?

A decision?

A hurt?

A desire to control the outcome?

Open your hands today and tell God:

“I release this to You.”

Prayer

God, I am tired of fighting. I confess that I often try to solve things through my own strength. Today I hear Your command: cease fire. Help me unclench my fists, lay down my weapons, and trust You with the battle. Amen.

09/01/2026

Be Still: How do you handle problems in life?