Conditional Blessings

2 Chronicles 7:14

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” If the people who claim they are the children of God, would stop acting all high and mighty, sit their butts down somewhere, turn their bragging, boasting, and complaining into actual prayer to God, diligently strive to live holy, disconnect from all things contrary to holiness, then will God turn His attention to their situations, and forgive their sins, and release the blessings He had stored for them from the beginning (Ell’s translation).

Why Me Lord?

Lamentations 5

“A high calling, associated with low living, results in deep suffering.” God has called His people to live holy, and walk according to His way. Unfortunately, many who professed holiness have been living beneath the way of righteousness. As a result of consistent disobedience and unholy living, many who make up the church, have found themselves in unfavorable situations. Men suffer for many reasons, but when they deliberately disobey the words of the Lord, they’ll undoubtedly welcome suffering in their lives. The prophet Jeremiah lived during a time when the people of God reaped the punishment from the sins of their fathers, and they had reached a point of intense grief and guilt. The sins of those who came before them had finally caught up with the children of Zion, but God was always paying close attention to their situation. Jeremiah realized the severity of sin, and how the mere act of disobedience kindles the wrath of the Father, but we learn in Micah 7:18, “He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Although God hates sin, and oftentimes brings chastisement for it, He still has love for His people, and will restore them, after they have repented and turned back to following after righteousness.

In Due Time

Philippians 4:6

“I can’t wait to have patience, because patience is a wonderful thing! Hurry up, let me have it, got to get it now! I want it more than anything! This has taken long enough, give me some of that patience stuff! I can’t wait to have patience, hurry up, hurry up, HURRY UP!” We live in a society, where people want things quick, fast, and in a hurry. In the past, farmers took their time to properly cultivate seed, so that good produce could be brought forth. Unfortunately, men have become impatient, and scientists have been genetically processing foods that take less time to grow, unlike traditional methods. Microwaves were invented around 1945, so food could be quickly reheated, or cooked faster than using a conventional oven. We all want things fast, but over the years I’ve learned, patience is a virtue, and good things come to those who wait. There are times when we pray to God, and His response would come quickly, but other times He’ll delay a response for reasons known only to Himself. Just as it’s unwise to rush while growing crops or preparing a meal, we should be mindful of our approach to God in prayer, because sometimes He delays our answer, so that we can learn to appreciate what we already have, consider others who may be suffering, or simply to grow our patience. God knows all, and is aware of what we have need of, so when we are worried whether or not he ignores our prayers, we must realize He has purpose in the delay, and our response will come in due time.

Verdadero Éxito

1 Timothy 3

A los ojos de los hombres, el éxito se centra en acumular riqueza, mantener un estatus social relevante y vivir la mejor vida ahora. Por el contrario, Dios define el éxito como mantener una buena reputación, ser paciente, tener buen comportamiento y no ser codicioso por el dinero (entre muchas otras cosas). La forma en que una persona ve el éxito determinará su impulso, motivación y enfoque de la vida, y el siguiente.

Time Between

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

The time between the day you were born, and the day you cross over into eternity, is invaluable, yet limited. Therefore, every moment spent in this life, should be focused on doing things relevant to eternal matters. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

“Tick tock, your life is on the clock.” – Ell

Because Of You…

Joshua 23

Because of you, the Lord fights for you. Because of you, the Lord sustains your wellbeing. Because of you, the Lord stored up an eternal inheritance for you. Because of you, the Lord cuts off all who fight against you. Because of you, the Lord expels and drives your enemies from your sight. Because of you, the Lord keeps His promises. Because of you, the Lord expresses His unfailing grace, everlasting  mercy, and unfathomable love toward you. Because of you…

Vanglorie-se no Senhor

Salmos 145:1-7

Quando foi a última vez que você levantou o nome do Senhor? Quantas vezes você compartilha com os outros, a bondade de Deus Pai. Você tem vergonha de deixar que os outros saibam, você escolhe viver uma vida de santidade, ou você proclama com ousadia a verdade do Evangelho, na maneira como você vive cada dia? Embora estivesse longe de ser perfeito, o rei Davi adquiriu o hábito saudável de tornar conhecido o nome do Senhor a todos os homens. Apesar de todos os seus encontros, sua confiança repousava no fato de que Deus estava no controle de todas as coisas, e somente Ele era digno de todo louvor, honra e glória. “Eu te exaltarei, ó Deus, rei meu; e bendirei o teu nome pelos séculos dos séculos. Cada dia te bendirei, e louvarei o teu nome pelos séculos dos séculos. Uma geração louvará as tuas obras à outra geração, e anunciará os teus atos poderosos. Grande é o Senhor, e mui digno de ser louvado; e a sua grandeza é insondável. Na magnificência gloriosa da tua majestade e nas tuas obras maravilhosas meditarei; falar-se-á do poder dos teus feitos tremendos, e eu contarei a tua grandeza. Publicarão a memória da tua grande bondade, e com júbilo celebrarão a tua justiça (Salmos 145:1-7).

Boast In The Lord

Psalm 145:1-7

When was the last time you lifted up the name of the Lord? How often do you share with others, the goodness of God the Father. Are you ashamed to let others know, you choose to live a life of holiness, or do you boldly proclaim the truth of the Gospel, in the way you live each day? Although he was far from perfect, king David made a healthy habit of making known the name of the Lord to all men. Despite all his encounters, his confidence rested in the fact that God was in control of all things, and He alone was worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness” (Psalm 145:1-7).

Sympathy For The Bereaved

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

2 Corinthians 4

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Obedece Las Reglas

1 John 5:1-3

¿Qué tan difícil es mantener el límite de velocidad apropiado mientras se conduce de un lugar a otro? ¿Cuánto esfuerzo se requiere para ceder el paso a los peatones que cruzan la calle? Seguir las reglas de la carretera está lejos de ser una carga, pero muchos se niegan a cumplir con leyes simples que se establecieron para mantener a las personas seguras mientras atraviesan las carreteras. Una de las razones por las que algunos conductores se niegan a obedecer las reglas de tránsito es que siempre tienen prisa por llegar a su destino. En mi opinión, es mejor conducir lento y seguro, y llegar con vida, que posiblemente arruinar su vehículo y su vida por conducir imprudentemente. Hay algunos que creen que obedecer a Dios es una tarea difícil y Sus mandamientos son demasiado penosos, pero las sencillas instrucciones de Dios sobre una vida santa son más fáciles de lo que muchos dan crédito a la Biblia. ¿Qué tan difícil es amar a tus enemigos, cuando la esencia misma del Espíritu de Dios vive en ti? ¿Cuánto esfuerzo se requiere para ayudar a alguien que lo necesita? Cuando amamos a Dios, amaremos a nuestros hermanos y hermanas sin duda ni vacilación, porque Dios es amor, y tenemos Su amor residiendo en nuestros corazones, que nos mantiene enfocados en vivir de una manera que le agrade. No se necesita mucho esfuerzo para seguir reglas simples de la carretera, una vez que nos damos cuenta de que cada momento que vivimos en la tierra es una bendición, y aprenderemos a apreciar incluso estar en atascos de tráfico (muchos no estarán de acuerdo con esto jajaja). Dondequiera que estemos en la vida, y en cualquier estado en el que nos encontremos, siempre recuerde obedecer a Dios y guardar Sus mandamientos. Solo cuando nos sometemos a la carne, nos resultará difícil caminar de acuerdo con la santidad. Pero, cuando nos demos cuenta de quiénes somos a los ojos del Padre, nos deleitaremos mucho en obedecer las reglas que Él estableció para mantener seguros a Sus hijos.