Category Archives: God’s will

Chosen

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

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I’m sharing a piece I wrote years ago that still feels just as meaningful today.

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.

Breaking the Bottle

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As we journey through the holy week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, I’d like take a moment to reflect on one of the events leading up to His ultimate sacrifice and its significance.

Recently, I heard a beautiful song by Steffany Gretzinger and Tiffany Hudson named “Break The Bottle.”  

*”I’m going to break the bottle

I’m going to pour it all out

I don’t waste what’s spent on You

Even if they call me crazy

You’re the One who saved me

I’ll never waste what’s spent on You…

Pour me out like water

Pour me out like oil

There is not another

So worthy of it all”*

The moment I heard the lyrics, I was reminded of Mary (the sister of Lazarus and Martha) and her beautiful, extravagant act of worship—just a couple of days before the Last Supper and three days before the world would witness the most selfless act of love.

“Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

— John 12:3 GNT

Mary’s act wasn’t just about perfume. It was about value, devotion, sacrifice, and worship. In that moment, she symbolized what Jesus would soon do for all of humanity—be broken and poured out. And just as her gift filled the house with fragrance, Christ’s sacrifice would fill the world with the fragrance of redeeming love.

“Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ’s love for you was like sweet perfume to him.”

— Ephesians 5:2 TLB

It’s a powerful image: Christ’s love being like a sweet perfume to God. And now, Jesus calls us to follow His example. We are called to live lives so full of worship, surrender, and love that we, too, become a fragrant offering. May our lives reflect this sweet fragrance. May our acts of love, compassion, and surrender—no matter how costly—be poured out for His glory.

“But thanks be to God! For in union with Christ we are always led by God as prisoners in Christ’s victory procession. God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance.”

— 2 Corinthians 2:14 GNT

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your beautiful sacrifice of love. Please give us Your Spirit of worship that overflows into our lives in a way so that we are broken and spilled out for Your glory, as a beautiful fragrance of love. Amen.

Is Fear Holding You Back?

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Imagine standing at the edge of a cliff. The sound of the whitewater rapids crashing fills the air. You really can’t see what lies on the other side of the river. The fog is dense, preventing you from seeing more than two feet ahead of you. This tumultuous river is the only thing separating you from the other side. You need to get to the other side. This raging river seems to be the only thing that is separating you from the answer to what you’ve been hoping and praying for.

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You have been praying for some time when you see it. A narrow makeshift bridge swaying a couple of feet above the rushing rapids comes into view. You have two choices. Either remain at the edge of the riverbank or step onto the bridge. What will you do?

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”  

-Martin Luther King Jr.

Deep down, you know your prayers have led you here. A million thoughts race through your mind. How could this be a rational decision? The bridge looks old and flimsy. Who knows if its wooden planks have holes or its ropes are broken? You know very well you could slip through a hole at any moment or lose your balance and fall into the raging waters below. What will you do? Will you wait for the mist to clear or will muster the courage to take a step of faith onto that bridge?

This seems to be where God has brought you. You trusted Him to bring you this far. Will you trust Him to take you to the next destination? What will you do? Will you remain crippled by the fear of the unknown or will you step out in faith?

Psalm 16:8 NIV says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Sometimes we are going to face scary situations. Sometimes we will feel like God is leading us to step onto a debilitated makeshift bridge, but we don’t have to be afraid to take that step because we know that He will hold us up with His “righteous right hand.” Proverbs 3:5-7 NKJV says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” If we trust completely in God and surrender our lives to Him, we can be confident that He will direct us into the path He wants us to take.

“In a real sense faith is total surrender to God .”

— Martin Luther King Jr.  

We don’t always understand why God is leading us where He is leading us, but we can rest assured knowing that He is with us and He knows what He is doing. We can’t see through the mist, but He can. Maybe God brought you to the fog, so you would grow in faith by walking through the fog? Maybe God brought you to the dilapidated bridge so you wouldn’t rely on the strength of the bridge but instead rely on His strength.

 “… for we walk by faith, not by sight.” 

 -2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

Where has God led you? Has He led you to a place where you can’t see what lies ahead? Has He led you to an old, dilapidated bridge? What will you do? The choice is up to you. Will you wait for the fog to clear or will you step out in faith?

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for always being with us. Thank You for Your guidance. Please help us to know when you want us to take the next step. And, when You want us to take action, please give us the strength to take the first step in faith. Amen.

A Prayer of Hope for 2021

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2020 has been a sad, difficult, stressful, and overwhelming year. COVID-19 has brought great loss and hardships to so many. Even though 2020 has been a dark year, we have not been alone. God has been with us all along and He is our hope going into 2021.

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 “As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.” 

– Psalm 71:14 

Tonight, we are praying for God’s blessing over 2021.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being with us throughout 2020. Thank You for Your never-ending love and faithfulness. Please be with us as we enter 2021. You are our hope, and we trust in You. For those who have lost loved ones in 2020, we ask You, Jesus, for Your comfort. For those who have COVID-19, we ask that Your healing hand be upon them. We ask that You heal our land of COVID-19 and that the pandemic end. For those who are struggling through financial hardships, we ask for Your providence. For those who are facing loneliness, we ask that you surround them with Your love and presence. For those who are tired and weary, we ask that You give them strength. For those that don’t know You as their Savior, we ask for salvation. Please bless this New Year with Your infinite love, joy, and peace. In Your holy and powerful name, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

 “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

God bless you!

2020

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This is especially for you if you are glad 2019 is over. For many, including myself, 2019 was a difficult year filled with not only challenges but also hardships. It was a year of struggles, growth, victories, and losses. It was a year that tested our faith and brought us to where we are now, 2020.

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I don’t know what God has prepared for us in 2020, but whatever it is we can have faith that God will be with us, making a way for us.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

-‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:18-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being with us throughout 2019. As we enter 2020, please help us do it boldly, leaving the past behind us knowing that You are renewing us and preparing a way for us to reach the goals, You have set before us. Amen.

What’s ahead for He Knows Your Name?

In February, I will be announcing the name of my new blog series to be launched in March! Follow or continue to follow He Knows Your Name to learn more about my new series!

Considering the emotional and physical hardships my family and I have been facing with my aunt being very sick with cancer, my mom’s eye surgery last fall and her upcoming eye surgery, the new responsibilities I have taken on, and new professional challenges approaching, I have realized that I am in need of time for rest, renewal, and refueling.

With that said, I have decided to take a brief sabbatical (a couple of months) from publishing new devotional blog posts on He Knows Your Name. Please keep my aunt, my family, and me in your prayers. Thank you. I wish everyone a blessed 2020! Keep following He Knows Your Name to learn more about my new blog series coming in March!

 

FYI: I intended to publish this on He Knows Your Name Website on New Years Day, but the website is down.

 

 

* Updated 01/20/2020: Yesterday morning, my Aunt Bea passed away and went home to be with Lord. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. Please keep me and my family in your prayers, as we are going through a very difficult time. 😢 

* Updated 02/27/2020: Today, I will be introducing my new blog series. In March, I will be announcing the name of my new blog series to be launched in April! Follow or continue to follow He Knows Your Name to learn more about my new series!

Immanuel: God is with us

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Fir trees are laced with lights, tinsel, and ornaments. Lamp posts are garbed with garland and holly. Gift wrapped packages are everywhere. The music playing in stores yells “it’s the most wonderful time of year.”   

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You look around. You don’t feel very merry. The Christmas lights aren’t all that bright and the warmth of holidays just isn’t there. Maybe you are going through a difficult and dark time in your life. I don’t know what you are facing. If you are experiencing great loss, grief, pain, illness, brokenheartedness, sorrow, disappointment, depression, anxiety, stress, emptiness, fear, confusion, brokenness, family problems, work problems, deadlines, or financial hardships; then it’s okay to feel not okay. 

It’s okay if you don’t welcome the Christmas festivities. Trees, presents, and holiday foods are nice; but they are not the reason Jesus came. As the prophet, Isaiah, prophesied in the book of Isaiah, Christ came to be to “bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,”

 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,” 

– Isaiah 61:1 NIV 

 Christ came so we wouldn’t have to face the pains of this world alone.  

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”  

– Isaiah 7:14 NLT 

The same Savior, that came over two thousand years ago, is still with us; comforting our broken hearts, freeing us from bondage, and being a light to us in our darkest moments. In Matthew 28, Jesus promises to be with us always. “ … And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:20 NLT 

“Emmanuel
He is still with us
We’re not alone
Here within His love
Emmanuel
He is still with us…

 Mercy is falling, falling
Lift up your hands receive it now
Here in the presence of the Lord…

Be still and know He’s in control
Here in the presence of the Lord…

Pour out your heart before Him
Open your arms He’ll hold you now
Here in the presence of the Lord..

Emmanuel
He is still with us
We’re not alone
Here within His love”

-Lyrics to Here in the Presence by Elevation Worship

  

Dear Lord Jesus, our Savior and King, we thank You for coming to earth to not only save us, but also to be with us no matter what hardships or pains we are experiencing. When our faith is dwindling and our hope seems lost, please remind us that You are still with us. You are our strong refuge and our light in the darkness. You are our comfort in depths of our pain and our anchor in the storm. Your are our warmth on the coldest of nights. You are our healer and our protector. You are our loving Father and our Prince of Peace. Please make us more aware of Your beautiful presence. Please embrace us with Your infinite love and surround us with Your all surpassing peace this Christmas and always. Amen.  

 

* Emmanuel is the Romanized version of the word “Immanuel.”

Luz en Tinieblas

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“Milagroso

 abres camino

 Cumples promesas

Luz en tinieblas

Mi Dios así eres tu…”

Este es un extracto de la letra de la canción, “Way Maker,” escrito por Osinachi Okoro. Me encanta esta canción. Nos recuerda de la fidelidad de Dios.

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 “Por la fe, Sara misma recibió fuerzas para concebir, aunque era estéril, y dio a luz, aun cuando por su edad se le había pasado el tiempo, porque creyó que era fiel quien le había hecho la promesa. Por eso también, de un solo hombre, que ya estaba casi muerto, llegó a tener una multitud de descendientes, tan numerosos como las estrellas del cielo y tan incontables como la arena que está a la orilla del mar.”

-Hebreos 11: 11-12 RVC

En Génesis 12, Dios hizo una promesa a Abraham y a Sara por medio de Abraham. “Pero Jehová había dicho a Abram: Vete de tu tierra y de tu parentela, y de la casa de tu padre, a la tierra que te mostraré. Y haré de ti una nación grande, y te bendeciré, y engrandeceré tu nombre, y serás bendición.”-Génesis 12: 1-2 RVR 1960 Años después, Dios confirmó Su promesa a Sara. Cuando esto sucedió, Sarah se rió con dudas. Génesis 18: 13-14 RVR 1960 dice: “Entonces Jehová dijo a Abraham: ¿Por qué se ha reído Sara diciendo: ¿Será cierto que he de dar a luz siendo ya vieja? ¿Hay para Dios alguna cosa difícil? Al tiempo señalado volveré a ti, y según el tiempo de la vida, Sara tendrá un hijo.” Aunque Sarah se rió con dudas, Dios aún cumplió Su promesa a ella y a Abraham. Como Sara, a veces luchamos con la duda.

Dios sigue siendo fiel!

No importa lo que pensemos o sintamos,

Dios sigue siendo fiel!

¡No importa cuáles sean las circunstancias,

 Dios sigue siendo fiel!

“Mantengamos firme, sin fluctuar, la profesión de nuestra esperanza, porque fiel es el que prometió.”

– Hebreos 10:23 RVR 1960

Si Dios fue fiel en su mayor promesa: hacer un camino para que recibamos la salvación a través de su Hijo, Jesucristo, podemos estar seguros de que cumplirá el resto de sus promesas.

Querido Señor Jesucristo, gracias por cumplir siempre Tus promesas. En medio de nuestras dudas, por favor ayúdanos a tener fe en ti y en tu fidelidad. Amén.

 

Publicado en 15 de noviembre de 2019

Posted in English on November 15, 2019

Click on the date to read this post in English.

Promise Keeper

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“Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God
That is who you are…”

This is an excerpt of the lyrics from the song, “Way Maker,” by Osinachi Okoro. I love this song. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness.

I for blog sarah MG-0047.JPG“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.”
‭‭-Hebrews‬ ‭11:11-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In Genesis 12, God made a promise to Abraham and to Sarah through Abraham.
“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” -Genesis‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Years later, God confirmed His promise to Sarah. When this happened, Sarah laughed in doubt. Genesis‬ ‭18:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ says, “Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”” Even though Sarah laughed in doubt, God still kept His promise to her and Abraham. Like Sarah, sometimes we struggle with doubt.

God is still faithful!

No matter what we think or feel,

God is still faithful!

No matter what the circumstances are,

 God is still faithful!

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who

 promised is faithful.”

‭- Hebrews‬ ‭10:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If God was faithful in His greatest promise: to make a way for us to receive Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, then we can be confident that He will keep the rest of His promises.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for always keeping Your promises. In the midst of our doubts, please help us to have faith in You and Your faithfulness. Amen.

¿De Dónde Viene la Fe?

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¿Alguien te ha dicho alguna vez, “solo necesitas tener fe, las cosas saldrán bien”? ¿Cuál fue su respuesta inmediata? Tal vez pensaste: “Ojalá fuera así de fácil”. O lo ignoraste pensando: “la fe no es para todos”. Tal vez pensaste “por qué algunas personas confían tanto en su fe, mientras que otras se están ahogando en dudas y temores?” ¿De dónde viene la fe?

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“Así que la fe viene como resultado de oír el mensaje, y el mensaje que se oye es la palabra de Cristo.”

 – Romanos 10:17 NVI

Romanos 10:17 NVI nos dice que “la fe viene como resultado de oír el mensaje, y el mensaje que se oye es la palabra de Cristo.” Para tener fe, debemos escuchar el mensaje del amor de Dios a través de la palabra de Dios acerca de la esperanza que tenemos en Cristo. ¿Si nuestra fe está disminuyendo, tal vez no estamos leyendo la Palabra de Dios y / o buscándolo diariamente en oración? ¿Si nos falta fe, tal vez estamos cerrando nuestros oídos al mensaje de Dios? ¿Quizás hemos cerrado nuestros corazones al amor de Cristo? ¿O estamos permitiendo que las distracciones en nuestras vidas quiten nuestros ojos de Jesúcristo?

Querido Señor Jesúcristo, elimina cualquier obstáculo que pueda estar impidiendo que nosotros o nuestros seres queridos vengamos a Ti, escuchemos Tu mensaje y crezcamos en la fe. Amén.

 

Publicado en 11 de octubre de 2019   

Published in English on October 11, 2019     

Click on the date to read this post in English.

Where Does Faith Come From?

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Has anyone ever told you, “just have faith, things will work out”? What was your immediate response? Maybe you thought, “I wish it was that easy.” Or, you brushed it off, thinking: “faith isn’t for everyone.” Perhaps, you thought “why are some people so confident in their faith, while others are drowning in doubts and fears? Where does faith come from?”

IMG_9209-1 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

 – Romans 10:17 NIV

Romans 10:17 NIV tells us that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” To have faith, we must hear the message of God’s love through God’s word about the hope we have in Christ. If our faith is dwindling, then perhaps we are not reading God’s Word and/or seeking Him in prayer daily? If we are lacking in faith, then perhaps we are closing our ears to God’s message? Maybe we have closed our hearts to the love of Christ? Or we are allowing the distractions in our lives to take our eyes off of Jesus?

Dear Lord Jesus, please remove any obstacles that might be preventing us or our loved ones from coming to You, hearing Your message, and growing in faith. Amen.