The Lord is good.
If I were to list his blessings, I would make a long post.
He gave us a house with a price I can pay in 7 years (one of my Bible professors encouraged us to start small and then make our way up)
He's been blessing our marriage with enough money to make it through the month and still be able to be part of the lives of two Compassion International children. (and yeah, I'm on a first year teacher salary for the second year in a row because of the State's educational budget stuff going on...)
He blessed us with a brand new stacked washer/dryer and friends to help me out when I was doing the piping for it.
Also, He's been allowing me to be the translator at our church and called my wife and I to the lead the youth at our church (sometimes I question if leading youth is a blessing or not though, lol)
Now he blessed my wife and me with a baby on the way that's already on his/her second trimester!
But you know something?
Even if God hadn't done all this. He'd still be good.
He's good when life goes your way, and when life stinks. God is good apart from what he gives.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Desiring God
We pray often, we meet regularly, we try to be at the church activities to serve in the kingdom... So what's the next step?
For many of us the next step was our first step: falling in love with the Lord. Jesus told one of the 7 churches that they lost their first love even though they were hardcore Christians.
Jesus wants to be the lover of your soul, the desire of your heart, the joy of your life, in other words: your husband.
If that sounds weird, think about the marriage feast of the lamb... Who will be the bride? You, and me, male and female.
To wrap it up, there's a beautiful passage in Hosea that declares this truth:
"In that day," declares the LORD, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.'
For many of us the next step was our first step: falling in love with the Lord. Jesus told one of the 7 churches that they lost their first love even though they were hardcore Christians.
Jesus wants to be the lover of your soul, the desire of your heart, the joy of your life, in other words: your husband.
If that sounds weird, think about the marriage feast of the lamb... Who will be the bride? You, and me, male and female.
To wrap it up, there's a beautiful passage in Hosea that declares this truth:
"In that day," declares the LORD, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.'
Monday, October 17, 2011
Riding at Night
Right now I'm going through a season in my life where I don't think I'm bearing much fruit... No fruit at all as a matter of fact.
I feel so useless, and like I'm working for others' dreams and plans but without any for myself.
Now I'm reminded of the words of Jesus that we are to abide in him to bear much fruit, but it seems like now that I began fasting and praising on Saturdays my life is more meaningless than ever. Everyone else seems to be having more impact than me.
It's quite a dark place to be.
I know I'm posting this out to the world, but it's as if it was private since no one follows this anyway.
It's like I don't have the grace to do things that make an impact....
I feel like Shasta before encountering Aslan on the dark road. He was feeling alone and sorry for himself... But he was walking with a huge lion by his left side not letting him fall down the cliff, although he didn't know that at the time because it was so dark.
Jesus, give me your perspective. I really need it today...
I feel so useless, and like I'm working for others' dreams and plans but without any for myself.
Now I'm reminded of the words of Jesus that we are to abide in him to bear much fruit, but it seems like now that I began fasting and praising on Saturdays my life is more meaningless than ever. Everyone else seems to be having more impact than me.
It's quite a dark place to be.
I know I'm posting this out to the world, but it's as if it was private since no one follows this anyway.
It's like I don't have the grace to do things that make an impact....
I feel like Shasta before encountering Aslan on the dark road. He was feeling alone and sorry for himself... But he was walking with a huge lion by his left side not letting him fall down the cliff, although he didn't know that at the time because it was so dark.
Jesus, give me your perspective. I really need it today...
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Jairus' daughter
God is mysteriously amazing!
Today's sermon was about the passage in Mark about Jairus' daughter and the woman with the issue of blood.
I cried in His presence like I hadn't in a long time. I cried for my mom, my brothers, my dad... I felt like Jairus asking the Lord to heal his daughter.
My family seems spiritually dead!
It feels weird to be in a nation where people have been raised in Christianity, and even their parents where raised as Christians, and here I am... this Christian boy in the middle of a unsaved family thanks to God's calling through my only Christian uncle and the prayers of my only Christian sister (Although I'm trusting God for Libby's heart to be His).
I was asking Him to come to my house and say those mysterious words... Talita Cumi.. and wake my family up.
I also asked him to heal me from my own "issues of blood" that I have tried to get rid of through many ways but nothing seems to happen.
But anyway, right now I feel very excited about what God is doing. Life seems so much brighter and I actually feel that which had been missing in my heart: Joy.
So, I'm leaving now!!! His arms are waiting and His voice is whispering my name. I can feel Him calling. I better run to Him!!!
Today's sermon was about the passage in Mark about Jairus' daughter and the woman with the issue of blood.
I cried in His presence like I hadn't in a long time. I cried for my mom, my brothers, my dad... I felt like Jairus asking the Lord to heal his daughter.
My family seems spiritually dead!
It feels weird to be in a nation where people have been raised in Christianity, and even their parents where raised as Christians, and here I am... this Christian boy in the middle of a unsaved family thanks to God's calling through my only Christian uncle and the prayers of my only Christian sister (Although I'm trusting God for Libby's heart to be His).
I was asking Him to come to my house and say those mysterious words... Talita Cumi.. and wake my family up.
I also asked him to heal me from my own "issues of blood" that I have tried to get rid of through many ways but nothing seems to happen.
But anyway, right now I feel very excited about what God is doing. Life seems so much brighter and I actually feel that which had been missing in my heart: Joy.
So, I'm leaving now!!! His arms are waiting and His voice is whispering my name. I can feel Him calling. I better run to Him!!!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Why we fight with those we love
Ok, so I stole the title from Chip Ingram's message series on Five Lies That Ruin Relationships, I confess my transgression!
Anyhow... I was thinking about this on my way home because it just so happens that I opened my mouth more than necessary for the Nth time and it resulted in a nuclear explosion inside of me that left some radioactive material in my girlfriend's heart. So... why do I still get mad at those people I say I love so dearly?
Well, I got a little insight from Chip Ingram on this, but I added my personal touch from the Holy Spirit:
the Book of James basically sums it up saying:
-you fight 'coz you're selfish (4:1)
-you fight 'coz you don't wanna trust God (4:2)
-you fight 'coz all you want is pleasure (you're a hedonist) (4:3)
well, my personal problem is that I speak harshly when I don's get my needs met... There, my second confession of the post!!
So I wanted to do a little list of Bible verses that I need to print and tape on my room's walls. I'll be doing that for next post, but please pray that God would help me become the kind of man that Isabel needs me to be. I want to become a man with a mouth of healing and not of destruction.
Leave your comments, don't run away like that!!!!
Anyhow... I was thinking about this on my way home because it just so happens that I opened my mouth more than necessary for the Nth time and it resulted in a nuclear explosion inside of me that left some radioactive material in my girlfriend's heart. So... why do I still get mad at those people I say I love so dearly?
Well, I got a little insight from Chip Ingram on this, but I added my personal touch from the Holy Spirit:
the Book of James basically sums it up saying:
-you fight 'coz you're selfish (4:1)
-you fight 'coz you don't wanna trust God (4:2)
-you fight 'coz all you want is pleasure (you're a hedonist) (4:3)
well, my personal problem is that I speak harshly when I don's get my needs met... There, my second confession of the post!!
So I wanted to do a little list of Bible verses that I need to print and tape on my room's walls. I'll be doing that for next post, but please pray that God would help me become the kind of man that Isabel needs me to be. I want to become a man with a mouth of healing and not of destruction.
Leave your comments, don't run away like that!!!!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Speaking in Tongues
From my personal observations, there seems to be an interesting phenomenon occurring within the Evangelical Church. There are those who prefer the leading of the Holy Spirit backed up by Scripture, and there are those who prefer Scripture backed up by the Holy Spirit. I know it sounds ridiculous but bear with me for a minute and I'll try to explain.
Christians are on both sides, so it's not an either/or but a both/and, yet the percentages are different. Those that prefer the Holy Spirit backed up by Scripture tend to be more Pentecostal and Charismatic in nature. Those that prefer a more Scriptural camp that is backed up by the Holy Spirit tend to be more like Baptists, Wesleyan, and all the mainstream American churches.
Now, I just mudded the waters a whole lot so let me see if I can fix this mess before you surf to another blog.
Is it wrong to be led by the Holy Spirit even when it isn't necessarily in the Bible? of course not, that's how the church in Acts did a lot of their decision making.
Is it wrong to do things within the guidelines of Scripture? of course not!
Now, what I see happening regarding the issue of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12) is that Pentecostals in general don't play by the 1 Corinthians 14 rules, and therefore those in the Bible camp refuse any manifestation of speaking in tongues, or prophecy, or healing and such.
I live in both worlds, LeTourneau University is mainly a "White Anglo-Saxon Protestant" interdenominational university, while Casa de Oración is a Hispanic Pentecostal Assembly of God, so I get this feeling from the mainstream churches that "if only Pentecostals would follow the rules laid out by Paul in 1 Corinthians 14 then we would accept the manifestations of the Holy Spirit."
Now, this is probably going to sound bad, but bear with me...
I believe God looks for worshipers above Bible scholars. The pharisees missed the Messiah because they got so caught up on the Scripture that they condemmed him and said he was demon-possessed.
I personally have not experienced the gift of tongues, but I know it is happening around the world and it could happen to me anytime.
My petition for you brethren, is to not resist the Holy Spirit, and do not impede the speaking in tongues. Instead of seating in the judgement seat saying that "there's no interpretation, therefore it's not real" and pray for the gift of interpretation so you might be a blessing to the church.
Check this blog... amazing!
http://sarahflynn.theworldrace.org/?filename=speaking-in-tongues
Christians are on both sides, so it's not an either/or but a both/and, yet the percentages are different. Those that prefer the Holy Spirit backed up by Scripture tend to be more Pentecostal and Charismatic in nature. Those that prefer a more Scriptural camp that is backed up by the Holy Spirit tend to be more like Baptists, Wesleyan, and all the mainstream American churches.
Now, I just mudded the waters a whole lot so let me see if I can fix this mess before you surf to another blog.
Is it wrong to be led by the Holy Spirit even when it isn't necessarily in the Bible? of course not, that's how the church in Acts did a lot of their decision making.
Is it wrong to do things within the guidelines of Scripture? of course not!
Now, what I see happening regarding the issue of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12) is that Pentecostals in general don't play by the 1 Corinthians 14 rules, and therefore those in the Bible camp refuse any manifestation of speaking in tongues, or prophecy, or healing and such.
I live in both worlds, LeTourneau University is mainly a "White Anglo-Saxon Protestant" interdenominational university, while Casa de Oración is a Hispanic Pentecostal Assembly of God, so I get this feeling from the mainstream churches that "if only Pentecostals would follow the rules laid out by Paul in 1 Corinthians 14 then we would accept the manifestations of the Holy Spirit."
Now, this is probably going to sound bad, but bear with me...
I believe God looks for worshipers above Bible scholars. The pharisees missed the Messiah because they got so caught up on the Scripture that they condemmed him and said he was demon-possessed.
I personally have not experienced the gift of tongues, but I know it is happening around the world and it could happen to me anytime.
My petition for you brethren, is to not resist the Holy Spirit, and do not impede the speaking in tongues. Instead of seating in the judgement seat saying that "there's no interpretation, therefore it's not real" and pray for the gift of interpretation so you might be a blessing to the church.
Check this blog... amazing!
http://sarahflynn.theworldrace.org/?filename=speaking-in-tongues
Friday, March 20, 2009
Sacrifice
What do you do when the will of God seems so irrational that even your youth leaders believe your brain is confused by too many books and classes in college?
What do you do when the will of God requires you to sacrifice that which you love the most and it hurts you to the deepest of your soul to lose it?
What did Jesus really mean when He said that "whoever who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple"?
What everything is He talking about?
Is God a mean God? Definitely no!
But many times he sees what others do not and knows that our hearts have been compromised with the things of this world and the only way out is through death and resurrection. Why did God ask Abraham to give Him his son, his ONLY, the one he LOVED, Isaac, and sacrifice him at a mountain?
More on this subject later...
What do you do when the will of God requires you to sacrifice that which you love the most and it hurts you to the deepest of your soul to lose it?
What did Jesus really mean when He said that "whoever who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple"?
What everything is He talking about?
Is God a mean God? Definitely no!
But many times he sees what others do not and knows that our hearts have been compromised with the things of this world and the only way out is through death and resurrection. Why did God ask Abraham to give Him his son, his ONLY, the one he LOVED, Isaac, and sacrifice him at a mountain?
More on this subject later...
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