¡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.

 

 

Will 2017 Be Your Best Year Yet?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

 – 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

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As we approach 2017, we may be finding ourselves reflecting on 2016 and thinking about how to make 2017 better. Maybe you hated 2016 or maybe 2016 was an awesome year for you? Regardless if you had a great 2016 and now find yourself in your best spot yet, there’s still always room for improvement.
As followers of Christ, we always need to be willing to allow God to transform us into the people that He wants us to become. Romans 12:1-2NLT says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Acts 1:19 refers to Apostle Paul as a “chosen vessel.” On the day of our Salvation by Jesus Christ, we became vessels of the Holy Spirit, who came to dwell in us as our comforter and guide. As His vessels, God will continually transform us, as long as we are willing to allow God to use us. As we approach 2017, what are some ways we can become better vessels for Jesus Christ? Perhaps, we could strive to read the Bible and pray more to enrich our spiritual lives and draw closer to the Lord? Maybe we need to be more open with our faith and share God’s Word with more people? We could resolve to live holier lives, that are more set apart for God? We could resolve to spend more of our physical energies in service work to those in need? We could resolve to become better stewards of our vessels (bodies) by eating healthier and exercising more? After all, we need our bodies (vessels) to do God’s work. May we take this time to consider all of the ways we can become better vessels for Jesus Christ in 2017.

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”  -Philippians 1:6 NLT

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for all of the wonderful blessings, that You have bestowed upon us in 2016. As 2017 approaches, please give us hearts and minds that are willing to follow Your lead. Please continue to transform us and make us in the people You want us to become. Please help us to use 2017 to not only please You, but to bring you glory with our lives. Also, Lord Jesus please fill 2017 with Your amazing love, joy, peace, guidance, wisdom, protection, and blessings. Amen.

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.

 

Cruce de Caminos

 “Fíate de Jehová de todo tu corazón, Y no te apoyes en tu propia prudencia. Reconócelo en todos tus caminos, Y él enderezará tus veredas.”

-Proverbios 3:5-6 RVR 1960

Crossroads

“Y Gedeón dijo a Dios: Si has de salvar a Israel por mi mano, como has dicho,he aquí que yo pondré un vellón de lana en la era; y si el rocío estuviere en el vellón solamente, quedando seca toda la otra tierra, entonces entenderé que salvarás a Israel por mi mano, como lo has dicho.Y aconteció así, pues cuando se levantó de mañana, exprimió el vellón y sacó de él el rocío, un tazón lleno de agua. Mas Gedeón dijo a Dios: No se encienda tu ira contra mí, si aún hablare esta vez; solamente probaré ahora otra vez con el vellón. Te ruego que solamente el vellón quede seco, y el rocío sobre la tierra.Y aquella noche lo hizo Dios así; sólo el vellón quedó seco, y en toda la tierra hubo rocío.”

  – Jueces 6:36-40 RVR 1960

¿Alguna vez usted ha pedido a Dios una señal? ¿Ha orado usted alguna vez que si una cosa pasara, usted se tomara el siguiente paso? Tal vez usted no ha llegado a pedir a Dios una señal. Tal vez no tienes duda tan grande o incredulidad como Gedeón tenia. O tal vez no eres tan audaz como Gedeón. Tienes que admitir que Gedeón fue bastante audaz para pedir a Dios otro signo después de pedir a Dios una segunda señal. “Es asombroso que Dios no estaba enfadado con Gedeón por su incredulidad. Dios conoció a Gedeón que él era. La fe de Gedeón fue creciendo; eso es lo que importaba a Dios. Cuando nos sentimos inadecuados sobre nuestras calificaciones para el trabajo que Dios nos ha dado, podemos tomar una página del libro de Gedeón. Gedeón no pudo contener su miedo al fracaso. Necesitaba tranquilidad y paciencia de Dios en su camino de fe, y Dios amorosamente proveyó ambos.” (Nortker, 3 minutos devocionales para mujeres, p. 303) Tal vez, señales como las que Gedeón pidió son una cosa del Antiguo Testamento. O, tal vez se consideraría irrespetuoso o insensato pedir a Dios una señal. Sin embargo, siempre podemos orar y pedir a Dios su guía en cada paso de nuestras vidas. En Salmo 32:8 RVR 1960, el Señor dice “Te haré entender, y te enseñaré el camino en que debes andar; Sobre ti fijaré mis ojos.” Él es fiel y paciente con nosotros. Él siempre está ahí para escucharnos y darnos la paciencia necesaria para esperar su orientación y sincronización. Y, si nosotros mismos hacemos silencio en la presencia del Señor y escuchamos, nos proporcionará la tranquilidad que necesitamos para dar el siguiente paso. Amén.

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

In Whom Do You Trust?

“Our faith is sealed
Our hope is real
Come what may
We’re not afraid..
We can trust our God
Always, always
He knows what He’s doing”

 Song Reflection: “He Is With Us” by Love and the Outcome

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“He Is With Us” is my favorite song by Love and the Outcome. It reminds me that no matter what happens, God is with us. As humans, we are limited to the knowledge of our past and our present (what’s happening at this very moment). We don’t know what the future holds. It could be good or not so good. We just don’t know. Think about it. We don’t even know what the next second holds. But, whatever happens, we can be confident of one thing (if we have salvation in Jesus Christ). God is with us. The world around us may be filled with problems, chaos, and uncertainties, but (as Christians) our hope and trust is in Christ alone. Even as Christians, we can become distracted and lose focus on Jesus Christ. When this happens, we may find ourselves trusting in things other than God. We may start trusting in money, our jobs, other people, or ourselves. Psalm 20:7 NIV says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” 1 Corinthians 2:5 NIV reminds us of where we should place our faith. It says, “so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

Sometimes, we get caught up in the storms of life. Sometimes, things don’t go the way we want them to. Sometimes, “you wonder if you’re gonna make it.” Sometimes, we wonder how we will get out our next jam.  Psalms 12:1-3 NIV says,  “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,  the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;”  Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations, where we are afraid. Psalm 27:1 NIV says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”

I love this verse. If God is with us, of what should we be afraid? Psalm 28:7 NIV says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” We couldn’t ask for a better shield than God. We couldn’t ask for more strength than God’s strength.The psalmist writes “For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.” Psalm 71:5 NIV He wants the reader to know that God was there for him in his youth and he trust that God will be there for him again. Have you ever  noticed how generally  it is easier for children or even youth to trust than for adults or older people to trust. Why? Well, because they have seen and experienced more than those with fewer years. Perhaps, they have been lied to or let down too many times by other people. But, Hebrews 6:17-19 reminds us that we don’t have to worry about that with God.

“God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls….”  -Hebrews 6:17-19 NLT

People may lie to us or let us down, but God never will. “We can trust our God always.”

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us not to place all of our hope and trust in anything or anyone, but You. You are our only sure hope. Thank You for Your promise to always be with us and Your beautiful promise of a future spent in heaven with You. Amen.

 “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” -Psalm 39:7 NLT

Side note: Love and the Outcome is a pretty awesome band. I met them last year at winter jam. If you haven’t heard them, you should definitely check them out. Here are the more of the lyrics to “He Is With Us.” I also recommend “King of My Heart.”

 “Remember when your hope is lost and faith is shaken
Remember when you wonder if you’re gonna make it
There’s a hand stretched out through your deepest doubt
We can’t pretend to see the ending or what’s coming up ahead
To know the story of tomorrow
But we can stay close to the One who knows We can trust our God
He knows what He’s doing
Though it might hurt now
We won’t be ruined
It might seem there’s an ocean in between
But He’s holding on to you and me
And He’s never gonna leave, no
He is with us, He is with us
Always, always…
We believe there is purpose, there is meaning in everything
We surrender to His leading
He wants nothing more than to have us close…
Our faith is sealed
Our hope is real
Come what may
We’re not afraid…
We can trust our God
Always, always…
He is with us, He is with us
Always
Our God is with us”

¿Qué pasa si te caes?

“Porque siete veces cae el justo, y vuelve a levantarse…” 

– Proverbios 24:16 RVR 1960

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Como seguidores de Cristo, somos aún humanos. La humanidad es por naturaleza débil. Todos caen. “En nuestras vidas, también hay muchas veces cuando caemos abajo – no físicamente, sino emocionalmente, espiritualmente y en relaciones”. (Nortker, 3 minutos devocionales para mujeres, p. 262)  A veces nosotros caemos. Todos hemos cometido errores. Tal vez perdimos el enfoque de Dios y su liderazgo en nuestras vidas. Tal vez nos dio por vencidos en los sueños que Dios puso en nuestros corazones. Tal vez no manejamos una situación de una manera que refleja el amor de Dios. Tal vez perdimos nuestra paciencia en ver cumplidas las promesas de Dios. Tal vez tomamos las cosas en nuestras propias manos, en lugar de confiar en Dios para guiarnos. Tal vez no hemos sido personas con suficiente entendimiento o tal vez hemos sido personas que no perdonan. Tal vez hemos cayido en “nuestra lucha con tentaciones particulares.” Tal vez caímos en nuestro intento de “subir la escalera del éxito, o en nuestro esfuerzo por llevar vidas piadosas constantemente. (Nortker, 3 minutos devocionales para mujeres, p. 262) Tal vez cayimos tratando de llevar una carga, que fue a pesada para nosotros. Tal vez no pudimos confiar en Dios para vernos a través de las noches. Pero, Dios todavía está allí con sus manos para alcanzarnos. Todavía nos ama y nos perdona. “Alabad a Jehová, porque él es bueno, Porque para siempre es su misericordia..”-Salmo 136:1 Su amor nunca se acaba. Todo el mundo puede renunciar a nosotros, abandonarnos y dejarnos incluso caídos en el suelo. Sin embargo, DIOS NUNCA DA POR VENCIDO. Él está allí para ayudarnos a levantarnos más fuerte.

Piensa en la letra de esta canción: perdonado interpretada por Sanctus Real.

“… el pasado jugando con mi cabeza

Y falta derriba me otra vez

Soy del mal

Que he dicho y hecho

Y diablo simplemente no me deja olvidar

En esta vida

Sé lo que he sido

Pero aquí en tus brazos

Sé lo que soy

Soy perdonado

Soy perdonado

Y no tengo que cargar

El peso de que he sido

Causa que soy perdonado

Mis errores estan corriendo por mi mente

Y mal revive mis días, en medio de la noche

Cuando lucho con mi dolor, y lucho con mi orgullo

A veces me siento solo y lloro

Cuando creo y no siento que pertenezco en cualquier lugar

Cuando no medo mucho en esta vida

 Oye, soy un tesoro en los brazos de Cristo.”

Querido Señor Jesúcristo, gracias por estar siempre allí para nosotros. Por favor ayúdenos a llegar a ti, cuando tropezamos y caemos. Por favor ayúdenos a reflejar tu amor con el perdón, que ofrece apoyo y amor a aquellos que caen. Amén.

Addicted?

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

-2 Corinthians 3:17

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In today’s time and age, there seems to be more addictions than ever. There are more drugs out there (prescription and illegal), than ever before. But, drugs aren’t the only thing people get addicted to. And, perhaps we may think we are far too superior to have the word “addicted” applied to us or look down on drug addicts/ alcoholics, but we could be  addicted to something ourselves. Haven’t we all been addicted to something at some point in our lives?  Wikipedia defines addiction as “characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences.” Think about that for a moment. What would you consider a rewarding stimuli? The more I think about it, the more I realize that almost anything could be a rewarding stimili. So, an addiction could be anything: eating a particular food (ie. caffeine, sugar), using technology (games, social media, texting, talking, skyping), watching tv (sports, movies, shows), listening to music, reading books, shopping, exercising, traveling, or anything else done excessively. Of course, some of these things are beneficial if done in moderation. And, even if some of these activities were done excessively, they could still be harmless and not dangerous to our health. But, still they could become addictions and more importantly could take our primary focus away from God. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” -Matthew 6:24 Are we making something in our lives more important than God? Do we have addictions or distractions that are keeping us from God?

May we always remember that God never intended for us to be dependent on anything. Our freedom is in Christ alone.

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us not to become addicted to the things of this world. Please help us not to become consumed with anything, but You. Amen.

 

Suficiente luz para hoy

Lámpara es a mis pies tu palabra,
    Y lumbrera a mi camino.” 

 -Salmos 119:105 RVR1960

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A veces quedamos perdidos en el camino. Perdemos de vista de la luz real. ¿Tal vez quedamos distraídos con las luciérnagas o los sonidos de la noche? Terminamos caminando sin la luz verdadera. Entonces, empezamos a tropezad en la oscuridad. Incluso podemos caer y chocar contra los que nos rodea; perjudicando no sólo a nosotros mismos, sino también los quien nos rodean. Cualquier persona (incluso gente “fuerte”) puede caer, si perdien el enfoque del camino adelante de ellos y no pueden ver donde caminan. Al leer el versículo anterior, sabemos que la única y verdadera luz para nuestro camino es la Palabra de Dios. Si fallamos en leer su Palabra diariamente, no tenemos la luz que necesitamos para cada día. Estamos seguros de caer y perder nuestro camino a lo largo de la ruta. Sin embargo, no podemos esperar a ver más lejos que hoy. Dios sólo nos da suficiente luz para cada día. Él no permite que la luz brille más allá de las barreras de hoy. ¿Porqué? Porque él no quiere que nosotros seamos abrumados por lo que está adelante. ¿Porqué deberíamos estar preocupados por mañana? Dios ya sabe lo que está ahí y esta preparando el camino para nosotros. Pero tenemos que asegurarnos que tenemos apenas suficiente luz para los pasos de hoy.

Querido Señor Jesúcristo, por favor ayúdanos a mantener nuestros ojos enfocados en usted y su palabra. Y por favor ayúdanos comprometernos a leer su palabra y comunicar con usted diariamente. Amén.