By: Alan Morales

Devotional
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)

Reflection
Imagine working at a job where you couldn’t talk to your boss or supervisor personally. In order to get to them, you had to go through another individual (or third party) so that you could communicate with them. Your superior had told you that if you had any questions, comments, or concerns, you were to tell the third party and they would relay the message on your behalf. How would you feel? Impotent because you cannot give the message yourself? Frustrated and wondering if your superior cares about you or your concerns? Anxious because you can’t be certain that the message will get to them and in the way you want it told? Although all examples and analogies have shortcomings, this is what the people in the Old Testament dealt with when it came to their relationship with God.

Since their sinfulness separated them from a just and holy God, the people in the OT could not personally go to God for anything. They were not worthy to do so. Instead, they had to go through a third party, a priest. Priests were specifically appointed by God to live strict and holy lives so that they would be worthy to come before Him. Their major responsibility was to stand before God on behalf of man and before man on behalf of God. Since there was no personal contact between God and the people, every time God’s people sinned, the priest would offer a sacrifice of forgiveness to God on behalf of the people so that God’s wrath would be temporarily satisfied. The same would go for those who wished to offer praise or thanksgiving to God. Further, priests were also the mouthpieces of God, and when He asked something of His people, the priests would relay His message. By necessity, everything that involved God and the people, the priests were also involved.

Although a lot of time has passed since then, we are still the same, sinful, and unworthy humans as the Jews were in the Old Testament. To prove this, how many times have you sinned before coming on here and reading this blog? Have you burst out of anger against your wife or your husband? Have you been unjust to your children? Have you been having sinful thoughts at home, work, or church? If so, welcome to the club. Since we have fallen short of God's standard, just like those in the Old Testament, we are not worthy to go to Him for anything. We deserve nothing more than to be tossed out of His holy presence forever. In short, what we deserve for our sinfulness is death. So where is our hope?

In the letter to the Hebrews, our author knew that his readers were very familiar with the tradition of the Old Testament. The Hebrews knew and continued to practice the law, including going to priests. The author of Hebrews writes to them to make it clear that there is no longer a need to go to a priest in order to communicate with God. Instead, he writes that we could approach God personally through Christ, who is now our Great priest.

The author proclaims about Jesus, writing, "He is able to save [completely] those who draw near to God through him..” Although the priests of the Old Testament were viewed as worthy by God, they were inadequate in that they were sinful men who could not save people from their sin. When priests provided sacrifices to God on behalf of the people, this would only temporarily cover their sins until another sacrifice had to be made. However, in addition to Jesus being a sinless man, He is also God. Therefore, He has the ability to forgive people of their sin completely and cause an internal heart change. But as we see in our verse, He saves those who draw near to Him. The way we draw near to God is through the confession of our sins to Jesus. When we confess our sins, not only are we acknowledging Jesus as king, but we are also accepting the charges put against us. Namely, that we are sinners worthy of death. By nature, we think of ourselves as self-righteous and self-sufficient, with no need to turn to God. However, in confession, we are acknowledging that we are not perfect and are in need of a savior. This is the internal work of Jesus on our hardened hearts.

The author continues,"... since He [Jesus] always lives to make intercession for them.” The only reason we can freely confess our sin is because Jesus intercedes for us. Jesus is currently seated at the right hand of the Father, pleading on your behalf that He would forgive you of your sin, continue to sanctify you, and keep you saved. This is not because you deserve it, but rather, because Jesus paid a great price for you. Church, we can personally and intimately go to Jesus right now and confess all of our sin. I encourage you to make your prayers, praises, and thanksgivings known to Jesus. He forever lives to intercede for you, and we can have confidence in knowing that when we come to Jesus, we are approaching God Himself. Church, "let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).

By: Alan Morales

Devotional
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Reflection
After being baptized, Jesus went on a 40 day fast where He was ultimately led into the wilderness (desert) to continue His fasting. In the Old Testament, there is a very strong connection between the desert and preparation/testing. For example, the desert served as preparation grounds for Moses' ministry as well as Israel's testing from God. In this case, Jesus was getting prepared to fulfill His ministry, specifically, being a sacrifice on behalf of sinners. How are we to understand fasting?

Fasting is a physical demonstration of a longing heart for Jesus. When we fast, we are showing that we want nothing more than to be with Jesus; we are showing that we love nothing more than we love Jesus; we are showing that nothing captivates our attention more than Jesus. This is why during this time we abstain from any type of distraction, including food, and pray or meditate on His Word as if nothing else existed. The center and the motivation of our fast should always be Jesus, if He’s not then we are not only doing it wrong, but we are doing it in vain.

When we look at Jesus fasting, He would often do it in solitude. It was certainly an intimate act when we read in the New Testament that He would go to pray alone. He wanted to be alone with God the Father and enjoy that time with Him.  Why do you fast? Is it because you want to be intimate with God and be changed by Him? Or do you do it so that you would get something from Him? Church, it’s time to check our motivations for fasting because although fasting for a better house, a good job, or a nice car is not bad, fasting is meant to be a transformative means of grace. Fasting is not meant for our gratification in material things, but sanctification in godly things.

There is no doubt that fasting is a special and intimate discipline, however, we will also find that it is difficult to do. This is because fasting exposes idols in our lives when we abstain from everything but God's Word. In fasting, God’s Word shines a light into the darkest depths of our hearts. Why do we constantly think about the Cowboys game or any other NFL game when we fast? Why do we have this urge to look through our phones? Why do we start thinking about work or our hobbies? Those are all good things, however, if they stop us from having intimate time with God, that might be an indicator that something in our lives is an idol.

In this passage from Matthew, we see that as much as Satan tempted Jesus, He pushed back with the Word of God when being tempted. This says plenty of the depth of Jesus’ heart for the Father. There were no idols in His life to uncover. He was sinless. What we do see is a Jesus that depended on nothing more than the Word of God to sustain Him, and as Christians, we should too. What captivates your heart? What idols prevent you from spending intimate time with God? This is important because this speaks volumes of what you believe about God and about His everyday graces.

If you have been fasting for the wrong reasons, or if you have idols in your life that you are not engaging, I invite you to repent. The Lord has made this means of grace to be special and regular, not selfish and optional. As we get ready for our next fast in this season of Lent, let us approach God with repentant hearts. Fasting is a privilege for the children of God, and we can only fast properly when we come before God and confess our sins.

By: Alan Morales

If you’re a Valley Native, then you know that our beloved RGV celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. This is not simply a tradition, but a ritual for our people. It is a time where we gather to celebrate family and friendship over great food, drinks, and laughter. At the same time, as 2021 begins to wind down, many are a mixture of anticipant and anxious — social media and a variety of media outlets have all written about the challenges and celebration that have flooded this year and it’s understandable to want to ignore the constant flow of information or come to realize that you may have been consumed by it.

As a church, in the midst of all of the voices, we want to point you to the Lord Jesus Christ who, as a result of His birth, brings hope through His advent and offers His grace to you. All of history is centered around the coming of this Savior — all of history rests upon the shoulders of Jesus. And the beauty of Jesus is that through his life, death, and resurrection, He offers people the grace of His salvation, bringing peace with God as He restores all things unto Himself.

We invite you to join us for our Christmas Eve service where we celebrate not simply the birth of a child, but the grace of God for us through Jesus.

We will be gathering at the Old Church Winery (700 N. Main Street) at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, December 24th — we hope to see you there!

This December, we have partnered with Wilson Elementary for a toy drive for students in grade pre-K through 5th grade!

A toy drive is a wonderful opportunity to practically share the gospel of Jesus by helping to meet the needs of our community and neighborhood — and Wilson Elementary is a school in our district that is not too far away from the McAllen Incubator.

Here’s what we’re looking to accomplish:

1. We are looking to receive a total of 40 gifts (20 for boys and 20 for girls each grade level);

2. We are asking that the toys be (1) new and packaged and (2) at least a $20 purchase;

3. The Toy Drive ends on Sunday, December 12th — toy donations can be dropped off on Sunday’s here at the Incubator at our Connect Desk;

4. On Tuesday, December 14th, we’re hosting a toy wrapping party in the afternoon and invite you to join us!

5. Our hope is to deliver all of the toys to Wilson Elementary on the morning of Thursday, December 16th — just before the Christmas break begins for students!

As the holidays quickly approach, let us take this time to care for the kiddos in our neighborhood elementary — assuring them that they are loved!

Questions? Email alice@storehousemcallen.com

For the month of March, Storehouse McAllen will be gathering to worship Jesus in our homes and while we are not gathering in our building, we still want to prepare our hearts and minds for Sunday mornings. 

In an effort to help with these adjustments, here are five ways that you and your family can prepare for worship on Sunday morning. 

1. Worship Begins on Saturday: Often, we are hurrying to get to our worship gathering on time and we’re thinking through getting our family out the door, considering traffic, and any other things that may flood our thinking. Currently, we’re all in a season where we are being called and led to slow down.
   If we desire to be fully present in our Sunday morning worship, then it begins by preparing our hearts on Saturday night through prayer and devotion. This time for you and your family is short and intentional. We’re all missing being with one another for our worship gathering so this serves as a great opportunity to pray for others and their family. Additionally, it slows us down enough to align our hearts with Christ. 

2. Scripture Reading: On Sunday, we will have a recording of praise and worship songs along with the sermon message. We would encourage you to have your Bibles open, to stand for the reading of Scripture, and show reverence and honor God as we read and dive into God’s word together. 

3. Prayer: In our Sunday liturgy, we intentionally seek God through prayer and this is in the form of reading scripture, reading prayers throughout history, and silence. This time is so that we would exercise confidence in approaching the throne of grace. 
   It will look a little different from our time on Sunday, but the intention is to draw near to God in Christ with humility. This also serves as a time of discipleship as your children will be present and watching.

4. Intention Not Perfection: The church gathering to worship Jesus is an intentional time of worship not a calendar event. As a result, this time is set a part differently from the rest of our week. We would encourage you to make worship in this season a priority. 
   Talk to your kids beforehand about worshipping together at home, invite your friends or family to your house, and invite them to participate with as much as they feel comfortable with. While Sunday mornings is the gathering of saints this is also an opportunity to practice and proclaim the gospel of Christ to those who do not know Jesus. 
   Sunday shouldn’t run perfectly, it should simply be intentional.

5. Give: God calls us to give regularly, cheerfully, and sacrificially. Generosity doesn’t begin with our wallets, but what we believe about the gospel of Jesus. As a result, when we give we worship Christ, trust in His provision, and reflect His work in us.

Online giving is easily available at storehousemcallen.com/give in addition to a few other options. If you have already given, thank you so much for your generosity!

These are a couple of things to consider as we prepare for Sunday and walk into our time of worship on Sunday. Life will happen and that’s okay. This isn’t perfection, but intention. May our desire be to magnify the work of God in Christ for us in spite of having to make social adjustments in this season and as the church is unable to gather. May we sing loudly, pray earnestly, and proclaim boldly together this weekend.

The news about the empty tomb and Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead will never be old news. God who became man, dwelling among us, dying for sinners, and then resurrecting will never be a snoozer.

For the Christian, we have an incredible hope grounded in the truth of a risen King who is alive, well, and seated at the right hand of the Father. Easter is a momentous celebration in the Christian life and here are four realities as to why this matters: 

1.) God Defeated Death for You
Jesus received the wrath of God in the sinners' place, being condemned to death on a cross. On Easter, the empty tomb signifies the reality that Jesus defeated death so that we may have life! Jesus' resurrection meant that He conquered sin, satan, and death.

The paradox is what seemed to be a triumph for evil was actually God's glorious plan of redemption for His people. 

2.) You Cannot Save Yourself
Contrary to many self-help books at the local Barnes and Noble, the truth of the resurrection is that you and I are in need of a savior because we cannot save ourselves. Salvation is unobtainable outside of the mercy and grace of Jesus; no matter how strong, intelligent, willful we may be, there is no salvation apart from the Risen King.

3.) A Beautiful Reminder
Jesus endured the cross for the sinner, the ungodly with joy for the glory that was on the other side. In other words, Jesus paid really good money for the sinner--his own blood. And upon calling us to Himself and reconciling us to the Father, we are called His "prized possession." 

4.) Redemption is Possible
Everyone wants that second chance; another opportunity. The key that makes redemption possible is repentance. When we strive to earn the grace and love of God through morality and works, we can and will become exhausted. This false gospel teaches that what we do will earn us the love of God when in reality God has already loved us through the sending of His son Jesus. 

Repentance (turning away from our sin) and trusting in Jesus is what makes redemption possible. 

Through Jesus, we have redemption and grace; that's undeserving favor. And it's a gift that He freely offers for all who believe. Through Jesus, we are made new and restored. And it is through Jesus' life and work that we can have assurance by trusting in Him and His word and not our circumstances. 

We invite you and your family to join us online, Sunday, April 12th for Ressurection Sunday at 10:30 a.m. to celebrate the wonderful resurrection of Jesus Christ, our King.

In the week leading up to Good Friday, we thought it would be a good idea to walk through a little bit of the meaning behind this significant day in the Church Calendar. For many in the Valley, as cultural and religious as this day is, the question "why is it called 'Good Friday'?" is very common.

First, Good Friday is paramount for the Christian because it is the day in which Jesus willingly suffered, was crucified on a wooden cross, and died as the ultimate sacrifice for sinners (1 John 2:2) followed by Easter where Christ, after 3 days, resurrected from the dead conquering sin, satan, hell, and the wrath of God.

Good Friday is so incredibly vital that the Apostle Paul considered it "of most importance" as Jesus suffered, died, was buried, resurrected, and then seen by many in accordance to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-7). Good Friday is the culmination and turning point in redemptive history because when Jesus cried out "It is finished!" he meant that the work by which we are reconciled to God was now satisfied through His atoning sacrifice.

WHY IS IT CALLED "GOOD FRIDAY," THOUGH? 

There are many debates concerning the origin of Good Friday. There are some who say that the word "good" is a derivative of the word "God" suggesting the origin of "Good Friday" was actually "God's Friday."

In any case, here are a two reasons why Good Friday is so good in spite of the terrible sequence of events that occurred leading to the death of Jesus on the Cross: 

1. Good Friday is a Reminder of the Condition of our Hearts
As we begin to examine and learn more about Good Friday, one thing that it should lead us to is recognizing and understanding that we are a sinful people under condemnation. We're worse than we think! 

When we read the law of God, we should be quick to realize how good and holy He is and how depraved we are. Good Friday is a reminder that we are in need of a savior. The gospel of Jesus is what brings us grace and the relief of salvation.

2. Good Friday Leads to the Joy of Easter
 As bad as this day was, we could not receive the joy of Easter without it. On the cross, the wrath of God was poured out onto Jesus, the perfect substitute, in order for forgiveness and reconciliation to take place. 

Paradoxically, the day that is filled with bloodshed, grief, sorrow, and looked like a triumph for evil was actually a day where God's glorious plan of redemption had culminated to in redemptive history. 

Good Friday is where Jesus endured the cross knowing that it would lead to His resurrection and our salvation (Hebrews 12:2). Good Friday marks the day where wrath and mercy met at the cross. And that is why Good Friday is so good. 

Join us online, Friday, April 10th at 6:30 p.m. as we observe Good Friday and why it leads to our greatest need and hope. 

Family Gatherings are what we call “members meetings” at Storehouse McAllen. We desire that the majority of our lives are lived out in the context of community with one another throughout the week so when we put together this larger gathering, it feels more like a family reunion.

During family gatherings, we try to zero in our intentionality with one another over really good food, catching up, and building deeper relationships. Additionally, we set time aside for the prayer of our church and new members that are being added to our local body. It’s a time for laughter, friendships, and celebration as we look to everything that God in Christ has done for us and is doing through us by His grace in this great story of redemption. 

We take church membership seriously because we believe that membership is theological, covenantal, evangelistic, and practical. We are grateful to all who attend Storehouse McAllen, members in particular because a part from their commitment to this local body and the gift of the Holy Spirit we would not exist. 

Next Meeting

DATES: Sunday, March 22nd
TIME: 12:30 pm to 2 pm
LOCATION: The Old Church Winery - (700 N. Main)

Not a Member

Unfortunately, the Family Gathering is an event we host for members only. If you have been curious about membership at Storehouse McAllen, we host two members classes a year--click here for more details.