El Mejor GPS?

Y os restituiré los años que comió la oruga, el saltón, el revoltón y la langosta….

 -Joel 2:25 RVR 1960 

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En Joel 2, los Israelitas fueron llamados a apartarse de sus caminos, y a volver a Dios. A veces, somos realmente duros sobre nosotros mismos después de escoger mal  o caer en errores. Sentimos que no merecemos ninguna cosa buena. Pero, Dios todavía está trabajando en nosotros y todavía nos ama. Cuando hacemos tantas malas decisiones, que terminamos en el lugar equivocado; Dios todavía está allí con nosotros para ayudarnos a encontrar el camino hacia donde debemos estar. Es como nuestro  GPS. Profundamente en la parte de atrás de nuestras mentes, Él nos está diciendo que encabezamos una cierta dirección. Y, cuando tomamos la dirección equivocada, Él nos rutea para que lleguemos al destino, que El quiere para nosotros. Sólo necesitamos escuchar a Dios y obedecer Sus instrucciones. Además, “cuando tomamos malas decisiones, es difícil creer que algo bueno pueda crecer en nuestras vidas otra vez” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.322) Pero, Romanos 8:28 RVR 1960 dice: “Y sabemos que a los que aman a Dios, todas las cosas les ayudan a bien, esto es, a los que conforme a su propósito son llamados.” Note cómo dice “todas las cosas” y no algunas cosas. Todas las cosas significan no sólo nuestras buenas decisiones, sino también nuestras decisiones malas. Dios sabe todo. Isaías 46:10 RVR 1960 nos recuerda que, Dios sabe “… lo por venir desde el principio …” Esto significa que Él incluso sabe los errores que haremos en el futuro. Cuando cometemos estos errores, Dios todavía nos amará y tendrá planes para nuestras vidas. Dios es más grande que nuestros errores. 


“Sólo Dios puede [cambiar]
Un lío a un mensaje,
Una prueba a un testimonio,
Un ensayo a un triunfo,
Una víctima a una victoria,
Un problema a una oración. “
-Nishan Panwar

 Sólo necesitamos ser pacientes y dispuestos a seguir Sus instrucciones, cuando Dios está guiando nuestras vidas. Amén.

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

¡Apagando Fuegos!

“Te haré entender, y te enseñaré el camino en que debes andar; Sobre ti fijaré mis ojos.”  

-Salmo 32:8 RVR 1960

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A veces, nuestras vidas pueden sentir que están “fuera de control, tanto que te sientes como un bombero corriendo de aquí para allá, extinguiendo los fuegos que estallan en tu vida o en las vidas de los que te rodean”. (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women)  En todas partes miramos nuevos problemas que amenazan a estallar en llamas. Y luego, hay esas explosiones que nos toman por sorpresa. ¿Cómo podemos encontrar la paz con todo lo que está sucediendo a nuestro alrededor? Pero, no podemos permitir que las circunstancias externas controlen nuestras vidas. Lo que vemos, oímos y sentimos a nuestro alrededor tiende a alterar nuestras emociones. Pero, no podemos dejar que nuestras emociones nos controlen, o de lo contrario se convertirán en el combustible arrojado a los fuegos en nuestras vidas. Como usted puede entender, las emociones incontroladas sólo exacerban los problemas en nuestras vidas.

Tenemos que parar y caer a las rodillas.
1. Dejar de reaccionar inmediatamente a nuestras emociones
2. Caer a las rodillas y orar
3. Rodar al modo de escuchar

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  1. Dejar de reaccionar inmediatamente a nuestras emociones

“Por esto, mis amados hermanos, todo hombre sea pronto para oír, tardo para hablar, tardo para airarse;” – Santiago 1:19 RVR 1960
2. Caer a las rodillas y orar

“Por nada estéis afanosos, sino sean conocidas vuestras peticiones delante de Dios en toda oración y ruego, con acción de gracias. Y la paz de Dios, que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos en Cristo Jesús.” – Filipenses 4: 6-7 RVR 1960

“Después le halló Jesús en el templo, y le dijo: Mira, has sido sanado; no peques más, para que no te venga alguna cosa peor.” Juan 5: 14 RVR 1977

3. Pase al modo de escuchar

” Pero cuando venga el Espíritu de verdad, él os guiará a toda la verdad; porque no hablará por su propia cuenta, sino que hablará todo lo que oyere, y os hará saber las cosas que habrán de venir.  …” -Juan 16:13 RVR 1960

“porque el Espíritu Santo os enseñará en la misma hora lo que debáis decir. “- Lucas 12:12 RVR 1960

“Me invocará, y yo le responderé; Con él estaré yo en la angustia; Lo libraré y le glorificaré.” – Salmo 91:15 RVR 1960

Como Cristianos, necesitamos dejar que el Espíritu Santo nos guíe en lugar de nuestros emociones. De esa manera, permitimos que Dios nos rescate de los fuegos en nuestras vidas. Amén.

 

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

 

 

Chosen?

“If God is pleased with me, why I am I so terrified?”

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Have you ever been chosen to do something, that seemed impossible? You know that you have been living your life to please God in every way. Yet, this circumstance seems unplanned and difficult, even if it is something good.  How did you feel? Perhaps, you felt uncertain or even “terrified”?

“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.” 

-Luke 1:28-35 NIV

The song, Be Born In Me by Francesca Battistelli, expresses some the emotions Mary may have felt, when she found out she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Can you even imagine how she felt? Luke 1: 29 says, “she was greatly troubled.” Initially, she must have felt terrified to see an angel appear and speak to her. The angel told her things, that seemed impossible. She must have also felt frightened. She must have thought about the severe punishment of those days for a woman who conceived a child without being married. Here she was: a girl engaged to be married. And, now all of these plans might change. But, at the same time she must have felt beyond honored and incredibly blessed to be chosen to be the mother the Son of God. At the same time, imagine the great responsibility she must have felt.  In Luke 1:46-50 NIV, “… Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,for the Mighty One has done great things for me holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. “ – Luke 1:46-50 NIV

She must have wondered why God would choose her of all of the other women in the world. In a similar way, we wonder why God would choose to love us. We don’t deserve  His great love. Yet, God sent a King, His only Son, Jesus Christ to earth to pay the ransom for our sins, so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. And, all that God ask of us are willing hearts. Will you let the love of Jesus Christ be born in you?

Think about the lyrics to the song, Be Born In Me by Francesca Battistelli:

  “Everything inside me cries for order
Everything inside me wants to hide
Is this shadow an angel or a warrior?
If God is pleased with me, why am I so terrified?
Someone tell me I am only dreaming
Somehow help me see with Heaven’s eyes
And before my head agrees, my heart is on it’s knees
Holy is He. Blessed am I…

All this time we’ve waited for the promise
All this time You’ve waited for my arms
Did You wrap yourself inside the unexpected
So we might know that Love would go that far?…

I am not brave
I’ll never be
The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy
I’m just a girl
Nothing more
But I am willing, I am Yours

Be born in me, be born in me
I’ll hold you in the beginning, You will hold me in the end
Every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem
Be born in me”

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us (while we were still sinners) so much that you were willing to humble Yourself by coming down from your throne in heaven to be born in a stable and to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. Please give us willing hearts. Make our hearts Your Bethlehem. May your love be born in us. Amen.

 

¿Qué es el amor?

“En esto consiste el amor: no en que nosotros hayamos amado a Dios, sino en que él nos amó a nosotros, y envió a su Hijo en propiciación por nuestros pecados.”

 -1 Juan 4:10 RVR 1960

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¿Qué es amor? El amor es Dios. Dios es la forma más pura de amor. Como seres humanos, somos incapaces de amar de la manera que Dios nos ama. Él nos ve como somos y nos ama todavía. Ve nuestros errores, imperfecciones y defectos. Él ve nuestra naturaleza pecaminosa; Cómo fácilmente podemos caer en pecado. Él ve nuestro egoísmo, nuestro orgullo, nuestra naturaleza inflexible, nuestra deshonestidad (no solo las mentiras que los que nos rodean decimos, pero las mentiras que decimos a nosotros mismos), nuestra ingratitud, nuestro derroche, nuestra vanidad, nuestra naturaleza a no perdonar. Él ve nuestra hambre de deseos terrenales y nuestra sed de aprobación/alabanza humana. Después de ver todo esto, él todavía ama a la humanidad. Su amor es tan infinito, es incomprensible. Romanos 3:10 RVR1960 dice, “…No hay justo, ni aun uno;” Después de ver la humanidad como lo fue/es, él podría escojido/escojer no amarnos. Pero, en lugar de otro “… mostró el amor de Dios para con nosotros, en que Dios envió a su Hijo unigénito al mundo, para que vivamos por él. “-1Juan 4:9 RVR1960 Dios nos ama como somos y no como deberíamos ser. Claro, él tiene planes para nosotros y todavía está trabajando en nosotros. “… estando persuadido de esto, que el que comenzó en vosotros la buena obra, la perfeccionará hasta el día de Jesucristo…“-Philippians 1:6 RVR1960 Como seres humanos aquí en la tierra, somos y siempre seremos un trabajo en progreso. El punto principal aquí es: el sabe que somos seres humanos imperfectos. Sin embargo, él todavía nos ama. De esta manera, establece para nosotros el ejemplo perfecto de amor.

1 John 4:11-12 RVR1960 dice, “Amados, si Dios nos ha amado así, debemos también nosotros amarnos unos a otros.  Nadie ha visto jamás a Dios. Si nos amamos unos a otros, Dios permanece en nosotros, y su amor se ha perfeccionado en nosotros.” Dios nos puede dar Su corazón, para que podamos amar como El lo hace. Sólo entonces, realmente sabemos qué es el amor.

Señor Jesucristo, por favor ayúdanos a amar como tú. Como vemos a otros en sus imperfecciones, ayúdanos a amarlos todavía. Llena nuestros corazones con tu infinito amor. Amén.

 

 

What is the Best Season?

“There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens: …a time to weep and a time to laugh… He has made everything beautiful in its time…”

Ecclesiastes 3:1,4, 11 NIV

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There is a time and a season for everything. We can’t rush through the stages of our lives. Just as we cannot live in the past, we can not live in the future. This is particularly difficult to say, because I’ve learned that some people are more past oriented while others are more future oriented. I can relate more to the latter. As a more future oriented person, I can tell you it is difficult not to live thinking about the future. But, I think it’s important for us to take a deep breath and take it all in on a daily basis. We need to live in the present. American historian and author, Alice Morse Earle, wrote, “The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.” In truth, all that we have is today. And, that’s why it is important that we know where we stand in God’s eyes. Today, the most important thing to know is that we will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ. “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” -John 17:3 NIV If you are not confident of your salvation in Christ Jesus, now is the time to change that [Please read Romans 3:23, John 5:24, and Romans 10:9]. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” -2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. But, as Christians, we can trust that is it is all in God’s hands. Matthew 10:29-31 NIV says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[bAnd even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” As children of God, we can trust Him with our future. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?” –Matthew 6:26-27 NIV  So, if we are spending our time worrying about the future, then we can’t truly enjoy the present in its fullness. Furthermore, in today’s society, there is also a huge focus on technology. And, technology can do many beneficial things. But, we need to be careful not to become so distracted by it, that we fail to see and experience all of the beauty that God has for us, today. Today, we need to appreciate not only God’s many blessings in our lives (ie. health, people, nature, music, etc.), but also the lessons God has for us today. Society may tell you, that your life needs to fit a template and you need to do things when everyone else is doing them. But, who are they to define our life stages and experiences? Aligning our lives with God’s plans is what we really need to do to avoid missing out on everything that He has for us. If we rush into tomorrow, we might miss out on the lessons we need to know for tomorrow. “Today is a gift.” We might miss the simple joys and gifts God has given us for today. “There is a season for everything.” We just need to trust God, knowing that if something isn’t in our lives at the moment, then it’s not its season. We entrust our lives to God everyday, by seeking His will and patiently taking our lives one day at a time.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time”

Now is the best season!

Dear Lord Jesus, please open our eyes to see all of the joys and blessing you have for us today, in this moment. Please help us not to get so caught up in our pasts or future that we fail to enjoy the gift of the present. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

¿Cómo sabes si tienes un amigo(a) verdadero?

“Son más confiables las heridas del que ama, que los falsos besos del que aborrece.”

 -Proverbios 27:6 RVC

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¿Usted ha sido herido por un amigo(a)? ¿Cómo se siente? A nadie le gusta oír cosas desagradables sobre a sí mismo. Pero, si tienes un amigo(a), esa persona va a ser honesto contigo y te va decir la verdad (aunque te duela). Sinceridad es una cualidad importante a buscar en amigos. Un amigo(a) sincero siempre te dirá las cosas tal como son, porque se preocupan por ti y te aman. Y ese amigo(a) no tiene miedo de decirte la verdad, porque sabe que te hace más daño a no decirte la verdad. El no tiene miedo de perder tu amistad, porque el se preocupa más por tu bienestar. El sabe que al final del día, te resienten más por no ser real con ellos que por decir la verdad (no importa lo feo que puede ser). El amigo(a) real sabe que adulación (definida como alabanza excesiva o insincero) perjudicará a más largo plazo. Proverbios 29:5 RVC dice, ” El que prodiga lisonjas a su prójimo sólo está tendiéndole una trampa.”. Adulación lastima las personas más que la verdad, porque les da una vista de aire inflado de sí mismos. Un ego sobrevaluado perjudicará a una persona más que la verdad, porque piensan más de sí mismos de la que debieran. Romanos 12:3 RVC dice, “Por la gracia que me es dada, digo a cada uno de ustedes que no tenga más alto concepto de sí que el que debe tener, sino que piense de sí con sensatez, según la medida de fe que Dios repartió a cada uno.” Por supuesto, no hay nada malo con felicitar a un amigo(a), si es verdad y usted sinceramente quiere compartirlo con su amigo(a). Pero, si encuentra a un “amigo(a)” a quien solo elogios y alabanzas le da, debe de tomar precaution. Tal vez, esa persona no es un amigo(a) verdadero. Si ese individuo es siempre de acuerdo con sus opiniones, motivos (quizá egoístas) y acciones; que dé usted aún más razón debe evaluar su “amistad” con esa persona. Sin embargo, si encuentras a un amigo(a) que le dice las cosas tal como son, entonces eres afortunado de haber encontrado a un verdadero(a) amigo(a). En ese caso, debe ser receptivo de lo que tiene que decir. Proverbios 17:10 RVR (1960) dice, ” La reprensión aprovecha al entendido, Más que cien azotes al necio. “. Le advierto, sin embargo, que no siempre es fácil oír la verdad. Sin embargo, ser capaz de tomar franca reprende, exhortación, crítica (constructiva), y consejo de un amigo(a) real no sólo fortalece/mejora tu relación con ellos, sino también fortalece/mejora a ti como individuo. Proverbios 27:17 RVR (1995) dice, ” El hierro con hierro se afila, y el hombre con el rostro de su amigo(a).” Un amigo(a) va a empujarte a la mejor versión de ti.

“Amor puede perdonar todas las enfermedades (debilidades) y amar aún a pesar de ellos: pero amor no puede dejar de querer su eliminación.”

 – C.S. Lewis

Señor Jesúcristo, por favor darnos el discernimiento para saber la diferencia entre un amigo(a) real y un amigo(a) falso. Por favor, darnos todo lo necesario para ser totalmente receptivo a lo que tienen que decir. Y, por favor, ayúdanos a ser amigo(a) reales, que “afilan” (mejoran) los que nos rodean. Amén.

 

 

 

Why you may be keeping yourself from being free?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h] But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”

 –Matthew 5:38-41 NIV

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When was the last time you were hurt by someone? Was their harm intentional or not intentional? Do you still hold that hurt against that person? Under Old Testament law, people had to pay for every harm they did, especially if it was intentional.

“But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”

 -Exodus 21:23-25 NIV

Exodus 21:23-25 reminds us of the emphasis on justice in the Old Testament. But, when Christ came a lot of things changed. He came to pay the penalty for all of the offenses ever made. When Jesus came, justice was replaced with mercy. Bitterness was replaced with joy. Bondage was replaced with freedom. But we can’t find freedom if we don’t let go of the bitterness that binds us. We need to forgive that person, regardless if their harm was intentional or not intentional. “It has been said that bitterness is a pill we swallow, hoping someone else will die.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.333) But, the reality is that we are the ones, that bitterness destroys. While those, who hurt us, go on living happily and free of the pain they inflicted on us. But, mercy changes everything.

mercyJesus Christ set the ultimate example of mercy. By sacrificing His life on the cross for us and atoning our sins, He painted the most beautiful picture of mercy that exists. As they tortured Him on the cross, “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”…”- Luke 23:34 NIV We need to forgive that person, regardless if their harm was not intentional or intentional. But, Jesus went one step further. He loved us. He loved the ones, whose sins nailed Him to the cross. He said,But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” –Matthew 5:44 NIV The point is mercy in the form of forgiveness and love changes everything. It gives us freedom from the pain our enemies/haters/abusers/accusers inflicted on us. Jesus intended for us to live free of resentment and bitterness. Our freedom is in mercy. It frees us from bitterness and hate. It gives us a whole new ability to love. Amen.

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Song Reflection: Flawless by MercyMe

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Flawless, by Mercy Me, is a really awesome song, that I was introduced to at Spirit West Coast. The lead singer gave a talk about how sometimes Christian leaders give us “guilt” messages. But, as Christians we  aren’t supposed to walk around feeling guilty. God’s grace is bigger than that. It would be foolish to think that we aren’t going to sin, make mistakes, or have problems after we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. We are still human. Sometimes as Christians, especially those of us with more years in the faith, we place impossibly hard expectations on ourselves. One school of thought is: I am a Christian and if I sin, make mistakes, let people down, or unintentionally hurt them; something must be terribly wrong with us. I must be a “bad” Christian. I must be a disappointment to God and a bad testimony to those around us. We let guilt and shame consume us. But, God doesn’t want us to do that. He doesn’t want us to walk around with our heads hanging down and frowns on our faces. He doesn’t want us to feel like we are worse Christians than other Christians. See, the reality is that we ALL mess up. This is pointed out in the line: “Come on get in line right behind me You along with everybody.” This truth is made clear in the Bible. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” –Romans 3:10 KJV In the official music video to this song, which is also worth checking out, the people struggle with a number flaws: illnesses, weaknesses (ie. “prone to selfishness”), physical flaws, workaholic tendencies, “spiritual leadership” inabilities, doubt, and fear. Without Christ, we are imperfect, wretched human beings. We all struggle with something or another. But, we can’t let our struggles, guilt, or past haunt us. Because, “No matter the bumps No matter the bruises No matter the scars… No matter the hurt Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain Still the truth is…The cross has made you flawless.”

It is by God’s grace alone that we are made righteous.
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” –Romans 5:19 KJV

If you haven’t heard the song, you might want to check it out.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

“Flawless”

There’s got to be more
Than going back and forth
From doing right to doing wrong
‘Cause we were taught that’s who we are
Come on get in line right behind me
You along with everybody
Thinking there’s worth in what you doThen Like a hero who takes the stage when
We’re on the edge of our seats saying it’s too late
Well let me introduce you to amazing grace
 No matter the bumps
No matter the bruises
No matter the scars
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
No matter the hurt
Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawlessCould it possibly be
That we simply can’t believe
That this unconditional
Kind of love would be enough
To take a filthy wretch like this
And wrap him up in righteousness
But that’s exactly what He did…Take a breath smile and say
Right here right now I’m ok
Because the cross was enoughThen Like a hero who takes the stage when
We’re on the edge of our seats saying it’s too late
Well let me introduce you to grace grace
God’s grace

No matter the bumps
No matter the bruises
No matter the scars
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless
No matter the hurt
Or how deep the wound is
No matter the pain
Still the truth is
The cross has made
The cross has made you flawless…”

 

 

In God’s Eyes

“He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.”

 –Numbers 23:21 KJV

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Earlier chapters of Numbers describe how many of the Israelites lacked the faith needed to enter the promise land and were punished by God. They blamed Moses for their actions, rebelled against their leaders, and were defiantly disobedient to God. Balak, a Moabite enemy of the Israelites went to Balaam, a wicked prophet (but not a false prophet), to have him curse the Israelites in exchange for money. But, God still loved Israel. No matter how hard Balaam tried, God did not allow Balaam to curse Israel.

“The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.” So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?” Then he spoke his message: “Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.“No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed[a] in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them.”

 -Numbers 23:16-21 NIV

In fact,“While God had control of Balaam’s wicked mouth, he made an unbelievable statement: God had not beheld iniquity in Jacob or seen perverseness in Israel… He imputes His righteousness to them. Because, God was in the midst of Israel, when He looked on them, He didn’t see their sin- He saw Himself.” ((Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.96)” A beautiful picture is painted here: Israel is utterly perverse and wicked, but God sees righteousness, because He is in the midst of the city and He sees Himself. In the same way, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, if we have salvation (born of the Holy Spirit). In John 3:6, the Holy Spirit is described like the wind. “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]” The Holy Spirit blows through us touching every part of us. When God looks at us, He doesn’t see our sins. Instead, He sees the Holy Spirit and we are righteous in His eyes. Amen.

 

 

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.

Putting Out Fires!

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye. -Psalm 32:8 NKJV
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At times, our lives can feel like they are “careening out of control, so much so that you feel like a firefighter running from here to there, extinguishing fires breaking out in your life or the lives of those around you.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women) Everywhere we look their are new issues threatening to burst into flames. And then, there are those explosions that take us by surprise. How can we find peace with all that is happening around us? But, we can’t let outer circumstances control our lives. What we see, hear, and feel around us tends tamper with our emotions. But, we can’t let our emotions control us, or else they will become like fuel thrown into the fires in our lives. As you can understand, uncontrolled emotions only exacerbate the problems in our lives.

We have to stop, drop, and roll.

1. Stop immediately reacting to our emotions
2. Drop to our knees and pray
3. Roll into listening mode

 stop drop and roll 042213_0138_ThinkLikeGo1

1. Stop immediately reacting to our emotions

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” – James 1:19 NIV

2. Drop to our knees and pray

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:6-7NIV

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”-John 5:14NIV

3. Roll into listening mode

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” -John 16:13

For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”-Luke 12:12 ESV

As Christians, we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us instead of our emotions.

“When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”- Psalm 91:15 ESV

That way, we allow God to rescue us from the fires in our lives. Amen.

 

Reference:

Brigitta Nortker, comp. 3-Minute Devotionals For Women. Uhrichsville: Barbour, Ohio. Print.