¿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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to be Ambitious Without Falling into a Trap

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”  

-Matthew 16:24-26 NIV

tightrope

What does it mean to deny yourself? I think denying yourself means being willing to give up your life desires and ambitions. What are ambitions and aren’t they good? 1 Thessalonians 4: 9-11 NIV says, “Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other…. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life…” This is a very different picture of ambition than what the world paints for us. The world portrays ambition as aggressively pursuing riches, power, and recognition. It almost justifies chasing after earthly ambitions or relentlessly climbing the corporate latter: not stopping until you have the best job, the best house, the best car, the best of everything, and all of the fame and admiration from the those around us. But, God didn’t intend it to be that way. God gave us gifts and talents to bring Him glory by pleasing Him and serving others. 2 Corinthians 5:9 NASB says, “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” God gave us passion and drive to use our talents for His glory, not just for our own gain. Of course we need to work to provide for ourselves and our families, but He doesn’t want us to become so caught up in our talents and our abilities, that we fail to remember where they came from. This reminds me of walking on a tightrope. We need to be ambitious, but not so ambitious that our goals, jobs, accomplishments, and fame become more important to us than serving God and others. But, I do understand that sometimes humans fall into the trap of using their gifts and talents to gain recognition, approval, and/or attention from others. And in these cases, if others cease to give us that attention, we end up feeling empty, unappreciated, unsatisfied, insecure, and/or angry. But, we never should have been relying on other people’s approval in the first place (we were mistaken into seeking human approval over God’s approval).

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”- Galatians 1:10 NIV

Furthermore, Philippians 2:3 NIV says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” We must strive to use our work and ministries as an opportunity to bring glory to God and improve the well being of other’s lives.

“My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise—Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame”

-Hillsong United

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to use Your gifts and talents to bring You glory. Please help us not to use your gifts solely to receive recognition, praise, and approval from others. Help us to remember, that You gave us unique gifts and talents to serve You, and not solely for our own gain. Amen.

 

 

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

 broken-chains

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.

Good Fruit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” 

–Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

fruit

“For a short time each fall, apple orchards are full of sweet, ripe fruit ready to be enjoyed. The rest of the year, though, the trees spend time growing, taking nourishment from the sun, soaking up water through their roots, and waiting for the fruit to grow and ripen. Picked too soon, apples are bitter; too late and they’re overripe and mushy.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.300) Think about the analogy here. The Bible talks a lot about fruit; not only the fruits of the Spirit, but also the fruits of sharing the Gospel and instructing others in the faith. But, we can’t produce any fruit on our own. We can’t be good or do any good work on our own.

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The only way to be good and bear good fruit is to keep our gaze focused on God. If we lose our focus on Him, we cease to be good. We must be faithful and remain in Christ. He has already redeemed us by Salvation, but we must remain in Him. In John 15:3-5 NIV, Jesus says, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” When we can’t see good fruit in our lives or the lives of those around us, we need to be patient. It takes time for us to soak up the light of the Father, receive nourishment from His Word, and for the Holy Spirit to work within us. But, if we remain completely rooted in Jesus Christ, we will bear fruit. Maybe not right now or tomorrow, but when the time is right. “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven….A time to plant and a time to harvest.” –Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 We just need to trust God, while remaining patient and persevering in our faith. Amen.

Reference:

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

Song Reflection: Flawless by MercyMe

white lilly

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…”

 

 

The Door

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

 – Joshua 1:9

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Sometimes, God calls us to do things that seem impossible or calls us to positions that seem too big for us. For example, in Joshua 1, God calls Joshua to take Moses’ position. Moses was one of the greatest Old Testament leaders. God had used him to bring about the plagues on Egypt, lead the Israelites out of captivity, part the Red Sea, obtain water from a rock, convey the ten commandments, and so much more. Joshua must have thought how could I ever fit into this man’s shoes. Have you ever felt that way in your life? Maybe God has called you to a new job, which you feel totally unqualified for? Perhaps, God has called you to a new ministry, which you don’t feel prepared for? The person, who held this position before you had been much more talented and equipped for your position than you are. Or perhaps, God has closed some doors in your life, giving you almost you no choice, but to take the more difficult path toward the bigger door ahead. If God gives you the key to that door, than that door is yours and you need to open it (regardless of what lies behind it). As humans, it is only natural for us to fear the unknown. But, whatever lies behind that door, is not unknown to God. In the same way that He prepared Joshua, He has also prepared you for it and will be with you. We can’t let fear get in the way of doing, what God has called us to do. Joshua didn’t! If Joshua would have let fear stop him, he would have missed out on so much. If you read further to Joshua 5:13-15, you discover that Joshua was privileged to become one of the few  individuals of the Old Testament to he have met Jesus Christ in His pre-incarnate form. A number of commentaries (including MacLaren’s Expositions and Matthew Henry’s concise commentary) concede that the “Captain of the Host of the Lord”(who Joshua worshipped) of the Joshua 5:14 is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. But, the point is: Joshua was able to reach this point, because He trusted God and didn’t let fear stop him. “No matter what we face or where we go, He is with us. He will help us through it all.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.334) But, we need to be willing step up to the plate. We need to“be strong and courageous.”Amen.

Think about the lyrics to this song: Make A Way  performed by I Am They

 “…Wherever you lead me, I know you won’t leave me
Wherever you call me, You will make a way
Wherever we’re going, I will be holding
To the promise you have made
You will make a way
You will make a way…”

The Best GPS

“I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.”

 – Joel 2:25 KJV 

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 In Joel 2, the Israelites were called to turn from their ways, and to turn back to God. Sometimes, we are really hard on ourselves after we make bad choices or mistakes. We feel like we don’t deserve any good things. But, God is still working on us and still loves us. When we make so many bad choices, that we end up in the wrong place; God is still there with us to help us find our way to where we need to be. He is like our built in GPS. Deep in the back of our minds, He is telling us to head a certain direction. And, when we go the wrong direction, He reroutes for us to get to the destination, that He intended for us. We just need to listen to God and obey His directions. Furthermore, “When we make bad choices, it’s hard to believe anything good can grow in our lives again.” (Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p.322) But, Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Notice how it says, “all things” and not some things. All things means not only our good choices, but also our bad choices. God knows everything. Isaiah 46:10 reminds us that, God knows “…what will happen in the end…” This means He even knows the mistakes we will make in the future. When we make these mistakes, God will still love us and have plans for our lives. God is bigger than our mistakes.

 “Only God can turn

 a mess into a message,

a test into a testimony,

a trial into a triumph,

a victim into a victory,

 a problem into a prayer.”

 -Nishan Panwar

We just need to be patient and willing to follow His directions, when He is rerouting our lives. 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

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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.

Crossroads

“Trust  in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In
all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

 Crossroads

“Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.” – Judges 6:36-40

Have you ever asked God for a sign? Have you ever prayed that if one thing came to pass, you would take the next step? Maybe you haven’t gone so far as to ask God for a sign. Maybe you don’t have as much doubt or disbelief as Gideon had. Or maybe you aren’t as bold as Gideon. You have to admit Gideon was pretty audacious to ask God for another sign after he had already asked God for a second sign, and God had given it to him. “Amazingly God wasn’t angry with Gideon for his disbelief. God met Gideon where he was. Gideon’s faith was growing; that’s what mattered to God. When we feel inadequate about our qualifications for the job God has given us, we can take a page from Gideon’s book. Gideon didn’t hold back his fear of failure. He needed God’s reassurance and patience in his faith walk, and God lovingly provided both.”(Nortker, 3-Minute Devotionals For Women, p. 303) Perhaps, signs like the ones Gideon asked for are a thing of the Old Testament. Or, perhaps it would be considered disrespectful or foolish to ask God for a sign. But, we can always pray and ask God for His guidance in every step of our lives. “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” – Psalm 32:8 He is faithful and patient with us. He is always there to listen to us and provide us the patience necessary to wait for His guidance and timing. And, if we quiet ourselves before Him and listen, He will provide us with the reassurance we need to take the next step. Amen.

Reference:

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