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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
“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”
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¿Qué pasa si te caes?
“Porque siete veces cae el justo, y vuelve a levantarse…”
– Proverbios 24:16 RVR 1960
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.
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Addicted?
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
-2 Corinthians 3:17
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.
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Suficiente luz para hoy
“Lámpara es a mis pies tu palabra,
Y lumbrera a mi camino.”
-Salmos 119:105 RVR1960
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.
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Did you already build your house?
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
-Philippians 1:6 NKJV
On the day of our salvation, God started a “good work” on each of us. Of course we aren’t immediately made like Christ. Instead it is a gradual process, that happens everyday. It’s not an easy process. Sometimes it hurts. Oftentimes, we have to be broken from the inside out, to be rebuilt again. And, we don’t always understand what God is doing, but He always has a plan. James 1:2-4 NIV says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” We must be willing to allow God to remove and add to us. But, most importantly we must be patient and not give up.
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” – C.S.Lewis
Have you planned out your life and what you want to be like? Did you already decide on all of the details of your future? Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” We may have plans, but God has bigger plans. His understanding and wisdom is infinite. Isaiah 55:9 reminds us that God’s ways are higher than our ways. It says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We can’t just give up, because things don’t seem to be going our way. We need to trust God to not only mold us, but lead us to where He wants to take us. Hebrews 10:36 NIV says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Are you willing to allow God to mold you and change you from the inside out? Are you willing to exchange your plans for God’s plans? We may not understand what God is doing with us or our lives, but if we trust Him and cooperate, He will transform us and our lives into something better than we could ever imagine.
Dear Lord Jesus, please give us hearts that are willing to submit to Your alterations and the patience we need to wait for Your guidance. Please help us to trust You, when we don’t understand, what You are doing with our lives. Please help us to remember Your plans are always the best. Amen.
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¿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
¿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.
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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
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.[b] And 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.
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¿Cómo sabes si tienes un amigo(a) verdadero?
“Son más confiables las heridas del que ama, que los falsos besos del que aborrece.”
-Proverbios 27:6 RVC
¿Usted ha sido herido por un amigo(a)? ¿Cómo se siente? A nadie le gusta oír cosas desagradables sobre a sí mismo. Pero, si tienes un amigo(a), esa persona va a ser honesto contigo y te va decir la verdad (aunque te duela). Sinceridad es una cualidad importante a buscar en amigos. Un amigo(a) sincero siempre te dirá las cosas tal como son, porque se preocupan por ti y te aman. Y ese amigo(a) no tiene miedo de decirte la verdad, porque sabe que te hace más daño a no decirte la verdad. El no tiene miedo de perder tu amistad, porque el se preocupa más por tu bienestar. El sabe que al final del día, te resienten más por no ser real con ellos que por decir la verdad (no importa lo feo que puede ser). El amigo(a) real sabe que adulación (definida como alabanza excesiva o insincero) perjudicará a más largo plazo. Proverbios 29:5 RVC dice, ” El que prodiga lisonjas a su prójimo sólo está tendiéndole una trampa.”. Adulación lastima las personas más que la verdad, porque les da una vista de aire inflado de sí mismos. Un ego sobrevaluado perjudicará a una persona más que la verdad, porque piensan más de sí mismos de la que debieran. Romanos 12:3 RVC dice, “Por la gracia que me es dada, digo a cada uno de ustedes que no tenga más alto concepto de sí que el que debe tener, sino que piense de sí con sensatez, según la medida de fe que Dios repartió a cada uno.” Por supuesto, no hay nada malo con felicitar a un amigo(a), si es verdad y usted sinceramente quiere compartirlo con su amigo(a). Pero, si encuentra a un “amigo(a)” a quien solo elogios y alabanzas le da, debe de tomar precaution. Tal vez, esa persona no es un amigo(a) verdadero. Si ese individuo es siempre de acuerdo con sus opiniones, motivos (quizá egoístas) y acciones; que dé usted aún más razón debe evaluar su “amistad” con esa persona. Sin embargo, si encuentras a un amigo(a) que le dice las cosas tal como son, entonces eres afortunado de haber encontrado a un verdadero(a) amigo(a). En ese caso, debe ser receptivo de lo que tiene que decir. Proverbios 17:10 RVR (1960) dice, ” La reprensión aprovecha al entendido, Más que cien azotes al necio. “. Le advierto, sin embargo, que no siempre es fácil oír la verdad. Sin embargo, ser capaz de tomar franca reprende, exhortación, crítica (constructiva), y consejo de un amigo(a) real no sólo fortalece/mejora tu relación con ellos, sino también fortalece/mejora a ti como individuo. Proverbios 27:17 RVR (1995) dice, ” El hierro con hierro se afila, y el hombre con el rostro de su amigo(a).” Un amigo(a) va a empujarte a la mejor versión de ti.
“Amor puede perdonar todas las enfermedades (debilidades) y amar aún a pesar de ellos: pero amor no puede dejar de querer su eliminación.”
– C.S. Lewis
Señor Jesúcristo, por favor darnos el discernimiento para saber la diferencia entre un amigo(a) real y un amigo(a) falso. Por favor, darnos todo lo necesario para ser totalmente receptivo a lo que tienen que decir. Y, por favor, ayúdanos a ser amigo(a) reales, que “afilan” (mejoran) los que nos rodean. Amén.
