First Assembly of God: Marianna

08/11/2026

When Doing Isn't Enough

The church at Ephesus had a lot going for it. They worked hard. They endured. They stood against false teaching. They were careful about what they believed and who they allowed to influence the church.

From the outside, they looked like a healthy church.

But Jesus said they had abandoned their first love.

That should cause every Christian to pause. Because it is possible to be busy doing things for God while our love for God is quietly becoming smaller.

Paul makes the same point in 1 Corinthians 13. He describes remarkable spiritual accomplishments—speaking in supernatural languages, having great faith, understanding spiritual truths, giving generously, and even making tremendous sacrifices.

But then he says that without love, all of it amounts to nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Paul begins by saying that without love, even the greatest spiritual gifts and sacrifices amount to nothing.

The point isn't that serving God is unimportant. It is that our activity for God can never replace our love for God.

We can attend church every week, teach a class, sing in the choir, volunteer, give faithfully, know our Bible, and defend sound doctrine—and still allow our hearts to become cold.

That's what makes the message to Ephesus so important. Jesus wasn't criticizing them because they were doing too much. He was warning them because they were doing the right things for the wrong reason.

Love changes the way we serve.

Love changes the way we worship.

Love changes the way we treat other people.

Love even changes the way we see the people who don't yet know Jesus.

Today, ask yourself a simple question: If everything I did for God remained exactly the same, but my love for Him disappeared, would I notice the difference?

Jesus wants more than our activity. He wants our hearts.

Lord, help me never become satisfied with simply doing things for You. Keep my heart centered on my love for You. Let my service, worship, giving, praying, and serving flow from a genuine relationship with You. And as I love You more, help me love the people around me more as well. Amen.

08/10/2026

When Jesus Looks Beneath the Surface

It is easy to measure our spiritual lives by what other people can see. We went to church. We served. We gave. We sang. We prayed. We did the things Christians are supposed to do.

The church in Ephesus was doing many of those things, too. Jesus commended them for their hard work, endurance, discernment, and faithfulness. But Jesus also saw something they could not allow themselves to overlook: their love had changed.

God sees more than our activity. He sees our hearts.

That is why David prayed a prayer that we should be willing to pray regularly. He didn't simply ask God to bless what he was doing. He asked God to examine what was happening inside him.

Psalm 139:23–24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Today, don't just ask, “Am I doing the right things?” Ask, “Is my heart still in the right place?”

We can fool other people. We can even fool ourselves. But we cannot hide anything from Jesus.

Lord, search my heart today. Show me anything in my life that has taken the place of my love for You. Help me not to be satisfied with simply doing Christian things. Give me a heart that genuinely loves You and loves the people You have placed around me. Amen.

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

Today's Bulletin. See you tonight!

08/07/2026

Home Is Ahead

The final verse of Psalm 23 reminds us that this world is not our permanent home.

Followers of Christ experience joy here, but we also experience sorrow. We celebrate victories, but we also endure valleys. We enjoy blessings, but we still long for something greater.

One day the journey will end.

The Shepherd who has faithfully guided us through every season will welcome us home forever.

That hope changes how we live today. We don't lose heart because we know the story doesn't end in the valley. It ends in the Father's house.

Until then, let's keep listening for the Shepherd's voice and faithfully following wherever He leads.

John 10:27-28 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can sn**ch them away from me,

Lord Jesus, thank You for the hope of eternity. Help me live today with my eyes fixed on You and the home You have prepared for Your people.

08/06/2026

Grace Is Chasing You

Most people spend their lives chasing happiness, success, or security.

Psalm 23 paints a different picture.

David says that God's goodness and faithful love are pursuing us. Imagine that! The Shepherd doesn't simply rescue His sheep once and leave them on their own. He continues pursuing them every day with mercy.

Even on days when we don't deserve it...
Even on days when we stumble...
Even on days when our faith feels weak...

God's grace keeps coming.

You're not just trying to find God today. He's already pursuing you with His goodness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Lord, thank You for Your unfailing mercy. Help me recognize Your goodness at work in my life today.

08/05/2026

The Valley Is Not Your Address

Everyone walks through valleys.

Illness, disappointment, grief, uncertainty, financial struggles—we all encounter seasons we never would have chosen.

Notice David's words carefully. He doesn't say we stop in the valley. He says we walk through it.

The valley is part of the journey, but it is never the destination for God's people.

The reason we can keep walking isn't because we're strong enough. It's because the Shepherd walks beside us. His presence changes everything.

Whatever valley you're facing today, don't give up. Keep following the Shepherd. He's leading you through.

Isaiah 43:2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Jesus, thank You for never leaving me alone in life's darkest valleys. Give me courage to keep walking with You.

08/04/2026

Rest Is Part of God's Plan

Our culture celebrates being busy. We often measure our worth by how much we accomplish.

Yet Psalm 23 reminds us that the Shepherd "makes me lie down in green pastures." Sheep only rest when they know they are safe. Rest isn't laziness—it is an act of trust.

Sometimes God calls us to work hard. Other times He calls us to slow down, spend time with Him, and allow Him to restore our souls.

If your heart feels exhausted today, perhaps the invitation isn't to push harder, but to draw nearer to the Shepherd.

Matthew 11:28-30 28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Father, quiet my anxious heart. Restore my soul and teach me to find rest in Your presence.

08/03/2026

The Shepherd Knows What You Need

One of the greatest sources of anxiety is wondering whether we'll have enough—enough strength, enough wisdom, enough money, enough time.

David begins Psalm 23 with a simple declaration: "The Lord is my shepherd." Everything else in the psalm flows from that truth. Sheep don't spend their days trying to become their own shepherds. They learn to trust the one who leads them.

That doesn't mean life is always easy. It means we don't face life alone.

God already knows tomorrow's needs before we ever arrive there. Our responsibility isn't to carry tomorrow's burdens today. It's to faithfully follow the Shepherd today.

Matthew 6:31-33 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Lord, help me trust Your care instead of my own understanding. Teach me to follow You one step at a time today.