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Devotional of the Week:
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
As the New Year approaches we can take confidence in the fact that God already knows what is going to happen. He knows what the year holds for us and we can have the comfort of knowing that his intent for us is only what is best for us. This quote from Jeremiah makes clear God's point for our lives. "Thoughts of peace and not evil..." and "a future and a hope." How awesome it is that the God of the universe intends for us peace and hope! Yes there will be challenges, but when we rest in Him we can do all things and overcome all challenges! May 2009 hold wonderful things for all of us to His honor and glory!
Prayer: Father God we trust in the words of Jeremiah, we thank you that you love us in such a way that you would thing thoughts of peace and hope toward us. Help us to be confident and courageous as we approach the new year that we may busy ourselves for the kingdom of heaven! We love you and we trust you, in Jesus holy name, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week:
As we approach the new year we can do so with confidence and anticipation. We know that God is with us and in looking at the Scriptures we can see verses that will be encouragements to us in the coming year. Today, let us allow God’s word to be our beacon, pointing us toward 2009.
We can live this coming year without fear if we apply these four truths to our lives and root them deep into our hearts.
1. We can live with the contentment of His provision:
1 Timothy 6:6-8 : Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
Philippians 4:11: Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
Contentment is not getting what you want, but wanting what you get.
2. We can live with the companionship of His presence
Matthew 28:18-20: And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Hebrews 13:5 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
This coming year we need to strive to draw nearer to God in all aspects of our lives. Through prayer, devotional time and study we can experience the companionship God wants to have with us. He will be our guide in all things.
3. We can live with the confidence of His promise
A promise is no better than the one who makes it. Who says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"? It is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God. This is the confidence of His promise.
In the coming year, when we say, "God, I just don't have the strength." The omnipotent God will answer, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." When we say, "God, I'm afraid of what is going to happen." The omnipresent God says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." And when we say, "God, I don't know what to do." The omniscient God will respond, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." He himself has said it.
4. We can live with the comfort of His protection
Hebrews 13:6 promises, "So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Like I said earlier, I don't know what you're going to go through this coming year. But I know you can boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, so I will not fear what man shall do to me."
When you find your contentment, companionship, confidence and comfort in Jesus, you will have COURAGE to face the year!
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Video of the Week:
Let's start the new year focused on praising and worshiping our Holy Father! May we do all we can to honor and glorify His name!
Paul Baloche - "Rise Up and Praise Him"
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Merry CHRISTmas!
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Devotional of the Week:
Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”
From humble beginnings, from a humble place, in a humble way, the Mighty and Everlasting God put on humanity when he left His throne to be born a baby. A baby, who while human was always God, was given for our redemption. His tiny hands and chubby feet, would one day sustain the wounds that would provide for us the forgiveness for our sins. His beautiful face and soft skin would be pierced and torn for our salvation. His earthly birth was designed to end in the shame of a sinner's death, but destined to resurrect in glorious victory over sin and the grave! That is the gift we celebrate this Christmas. God's gift to us was Emmanuel, God with Us... It was His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Celebrate this by sharing Him with all who need Him!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the ultimate gift you have given us. Through the birth of your Son we see your love for us and we thank you that His life, death and resurrection reconciled us to you. May we now live to spread the Gospel and the good news, may we live to give our lives to you in all possible ways. May we live a life that is to your honor and glory forever and ever, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week:
In times of war, God will make His presence felt:
Merry Christmas to the brave men and women of our United States Armed Forces! May God protect and keep each and every one of you wherever you may be.
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Video(s) of the Week:
May your week be blessed, may your Christmas be a glorious one, and may you all have the opportunity to share Jesus with loved ones this coming week! I dedicate to all of you the following videos. May they bless you tremendously... Merry Christmas!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Sunday, December 14, 2008
God Keeps His Promises!
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Devotional of the Week:
Luke 1:68-69 "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David..."
As we continue our look at the verses of Christmas this month, we come a gross two verses that show what the ultimate message of Christmas is. Zecharias, his tongue finally loosed as he has dedicated his son John in the temple, speaks the truth of the good news of redemption. "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people...".
The true gift of Christmas is that Jesus was sent for the redemption of all those who would believe in Him. God is a mighty God! He is a God who keeps his word and fulfills his covenants. The gift of our Messiah is made manifest in this Christmas season.
How blessed we are to be able to see clearly God's plan of redemption in these verses. The events that follow are His perfect plan in action. That little baby is God in human flesh, He is our Savior, He is our Peace, He is Immanuel, God with us! Praise God from whom all good things come!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the gift of your Son. Praise You for all You have done to see your plan of salvation through. Help us to be your hands and to be your feet to take your gospel of redemption to the ends of the earth. May we use this Christmas season to profess the good news of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King! We praise You and we love You! We pray all this in the might saving name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read Matthew 1:18-21
We know that God chose Mary to be the mother of His Son, Jesus, but how often do we consciously consider that in so doing, God also selected Joseph to serve as Jesus’ earthly father figure? We learn quickly that Joseph was also deemed a righteous man. His actions reveal him to have been a sensitive and kind man toward his fiance when he learned the news about her inexplicable pregnancy. Not only could Joseph had divorced Mary by Jewish law for her apparent unfaithfulness, but he also could have had her stoned!
Then, after the angel visited Joseph in a dream and explained things from God’s perspective, Joseph immediately believed and obeyed God’s instructions. He did this in spite of the public humiliation that he would face under these unfathomable circumstances. Perhaps this deep rooted nobility is part of what made him God’s choice for Jesus’ earthly father.
Joseph was a skilled carpenter, and we know that he passed that trade onto Jesus. Joseph was a man of strong conviction who very obviously lived out his belief and put it into action. Imagine how God felt looking for the earthly man whom He would choose to raise His son!
Joseph is last mentioned in Scripture when Jesus is 12 years old. Though we don’t have a lot of information on the specifics of their relationship, I think we can confidently believe that Joseph was not an absentee father figure to Jesus. I’m sure Joseph took his role seriously to be a spiritual leader in their home, despite the fact that Jesus was divine! He undoubtedly had innumerable spiritual conversations with Jesus.
Remember, Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine. His human needs required parental attention every bit as much as our children’s do. Joseph was involved in helping Jesus learn to talk and he was surely there, close by, on the day Jesus took His first steps and got His first tooth. Joseph was the “man of the house” during that period of Jesus’ life, and though Joseph obviously wasn’t perfect he was a godly example! Joseph was a real man in God’s eyes, and that is why He picked him to be the earthly father to His son.
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Video of the Week:
We look to celebrate the birth of our Savior... He shall reign forever and ever!
Hallelujah!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week:
Luke 1:68-69 "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David..."
As we continue our look at the verses of Christmas this month, we come a gross two verses that show what the ultimate message of Christmas is. Zecharias, his tongue finally loosed as he has dedicated his son John in the temple, speaks the truth of the good news of redemption. "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people...".
The true gift of Christmas is that Jesus was sent for the redemption of all those who would believe in Him. God is a mighty God! He is a God who keeps his word and fulfills his covenants. The gift of our Messiah is made manifest in this Christmas season.
How blessed we are to be able to see clearly God's plan of redemption in these verses. The events that follow are His perfect plan in action. That little baby is God in human flesh, He is our Savior, He is our Peace, He is Immanuel, God with us! Praise God from whom all good things come!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the gift of your Son. Praise You for all You have done to see your plan of salvation through. Help us to be your hands and to be your feet to take your gospel of redemption to the ends of the earth. May we use this Christmas season to profess the good news of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King! We praise You and we love You! We pray all this in the might saving name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
*************************************************************
Mini-Study of the Week: Read Matthew 1:18-21
We know that God chose Mary to be the mother of His Son, Jesus, but how often do we consciously consider that in so doing, God also selected Joseph to serve as Jesus’ earthly father figure? We learn quickly that Joseph was also deemed a righteous man. His actions reveal him to have been a sensitive and kind man toward his fiance when he learned the news about her inexplicable pregnancy. Not only could Joseph had divorced Mary by Jewish law for her apparent unfaithfulness, but he also could have had her stoned!
Then, after the angel visited Joseph in a dream and explained things from God’s perspective, Joseph immediately believed and obeyed God’s instructions. He did this in spite of the public humiliation that he would face under these unfathomable circumstances. Perhaps this deep rooted nobility is part of what made him God’s choice for Jesus’ earthly father.
Joseph was a skilled carpenter, and we know that he passed that trade onto Jesus. Joseph was a man of strong conviction who very obviously lived out his belief and put it into action. Imagine how God felt looking for the earthly man whom He would choose to raise His son!
Joseph is last mentioned in Scripture when Jesus is 12 years old. Though we don’t have a lot of information on the specifics of their relationship, I think we can confidently believe that Joseph was not an absentee father figure to Jesus. I’m sure Joseph took his role seriously to be a spiritual leader in their home, despite the fact that Jesus was divine! He undoubtedly had innumerable spiritual conversations with Jesus.
Remember, Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine. His human needs required parental attention every bit as much as our children’s do. Joseph was involved in helping Jesus learn to talk and he was surely there, close by, on the day Jesus took His first steps and got His first tooth. Joseph was the “man of the house” during that period of Jesus’ life, and though Joseph obviously wasn’t perfect he was a godly example! Joseph was a real man in God’s eyes, and that is why He picked him to be the earthly father to His son.
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
We look to celebrate the birth of our Savior... He shall reign forever and ever!
Hallelujah!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Sunday, December 7, 2008
"The Reason for The Season"
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Devotional of the Week: John 1:6-8
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."
John the Baptist's ministry on earth was to be the one who paved the way for the coming of Christ. His call to repentance and to righteous living was due in large part to his desire to see a people welcome their Messiah in as righteous a way as possible. He knew very well that his role was merely that of messenger and witness, but he took that role seriously and to his credit, he lost his life for it. This Christmas season we should ask ourselves, what am I willing to give up for God? What action can I perform that will glorify and honor my Heavenly Father? John's decision was simple, share the "good news" that Christ was coming. Today we can and should make the same decision. In this day and in this time, we are the ones calling people to repent and make way the path. When they do accept the Lord, heaven rejoices.
Prayer: Heavenly Father we thank you for the awesome privilege it is to be Your child. We thank You for the gift You gave us this Christmas, remembering that no matter what, our plans do not prevent us from working in Your will. That Child whom You sent to us is God in human form, may we always remember that in Your omnitpotent power, You saw fit to draw us close. Thank you for salvation and for allowing us to enter Your home in heaven, where we will praise you for ever and ever. We pray all of this in Jesus' mighty name, Amen.
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read Luke 1:26-38
In these verses we see the angel Gabriel appear to Mary and announce to her that she has been chosen to give birth to the Son of God. One of the most telling moments in this set of verses is Mary's question of "how can this be, since I do not know a man?" The angel responds to her with an explanation of what is to occur. He even tells her of her cousin Elizabeth, who after being unable to conceive is now miraculously pregnant with John.
Mary's response is not one of skepticism or doubt, but instead is a response we should all be prepared to give when God comes to us with a task. Her words are "Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word." We know that with God all things are possible. Here we see that our response to God should always be one of confidence and submission to His will. He will sustain and protect us.
Not only was Mary willing to do God's will, but in doing so she became God's vessel by which the plan of salvation was set into motion. What a glorious privilege and gift for her. Thus it can be for any of God's children who are willing to do his bidding. Next week we will look at the first half of this story and learn more about who our Savior is.
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Video of the Week:
"Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word."
"Sing Mary Sing" - Jennifer Knapp
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week: John 1:6-8
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."
John the Baptist's ministry on earth was to be the one who paved the way for the coming of Christ. His call to repentance and to righteous living was due in large part to his desire to see a people welcome their Messiah in as righteous a way as possible. He knew very well that his role was merely that of messenger and witness, but he took that role seriously and to his credit, he lost his life for it. This Christmas season we should ask ourselves, what am I willing to give up for God? What action can I perform that will glorify and honor my Heavenly Father? John's decision was simple, share the "good news" that Christ was coming. Today we can and should make the same decision. In this day and in this time, we are the ones calling people to repent and make way the path. When they do accept the Lord, heaven rejoices.
Prayer: Heavenly Father we thank you for the awesome privilege it is to be Your child. We thank You for the gift You gave us this Christmas, remembering that no matter what, our plans do not prevent us from working in Your will. That Child whom You sent to us is God in human form, may we always remember that in Your omnitpotent power, You saw fit to draw us close. Thank you for salvation and for allowing us to enter Your home in heaven, where we will praise you for ever and ever. We pray all of this in Jesus' mighty name, Amen.
*************************************************************
Mini-Study of the Week: Read Luke 1:26-38
In these verses we see the angel Gabriel appear to Mary and announce to her that she has been chosen to give birth to the Son of God. One of the most telling moments in this set of verses is Mary's question of "how can this be, since I do not know a man?" The angel responds to her with an explanation of what is to occur. He even tells her of her cousin Elizabeth, who after being unable to conceive is now miraculously pregnant with John.
Mary's response is not one of skepticism or doubt, but instead is a response we should all be prepared to give when God comes to us with a task. Her words are "Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word." We know that with God all things are possible. Here we see that our response to God should always be one of confidence and submission to His will. He will sustain and protect us.
Not only was Mary willing to do God's will, but in doing so she became God's vessel by which the plan of salvation was set into motion. What a glorious privilege and gift for her. Thus it can be for any of God's children who are willing to do his bidding. Next week we will look at the first half of this story and learn more about who our Savior is.
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
"Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word."
"Sing Mary Sing" - Jennifer Knapp
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Monday, December 1, 2008
Prepare the Way!
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Devotional of the Week:
Luke 2:30 - 30 "For my eyes have seen Your salvation"
In the gospel of Luke we meet Simeon, a man to whom God promised that he would not die until he laid eyes on the Messiah. What an awesome gift! The powerful knowledge that the baby you held in your arms was God's promise fulfilled. In our lives today we see constant signs of our lives changed by Jesus entering into our hearts. While we have not yet laid eyes on our wonderful Savior, praise God that our faith goes beyond what we see. Simeon did not need to see to believe, he merely was given the privilege to hold his Savior as a gift from God. Today, we believe that we have seen salvation with the eyes of our heart, knowing that someday, we will see our beautiful Lord. That is truly a gift better than all others!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus. We look forward to this holiday season as an opportunity to share our joy and love for Him. May we always remember during the hustle and bustle of our days to honor Him and remember Him for the eyes of our heart have been opened and we too have seen our salvation. For that we say Hallelujah and Hallelujah! In Jesus mighty name we pray, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: During the month of December we will do a series of studies on Scriptures related to Christmas. We will resume our study of 1 Samuel in January.
Isaiah 40:3-5 - The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord;Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
As we have entered the holiday season and with Christmas rapidly approaching, we see an opportunity to remember the "reason for the season". Isaiah in his prophecy is sharing with us that we need to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist used these words form Holy Writ as his cry for repentance to those he ministered to. He was the one who preceded the Messiah and who prepared the way by preaching repentance to men's hearts.
In the words of these verses we can see what a life rooted in Christ can achieve. Valleys shall be exalted, crooked places in our lives made straight, obstacle brought low and in every fiber of our being, God will be glorified. Today we can also prepare the way by being willing to share the Gospel with a lost world. We must not shy away from the call to repentance during this holiday season. The first gift of my salvation was that it happened in the month of December, and I have to tell you, it was the most beautiful Christmas ever. I knew and understood what the birth of our Messiah really meant.
Give that gift to someone this year by sowing the seeds of the Gospel in their lives. If they breathe, they need Jesus, so share your faith, witness to the lost, and trust God to bring the fruit. Rejoice during this month that you know the true story of Christmas. Like Isaiah and John teach us, prepare the way for Jesus our Lord to enter the lives of those who need Him. That is our mission and the best Christmas gift we can give anyone this year.
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Video of the Week:
May we all long for our Christmas to be about our Savior. As the song says, "this infant, this King, A Savior for all...", this is our joy this holiday season!
Third Day - "Christmas Like a Child"
Devotional of the Week:
Luke 2:30 - 30 "For my eyes have seen Your salvation"
In the gospel of Luke we meet Simeon, a man to whom God promised that he would not die until he laid eyes on the Messiah. What an awesome gift! The powerful knowledge that the baby you held in your arms was God's promise fulfilled. In our lives today we see constant signs of our lives changed by Jesus entering into our hearts. While we have not yet laid eyes on our wonderful Savior, praise God that our faith goes beyond what we see. Simeon did not need to see to believe, he merely was given the privilege to hold his Savior as a gift from God. Today, we believe that we have seen salvation with the eyes of our heart, knowing that someday, we will see our beautiful Lord. That is truly a gift better than all others!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus. We look forward to this holiday season as an opportunity to share our joy and love for Him. May we always remember during the hustle and bustle of our days to honor Him and remember Him for the eyes of our heart have been opened and we too have seen our salvation. For that we say Hallelujah and Hallelujah! In Jesus mighty name we pray, Amen!
*************************************************************
Mini-Study of the Week: During the month of December we will do a series of studies on Scriptures related to Christmas. We will resume our study of 1 Samuel in January.
Isaiah 40:3-5 - The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord;Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
As we have entered the holiday season and with Christmas rapidly approaching, we see an opportunity to remember the "reason for the season". Isaiah in his prophecy is sharing with us that we need to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist used these words form Holy Writ as his cry for repentance to those he ministered to. He was the one who preceded the Messiah and who prepared the way by preaching repentance to men's hearts.
In the words of these verses we can see what a life rooted in Christ can achieve. Valleys shall be exalted, crooked places in our lives made straight, obstacle brought low and in every fiber of our being, God will be glorified. Today we can also prepare the way by being willing to share the Gospel with a lost world. We must not shy away from the call to repentance during this holiday season. The first gift of my salvation was that it happened in the month of December, and I have to tell you, it was the most beautiful Christmas ever. I knew and understood what the birth of our Messiah really meant.
Give that gift to someone this year by sowing the seeds of the Gospel in their lives. If they breathe, they need Jesus, so share your faith, witness to the lost, and trust God to bring the fruit. Rejoice during this month that you know the true story of Christmas. Like Isaiah and John teach us, prepare the way for Jesus our Lord to enter the lives of those who need Him. That is our mission and the best Christmas gift we can give anyone this year.
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
May we all long for our Christmas to be about our Savior. As the song says, "this infant, this King, A Savior for all...", this is our joy this holiday season!
Third Day - "Christmas Like a Child"
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Devotional of the Week: 1 Chronicles 16:34
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
As we enter this time of Thanksgiving, we are able to stop and ponder all of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. The many brethren we know, the ability to serve Him, and His presence in our lives in times of trial. We stop and remember the joy as well. His enduring love in our lives is the reason for our joy. This year as you give thanks, purpose in your heart to make everyday of your life a day to give the Lord thanks with your praise and worship!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your presence in our lives. Your selfless sacrifice on the cross was the key to eternal life to those of us who say "Jesus is Lord". Thank you for bestowing grace upon us. Even in our fallen sinful state you loved us and saved us from the muck and mire. Use us Lord that we may walk worthy of this blessing and this calling. We thank You for all things! We pray this in your mighty and eternal name, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Our Study in 1 Samuel will resume next week.
Happy Thanksgiving! Share your blessings and reasons for giving the Lord thanks this year to all who you cross paths with. The power of your testimony can be the key to lost souls meeting God.
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Video of the Week:
"Thank You Lord" - Don Moen
All of our love, devotion and worship can be summed up in 3 words... Thank You Lord!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week: 1 Chronicles 16:34
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
As we enter this time of Thanksgiving, we are able to stop and ponder all of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. The many brethren we know, the ability to serve Him, and His presence in our lives in times of trial. We stop and remember the joy as well. His enduring love in our lives is the reason for our joy. This year as you give thanks, purpose in your heart to make everyday of your life a day to give the Lord thanks with your praise and worship!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your presence in our lives. Your selfless sacrifice on the cross was the key to eternal life to those of us who say "Jesus is Lord". Thank you for bestowing grace upon us. Even in our fallen sinful state you loved us and saved us from the muck and mire. Use us Lord that we may walk worthy of this blessing and this calling. We thank You for all things! We pray this in your mighty and eternal name, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Our Study in 1 Samuel will resume next week.
Happy Thanksgiving! Share your blessings and reasons for giving the Lord thanks this year to all who you cross paths with. The power of your testimony can be the key to lost souls meeting God.
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
"Thank You Lord" - Don Moen
All of our love, devotion and worship can be summed up in 3 words... Thank You Lord!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Jesus Is Lord!
Special Video
I would like to begin this week by sharing this video with all of you. I am also dedicating this video to our evangelism class at church. Amanda, Maria, Jessica, Barbara, Isabel and I encourage all of you to tell the world that Jesus lives! Remember, if they breathe, they need Jesus! God bless you all!!!
"Tell the World" - Hillsong United
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Devotional of the Week: Romans 8:31
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Often in our Christian lives we reach a point where we are persecuted or set upon by outside forces. We have a tendency to want to buckle at the knees and in some cases maybe even feel the need to surrender. Feeling the need to surrender and actually doing so are two very different things.
We have the power to persevere and overcome. Today's devotional verse tells us this. What Paul is telling is is that if God is for us, in the sense that He has marked us out for Himself, then no one or nothing can be successful against us. If Omnipotence is working on our behalf, no lesser power can defeat His plan.
Our challenge is to believe this very simple but rich verse. Our Protector is Almighty God. Our strength is His strength and thus we are able to resist the wiles of the devil. This verse is one that we should pray to God that he inscribe it into our hearts and seal it into our minds. This way we have it as our reminder that we are under the protection of a holy, powerful and living God!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for your protective covering. We pray that when the world besets us on all sides, that we take heart and remember that You fight for us. Steel our backs Lord and help us to stand firmly and courageously. Help us to set our eyes on You Lord and to walk in your will for the rest of our earthly lives. We pray all this in Jesus' might name, Amen.
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 6
As we look at chapter 6 we see that the Philistines have had enough of the ark in their lands. They did keep it for 7 months though and one would wonder why they kept it so long. Understandably they were reluctant to give up such a wonderful “trophy” of what they at first felt was such a victory over the God of Israel. It can take a long time before we realize the futility of resisting God!
More than any other thing on earth, the Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of the Lord God of Israel. The Philistines (like the Israelites who carried the ark into battle) therefore thought that when they had the ark, they “had” the Lord. But they did not “have” the Lord at all. He had them, He was in control, and now they are on the defensive. God doesn’t have a problem, they do.
The Philistine priests knew enough to know they have offended the Lord God. Therefore, they know they should do something to expresses their sorrow and repentance before the Lord. The specific offering recognizes that it was the Lord who brought the plague upon the Philistines. They were saying, “We know these plagues were not accidents. We know the Lord God of Israel has caused them. We are apologizing to the Lord God and asking Him to turn away His anger.” Acknowledging God’s judgment one way to give glory to the God of Israel. We often fail to give God this glory because we ignore His judgment or write it off as fate or bad luck.
The Philistines decide how to return the ark, including a test to see if the judgment was from God or by chance. The test was simple, and stacked against God. By nature, two milk cows which have never been yoked should not pull a cart at all, but they should have resisted their yokes. Additionally, they decided to take their calves home, away from them. The “maternal instinct” of the cows would have drawn them not towards the land of Israel, but back home to their own calves. The Philistines devised a test that “forced” the God of Israel to do something miraculous to demonstrate He had really been the cause of the plagues upon them.
The cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh! What a miracle! Two cows who had never pulled a cart before, either alone or together. No driver leads them, yet they leave home, and march the ten miles or so to a city they had never been to. They leave their own calves behind, and go straight on a certain road, with never a wrong turn, never a stop, never turning aside into the fields to feed themselves, never turning back to feed their own calves.
As the cows are on the road back to Israel, can you see the Israelites mourning over the loss of the ark? Perhaps at that very moment they were crying out to God, grieving because they thought the glory had departed. Eventually the people see the ark arriving! What joy! They would have felt something like the disciples felt on the day they saw the resurrected Jesus, because they would have felt they had received God back to them from the dead. On this day as they were reaping their wheat harvest (between May and June), they knew the God of Israel was alive.
Of course, God had never been dead, and God never left them. But the Israelites felt as though God was dead, and they were as desperate, discouraged, and hopeless as if He really were dead. They split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering: They knew this was the right thing to do in honor to God, yet it really cost them something. Cows and carts were expensive property.
The Israelites were careful to let the Levites handle the ark, as was commanded by the law (Numbers 4:1-6, 15). Beth Shemesh was a priestly city (Joshua 21:16), so there were priests on hand. But some of the men sinned gravely by not only touching the ark, but also looking into it inappropriately. There are things, because of the honor and glory of God, which He has chosen to keep hidden, and it is wrong for men to pry into these secrets of God.
In their disrespect for God, the men of Beth Shemesh had offended the holiness of the Lord. Now, they know the Lord is holy, but it doesn’t make them want to be closer to God; it makes them want to distance themselves from God. They choose to send the ark to Kirjath Jearim. We don’t know why they picked this village. Perhaps they had good relations with these men and thought they would take good care of the ark. Perhaps they had bad relations with them and wanted the Lord to curse them. Whatever the reason, the men of Kirath Jearim will indeed receive the ark, and the ark will stay there some seventy years until David brings it to Jerusalem.
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Video of the Week:
"Free" - Hillsong
Because of the blood He shed, because of the price He paid, because He rose from the dead and reigns on high... We are FREE!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
I would like to begin this week by sharing this video with all of you. I am also dedicating this video to our evangelism class at church. Amanda, Maria, Jessica, Barbara, Isabel and I encourage all of you to tell the world that Jesus lives! Remember, if they breathe, they need Jesus! God bless you all!!!
"Tell the World" - Hillsong United
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Devotional of the Week: Romans 8:31
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Often in our Christian lives we reach a point where we are persecuted or set upon by outside forces. We have a tendency to want to buckle at the knees and in some cases maybe even feel the need to surrender. Feeling the need to surrender and actually doing so are two very different things.
We have the power to persevere and overcome. Today's devotional verse tells us this. What Paul is telling is is that if God is for us, in the sense that He has marked us out for Himself, then no one or nothing can be successful against us. If Omnipotence is working on our behalf, no lesser power can defeat His plan.
Our challenge is to believe this very simple but rich verse. Our Protector is Almighty God. Our strength is His strength and thus we are able to resist the wiles of the devil. This verse is one that we should pray to God that he inscribe it into our hearts and seal it into our minds. This way we have it as our reminder that we are under the protection of a holy, powerful and living God!
Prayer: Father God, thank you for your protective covering. We pray that when the world besets us on all sides, that we take heart and remember that You fight for us. Steel our backs Lord and help us to stand firmly and courageously. Help us to set our eyes on You Lord and to walk in your will for the rest of our earthly lives. We pray all this in Jesus' might name, Amen.
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 6
As we look at chapter 6 we see that the Philistines have had enough of the ark in their lands. They did keep it for 7 months though and one would wonder why they kept it so long. Understandably they were reluctant to give up such a wonderful “trophy” of what they at first felt was such a victory over the God of Israel. It can take a long time before we realize the futility of resisting God!
More than any other thing on earth, the Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of the Lord God of Israel. The Philistines (like the Israelites who carried the ark into battle) therefore thought that when they had the ark, they “had” the Lord. But they did not “have” the Lord at all. He had them, He was in control, and now they are on the defensive. God doesn’t have a problem, they do.
The Philistine priests knew enough to know they have offended the Lord God. Therefore, they know they should do something to expresses their sorrow and repentance before the Lord. The specific offering recognizes that it was the Lord who brought the plague upon the Philistines. They were saying, “We know these plagues were not accidents. We know the Lord God of Israel has caused them. We are apologizing to the Lord God and asking Him to turn away His anger.” Acknowledging God’s judgment one way to give glory to the God of Israel. We often fail to give God this glory because we ignore His judgment or write it off as fate or bad luck.
The Philistines decide how to return the ark, including a test to see if the judgment was from God or by chance. The test was simple, and stacked against God. By nature, two milk cows which have never been yoked should not pull a cart at all, but they should have resisted their yokes. Additionally, they decided to take their calves home, away from them. The “maternal instinct” of the cows would have drawn them not towards the land of Israel, but back home to their own calves. The Philistines devised a test that “forced” the God of Israel to do something miraculous to demonstrate He had really been the cause of the plagues upon them.
The cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh! What a miracle! Two cows who had never pulled a cart before, either alone or together. No driver leads them, yet they leave home, and march the ten miles or so to a city they had never been to. They leave their own calves behind, and go straight on a certain road, with never a wrong turn, never a stop, never turning aside into the fields to feed themselves, never turning back to feed their own calves.
As the cows are on the road back to Israel, can you see the Israelites mourning over the loss of the ark? Perhaps at that very moment they were crying out to God, grieving because they thought the glory had departed. Eventually the people see the ark arriving! What joy! They would have felt something like the disciples felt on the day they saw the resurrected Jesus, because they would have felt they had received God back to them from the dead. On this day as they were reaping their wheat harvest (between May and June), they knew the God of Israel was alive.
Of course, God had never been dead, and God never left them. But the Israelites felt as though God was dead, and they were as desperate, discouraged, and hopeless as if He really were dead. They split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering: They knew this was the right thing to do in honor to God, yet it really cost them something. Cows and carts were expensive property.
The Israelites were careful to let the Levites handle the ark, as was commanded by the law (Numbers 4:1-6, 15). Beth Shemesh was a priestly city (Joshua 21:16), so there were priests on hand. But some of the men sinned gravely by not only touching the ark, but also looking into it inappropriately. There are things, because of the honor and glory of God, which He has chosen to keep hidden, and it is wrong for men to pry into these secrets of God.
In their disrespect for God, the men of Beth Shemesh had offended the holiness of the Lord. Now, they know the Lord is holy, but it doesn’t make them want to be closer to God; it makes them want to distance themselves from God. They choose to send the ark to Kirjath Jearim. We don’t know why they picked this village. Perhaps they had good relations with these men and thought they would take good care of the ark. Perhaps they had bad relations with them and wanted the Lord to curse them. Whatever the reason, the men of Kirath Jearim will indeed receive the ark, and the ark will stay there some seventy years until David brings it to Jerusalem.
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
"Free" - Hillsong
Because of the blood He shed, because of the price He paid, because He rose from the dead and reigns on high... We are FREE!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Saturday, November 8, 2008
In God's House
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Devotional of the Week:
Psalm 84:4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah
When we were saved by almighty God, we were allowed entry into the holy places of heaven. Here on earth, through our prayers we can enter into His throne room of grace. We can enter into the holy sanctuaries of our churches to praise Him and learn about Him. We can seek refuge there with those who are our brethren. We are blessed, we are privileged and above all we are loved by the Lord. May this thought strengthen us, and remind us of the awesome God we serve, the beautiful God we love and the Precious Savior who gave it all for our salvation!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that through your death and resurrection, through our repentance and recognition and acceptance of you as our Savior, we now have a place in the holy places of God. We truly are blessed to dwell in Your house. You are holy and worthy to be praised. We lift you up and we love you. In your mighty name we pray, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 5
This week we see the power that God has over those who do not dwell in His house. Those who refuse to acknowledge Him as Lord. We see a continuation of last week's story. The ark is captured, Israel is laid waste and the enemies of God have seemingly earned a victory.
The pagan armies that have claimed the Ark of the Covenant now bring it home into one of their temples. They set it next to the idol of Dagon, who was said to be the father of Baal. After the first night the people wake to find that the statue of Dagon has been toppled. They place the image back into place and the following day wake to find that not only is the image toppled, it is now broken. It's no coincidence that the head and hands are broken. In knocking over the idol, God shows that there is no wisdom (head) and no power (hands) in worshipping idols.
God then begins to afflict the people with tumors and illness. The pagan people have no conceptual understanding of what taking the Ark of God into their pagan lands really means. God is angry and He is seeing to it that these people suffer as a result of their desecration of His ark. They decide to move the ark to two other cities but wherever they take the ark, God is there to inflict punishment. Never do the people seek to repent. They finally seek only to rid themselves of the ark so that they will no longer suffer.
We should always treasure the things of God and hold them dear. Love, compassion, power and loyalty can be turned into tools of the enemy when they are allowed to fall into the camp of those who oppose God. But when our love is in Christ's hands, we are able to love like never before. When our compassion is for the lost and for those who suffer, Christ works through us to ease hurt and sow seeds. When we do things in Christ's power, we will be able to accomplish anything for His honor and glory. When we are loyal to almighty God, He will use us to further His kingdom here on earth.
A pagan people can do nothing with what belongs to God. As His children we have the privilege of living for Him. He defied death at the cross that we may have eternal life. We should live to lift His name high!
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
Blessed - Hillsong
His house is now OUR home. For all eternity we will praise Him, we will worship Him and we will belong to Him! Praise God in all things!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week:
Psalm 84:4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah
When we were saved by almighty God, we were allowed entry into the holy places of heaven. Here on earth, through our prayers we can enter into His throne room of grace. We can enter into the holy sanctuaries of our churches to praise Him and learn about Him. We can seek refuge there with those who are our brethren. We are blessed, we are privileged and above all we are loved by the Lord. May this thought strengthen us, and remind us of the awesome God we serve, the beautiful God we love and the Precious Savior who gave it all for our salvation!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that through your death and resurrection, through our repentance and recognition and acceptance of you as our Savior, we now have a place in the holy places of God. We truly are blessed to dwell in Your house. You are holy and worthy to be praised. We lift you up and we love you. In your mighty name we pray, Amen!
*************************************************************
Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 5
This week we see the power that God has over those who do not dwell in His house. Those who refuse to acknowledge Him as Lord. We see a continuation of last week's story. The ark is captured, Israel is laid waste and the enemies of God have seemingly earned a victory.
The pagan armies that have claimed the Ark of the Covenant now bring it home into one of their temples. They set it next to the idol of Dagon, who was said to be the father of Baal. After the first night the people wake to find that the statue of Dagon has been toppled. They place the image back into place and the following day wake to find that not only is the image toppled, it is now broken. It's no coincidence that the head and hands are broken. In knocking over the idol, God shows that there is no wisdom (head) and no power (hands) in worshipping idols.
God then begins to afflict the people with tumors and illness. The pagan people have no conceptual understanding of what taking the Ark of God into their pagan lands really means. God is angry and He is seeing to it that these people suffer as a result of their desecration of His ark. They decide to move the ark to two other cities but wherever they take the ark, God is there to inflict punishment. Never do the people seek to repent. They finally seek only to rid themselves of the ark so that they will no longer suffer.
We should always treasure the things of God and hold them dear. Love, compassion, power and loyalty can be turned into tools of the enemy when they are allowed to fall into the camp of those who oppose God. But when our love is in Christ's hands, we are able to love like never before. When our compassion is for the lost and for those who suffer, Christ works through us to ease hurt and sow seeds. When we do things in Christ's power, we will be able to accomplish anything for His honor and glory. When we are loyal to almighty God, He will use us to further His kingdom here on earth.
A pagan people can do nothing with what belongs to God. As His children we have the privilege of living for Him. He defied death at the cross that we may have eternal life. We should live to lift His name high!
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
Blessed - Hillsong
His house is now OUR home. For all eternity we will praise Him, we will worship Him and we will belong to Him! Praise God in all things!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Sunday, November 2, 2008
He Is Our STRENGTH
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Devotional of the Week:
Psalm 105:4 - Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
NFL coach Tony Dungy has seen much adversity throughout his career. In his book "Quiet Strength" he discusses what relying on God's strength has done for him in his life. In January of 2007, he along with Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith not only became the first two African American head coaches to coach in a Super Bowl, they were also two Christian coaches whose organizations give glory to God for their success. That night belonged to Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts, but in his words from the platform that night, along with the words of the president of the Colts organization, that night belonged to God. In the video clip that follows, let's hear from Tony Dungy about what God's strength can mean to us:
May we always seek our strength from God's presence in our lives. He is faithful to be with us. He is faithful to lift us up! All Praises to Our Lord, for He IS GOD!!!
Prayer: Father God, thank you that in You we have all the strength we will ever need. Surround us Lord, dwell in us through the power of Your Spirit, strengthen us to do Your will in all things. We love You and we trust You all the days of our life. In Jesus name, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 4
As chapter 4 of our book opens, we find that the Philistines have come against Israel. Not only had the sins of Eli's sons causes the Levitical priesthood to become corrupt, but Israel as a nation had turned from God and had begun to worship idols. It does not take more than 2 verses to see that God has withdrawn his hedge of protection from His people. We see in verse 2 that 4,000 of the men of Israel are killed in the first skirmish with the Philistines.
Rather than repent and turn back to God, the Israelites do something that has through the ages become something we are prone to do ourselves when in a time of crisis. They begin by asking the right question. "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?" They were right to recognize that it was God who had brought defeat to their camp. And yet in a moment that would have been brilliant had they heeded their own words, they committed and even worse act. They decided to try to move the hands of God.
The elders of Israel decided to bring the ark of the covenant into the camp. On face value it seems like a good idea. God's presence in our lives is what is needed when people or circumstances come against us. The leaders intent however was to have the camp gain confidence from the ark's presence rather than calling on the Lord to deliver them. The Israelites indeed rejoiced greatly when they saw the ark, and the Philistines feared greatly because they knew the reputation of Jehovah. But they encouraged themselves and drew near to the battle once more. To their amazement, Israel fled, thirty thousand foot soldiers were slain, the priests Hophni and Phinehas were killed, and the ark itself was captured!
We do not take strength from "things" associated with God. Instead we are to draw strength because God's strength is in us. In the case of the Israelites, their devotion to God had all but disappeared and they were more focused on the "idea" of God rather than the reality of Him. God's punishment was swift. He defended His honor on the battlefield. He no doubt allowed the Philistines to take possession of the ark, a symbol of incredible victory to a pagan people. (Don't worry, we will see the fate of this circumstance in the next chapter.) What He did not allow was for the Israelites to gain the idea that they could gain anything apart from Him, and apart from His strength. No amount of ceremony or tradition is enough to give us the victory. Only God's will and plan in our lives can do that. Our obedience is the channel by which God will give us His strength.
Not only are the Israelites defeated, they flee in cowardly fashion, they lose the ark, and Eli, upon receiving the news of the death of his sons and the capture of God's ark fell backward and died. In a very telling side story we see also the fate of Eli's daughter-in-law. The news of her husband and father-in-laws death, while devastating, was nothing compared to the news that the Ark of God had been captured. Upon hearing this news, she goes into labor. After an extremely difficult birth, she names her son Ichabod (inglorious) for as she states in her last breaths "the glory has departed from Israel."
When we try to do things in our own strength we fail. God is our defender , our redeemer, our strength. His will is what our lives will bear out. When we try to achieve in our own efforts, we fail. His glory departs from our lives. Our directive is to seek Him in all things, that His glory may shine through us, His beloved children.
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
His is the only strength we need! The Lord HE is GOD!
"You Are My Strength" - Hillsong
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week:
Psalm 105:4 - Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
NFL coach Tony Dungy has seen much adversity throughout his career. In his book "Quiet Strength" he discusses what relying on God's strength has done for him in his life. In January of 2007, he along with Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith not only became the first two African American head coaches to coach in a Super Bowl, they were also two Christian coaches whose organizations give glory to God for their success. That night belonged to Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts, but in his words from the platform that night, along with the words of the president of the Colts organization, that night belonged to God. In the video clip that follows, let's hear from Tony Dungy about what God's strength can mean to us:
May we always seek our strength from God's presence in our lives. He is faithful to be with us. He is faithful to lift us up! All Praises to Our Lord, for He IS GOD!!!
Prayer: Father God, thank you that in You we have all the strength we will ever need. Surround us Lord, dwell in us through the power of Your Spirit, strengthen us to do Your will in all things. We love You and we trust You all the days of our life. In Jesus name, Amen!
*************************************************************
Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 4
As chapter 4 of our book opens, we find that the Philistines have come against Israel. Not only had the sins of Eli's sons causes the Levitical priesthood to become corrupt, but Israel as a nation had turned from God and had begun to worship idols. It does not take more than 2 verses to see that God has withdrawn his hedge of protection from His people. We see in verse 2 that 4,000 of the men of Israel are killed in the first skirmish with the Philistines.
Rather than repent and turn back to God, the Israelites do something that has through the ages become something we are prone to do ourselves when in a time of crisis. They begin by asking the right question. "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?" They were right to recognize that it was God who had brought defeat to their camp. And yet in a moment that would have been brilliant had they heeded their own words, they committed and even worse act. They decided to try to move the hands of God.
The elders of Israel decided to bring the ark of the covenant into the camp. On face value it seems like a good idea. God's presence in our lives is what is needed when people or circumstances come against us. The leaders intent however was to have the camp gain confidence from the ark's presence rather than calling on the Lord to deliver them. The Israelites indeed rejoiced greatly when they saw the ark, and the Philistines feared greatly because they knew the reputation of Jehovah. But they encouraged themselves and drew near to the battle once more. To their amazement, Israel fled, thirty thousand foot soldiers were slain, the priests Hophni and Phinehas were killed, and the ark itself was captured!
We do not take strength from "things" associated with God. Instead we are to draw strength because God's strength is in us. In the case of the Israelites, their devotion to God had all but disappeared and they were more focused on the "idea" of God rather than the reality of Him. God's punishment was swift. He defended His honor on the battlefield. He no doubt allowed the Philistines to take possession of the ark, a symbol of incredible victory to a pagan people. (Don't worry, we will see the fate of this circumstance in the next chapter.) What He did not allow was for the Israelites to gain the idea that they could gain anything apart from Him, and apart from His strength. No amount of ceremony or tradition is enough to give us the victory. Only God's will and plan in our lives can do that. Our obedience is the channel by which God will give us His strength.
Not only are the Israelites defeated, they flee in cowardly fashion, they lose the ark, and Eli, upon receiving the news of the death of his sons and the capture of God's ark fell backward and died. In a very telling side story we see also the fate of Eli's daughter-in-law. The news of her husband and father-in-laws death, while devastating, was nothing compared to the news that the Ark of God had been captured. Upon hearing this news, she goes into labor. After an extremely difficult birth, she names her son Ichabod (inglorious) for as she states in her last breaths "the glory has departed from Israel."
When we try to do things in our own strength we fail. God is our defender , our redeemer, our strength. His will is what our lives will bear out. When we try to achieve in our own efforts, we fail. His glory departs from our lives. Our directive is to seek Him in all things, that His glory may shine through us, His beloved children.
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
His is the only strength we need! The Lord HE is GOD!
"You Are My Strength" - Hillsong
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Saturday, October 25, 2008
God's Voice
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Devotional of the Week: Jeremiah 7:23 "But this is what I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you."
God speaks to us daily. He shows us his presence in so many ways. If we listen closely however we will hear the still small voice of a holy God. His call to us is one of obedience. It is the way we can show our undying love and devotion to him. Obeying God in all things may be a challenge sometimes, but in this verse from Jeremiah, we see what the fruit of an obedient walk can be. Our Lord says to us that things will be well with us.
Nowhere is this submission to God's will evident than in the story of hymn writer Horatio Gates Spafford. In 1871, tragedy struck Chicago as fire ravaged the city. When it was all over, 300 people were dead and 100,000 were homeless. Horatio Gates Spafford was one of those who tried to help the people of the city get back on their feet. A lawyer who had invested much of his money into the downtown Chicago real estate, he'd lost a great deal to the fire. And his one son (he had four daughters) had died about the same time.
Still, for two years Spafford--who was a friend of evangelist Dwight Moody--assisted the homeless, impoverished, and grief-stricken ruined by the fire.After about two years of such work, Spafford and his family decided to take a vacation. They were to go to England to join Moody and Ira Sankey on one of their evangelistic crusades, then travel in Europe. Horatio Spafford was delayed by some business, but sent his family on ahead. He would catch up to them on the other side of the Atlantic.Their ship, the Ville de Havre, never made it. Off Newfoundland, it collided with an English sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and sank within 20 minutes.
Though Horatio's wife, Anna, was able to cling to a piece of floating wreckage (one of only 47 survivors among hundreds), their four daughters--Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie--were killed. Horatio received a horrible telegram from his wife, only two words long: "saved alone."Spafford boarded the next available ship to be near his grieving wife, and the two finally met up with Dwight Moody. "It is well," Spafford told him quietly. "The will of God be done."
This experience led Spafford to write one of the iconic hymns of our day. "It Is Well With My Soul" is a heart healing song that reminds us that God is faithful to those who heed His voice and trust His plan. May we have the strength of Horatio Spafford when we face lifes hardships, may we in turn tell someone, "It is well..." and give it all to God.
Prayer: Father God, help us to hear your voice. Help us to heed it, trust it and take solace in it. You are a faithful and loving God and we know that you have only our best interests in mind. Help us to focus then on Your will for our lives and to walk with confidence knowing that all is well. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 3
As we look at the entirety of chapter 3 today, we see several significant things. First, we see that God has been silent for a long while. Verse 1 tells us that "the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation". We also see that the Lord and His word was not yet known to Samuel. Yes, Samuel had ministered to the Lord to this point, but still did not have an intimate relationship with Him. Soon though, as in the lives of all believers, God will come knocking. The third thing we see is that God's message is not to be kept silent.
In the beginning of this chapter we learn that God's voice has been silent. God however is in the midst of training up Samuel to be that voice. Three times He calls to Samuel, and each time Samuel mistakes that voice to be Eli his teacher. Finally Eli shares with Samuel what his response to God should be. It is the response that he gives that we should be ready to give. We should be ready to say "Here I am, for you did call me."
Samuel's readiness is what we should be prepared for. We should all have a willingness to respond positively to the Lord and do what He asks. Even if the task given us is a difficult one, we should trust in our heavenly Father. Samuel experiences this first hand when God reveals that He will carry out his judgment on Eli and his sons. At first Samuel is reluctant to share with Eli what the Lord had shared. He is afraid to hurt or anger Eli. Eli's response is a submissive one. When he states "It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him" he is resigning himself to his fate knowing that God is fair and just.
In this chapter we see the beginnings of a relationship with God. We see that it is God who comes after us, and our responsibility is simply to say "Here I am." Samuel is in pretty heavy company when you consider that response. Here are some others who said, "Here I am" when the Lord spoke to them: Abraham (Genesis 22:1), Jacob (Genesis 46:2), Moses (Exodus 3:4), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8), and Ananias (Acts 9:10). God seeks us and when we make ourselves available He will do many things through us.
Samuel would speak his first prophecy this way, and as the chapter concludes, we see that he would become well known as the voice of the Lord. The verses say "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord." Each of Samuel's prophecies would come to pass and the whole of Israel would know who he was. God's voice was about to return in a powerful way, and Samuel would be the vessel used by a Holy God!
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Video of the Week:
God's will for our lives will never be fully understood. Our submission to it will bring peace to our lives even in the darkest circumstances. His voice is our comfort. May this week's video bless you.
"It Is Well With My Soul" written by Horatio Gates Spafford
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week: Jeremiah 7:23 "But this is what I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you."
God speaks to us daily. He shows us his presence in so many ways. If we listen closely however we will hear the still small voice of a holy God. His call to us is one of obedience. It is the way we can show our undying love and devotion to him. Obeying God in all things may be a challenge sometimes, but in this verse from Jeremiah, we see what the fruit of an obedient walk can be. Our Lord says to us that things will be well with us.
Nowhere is this submission to God's will evident than in the story of hymn writer Horatio Gates Spafford. In 1871, tragedy struck Chicago as fire ravaged the city. When it was all over, 300 people were dead and 100,000 were homeless. Horatio Gates Spafford was one of those who tried to help the people of the city get back on their feet. A lawyer who had invested much of his money into the downtown Chicago real estate, he'd lost a great deal to the fire. And his one son (he had four daughters) had died about the same time.
Still, for two years Spafford--who was a friend of evangelist Dwight Moody--assisted the homeless, impoverished, and grief-stricken ruined by the fire.After about two years of such work, Spafford and his family decided to take a vacation. They were to go to England to join Moody and Ira Sankey on one of their evangelistic crusades, then travel in Europe. Horatio Spafford was delayed by some business, but sent his family on ahead. He would catch up to them on the other side of the Atlantic.Their ship, the Ville de Havre, never made it. Off Newfoundland, it collided with an English sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and sank within 20 minutes.
Though Horatio's wife, Anna, was able to cling to a piece of floating wreckage (one of only 47 survivors among hundreds), their four daughters--Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie--were killed. Horatio received a horrible telegram from his wife, only two words long: "saved alone."Spafford boarded the next available ship to be near his grieving wife, and the two finally met up with Dwight Moody. "It is well," Spafford told him quietly. "The will of God be done."
This experience led Spafford to write one of the iconic hymns of our day. "It Is Well With My Soul" is a heart healing song that reminds us that God is faithful to those who heed His voice and trust His plan. May we have the strength of Horatio Spafford when we face lifes hardships, may we in turn tell someone, "It is well..." and give it all to God.
Prayer: Father God, help us to hear your voice. Help us to heed it, trust it and take solace in it. You are a faithful and loving God and we know that you have only our best interests in mind. Help us to focus then on Your will for our lives and to walk with confidence knowing that all is well. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel Chapter 3
As we look at the entirety of chapter 3 today, we see several significant things. First, we see that God has been silent for a long while. Verse 1 tells us that "the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation". We also see that the Lord and His word was not yet known to Samuel. Yes, Samuel had ministered to the Lord to this point, but still did not have an intimate relationship with Him. Soon though, as in the lives of all believers, God will come knocking. The third thing we see is that God's message is not to be kept silent.
In the beginning of this chapter we learn that God's voice has been silent. God however is in the midst of training up Samuel to be that voice. Three times He calls to Samuel, and each time Samuel mistakes that voice to be Eli his teacher. Finally Eli shares with Samuel what his response to God should be. It is the response that he gives that we should be ready to give. We should be ready to say "Here I am, for you did call me."
Samuel's readiness is what we should be prepared for. We should all have a willingness to respond positively to the Lord and do what He asks. Even if the task given us is a difficult one, we should trust in our heavenly Father. Samuel experiences this first hand when God reveals that He will carry out his judgment on Eli and his sons. At first Samuel is reluctant to share with Eli what the Lord had shared. He is afraid to hurt or anger Eli. Eli's response is a submissive one. When he states "It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him" he is resigning himself to his fate knowing that God is fair and just.
In this chapter we see the beginnings of a relationship with God. We see that it is God who comes after us, and our responsibility is simply to say "Here I am." Samuel is in pretty heavy company when you consider that response. Here are some others who said, "Here I am" when the Lord spoke to them: Abraham (Genesis 22:1), Jacob (Genesis 46:2), Moses (Exodus 3:4), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8), and Ananias (Acts 9:10). God seeks us and when we make ourselves available He will do many things through us.
Samuel would speak his first prophecy this way, and as the chapter concludes, we see that he would become well known as the voice of the Lord. The verses say "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord." Each of Samuel's prophecies would come to pass and the whole of Israel would know who he was. God's voice was about to return in a powerful way, and Samuel would be the vessel used by a Holy God!
*************************************************************
Video of the Week:
God's will for our lives will never be fully understood. Our submission to it will bring peace to our lives even in the darkest circumstances. His voice is our comfort. May this week's video bless you.
"It Is Well With My Soul" written by Horatio Gates Spafford
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The Power of God
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Devotional of the Week: Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
This familiar verse is not really a formal definition of faith; rather it is a description of what faith does for us. It makes things hoped for as real as if we already had them, and it provides unshakable evidence that the unseen, spiritual blessings of Christianity are absolutely certain and real.
Faith is confidence in the trustworthiness of God. It is the conviction that what God says is true and that what He promises will come to pass. How awesome to have a God that is present enough in our lives, that we believe He is there without seeing Him. The fruit of a life well lived is that the blessings God promises will come to pass. Our life should be lived as Jesus lived, and in striving to do that our faith will see us through.
Prayer: Father God, thank you that we have ben given the eyes of faith. We see that you are present in our lives daily when we are in tune with Your will for us. Help us to always believe that the only evidence of You that we need, is the change we have seen in our own lives. We trust You Lord and we believe that all things that come to pass are Your perfect will for us. Help us to be content and to press on in service to You! In Jesus name, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel 2:22-36
In this passage we see a life devoted to God, a life devoted to family, and two lives devoted to self. Only one of these lives receives God’s favor. The message of the prophet is a message of love for God, abandonment of the world, mortification of self, judgment upon sin, and the good news of a coming priest. The sins of Eli's sons were literally that they perverted the worship of God through their selfish actions. They also lived immoral lives in that they gave into worldly pleasures and lusts as is seen verses 22-25 and 29.
Eli's sins were that he did not recognize the urgency of dealing with his son's sin. The Lord's rebuke of Eli was as harsh as Eli's rebuke of his sons had been soft. He seems to give them a warning but stops short of rebuking them and chastising them and calling for them to change. In this he is hypocritical in his service to God and his worship as well.
In Samuel, who appears in these 15 verses courtesy of only one verse (26) we see his life start to take shape as he "grows in stature and in favor both with the Lord and men.". Eli is given an opportunity to lead his son's to repentance but fails to do so. Even when an unnamed man of God comes to warn him, nothing is done. So judgment comes as Eli is told that his family line will not survive. Eli did not receive this message of impending judgment with repentance. Instead his sons Hophni and Phinehas are hardened and Eli is ambivalent, knowing the message to be true, yet he puts the vision in a category of ’someday’. But today should have been the day of repentance.
What we learn from this is that in Christ is the favorable time, and in Him is our salvation. Turn from your sins to Christ or face the judgment of Almighty God. The day of His judgment is only a heartbeat away. Christ is the Priest who has offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sins forever. This message is for believers as well. Show your faith in Christ by living a life devoted to the worship of God. Love Him, and love others enough to share Him.
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Video of the Week:
"With Everything" - Hillsong United
Jesus is our Hope, He is our Strength, He is our Salvation...
He is KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS...
All praise and honor to Him who sits on the throne!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week: Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
This familiar verse is not really a formal definition of faith; rather it is a description of what faith does for us. It makes things hoped for as real as if we already had them, and it provides unshakable evidence that the unseen, spiritual blessings of Christianity are absolutely certain and real.
Faith is confidence in the trustworthiness of God. It is the conviction that what God says is true and that what He promises will come to pass. How awesome to have a God that is present enough in our lives, that we believe He is there without seeing Him. The fruit of a life well lived is that the blessings God promises will come to pass. Our life should be lived as Jesus lived, and in striving to do that our faith will see us through.
Prayer: Father God, thank you that we have ben given the eyes of faith. We see that you are present in our lives daily when we are in tune with Your will for us. Help us to always believe that the only evidence of You that we need, is the change we have seen in our own lives. We trust You Lord and we believe that all things that come to pass are Your perfect will for us. Help us to be content and to press on in service to You! In Jesus name, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel 2:22-36
In this passage we see a life devoted to God, a life devoted to family, and two lives devoted to self. Only one of these lives receives God’s favor. The message of the prophet is a message of love for God, abandonment of the world, mortification of self, judgment upon sin, and the good news of a coming priest. The sins of Eli's sons were literally that they perverted the worship of God through their selfish actions. They also lived immoral lives in that they gave into worldly pleasures and lusts as is seen verses 22-25 and 29.
Eli's sins were that he did not recognize the urgency of dealing with his son's sin. The Lord's rebuke of Eli was as harsh as Eli's rebuke of his sons had been soft. He seems to give them a warning but stops short of rebuking them and chastising them and calling for them to change. In this he is hypocritical in his service to God and his worship as well.
In Samuel, who appears in these 15 verses courtesy of only one verse (26) we see his life start to take shape as he "grows in stature and in favor both with the Lord and men.". Eli is given an opportunity to lead his son's to repentance but fails to do so. Even when an unnamed man of God comes to warn him, nothing is done. So judgment comes as Eli is told that his family line will not survive. Eli did not receive this message of impending judgment with repentance. Instead his sons Hophni and Phinehas are hardened and Eli is ambivalent, knowing the message to be true, yet he puts the vision in a category of ’someday’. But today should have been the day of repentance.
What we learn from this is that in Christ is the favorable time, and in Him is our salvation. Turn from your sins to Christ or face the judgment of Almighty God. The day of His judgment is only a heartbeat away. Christ is the Priest who has offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sins forever. This message is for believers as well. Show your faith in Christ by living a life devoted to the worship of God. Love Him, and love others enough to share Him.
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Video of the Week:
"With Everything" - Hillsong United
Jesus is our Hope, He is our Strength, He is our Salvation...
He is KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS...
All praise and honor to Him who sits on the throne!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Saturday, October 11, 2008
He Reigns!
Praise God I am back safe in San Antonio! I did have a major lost luggage mishap, but God be praised, after 13 hours I am home! Please pray for all of the brethren I met in North Carolina! I welcome them to the "His Way, His Will, His Word" family as they will now be joining us in this weekly journey! Prayers and greetings to our brothers Lawrence and Marcus and sisters Melissa and Tonya and so many more! Thank you all for your hospitality and may God bless you all!
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Devotional of the Week: Psalm 47:8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
In these days of uncertainty, with global economic crises and suffering caused by tragic storms and hurricanes, fuel prices rising out of control and wars raging it is easy for many to give in to despair. Our hope as Christians lies in one immutable truth. God is sovereign. Webster's Dictionary defines sovereign as "supreme and highest in power, superior to all others". Does this not adequately define our God? When chaos seems to reign, we know and believe that God does not budge from His throne, that he is not moved nor shaken by any event that causes most to fear and tremble. He is the Author of all things, the Creator and Sustainer of life, and he is a mighty King who rules over all. For that we rejoice, and for that we praise!
Prayer: Father God, Sovereign ruler of the universe, Creator of all, we praise you and honor you for you are worthy to be praised! We lift You up Lord and we adore you. May we have peace knowing that in any circumstance we encounter, You have already been there, and may we trust that the outcome of any situation we struggle with is already known to You and thus Your perfect plan will prevail in our lives. Praise you Lord and may You reign in our lives forever! We pray this in Jesus MIGHTY name, Amen!
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Mini-Study of the Week: Read 1 Samuel 2:12-21
As we continue or look at 1 Samuel we encounter what appears to be a random description of events. Following Hannah's powerful prayer we come upon the sons of Eli. They are descendants of Aaron and thus are Levitical priests. We learn quickly though that they are corrupt in that they take more than what is allotted for them from the sacrifices meant for God.
They mocked the Lord in that they not only took the better portions of the sacrifice, but more shockingly they took them before the sacrifice was even made. What stunning blasphemy from men who were supposed to be the worship leaders of their day. The words of verse 12 sum it up best when they say "Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord." They served as priests yet they did not know God. What a heartbreaking thing to know that even today there are those who work to serve the Lord, but yet they do not know Him in their hearts.
Verses 12-17 stand in stark contrast to Verses 18-21 where again we see a young Samuel. In a beautiful bookend to the story of the wickedness of Eli's sons we once again see Hannah and the love she has for God's gift to her. We see her love in the little robe she makes for him every year, bringing it to him knowing that she could only visit him on rare occasions. We see at the conclusion of these verses that like so many times in our Christian lives, God more than answers our prayers!
Eli prayed that the Lord would bless Hannah and Elkanah with more descendants "from this woman for the loan that was given to the Lord." Despite His anger toward the sons of Eli, the Lord answers Eli's prayer and we learn that Hannah gave birth to 3 more sons and two daughters. What a long way she has come from the mocking she suffered at the hands of Peninnah for being barren, to now having a large family! God is great!
At the end of this section we see that Samuel continues to serve the Lord and that he grew with His guidance. His path was now set and both he and his family accepted that his life was now the Lord's and soon enough we will see great things from Samuel as a result!
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Video of the Week:
"You Reign" - MercyMe
Revelation 19:6 - "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!"
He is sovereign, He is holy and He is worthy to be praised!
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Worship, Praise, Dance, For He is our Joy!
Before we get started this week I would like to say thank you to my church family from Mustard Seed Christian Fellowship and to everyone else who reads this for all of your prayers as I am away this week and writing this from the beautiful state of North Carolina. See you very soon, Lord willing. Press on and serve Jesus our righteous KING!
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Devotional of the Week: Isaiah 60:1 - "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you."
With the occurence of the Yamim Noraim or "Days of Awe", which are started with Rosh Hashanah and ended with Yom Kippur our attention turns to Israel. Isaiah Chapter 60 begins a beautiful picture of Jerusalem and of Israel, a prophetic set of verses that talks of the coming Messiah, whom we know as Jesus. Verse 1 is a call to the nation of Israel, but it can serve as a call to us today. Our Light, Jesus has come into our lives and His glory is now our guide. In this time of reflection for the Jewish people we pray for those of them who have not yet accepted Yeshua as their Messiah. We rejoice with those who have called Him Savior. Psalm 122:6 states "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may they prosper who love you." Today we pray for those Jewish people who still do not see their Light, that they may soon receive Jesus as their Savior, that the Glory of the Lord will rise upon them.
Prayer: Father God, we pray that you quicken the souls of those who do not receive your Son as Savior. We pray for our friends and families who have not yet repented and accepted Jesus as their Messiah. Today though we pray for Israel and for the Jewish nation who has yet to recognize that Jesus is the Messiah. Their rejection of Christ opened the door of salvation to us, the Gentiles, let us take nothing for granted Father, lest we grow boastful. Instead we intensify our prayers for Israel and for your Jewish people, that they open their eyes, and receive life everlasting. We pray this B'Shem Yeshua, in Jesus MIGHTY name, Amen.
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Mini-Study of the Week:1 Samuel Part 2> 1 Samuel 2:1-10
While I am not one to cut corners on a study of this type, there comes a time when God's instructions to the teacher are merely "Let My words speak to their hearts". To honor the instructions of my Father in heaven, I leave you the verses of 1 Samuel 2:1-10, a prayer of God's power, of His triumph, and of His love. The prayer of our beloved Hannah, who worships for us all. May we join her in these words of worship... I love you all...
1 Then Hannah prayed and said:
"My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
2 "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 "Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
4 "The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
6 "The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; upon them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. "It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed."
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Video of the Week:
"Break Free" - Hillsong United
Psalm 30:11 - "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness"
May we dance for joy, my beloved brothers and sisters, for we are saved. We are God's. May this song bring you joy and remind us that the feet that God gave us to walk and serve Him with, the voice that He gave us to proclaim and share Him with, the heart that He gave us to love with, are all to be used to praise Him with song, with dance and with JOY.
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
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Devotional of the Week: Isaiah 60:1 - "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you."
With the occurence of the Yamim Noraim or "Days of Awe", which are started with Rosh Hashanah and ended with Yom Kippur our attention turns to Israel. Isaiah Chapter 60 begins a beautiful picture of Jerusalem and of Israel, a prophetic set of verses that talks of the coming Messiah, whom we know as Jesus. Verse 1 is a call to the nation of Israel, but it can serve as a call to us today. Our Light, Jesus has come into our lives and His glory is now our guide. In this time of reflection for the Jewish people we pray for those of them who have not yet accepted Yeshua as their Messiah. We rejoice with those who have called Him Savior. Psalm 122:6 states "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may they prosper who love you." Today we pray for those Jewish people who still do not see their Light, that they may soon receive Jesus as their Savior, that the Glory of the Lord will rise upon them.
Prayer: Father God, we pray that you quicken the souls of those who do not receive your Son as Savior. We pray for our friends and families who have not yet repented and accepted Jesus as their Messiah. Today though we pray for Israel and for the Jewish nation who has yet to recognize that Jesus is the Messiah. Their rejection of Christ opened the door of salvation to us, the Gentiles, let us take nothing for granted Father, lest we grow boastful. Instead we intensify our prayers for Israel and for your Jewish people, that they open their eyes, and receive life everlasting. We pray this B'Shem Yeshua, in Jesus MIGHTY name, Amen.
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Mini-Study of the Week:1 Samuel Part 2> 1 Samuel 2:1-10
While I am not one to cut corners on a study of this type, there comes a time when God's instructions to the teacher are merely "Let My words speak to their hearts". To honor the instructions of my Father in heaven, I leave you the verses of 1 Samuel 2:1-10, a prayer of God's power, of His triumph, and of His love. The prayer of our beloved Hannah, who worships for us all. May we join her in these words of worship... I love you all...
1 Then Hannah prayed and said:
"My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
2 "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 "Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
4 "The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
6 "The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; upon them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. "It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed."
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Video of the Week:
"Break Free" - Hillsong United
Psalm 30:11 - "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness"
May we dance for joy, my beloved brothers and sisters, for we are saved. We are God's. May this song bring you joy and remind us that the feet that God gave us to walk and serve Him with, the voice that He gave us to proclaim and share Him with, the heart that He gave us to love with, are all to be used to praise Him with song, with dance and with JOY.
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Saturday, September 27, 2008
For His Glory - 9/27/08
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Devotional of the Week:
Romans 12:9 - Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Our lives in Christ are rooted in doing all we can to emulate the life He lived. As the apostle Paul writes in this verse from the book of Romans, we have no mask to wear. We are to be sincere in our dealings with others and hide nothing. We are also called to "abhor evil". We are to avoid malice, hatred and bitterness because in none of these things is the love of Christ found. Our model for this is God the father who hates evil with a passion. In contrast we are to take hold of all that reflects and manifests the goodness and love of a holy God. We are to hold fast to it as if it were the most precious of possesions. We can love with the love of Christ and avoid evil as He did and above all, we are capable of clinging to all that is good in our world both physically and spiritually. We do this through the power of Christ and through the love and strength He gives us!
Prayer: Lord walk with us in this life You have given us. Protect us from that which is evil. Help us to love like You and to hate what You hate. Help us to cling tightly to that which is good, beginning with you Lord Jesus. Help us to rest in the promise You made, that You are with us always, even to the end of the age.
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Mini-Study of the Week:
1 Samuel Part 2> 1 Samuel 1:19-28
Last week, we met Hannah, a woman who prayed a devoted and sincere prayer. God would see to it that the prayer would be answered and through answering that prayer He would prepare for Himself a prophet to proclaim His word during a time of great development and progress for His people Israel.
In this week's verses we see the manifestation of that prayer. We see that Hannah gives birth to her son Samuel. His name is a basic but loving proclamation of the glory of God. Samuel, which means "Because I have asked for Him from the Lord" was a gift. A child where no child was possible. A promise both from God and to God as Hannah had committed the child before he was even conceived to a lifetime of serving the Lord God of Israel.
In fact in these verses we also see a loving and merciful God. When Elkanah, Hannah's husband goes up to give the yearly sacrifice she opts to not go. She states "Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever." Hannah dedicated the first 3 years of Samuel's life to teaching him, loving him and guiding him to know, love and understand God. For three years she raised her child and when the time came she kept her promise, taking Samuel to Shiloh along with with her offerings knowing that the path he was about to begin would be a lifelong journey and one that would limit how often she would see him.
We see in the last line of Chapter 1 though that Samuel's guidance from Hannah bore fruit. In verses 27-28 she states "For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. "Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord." At the age of roughly three, Samuel is brought to Eli, the priest who years before had thought Hannah was intoxicated while praying. Now the child Hannah had prayed for was before him ready to serve God. We know this because the last line of chapter 1 states "So they worshiped the Lord there." "They" includes Samuel, who at the tender age of about 3 was already worshiping the Lord.
When we pray to God for anything, we must be ready to do as Hannah did and give it right back to the Lord, from whom all good things come. In spending the "weaning" years preparing Samuel for his eventual service to God, Hannah shows a faith and willingness to obey God. May that be our attitude when it comes to the things of God.
Next week we will take a look at one of the most beautiful moments in all of Scripture. In preparation for that, please read 1Samuel 2:1-10. I promise you will be blessed!
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Video of The Week:
"Stronger" - Hillsong
He is stronger than any of our struggles, He is stronger for we are weaker, He is stronger for He IS God...
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Devotional of the Week:
Romans 12:9 - Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Our lives in Christ are rooted in doing all we can to emulate the life He lived. As the apostle Paul writes in this verse from the book of Romans, we have no mask to wear. We are to be sincere in our dealings with others and hide nothing. We are also called to "abhor evil". We are to avoid malice, hatred and bitterness because in none of these things is the love of Christ found. Our model for this is God the father who hates evil with a passion. In contrast we are to take hold of all that reflects and manifests the goodness and love of a holy God. We are to hold fast to it as if it were the most precious of possesions. We can love with the love of Christ and avoid evil as He did and above all, we are capable of clinging to all that is good in our world both physically and spiritually. We do this through the power of Christ and through the love and strength He gives us!
Prayer: Lord walk with us in this life You have given us. Protect us from that which is evil. Help us to love like You and to hate what You hate. Help us to cling tightly to that which is good, beginning with you Lord Jesus. Help us to rest in the promise You made, that You are with us always, even to the end of the age.
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Mini-Study of the Week:
1 Samuel Part 2> 1 Samuel 1:19-28
Last week, we met Hannah, a woman who prayed a devoted and sincere prayer. God would see to it that the prayer would be answered and through answering that prayer He would prepare for Himself a prophet to proclaim His word during a time of great development and progress for His people Israel.
In this week's verses we see the manifestation of that prayer. We see that Hannah gives birth to her son Samuel. His name is a basic but loving proclamation of the glory of God. Samuel, which means "Because I have asked for Him from the Lord" was a gift. A child where no child was possible. A promise both from God and to God as Hannah had committed the child before he was even conceived to a lifetime of serving the Lord God of Israel.
In fact in these verses we also see a loving and merciful God. When Elkanah, Hannah's husband goes up to give the yearly sacrifice she opts to not go. She states "Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever." Hannah dedicated the first 3 years of Samuel's life to teaching him, loving him and guiding him to know, love and understand God. For three years she raised her child and when the time came she kept her promise, taking Samuel to Shiloh along with with her offerings knowing that the path he was about to begin would be a lifelong journey and one that would limit how often she would see him.
We see in the last line of Chapter 1 though that Samuel's guidance from Hannah bore fruit. In verses 27-28 she states "For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. "Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord." At the age of roughly three, Samuel is brought to Eli, the priest who years before had thought Hannah was intoxicated while praying. Now the child Hannah had prayed for was before him ready to serve God. We know this because the last line of chapter 1 states "So they worshiped the Lord there." "They" includes Samuel, who at the tender age of about 3 was already worshiping the Lord.
When we pray to God for anything, we must be ready to do as Hannah did and give it right back to the Lord, from whom all good things come. In spending the "weaning" years preparing Samuel for his eventual service to God, Hannah shows a faith and willingness to obey God. May that be our attitude when it comes to the things of God.
Next week we will take a look at one of the most beautiful moments in all of Scripture. In preparation for that, please read 1Samuel 2:1-10. I promise you will be blessed!
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Video of The Week:
"Stronger" - Hillsong
He is stronger than any of our struggles, He is stronger for we are weaker, He is stronger for He IS God...
Love each other, share His love and share His gospel...
See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Welcome to The Beginning...
Welcome to His Way, His Will, His Word, a weekly blog focused on bringing you God's Word. My motive behind writing this blog is to exercise the gift of writing that the Lord has given me in a way that honors and glorifies Him. I am a food blogger as well and have spent several weeks writing a weekly blog called "Food Is Love" (http://chefserg.blogspot.com/) but it's time now to also write about the fact that God is Love.
So what will you find here? Well it will initially be a 3 part format. Part one will be a weekly devotional, some written by me, others from sources outside of myself, all designed to edify and bless the reader, focusing them on God's amazing power in our lives.
Part two will be a a mini-study that will build weekly, sometimes on a book of the Bible, sometimes about a person in Scripture or an event or doctrine or maybe even a Q&A now and then. However the Lord leads.
Part three will be a "Video of the Week". Music, Sermon clips, interviews, whatever the Lord has for us during each week. I ask for your prayers for this endeavor. That God be honored by this effort, that people be blessed and that many may be brought to saving grace.
My prayers are with you, all Glory and Honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Love one another and spread Christ's love and His gospel...
Sergio Barrera
**************************************************************************
Devotional of the Week:
James 1:27 - "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
The true measure of our Christian walk is how we serve others. In today's verse we see James comment on the fact that our commitment to God as Christians is directly linked to how we act, who we serve and what we avoid. When you see James use the example of visiting widows and orphans we must remember that in his time, widows and orphans were in the most need of compassion. When one visited them, prayed with them and ministered to them, one knew that to expect anything in return was unnecessary. This is the true essence of Christian faith. Giving unconditional, sacrificial love to whomever God puts in our path. This commitment to the needs of others goes a long way in keeping ourselves focused on staying the path and staying God's will.
Prayer: Lord focus me on Your plan for my life. Use me to be Your hands and feet to minister to those in need. To run the race for the least of these and to do it only for YOUR honor and glory.
*************************************************************************
Mini-Study of the Week:
1 Samuel
Part 1> 1 Samuel 1:1-18
Adventure movies are some of my favorites. The action, suspense and thrills are enough to keep you at the edge of your seat. The Bible has books like that. While some of these books have been turned into movies, none ever come close to matching what is in the Bible we love. 1 Samuel is a book that has been made into a movie more than once. It is ripe with vivid characters, love, deceit, betrayal and ultimately redemption. The people in this book are some of the most recognizable in the Scriptures. Samuel a devoted prophet of God, Saul, a man committed to his own path, and David, seeking to do God's will. As we begin our look at this book we meet another person who teaches us a very valuable lesson. Go read 1 Samuel 1:1-18... Go, get your Bible, read it... Go ahead, I'll wait...
OK, good, welcome back... Hannah is a person in Scripture who almost gets forgotten by us due to the magnitude of the other characters who appear in this book.
Hannah, loved most by Elkanah is nonetheless torn by her inability to conceive. Compounding this is the torment heaped upon her by Peninnah, Elkanah's other wife. Grieved by her barrenness Hannah turns to the Lord. She prays fervently to God "O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."
So distressed is she, and so intense is her prayer that Eli the priest thinks her to be drunk. When she explains her plight and that she was not in anyway intoxicated, Eli is moved and says to her "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him."
Hannah's prayer is one that teaches us the value of praying for personal petitions. What is critical to learn from this passage is that in praying for our personal needs and desires we need to be willing to give back to the Lord. Hannah desired a son. Her inability to conceive, while a hindrance, was not the issue for she believed that God could make the impossible possible. Her prayer was for a male child, and her commitment was that she would give that child to the Lord. He was to be a Nazirite. Surely she knew that this would mean that he would soon be taken from her to be trained and prepared for the work he was to do. She was willing to give back to God, what she prayed to God for.
Had her prayer not been answered, this would be a very short book. God answered her faithful committed prayer by giving her a son. Her son would play a vital role in the furtherance of the people of Israel, and he would grow to be one of the most influential and beloved prophets in the Bible.
We will learn more about him, next week.
*************************************************************************
Video of The Week:
Til I See You - Hillsong United
May your week be blessed! See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
So what will you find here? Well it will initially be a 3 part format. Part one will be a weekly devotional, some written by me, others from sources outside of myself, all designed to edify and bless the reader, focusing them on God's amazing power in our lives.
Part two will be a a mini-study that will build weekly, sometimes on a book of the Bible, sometimes about a person in Scripture or an event or doctrine or maybe even a Q&A now and then. However the Lord leads.
Part three will be a "Video of the Week". Music, Sermon clips, interviews, whatever the Lord has for us during each week. I ask for your prayers for this endeavor. That God be honored by this effort, that people be blessed and that many may be brought to saving grace.
My prayers are with you, all Glory and Honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Love one another and spread Christ's love and His gospel...
Sergio Barrera
**************************************************************************
Devotional of the Week:
James 1:27 - "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
The true measure of our Christian walk is how we serve others. In today's verse we see James comment on the fact that our commitment to God as Christians is directly linked to how we act, who we serve and what we avoid. When you see James use the example of visiting widows and orphans we must remember that in his time, widows and orphans were in the most need of compassion. When one visited them, prayed with them and ministered to them, one knew that to expect anything in return was unnecessary. This is the true essence of Christian faith. Giving unconditional, sacrificial love to whomever God puts in our path. This commitment to the needs of others goes a long way in keeping ourselves focused on staying the path and staying God's will.
Prayer: Lord focus me on Your plan for my life. Use me to be Your hands and feet to minister to those in need. To run the race for the least of these and to do it only for YOUR honor and glory.
*************************************************************************
Mini-Study of the Week:
1 Samuel
Part 1> 1 Samuel 1:1-18
Adventure movies are some of my favorites. The action, suspense and thrills are enough to keep you at the edge of your seat. The Bible has books like that. While some of these books have been turned into movies, none ever come close to matching what is in the Bible we love. 1 Samuel is a book that has been made into a movie more than once. It is ripe with vivid characters, love, deceit, betrayal and ultimately redemption. The people in this book are some of the most recognizable in the Scriptures. Samuel a devoted prophet of God, Saul, a man committed to his own path, and David, seeking to do God's will. As we begin our look at this book we meet another person who teaches us a very valuable lesson. Go read 1 Samuel 1:1-18... Go, get your Bible, read it... Go ahead, I'll wait...
OK, good, welcome back... Hannah is a person in Scripture who almost gets forgotten by us due to the magnitude of the other characters who appear in this book.
Hannah, loved most by Elkanah is nonetheless torn by her inability to conceive. Compounding this is the torment heaped upon her by Peninnah, Elkanah's other wife. Grieved by her barrenness Hannah turns to the Lord. She prays fervently to God "O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."
So distressed is she, and so intense is her prayer that Eli the priest thinks her to be drunk. When she explains her plight and that she was not in anyway intoxicated, Eli is moved and says to her "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him."
Hannah's prayer is one that teaches us the value of praying for personal petitions. What is critical to learn from this passage is that in praying for our personal needs and desires we need to be willing to give back to the Lord. Hannah desired a son. Her inability to conceive, while a hindrance, was not the issue for she believed that God could make the impossible possible. Her prayer was for a male child, and her commitment was that she would give that child to the Lord. He was to be a Nazirite. Surely she knew that this would mean that he would soon be taken from her to be trained and prepared for the work he was to do. She was willing to give back to God, what she prayed to God for.
Had her prayer not been answered, this would be a very short book. God answered her faithful committed prayer by giving her a son. Her son would play a vital role in the furtherance of the people of Israel, and he would grow to be one of the most influential and beloved prophets in the Bible.
We will learn more about him, next week.
*************************************************************************
Video of The Week:
Til I See You - Hillsong United
May your week be blessed! See you next week!
In His Service,
Sergio
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