Chosen

“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.

2020

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

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.”

Promise Keeper

“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?

¿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?

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.

¿Quieres Tener una Fe Duradera?

¿Quieres tener una fe que todavía habla incluso después de que estás muerto?

IMG_8020“Por la fe, Abel ofreció a Dios un sacrificio más aceptable que el de Caín, y por eso fue reconocido como un hombre justo, y Dios aceptó con agrado sus ofrendas. Y aunque Abel está muerto, todavía habla por medio de su fe.” 

-Hebreos 11:4 RVC

Tener una fe perdurable implica tener un corazón que está dispuesto a entregar su todo a Cristo. Romanos 12:1 RVC dice: “Así que, hermanos, yo les ruego, por las misericordias de Dios, que se presenten ustedes mismos como un sacrificio vivo, santo y agradable a Dios. ¡Así es como se debe adorar a Dios!”

“Después dio a luz a Abel, hermano de Caín. Abel era pastor de ovejas, y Caín cultivaba la tierra. Andando el tiempo, sucedió que Caín llevó al Señor una ofrenda del fruto de la tierra. Y Abel también llevó algunos de los primogénitos de sus ovejas, de los mejores entre ellas. Y el Señor miró con agrado a Abel y a su ofrenda, pero no miró con agrado a Caín ni a su ofrenda. Y Caín se enojó mucho, y decayó su semblante. Entonces el Señor le dijo a Caín:

«¿Por qué estás enojado? ¿Por qué ha decaído tu semblante? 7 Si haces lo bueno, ¿acaso no serás enaltecido? Pero, si no lo haces, el pecado está listo para dominarte. Sin embargo, su deseo lo llevará a ti, y tú lo dominarás.»”  -Génesis 4: 2-7 RVC

 ¿Alguna vez te has preguntado por qué Dios estaba complacido con la ofrenda de Abel y no con la de Caín? Hay cuatro puntos de vista sobre por qué la oferta de Caín se consideró inaceptable. En aras de la brevedad, discutiré los tres que encontre más plausibles.

  1. No fue un sacrificio de sangre

Sacrificios en el Antiguo Testamento presagiaron el gran sacrificio que Cristo haría para salvarnos en el Nuevo Testamento. Esto habría significado que Caín habría necesitado humildemente cambiar sus frutos por un cordero.

  1. No fueron los primeros frutos de Caín

Cuando venimos a Dios en adoración, debemos traerle lo mejor de nosotros, nuestros primeros frutos. Proverbios 3: 9 RVC dice: “Honra al Señor con tus bienes y con las primicias de tus cosechas.”

  1. Caín tenía la actitud equivocada

Cuando venimos al altar de Dios, no solo debemos venir con una actitud de obediencia, pero también con un corazón arrepentido y lleno de perdon.

  • “Samuel le contestó: «¿Y crees que al Señor le gustan tus holocaustos y ofrendas más que la obediencia a sus palabras? Entiende que obedecer al Señor es mejor que ofrecerle sacrificios, y que escucharlo con atención es mejor que ofrecerle la grasa de los carneros.” -1 Samuel 15:22 RVC
  •  “Al Señor le agrada que se le hagan ofrendas, pero más le agrada que se haga justicia.” -Proverbios 21: 3 RVC
  •  “ Por tanto, si traes tu ofrenda al altar, y allí te acuerdas de que tu hermano tiene algo contra ti, deja allí tu ofrenda delante del altar, y ve y reconcíliate primero con tu hermano, y después de eso vuelve y presenta tu ofrenda.” -Mateo 5: 23-24 RVC

Querido Señor Jescristo, gracias por Tu infinito amor y misericordia. Ayúdanos a complacerte con nuestra adoración y tener una fe eterna, que testifique de Tu amor. Amén.

Do You Want Enduring Faith?

Do you want to have a faith that still speaks even after you are dead?

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“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”

Hebrews‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Having an enduring faith involves having a heart that is willing to surrender your all to Christ. Romans 12:1 NIV says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1 NIV

“Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

 ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4:2-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Have you ever wondered why God was pleased with Abel’s offering and not Cain’s? There are four views as to why Cain’s offering was found unacceptable. For the sake of brevity, I will discuss the three I find most plausible.

Not a blood sacrifice.                                                                                                                                Sacrifices in the Old Testament foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice Christ would make to save us in the New Testament. This would have meant Cain would have humbly needed to exchange his fruits for a lamb.

Not Cain’s firstfruits.

When we come to God in worship we are to bring Him our very best— our firstfruits. ‭‭         Proverbs‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬ says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;”

Cain had the wrong attitude.

When we come to God’s altar we must come with not only an attitude of obedience but also a repentant and forgiving heart.

  • “But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” -1 Samuel‬ ‭15:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬
  •  “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” -Proverbs‬ ‭21:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬
  •  “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” -Matthew‬ ‭5:23-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for your infinite love and mercy. Please help us to please You with our worship and have an eternal faith, that testifies of Your love. Amen.

Faith in the Fog?

Have you ever been afraid to trust in God or have faith in Him? Do you have faith in His promise of Salvation and eternal life with Him in Heaven? Do you truly believe God keeps all of His promises written in the Bible? Do you have faith that God will never leave you or forsake you? Or does having faith seem difficult? Have you felt let down in life? Do you feel alone and hopeless? Do you believe the promises of the Bible are not for you? Do you find it challenging to have faith in your daily life?

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“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

– Galatians 3:14 NIV

Just as God promised Abraham that he and his descendants would be heirs to the promised land (and hope in the Savior that was to come), God has promised us that we will be heirs to the kingdom of Heaven. Galatians 3:7-14 NIV says, “Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. –Galatians 3:7‭-‬14 NIV God sent Jesus Christ, His perfect only Son to pay the penalty we needed to pay for under the law. It is by God’s grace and love that we are given the promise of Salvation and so many other promises.

“And this is what he promised us—eternal life. ”

–1 John 2:25 NIV

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” -2 Corinthians 1:20‭-‬22 NIV Jesus sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation and the promise of eternal life with Him in heaven. Romans 8:16-18 says, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Abraham didn’t know where God was leading Him, but He had faith in God and obeyed Him. “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. “-Hebrews 11:8 NIV No matter how hard things get, we can have faith in God and His plans for us. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for all of Your promises. Please help us to have faith like Abraham. Amen.

 

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Publicado en Español el

Previously published on March 1, 2018

¿Cómo Murió la Muerte?

“El fundamento del Cristiano es la paz eterna; es lo que ningún  tiempo, ningún cambio puede destruir. Permanecerá cuando el cuerpo muera; permanecerá cuando las montañas se vayan y las cerros se quitarán, y cuando los cielos se enrollarán como un pergamino. La fuente de su consuelo nunca disminuirá, y la corriente nunca se secará. Su consuelo y alegría es un manantial vivo en el alma, una fuente de agua que brota de la vida eterna.” -Jonathan Edwards

   Cross-Empty-Tomb

 “… Sorbida es la muerte en victoria. ¿Dónde está, oh muerte, tu aguijón? ¿Dónde, oh sepulcro, tu victoria?”

– 1 Corintios 15: 54-55 RVR 1960 

¿Alguna vez has pensado en la muerte? Que es la muerte ¿Y por qué se teme? La Biblia nos dice que la muerte es un enemigo, que nos separa eternamente de Dios. [Lea 1 Corintios 15:26 y 2 Tesalonicenses 1: 9] La muerte vino al mundo después de que se cometió el primer pecado.

“Por tanto, como el pecado entró en el mundo por un hombre, y por el pecado la muerte, así la muerte pasó a todos los hombres, por cuanto todos pecaron.” -Romanos 5:12 RVR 1960

La muerte fue el castigo por el pecado. Pero, Dios amó tanto a la humanidad, que creó un camino para que los humanos se reconciliaran con El.

  • “Porque la paga del pecado es muerte, mas la dádiva de Dios es vida eterna en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro.” -Romanos 6:23 RVR 1960
  • “para que así como el pecado reinó para muerte, así también la gracia reine por la justicia para vida eterna mediante Jesucristo, Señor nuestro.”-Romanos 5:21 RVR 1960
  • “Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.” -Juan 3:16 RVR 1960
  • “Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.”-Juan 14: 6 RVR 1960
  • “De cierto, de cierto os digo: El que oye mi palabra, y cree al que me envió, tiene vida eterna; y no vendrá a condenación, mas ha pasado de muerte a vida.”-Juan 5: 24 RVR 1960

Pero, no podríamos tener victoria sobre la muerte sin la muerte y resurrección de Cristo. “Porque si no hay resurrección de muertos, tampoco Cristo resucitó. Y si Cristo no resucitó, vana es entonces nuestra predicación, vana es también vuestra fe. Y somos hallados falsos testigos de Dios; porque hemos testificado de Dios que él resucitó a Cristo, al cual no resucitó, si en verdad los muertos no resucitan. Porque si los muertos no resucitan, tampoco Cristo resucitó; y si Cristo no resucitó, vuestra fe es vana; aún estáis en vuestros pecados. Entonces también los que durmieron en Cristo perecieron. Si en esta vida solamente esperamos en Cristo, somos los más dignos de conmiseración de todos los hombres. Mas ahora Cristo ha resucitado de los muertos; primicias de los que durmieron es hecho. Porque por cuanto la muerte entró por un hombre, también por un hombre la resurrección de los muertos. Porque así como en Adán todos mueren, también en Cristo todos serán vivificados.” -1 Corintios 15: 13-22 RVR 1960 Solo por el sacrificio de un Salvador (sin pecado y) inmortal, estamos vestidos de justicia e inmortalidad. Es solo por la resurrección de Cristo, que tenemos la victoria sobre la muerte. 1 Corintios 15: 50-57 RVR 1960 dice: “Pero esto digo, hermanos: que la carne y la sangre no pueden heredar el reino de Dios, ni la corrupción hereda la incorrupción. He aquí, os digo un misterio: No todos dormiremos; pero todos seremos transformados, en un momento, en un abrir y cerrar de ojos, a la final trompeta; porque se tocará la trompeta, y los muertos serán resucitados incorruptibles, y nosotros seremos transformados. Porque es necesario que esto corruptible se vista de incorrupción, y esto mortal se vista de inmortalidad. Y cuando esto corruptible se haya vestido de incorrupción, y esto mortal se haya vestido de inmortalidad, entonces se cumplirá la palabra que está escrita: Sorbida es la muerte en victoria. ¿Dónde está, oh muerte, tu aguijón? ¿Dónde, oh sepulcro, tu victoria? ya que el aguijón de la muerte es el pecado, y el poder del pecado, la ley.  Mas gracias sean dadas a Dios, que nos da la victoria por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.”

Querido Señor Jesucristo, gracias por hacer el sumo sacrificio en la cruz y resucitar de la muerte para que podamos tener victoria en Ti sobre el pecado y la muerte. Amén.

 

Referencia: Kurtbubna.com | http://kurtbubna.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/03/Cross-Empty-Tomb.jpg

Publicado en Ingles el  16 de abril de 2017

Old Version Published in English on  April 16, 2017

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