God Is Present in Your Past, Present, and Future

If you are a believer, remember that God is present in your past, present, and future. How can I say that? Because when you believe God cares about you and every detail of your life, you understand His love for you. His love for you is eternal. He’s loved you since the moment you were conceived when He breathed life into you and gave you a spirit.

If you’re in a situation where you need God’s help, remember how He’s been there for you in your past. Make a list of all the specific circumstances where you knew “it must be God.” Doing so will increase your faith to get through your present situation, no matter how difficult it is.

The uncertainty of the future makes it hard to trust God completely not knowing what tomorrow may bring. The unknown about your own health, relationships, money, work, family, and the world brings anxiety to everyone. But we must lay it all down at the feet of Jesus who carries us through. Today, I want to encourage you by meditating on the promises God gave us – to all who believe in Him.

Trust God and He will help you.

Psalm 37:3-5 (NLT) Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

It is a promise of God that if you trust Him, he will help you, period! God doesn’t ask for anything else but to trust Him. Part of trusting God is doing good and committing everything we do to Him. Doing this takes courage, faith, and determination that no matter the circumstances, you will continue to trust God. Hold on to this promise.

God cares about the details of your life.

Psalm 37:23 (NLT) The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Sometimes you may think that a problem is too small or insignificant for God to care but He does. Again, all He asks you to do is to bring the issue, problem, or concern to Him. Consult with Him. Ask Him what you should do, and He will give you a response. Often that response comes from another person you share the issue with. Other times, the answer comes straight from the Bible, the Word of God, that He left you with. Share with the Lord all of your issues and don’t leave anything behind.

The time is the present.

Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT) “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath.”

With all the evil, sickness, natural disasters, and hatred in the world, you are a witness to how sudden death can occur. Even with natural aging, our days are truly numbered and only God knows how many you have. Therefore, make each day count. Trust the Lord daily and share Jesus with others at every opportunity so they can also partake of these promises.

Put your hope in God.

Psalm 42:5-6 (NLT) Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!

When you feel discouraged, sad, or angry about everything going on in the world today, put your hope in God. He knows the beginning and the end of the story. Ask Him to comfort you and to give you hope for the future which is with Him in eternity. Jesus will judge everyone – including all the wicked people who commit horrible crimes. It is not for us to judge anyone regardless of the crimes they commit. It is not for us to do justice either. That is Jesus’ job at the right time – in His timing. Read the entire Palm 37 and you will see.

Live for God and seek His Kingdom first!

Matthew 6:31-34 (NLT) Jesus tells us, “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Did you know that Jesus commands us to not worry? Why is it a command, you may ask? Because when we worry, we disobey His other command to always trust Him. The journey of a Christian is a daily walk with Jesus, trusting Him each day and with every circumstance. But don’t miss the other important part of the promise. God, your Father, already knows what you need. And He will give you all you need daily if you live for Him and make His Kingdom your priority.

Conclusion

If you ask me, “What if I’m not a believer? Do these promises apply to me?” While God still loves you, He won’t force you to love Him back nor to believe in Him. He created you with the free will to choose. Therefore, no, you would not be able to appropriate these promises. However, you can fix that today! You can say “yes” and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Accept the gift of salvation and now all these promises apply to you today and in your future. Although God is present in your past, present, and future, you did not recognize it before. But going forward you will see how He’s been there all along and how He will be there in your future.

How to Deal with Excruciating Pain

Do you know how to deal with excruciating pain? Two years ago, I experienced for the first time in my life what we call “excruciating pain.” Vertebrae in my neck pinched several nerves that caused pain on the left side like I had never felt before. It felt like a nail was inserted in my skull with pain radiating up my head and down my neck. The entire left side of my neck was numb. All my neck muscles and down my back were on fire. On the right side, my right arm felt like it was receiving electrical shocks all the way down my fingers. The research began to find out what was going on. My neurologist ordered an MRI of the entire spine, and they confirmed that several nerves were pinched. However, it was early enough that there was no permanent nerve damage. The best way to deal with the inflammation was to inject a cortisone shot in my neck.

I know that cortisone shots are common but I had never had one, so I was very nervous. But the procedure went well after all. The shot apparently worked because the pain due to extreme inflammation subsided within a few days. Additionally, I found a chiropractor who specializes on the “Atlas” which is the very first vertebra of the spine. My Atlas was completely misaligned which also caused the other “C” vertebrae to be out of place. This massive misalignment caused my entire body to be in pain. I continued the treatment with my new chiropractor who is the gentlest chiropractor I’ve ever met. He does not manipulate the neck manually. Instead, he uses a specialized machine to “tap” the neck slowly and gently until it’s realigned.

A few weeks ago, I made a bad move with my neck. I felt terrible pain as I felt the Atlas got out of place again. The next day all my neck muscles were in extreme pain and it progressed for the next two weeks. My next chiro appointment was three weeks out and I had a business trip coming up too. Therefore, I had to wait and tried to continue my normal activities which include working out. Two weeks later after a strength training workout, I woke up with the excruciating nerve pain from two years ago. I knew then it was the same issue as before. Four days after living with the pain and not being able to move much, I finally went to the chiropractor. And he confirmed my suspicion. He realigned my Atlas and the very next day I started feeling better. He said, “Now you must wait until the body ‘does its thing’ and starts ‘unwinding’ from being misaligned.” I also went to my primary doctor, and he prescribed prednisone to alleviate the inflammation quickly.

As I write this blog, I feel much better and I'm reflecting on the entire experience. While I was experiencing the excruciating pain, I imagined the pain that Jesus went through on the cross… for us. Did you know that the Jews invented the new word “excruciating”? They created it to describe the incredible pain experienced when they nailed the nails through the hands and feet to the cross. The nails crushed the big nerves of the hands and feet. In his book, The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel shared what a doctor he interviewed explained about the crucifixion. “The pain was absolutely unbearable.” In fact, it was literally beyond words to describe; they had to invent a new word: excruciating. Literally, excruciating means ‘out of the cross.’” We as humans can experience excruciating pain in three areas: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Below are ways that describe how to deal with excruciating pain.

Excruciating Physical Pain.

In my opinion, there are levels of physical pain we can experience. From annoying, to tolerable, manageable, to intolerable and ends with excruciating. Isaiah 53:5 says, But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! In Mark 15:24 we learned about the crucifixion, “Then they nailed him to the cross… 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place… 33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”… 37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last.”

Jesus experienced the excruciating physical pain of the cross. Therefore, He can relate to any kind of physical pain we will ever experience during our lives. The next time you experience any kind of physical pain, remember what Jesus went through for you.

Excruciating Emotional Pain.

Isaiah 53:3-4 tells us that, “He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.”

We experience emotional pain from various sources and through the daily trials of life. There are countless ways you can suffer emotional pain whether it starts in your own family or growing older. You can experience rejection in the workplace or even on social media.

Jesus experienced excruciating emotional pain by being rejected during His ministry years, but mostly during the process of the crucifixion. Therefore, He can also relate to your emotional pain no matter how deep it is and how bad others treat you. Meditate on how Jesus must have felt when his own people rejected Him while He was here.

Excruciating Spiritual Pain.

Isaiah 53:6-8 describes how Jesus was also rejected spiritually. “All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death.”

Lastly, we experience spiritual pain when a loved one goes astray and chooses not to follow Jesus. We feel the pain of hurting people around the world, from distant lands to our own neighborhoods. Our spirit suffers when we see evil done to innocent people because we are first a spirit, made in God’s image. We are meant to be loved and to love others, and most of all, to love God first. Our spirit suffers due to lack of love.

More than physical and emotional pain, Jesus suffered the excruciating spiritual pain when He saw people leaving God’s paths. It hurt so much that He decided to die for all our sins to restore our relationship with the Father.

Conclusion.

So, do you know how to deal with excruciating pain? Regardless of whether the pain is physical, emotional, or spiritual, the answer is the same: You give it to Jesus! He nailed all our pains to the cross. He can relate to any and every kind of pain you will ever experience during your life.

In Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”

Jesus did it all for us! Our part is easy, yet we make it difficult because of fear, anger, or pride. Sometimes it’s easier to just carry our own load to say we have a big burden and gain others’ sympathy. But we gain nothing, only increased excruciating pain. It’s best for us to give ALL our burdens to Jesus. Did you know that the “yoke” in those years was built customized to the animals so it would fit perfectly? The same way, Jesus said, “my yoke fits perfectly” for your burdens so I carry it all. You’re just along for the ride and let me do the work.

I encourage you to give all your burdens and every kind of pain you are carrying in your life to Jesus.

It Takes Courage to Hold Your Ground – with Your Faith

It takes courage to hold your ground, whether you are in leadership or not. But as a Christian, you often must defend your point of view with everyone around you – even with your own family. Holding your ground or defending your point of view doesn’t need to become an argument. Relationships don’t have to be lost and there is no need to have winners and losers. We need to learn to arrive at a middle ground where each party walks away feeling good about the conversation.

Disagreements are part of our daily lives both in the workplace and at home. In this blog, we focus on how you can gain the courage to hold your ground with your faith. I wrote a related article where I focused on how leaders gain the courage to hold their ground in the workplace. I will remain in the general sense of Christianity as I could write a book to defend the many points. By the way, one of my favorite books is The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. He was an atheist journalist who set out to prove that Jesus didn’t die on the cross… along the journey he became a believer and now goes around the world sharing his story and about Jesus.

The Scenario.

Let’s create a scenario as an example of the process to demonstrate that it takes courage to hold your ground. I was with another mom the other day and she shared that her daughter was told by a friend, “Christianity is the easiest faith to join.” My friend’s daughter asked her mom, “Why is it the easiest faith to join? Shouldn’t it be hard to become a Christian? Shouldn’t we have to earn heaven? The mom didn’t know how to answer that simple yet profound question. And the answer is simple: Because Jesus did the hard part! He did it all on the cross so now all we have to do is believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord and Savior. No one can earn heaven or eternal salvation. We can only receive it as a gift from Jesus himself!

But to have that answer ready, you need to have done your homework and be also ready for follow-up questions. Sometimes it’s easier to be quiet and not respond for fear of the next level of questions. But we must always be prepared to answer to anyone at least the basic questions about our Christian faith. As a believer, it takes courage to defend your Christian faith.

Below are five tips to help you defend your point of view and hold your ground as a Christian:

Do your research.

The first step is to do your research regardless of the topic you choose to discuss. Where do you research? God left us His book: The Bible, where everything to understand life and the spiritual realm is recorded. To follow our scenario, you need to understand that the punishment (or “wages”) for sin is death found in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The next step is to know that Jesus did the dying, so we didn’t have to. Jesus took upon himself ALL of humanity’s sins and He nailed the punishment to the cross – forever!

You don’t have to memorize the specific Scripture verses, but this one is the foundational Bible verse that we all should memorize. The famous John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Verse 17 explains further that “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

In this verse, God tells us that Jesus died for all of us and that He will not condemn us. He came to save us instead. This is confirmation that Jesus did the hard part. Our part is easy.

Know your subject matter.

As a leader, you need to understand and know your area. As a believer, what is your “area”? As the manager, your employees and leadership expect you to be the “subject matter expert” (SME). You don’t have to know the entire process, but you do need to know your part of the process well. As a follower of Jesus Christ, no one expects you to be the SME. And you definitely don’t have to know the entire process. But you do need to know your part in God’s plan. What is the plan of God? And what is your individual part that you play in God’s master plan? You need to find out.

To learn about God’s master plan, you again need to read the Bible. That is where His entire plan is described in detail – from Genesis to Revelation. Are you learning to connect the dots from the Old Testament to the New Testament? Are you spending time reading the Bible and then meditating on what you read? Are you asking questions and learning from other believers as well? That’s how you learn and know your subject matter.

Have a win-win attitude.

It takes courage to hold your ground but when you have a win-win attitude it’s easier to present your viewpoint. When you meet with your family or friends and carry the right attitude, your viewpoint will be better received by all. The attitude reflects in your tone, how you address others, and gives you favor with whoever your audience is.

The best way to share Jesus with others is to share your personal story and how He saved you despite your sins. Sometimes that’s all you need to share. As you grow in your faith, you learn more about God’s Word and remember where the right Scriptures are. Often, God puts in your mind the right Scripture that someone needs to hear at the precise moment. And you need to share it with that person on the spot.

Improve your negotiation skills.

Unlike with leadership, you don’t have to become an excellent negotiator to hold your ground and defend your Christian faith. There is nothing to negotiate. People either choose to believe in Jesus, or they don’t. The only aspect of negotiation that applies here is that you should walk away knowing that you did your best. And also, that the other person walks away knowing that you didn’t judge them nor condemn them. They should only see the love of Jesus through you.

Be assertive and self-confident yet polite.

When you do your research, prepare with facts, know your subject, and have a win-win attitude, you become assertive. Your self-confidence should not be perceived as arrogant but instead affirm your knowledge and prove you’ve done your homework. God will take notice of your efforts. And He will give you wisdom to share Jesus at the right time and with the right people. Some may not be ready to accept Jesus yet, but you simply planted the seed. That was your part in the process or journey for that person and that’s what matters.

Conclusion

It takes courage to hold your ground, but it is worth the try. These days it is especially important to have a deeper knowledge and understanding of the things of God. Why? Because there are less and less true believers and followers of Jesus Christ. Don’t be ashamed of your Christian faith. Here on earth, you may be mocked, persecuted, and even lose your life. But you will gain eternal life with Jesus in heaven. This is a promise that no other faith can provide.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You,
 the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
(John 17:3 NKJV).

The Love of a Father – Happy Father’s Day!

How do you explain the love of a father? In a time when it’s normal for children to grow fatherless, it’s difficult to describe what fatherly love means. It is easier to put in words the love of a mother because women display it more tangibly. Women are nurturers, caregivers, and the ones who sacrifice to put food on the table when raising their children alone.

This month we honor and celebrate fathers around the world. Why? Because they deserve to be celebrated too. Although many people have a bad relationship or no relationship with their fathers, those who do treasure it. Children need their fathers in their lives the same way they need their mothers. That’s how they grow up in the healthiest environment possible and how God intended it to be from the beginning.

To begin describing the love of a father, let’s start by sharing the most significant verse from the Bible. John 3:16-17 (NLT) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Let’s dissect this promise one step at a time:

God SO LOVED the world…

God, the Father, loved the world—all of us—so much! That includes you and me. Love is a verb and it’s an action. He did something for all of us because he cares for every single human being on earth. His love is so strong it encompasses the love of both parents for each person. There are no physical words to describe the kind of love that God has for us.

That he gave his only Son…

God became flesh and came into the world himself in the form of Jesus, a human yet divine, to get the job done. He didn’t just send an angel or a messenger. He sent his only Son. God does not have any other sons, only Jesus, who is a person of God. And God gave Jesus to us. He gave us the gift of salvation.

So that everyone who believes in him…

Everyone means every person in the entire world so you and me are included. The next key word is who “believes” which is also a verb. Our part is simply to believe that what God tells us is true. Believe that his promise will come true and believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Will not perish but have eternal life…

The word “perish” means to die, to pass away, to depart from life. God created us in his image which means that we are a spirit and our spirit lives forever, like God’s. Our bodies are temporary temples of his Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus in our lives. When our body dies, our spirit still lives forever, and we have a choice to make while we are alive. To believe in Jesus as God’s Son or not. When we believe in Him, we live with Him in heaven for eternity. When we choose not to believe in Jesus, we perish. This means we will still live forever but we spend eternity in complete separation from God and Jesus forever. This is called “the second death” because it’s the spiritual death.

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

God our Father had a specific purpose for all of us who choose to believe in Jesus—to save us, forever. The “wages of sin is death” (Roman 6:23) and we could never save ourselves from that punishment by doing anything. Therefore, when Jesus came to earth the first time, He came with one mission—to die on the cross for our sins. The fact that Jesus died for all our sins combined for the entire world is precisely how He saved us. But remember, Jesus did not stay dead. He lives forever! He conquered death once and for all.

If you didn’t have the blessing of having a good earthly father, know that it is not your fault. It’s nothing that you ever did or deserve. But I want you to know that you have a heavenly Father who cares for you and loves you. That’s why He sent His only Son to die for you individually, so you can spend eternity in heaven with Him. Yes, that is the love of a Father in action. And that’s all you need to know.

If you still have your earthly father, spend time with him and enjoy quality time. I still have my dad at 98 years old. I know God can call him any day now, so I talk to him almost daily. And to all of you who are godly fathers, thank you for taking the responsibility seriously. Thank you for all you do for your children. But the best thing you can do is to introduce your children to Jesus. That’s how you know for certain that you will spend eternity with your children in heaven with the Father.

I leave you with the other key verse from the Bible:

Jesus told them, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NLT).

Happy Father’s Day!

The Darling of Heaven Crucified on Earth

The Darling of Heaven crucified on Earth for us. If they had known they were crucifying the Mesiah, they would not have done it. But it had to happen for the plan of God to play out and restore our relationship to Him. Jesus had to die to rise again and live forever. The plan of God is simple, yet unbelievable to many. Those who choose to believe, gain eternal life. The ones who reject His plan of salvation, gain eternal death which is separation from God forever.

Let’s answer the many questions that rise in our minds when we hear this amazing story and God’s plan of restoration.

How did we lose our relationship with God?

God created Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:26-27) in His own image which meant He gave the will to choose Him or not. This is the main difference between animals and humans. Adam and Eve represent humanity. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and told them they could eat everything “except the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die” (Gen. 2:16). But they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:5-6). In that instant, they sinned and the relationship with God was broken.

What are we being saved from?

The penalty for sin is death (Romans 1:33). Before Jesus came, the Jews, God’s chosen people, had to sacrifice pure animals. And by offering their blood, their sins were cleansed. They obtained God’s forgiveness for their sins. Therefore, we are saved from death. “For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us” (Romans 3:25).

Why do we need to be saved?

Death as the penalty for sin is not only physical death but spiritual death which is eternal separation from God. Therefore, God devised the plan of salvation to restore our relationship with Him. We could then choose to be with Him in heaven forever. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” (John 3:16-17)

So, what is the plan?

God gave Moses the ten commandments for His people to follow but they couldn’t. They kept failing so God promised them a Savior, the Messiah. And He then sent Jesus, His only Son, the Darling of Heaven. He sent prophets over thousands of years that told the people to prepare for the arrival of Jesus, Emmanuel. He sent John the Baptist to proclaim the imminent arrival and asked people to repent of their sins (Luke 3:3).

As Jesus started his ministry the last three years of his life on earth, people started following him. His ministry grew to the point that the religious people of the times (Pharisees and Sadducees) hated Jesus for that. They feared losing their popularity and control over the people. Therefore, they rejected Jesus and crucified Him. It is interesting to note that the simple people chose to follow Jesus. But the religious people, those with prestige, the ones that looked like they were following the law, rejected Him.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied in detail the entire process of how Jesus would die (Isaiah 53). “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief.” (Isaiah 53:10) Because Jesus was rejected by the Jews, God opened the plan of salvation to all other people, the Gentiles, us. “The Gentiles have been made right with God by faith even though they were not seeking him” (Romans 9:30).

What do we have to do to be saved?

Repent of our sins, accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and confess to others our decision. “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart. For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved… Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect.” (Romans 10:8-12)

What’s the catch?

There is no catch and there is no cost. Salvation is free and available to all who choose to believe in Jesus. “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free!... Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake.” (Isaiah 55: 1-3)

Why did God do this plan and sent Jesus to save us?

All because of love. He loves YOU! And He would send Jesus again just for YOU!

Jesus appeared to John the disciple who wrote Revelation and told him: “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” (Revelation 1:17-18)

If you have not given your life to Jesus, today is your day! What a better day than Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. He is alive and wants you to choose Him back so you can spend eternity with Him in heaven. Jesus is the Darling of Heaven crucified on Earth for us.

Fire and Water—Which One is More Powerful?

Fire and water—which one is more powerful? They both destroy yet they both cleanse.

I was recently at a Founders’ Weekend for one of the ministries we support, Time to Revive. One of the topics we discussed is that we are each a vessel. And vessels are meant to be filled with something. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let’s explore what the Bible says about fire and water.

The Fire

When we allow natural fires to take their course and burn down fields and trees to ashes, they always come back. Nature needs to be cleansed and the opportunity to start all over from time to time. The vegetation that grows back from the ashes is fresh and stronger than before. Our job as stewards is to ensure we maintain our forests and protect them but sometimes nature itself starts a cycle of cleansing.

The same way, when we repent, Jesus forgives our sins, and they are burned down to ashes. Jesus washes our sins white as snow and they are gone. He takes the sins away and the shame that accompany sin. Genesis 2:25 (NLT) says that Adam and Eve, “the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.” Immediately after they sinned for the first time that changed. Genesis 3:7 says that “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.”

Yet fire can be destructive as well. When we hear how the fires in California, for example, destroy everything in its way, we see how powerful fire is. The Bible also tells us that while we’re here, our faith will be tried by fire and in the end, all our works will be tried by fire because fire purifies.

In the first letter that Peter wrote to God’s chosen people, he encouraged them with the hope of eternal life. In 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT) he tells the people, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

In the end, 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT) tells us “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” And the names of the followers of Jesus Christ will be written in the Book of Life. Those who are not in the Book of Life because they rejected Jesus, will be thrown to the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14 (NLT) states “Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Living Water

Jesus says He is the living water and if we drink from His water, we will never thirst again. Our goal is to thirst for Him more and more. When our vessel is filled with His Holy Spirit, the living water, our hearts overflow with His love. Then that love flows out of our hearts and spills over unto others. People can feel the love of God on them through us. In John 7:38 (NKJV) Jesus tells us that “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

How do we remain thirsty? We spend time with God, and we read the Bible consistently. In John 4:10 (NKJV) we learn about the woman at the well that was getting water and met Jesus. Jesus told her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” Revelation 21:6 (NIV) says that at the end of everything, Jesus told John, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

Yet water can be destructive. We often see the destruction that floods cause everywhere in the world. In fact, in Genesis 6:17 (NLT) we learn that God sent the flood to destroy the entire world and humanity. God said, “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die.” He chose to save only Noah’s family because he was righteous in the eyes of God. But everything and everyone else was gone.

Genesis 6 describes how everything had gone wrong, and God was sorry He ever created it all. Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor with the Lord. Verse 9 tells us that, Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. Because of Noah’s fellowship and relationship with God, He told Noah what He was going to do and that his family was the only human family that would survive the flood. Then God proceeded to tell Noah exactly what to do and how to build the ark. We all know the rest of the story.

So then, which one is more powerful: fire or water? They both destroy and they both cleanse in different ways. We need wisdom to discern each situation.

Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the Whole Armor of God. Verse 17 tells us, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The more we know the Word, the more we can combat the enemy of our souls, Satan. When we read the Word, we also learn that wisdom is applied knowledge. The more we learn about God’s Word, the more wisdom we obtain from the Holy Spirit. That wisdom comes with discernment which allows us to understand and recognize what’s truth and what’s not. Therefore, let’s ask God to give us His wisdom. King Solomon asked God to grant him wisdom, and He did. 1 Kings 4:29 says, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.” To this day, there is no other man whose wisdom exceeds Solomon’s.

Therefore, friends, ask God to give you wisdom to discern good from evil. While you’re alive on earth, choose Jesus Christ. So, He can fill you with His living water and purify your faith with fire. So, in the end, He will write your name in the Book of Life, and you will be forever in eternity with Him. The alternative is to end up in the lake of fire which is where Satan will spend eternity.

Many have been resuscitated but only One resurrected

Many have been resuscitated but only One resurrected. That is correct. Only Jesus, the Messiah, conquered death and the power of the Holy Spirit raised Him from the dead forever. People who do not wish to be resuscitated in the event they die, put in their medical records “DNR.” This means “do not resuscitate.” People who don’t have DNR in writing will be resuscitated at all costs if there is the smallest survival chance. However, even those who are resuscitated or brought back from a “code blue” will eventually die someday. But not Jesus. He was not resuscitated. He was raised from the dead and resurrected. He lives for ever and ever!

In Luke 24:46-49, Jesus told His disciples, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me. You are witnesses of all these things. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

Jesus died on a Friday afternoon and was buried in a tomb sealed with a large stone rolled at the entrance. Early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James went to the tomb to put burial spices on Jesus’ body. But the tomb was empty. An angel told them, “Do not be surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.” (Mark 16:6)

The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44 NLT)

Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, and they were all close friends of Jesus. He was away in ministry when he got the message to go to Bethany because Lazarus was ill. But Jesus stayed where he was even though He loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Two days later, He finally told the disciples to return to Judea and eventually get back to Bethany. When Jesus arrived, Martha went out to meet him and said, “Lord, if only you would have been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus replied, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said, “Yes, he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

Then Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:25-26). Then Jesus called Mary and when she came out, she said the same as Martha, “Lord if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus asked to go where they buried Lazarus and after thanking the Father for hearing His prayer, Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

These passages are packed with insights. Let’s unpack them one by one:

Jesus loved his friends.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were some of Jesus’ closest friends and He cared deeply about them. When they took Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus wept. (v.35). The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” (v.36).

Jesus waited.

You may ask, if Jesus loved them so much, why did he stay away? Why didn’t he rushed to rescue his friend from death? Precisely because He loved them. Jesus knew that by waiting a few days, Lazarus would die, and God would be glorified when Jesus performed the miracle of rising him from the dead. Jesus did this for the sake of all the people who witnessed the miracle and believed. So, although Jesus knew his friends would suffer for a little while, He allowed it because there was a bigger miracle coming.

At first, Mary didn’t come out.

When Jesus arrived, Martha went out to meet Jesus. “But Mary stayed in the house” (v.20). Sometimes we recent Jesus for not performing “the miracle” we need in our life at the time we ask. And Jesus knows our hearts. He understands our side of the story and has compassion for us. Jesus still did the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. But He did it in His own time. In the perfect time so others would believe and benefit from witnessing the miracle.

We need to be patient.

In our suffering while going through difficult times, we must be patient and wait for God to act. We must never lose our faith and continue praying because in the end, Jesus will perform the miracle. Whether it’s here on earth where we can see it with our physical eyes or in heaven where we will see it with our spiritual eyes. Mary told Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Mary knew that the Father heard Jesus’ prayers and believed in the miracle even though her brother was already dead.

Jesus has authority over death.

Jesus had to physically die so our sins died with Him and were buried with Him. Death is the consequence of sin and Jesus conquered the power that sin has over our lives. Jesus not only conquered death himself but also has authority and power to command death to leave a person’s body and bring new life into it. The power comes from the Holy Spirit. And is the same power He gave to all of us who believe in Him.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

That’s what Jesus told Martha. And everyone who believes in Jesus will live forever—even after physical death. “Do you believe this?” (v.26) That was the question Jesus asked Martha.

And that is the question I will leave you with today. Regardless of if you have a “DNR” on your driver’s license or medical records, someday you will experience physical death. Jesus invites you to experience spiritual life now and for eternity. And all you have to do is believe in Him and accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Many have been resuscitated but only One resurrected—Jesus!

Three Things I Learned This Christmas

In this blog, I share the three things I learned this Christmas. Each year I wait for Christmas with anticipation but this year I wanted to learn something new. Could that be possible when we hear the same story over and over? Yes, when we seek to learn, God will show us something we didn’t notice before. We may read the same Scriptures during Christmas and overlook important details that mean something in Jesus’ life.

I enjoy listening to several pastors from various churches that share the same Biblical perspective. And now I’m sharing the three things I learned this Christmas with you:

The legality of Jesus’ Kingship

Matthew 1 records the lineage of Jesus. From Abraham, the father of Isaac who was the father of Jacob, to King David and to Joseph, Mary’s husband. Verse 17 says, All those listed above included fourteen generations from Abrahm to King David, and fourteen from David’s time to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah. Jesus was the legal heir to the throne of David.

The Bible says that Joseph was a just man, so he was going to break the engagement to Mary when he found out she was pregnant. But “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NLT)

In Luke 1:26-37, we learn more about Mary’s side. God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary… “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever, his Kingdom will never end.” Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.” By Jesus having Mary’s physical blood and the Holy Spirit’s seed, He then had the royal blood line to be the King of Israel yet sinless from being conceived of the Holy Spirit. God’s plan is always perfect, legal, and right.

The swaddling cloth

While Mary was about nine months pregnant, the Roman emperor decreed that a census should be done throughout the Roman empire. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea. Therefore, he took Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. When they arrived, all the inns were full (due to people traveling back for the census). Luke 2:6-7 (NKJV) says “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

I learned that in those times, when a baby lamb was born and was considered “perfect for sacrifice” the people would wrap them in swaddling cloth. The significance here is that Jesus was “the perfect lamb for sacrifice” and, therefore, he was wrapped in swaddling cloth (because he was born in a stable). My heart broke when I understood this revelation.

The stable and the manger

I used to think that the main reason Jesus was born in a stable was to show his humility. Everyone was expecting the King to be born in a palace as it should. Instead, their King was born in a stable. However, I learned that in addition to humility, the fact that Jesus was not in a regular inn is significant. The story continues to tell us that an angel of the Lord appeared to some shepherds in the fields. During those times, shepherds had the lowest and least respected jobs. And God sent an angel to tell them, “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David. And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

Now shepherds were welcomed and able to worship King Jesus, the same way as the three Kings that traveled to see Him. In fact, if Jesus would have been born in a regular inn, they would not allow the shepherds to even enter to meet Jesus. This small part of the story teaches us so much about how approachable Jesus is. And that everyone is welcome to follow Him—all of humanity, regardless of class, race, wealth, age, or anything!

Lastly, the shepherds were invited by the angel and what did they do? They said, yes! Luke 2:15 says, When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Everyone is invited to partake of the gift that Jesus is to humanity—the gift of salvation. However, not everyone will respond with a “yes.” Many people will reject the message and will personally reject Jesus. Later in the story, a man named Simeon told Mary, “This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:34-35 NLT)

These are the three things I learned this Christmas. What did you learn?

The Perfect Gift

I once listened to a TED X professional who trains people who want to speak at a TED X event. He said that TED X event planners look for three things: 1) Idea (a new idea that no one else has spoken about), 2) Impact (is your idea going to impact the maximum amount of people possible?), and 3) Coachable speakers (They want people who are humble and willing to be coached. In fact, they don’t want or like professional speakers.). To get to the “idea” he asked a question that I will never forget: If you had one opportunity to send one message to the entire world from the top of the highest mountain, what would that message be?

As a professional speaker I am not interested in doing a TED X talk. But the question impacted my life forever as a speaker. As I reflected on that question, I realized that if I had only one opportunity in my entire life to send only one message that could potentially impact the entire world, it would be “to tell people about Jesus—the Perfect Gift.” Funny enough, event planners won’t invite you to speak on this topic because it’s not considered a “new idea.” What they’re missing is the impact that this 2,000-year-old idea has had on the entire world.

I was invited to speak at an event and all I got was the title “The Perfect Gift.” I was given the opportunity to change it. But I think the title is perfect and it’s exactly what we need to hear about. You see, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the perfect gift for anyone, man or woman of any race, any age, and any background. When someone accepts the gift of salvation, it changes their life here on earth and their eternal destiny forever.

Three Themes of Gifts

Let’s study all the gifts that God gave to all of us. In addition to giving each person some talents that are also free gifts to all, God gave us spiritual gifts, and also many other gifts to help the church which is the body of Christ (all of us believers). Therefore, I thought it would be good to group the gifts into three themes:

1.        Gifts that help us live our lives here on Earth.

2.        The gifts of the Spirit to the Body of Christ.

3.        Gifts that give us hope.

Gifts that help us live our lives here on Earth.

Holy Spirit

The first thing that Jesus did when He left, was to give us the Holy Spirit. In John 14:15-17 (NLT) Jesus said to his disciples, “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.”

Peace

John 14:27 (NLT) Jesus said to his disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” And Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) reminds us, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Truth

John 14:6 (NLT) Jesus told him (Thomas), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Everyone is searching for truth and Jesus told us He IS Truth! When we seek Jesus, we find truth.

Faith

We need faith in God to believe that He is real and that He truly loves us. Even though we need to act, God actually gifts it to us. Hebrews 11:1 explains What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. V3. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. V6. So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Prayer

God gave us a daily weapon we can use to stay strong: Prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 reminds us to Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Righteousness

Romans 10:3 (NKJV) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. The fact that God is righteous is a gift to us because He judges us righteously. He also gives us an example of how to be a righteous person.

Salvation

In Paul’s letter to the gentiles, Romans 10:8-10 (NLT), he explains: Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

The Whole Armor of God

All of these gifts put together form the whole armor of God described in Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT): A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Holy Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

The gifts of the Spirit to the Body of Christ.

Spiritual Gifts

God gave certain gifts to the body of Christ which is the church. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says that A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church. We each need to find out which spiritual gift God gave us because it is for the purpose of helping others.

I Corinthians 12:8-11 lists them all: To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge. The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. These gifts are experienced in the church when believers assemble.

God’s appointed gifts to the church

In addition to the gifts distributed throughout the body of Christ, the Holy Spirit gave the church special gifts. They are to help the church grow, learn to work together, and bring more people to the knowledge of Christ. I Corinthians 12: 27-28 (NKJV) tells us, Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. We must remember, however, that When the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear (I Corinthians 13:10).

Sometimes these are referred to as the fivefold ministry gifts that we find in the church:

·        Apostle: They plant churches and preach the Gospel.

·        Pastor: They take care of the sheep.

·        Teachers: They teach the Word of God and have the gift of teaching it well.

·        Prophecy: They prophesy God’s messages to His people.

·        Evangelist: They bring the harvest of souls to Christ.

Gifts that give us hope.

Repentance

Repentance is the first step towards salvation. God is continually calling us individually and calling nations to repentance and to return to God. There are many instances where God sent prophets to nations to warn them that if they don’t repent from their sins and worshiping other gods, He will send punishment. Then when the people repent, God withholds the punishment.

2 Kings 22:19 describes the story of a prophet (Huldah) who told the king of Judah this message: “You were sorry and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this city and its people—that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. So, I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city.’”

Forgiveness

God gave us the amazing gift of forgiveness to us individually when we repent and to nations when they repent. But He also expects us to forgive others just as He forgives us. In Luke 1:77 the Bible describes Zechariah’s prophecy over John the Babtist when he said, You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.

Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. It is by God’s grace that we are saved. He also gives us grace to endure the tribulations of this world while we’re here. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us, And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Love

God is love. This is the biggest gift of all. It was because of His love for us that He sent Jesus to die for our sins so we could be restored to Him. I Corinthians 13:4-7 describes what love is. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. V13. There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

Conclusion: Jesus is the Perfect Gift!

Jesus embodies ALL these gifts above. Jesus IS the Perfect Gift to us and for us to gift to others. The story of The Perfect Gift begins and ends with love. What is God? God is love. He is the beginning and the end. Because of love, God sent Jesus to die for us. Because of love, Jesus suffered the death of the cross. Because of love, Jesus left us the Holy Spirit while we wait for His return…

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I recently worked on a project for a family-owned community bank and the project involved reviewing their Employee Manual. When I read the cover page, I stopped and reflected on this statement:

“If you do not look after your own family, who will?”

I work with many family-owned community banks. But this was the first time I saw this powerful statement communicated to all employees. This institution treats their employees—owners or non-owners—as family. I held discovery sessions with several employees and the main theme that rose up was, “We are treated like family.” This family-oriented culture creates loyalty and dedication that goes beyond an employer-employee relationship. It creates long-lasting success.

Christmas is an opportunity to gather with our family and to reconnect with those we haven’t seen for a while. Many people travel long distances to meet with their loved ones because that’s what you do when you belong to a family. Unfortunately, some people don’t feel accepted or loved within their own family, which creates division and deep wounds. But I have good news for you!

Jesus came to change all of that! And we celebrate Christmas to remind us that regardless of who your earthly, blood family is, you will always be welcomed to join the family of God. It’s free and there are no deeds required to earn God’s love as your Father. All you must do is believe that God sent His only Son Jesus to save you. Romans 10:9-13 (NLT) tells us that, If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Salvation is the perfect gift that God gave each one of us for Christmas. Jesus Christ is that perfect gift! And you can freely share it with your family and friends at home and throughout the world as your Christmas gift to them!

I John 3:1 says, See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. This Christmas I encourage you to take care of your own family by simply reaching out to those you don’t see often. Invite your family to spend time with you. Attend the events that you’re invited to and participate. Engage with your family members that you don’t see often and get to know them better. Make your family feel welcome and that they belong with you. And if you have an opportunity, introduce them to Jesus so they can belong to the family of God too. After all, if you do not look after your own family, who will?

I wish you a Merry Christmas with your family and loved ones!

Ready for Your Final Trip?

If today was your last day on earth, are you ready for your final trip? And do you know where you’re going? In this blog, I share how you can prepare for your final trip in your life. My husband’s grandma’s wish was to live to the year 2000. And she did. She passed away in June 2000. God granted her that wish. She loved to travel, and she visited many countries with her husband.

She was not vocal about her faith like many people are. So, one day I asked her directly if she was a believer in Jesus Christ and she said yes. She died of old age and during her last days we went to visit her as often as we could. During one of those visits, I noticed her Bible on top of a shelf, and I reached out to get it and inside it was her passport.

I cried... of happiness. That told me that she was ready to take her final trip and that she knew her destination—heaven. If today was your last day on earth, are you ready for your final trip? And is heaven your final destination? Just as grandma loved to travel and also loved God in her own quite way, I want to do the same when my turn comes to leave this earth. And I hope that God also grants me the wish to die of old age so I can see my kids and grandkids grow up.

To prepare, let’s go through a “travel checklist” and compare it to our final trip from earth:

Need a ticket.

Whether you’re traveling by airplane, train, boat cruise, or simply driving to a place, you may need a ticket or pay something to get into your destination. If you want your final destination to be heaven, there is no payment necessary. Your ticket is free. Jesus paid it in full! Romans 10: 9-10 tells us that “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”

You need a valid ID.

We all know that when traveling domestically within the country, you need to identify yourself by showing a valid ID. When you travel to another country you need a passport. When you are a believer in Jesus Christ, He writes your name in the Book of Life. Therefore, you won’t need an ID of any kind to get into heaven. Your name will be there, and Jesus himself will recognize you and welcome you into heaven. Revelation 3:5 tells us that “All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.”

Make a reservation.

To enter a hotel, a restaurant, a museum, a movie theater, or any other special place, you need a reservation. Jesus makes your reservation to enter heaven. It’s done! He reserves a place for you the moment you allow Him to enter your heart. Jesus tells us in John 14:2-4: “There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will be always with me where I am. And you know where I am going and how to get there.”

Choose the place.

The first question you must answer when planning a vacation is “where are you going?” You learn about the place you plan to visit by conducting research and reading reviews. Then you decide. But there is a place that you must choose to go when your life here on earth is done. And you must choose it in advance while you’re alive because you don’t know when your last trip will happen. You choose heaven the moment you say “yes” to Jesus. Revelation 21:10-27 gives us a clear description of “the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” I encourage you to read it and imagine heaven in your mind.

Obtain directions.

Once you decide where you want to go the next step is to figure out how to get there. You research Google maps and choose to fly, drive, or take a train. You typically want to choose the quickest and safest way to arrive at your destination. Jesus gives us clear directions in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Get to know your host.

The best vacations happen when you know the person receiving you, the host. They take care of you and treat you like royalty. You develop a great relationship and communicate with your host often. You wait in anticipation to meet your host, and your host also awaits your arrival with great enthusiasm and love. The same way, you can develop a deep close relationship with Jesus, your personal host, before you arrive to heaven. You get to know Him by reading the scriptures and by spending quality time with Him in prayer and worship. 1 John 3:1 says, “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” In heaven, you will be treated like royalty!

Other preparations.

Below are other questions you may ask when you prepare for a trip and what you need to prepare for your final trip with destination heaven:

·        How long does it take to get there? The moment you take your last breath here on earth, in that instant, you are with Jesus in heaven.

·        Who’s coming with me? This is an individual trip that we each take. Each person must choose heaven on their own. Your job as a believer is to share the good news of the Gospel with as many people as possible. The goal is to share the “free ticket of salvation” with the world, starting with your loved ones.

·        What do I need to bring? Nothing. Your physical body is left behind and your spirit joins Jesus immediately upon arrival.

·        When do I leave? When God says it’s your turn to go. You have no control of when your last day on earth will be. That’s why it’s crucially important to decide to follow Jesus early in your life. You will then have the blessing of walking this life with Jesus by your side and continue your journey in heaven.

·        How do I prepare physically? There is no physical preparation other than your legal will and a health care directive, so your loved ones know what to do. The preparation is spiritual.

It’s hard to discuss death. But it’s a reality we all must face at some point. I hope this message encourages you to prepare spiritually to meet your Savior when God calls you. Are you ready for your final trip?

Why Does God Love Us? Happy Thanksgiving!

Why does God love us? That was the question my five-year-old grandson asked me the other day. And that question inspired me to write this blog with the theme of Thanksgiving. My first response was “Because He created each one of us.” But there are so many more reasons. Therefore, I encourage you to discover with me how much and how wide and how deep God loves you!

God made us in His image.

From the beginning, God loved us because He created us, humans, in His image. Genesis 1:27 tells us, So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God loves everything He created from the start, and that includes you.

God created every detail of who you are.

In Psalm 139:13, David says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” God developed and created each little part of your body since conception. In verse 14, David thanks God, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

The apostle Paul later reminds us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” God has a plan for you! A “masterpiece” is a work of art, a masterwork—the culmination of His creation and He gave us dominium over all the rest of creation.

God chose you!

God chose the Jews to be his holy people to fulfill His master plan of salvation which was to bring Jesus into the world through the Jewish people. When Jesus came and the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah, then God opened the plan of salvation for the rest of the world—the Gentiles—which is all of us. Why? Because He loves all of us!

Colossians 3:12 encourages us to have all these character traits. “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Paul, Silas, and Timothy wrote a letter to the church of Thessalonica to remind them of God’s love for them. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 “We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.” Paul also encouraged the church of Ephesus in Ephesians 1:4-5 “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” The church needed to be reminded of God’s love consistently.

God wants us to ask Him for everything we need.

John 16:26-27 “Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.” When we love Jesus, we automatically love the Father because they are one. Therefore, we can ask anything we want in Jesus’ name and the Father will hear our prayers.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

In this encouraging Scripture, Paul reminds us that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Read these verses as if they were written directly to you:

Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let’s thank God during the Thanksgiving season and every day for simply loving us!

I leave you with these final scriptures to meditate on and remember God’s love for you.

Ephesians 3:18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Focus on Hope rather than the Problem.

When we are living through difficult circumstances, it is difficult to focus on hope rather than the problem. And who is that “hope”? Jesus is our only hope. I travel often for work and when I travel alone things tend to not go well for me. I can share countless examples of why my flights are often (very often) delayed or even cancelled. That of course triggers stress which begins with the inconvenience of just having to wait when I’m tired.

On my last trip to Indiana to facilitate a forum, I was just about to board when all the passengers who had already boarded came back out to the gate. I then heard the message, “We apologize but the plane needs a tire changed. And there are no tires in this airport. We will need to have it flown from Ohio and it will take about four hours.” I called my husband and told him about a new reason for delayed flights to add to my collection of experiences. About half hour later, they announced, “We have good news, we found a tire! It will only take about 1 hour to change it.”

All the while, all of us passengers were looking down at our plane that was at the gate. They needed to change one of the front tires. The mechanic shows up with the tire and starts using the jack to lift the plane. I started noticing that the tires were not being lifted. I mentioned to someone, “I don’t think the jack is working. The tires should be up in the air by now…” And so I was right. Another message, “We apologize but the jack is broken. The mechanic must go back to the garage and get a new one.” Half hour goes by and he returns now with another mechanic and a bigger jack… which was too big. After maneuvering it, they got it to work and the tire was off. Now there were three mechanics trying to change the tires. They finally got done and we heard another message. “Good news, as you can see, they got the tires changed and we are boarding again soon.”

We were finally on the plane and we waited another twenty minutes without moving. I guess they have to rewrite the “manifesto” with the passengers who decided to stay on this flight. Many had to stay overnight in Indiana because this was the last flight out to Minneapolis. I had no choice but to wait. In the end, we were delayed 2 hours and I got home safely, just exhausted.

I texted my daughter while this was going on and sent her pictures and videos of the tire changing attempts. She replied, “You know, maybe it’s just that God stops the plane to fix it for you to protect you in the sky each time.” And she’s right. As I started thanking God for fixing the plane because the alternative to waiting is much more catastrophic if the plane is not fixed. Then I looked up and you could see the mechanics fixing the tires below and the amazing sunset right above.

God reminded me of the hope of glory when we look up to Him. It’s much easier to look down at the circumstances and get discouraged. We can get stuck only looking down and not make the effort to look up to God. I immediately got inspired to share this story with you to simply encourage you to focus on hope rather than the problem. Jesus is our only hope. I will leave you with these encouraging scriptures to lift your spirit:

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

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

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Do You Know God’s Name? He Knows Yours.

Do you know God’s name? He knows yours. What is the first thing you learn about a person when you first meet him or her? Their name! Have you ever wondered what is God’s name? Have you ever asked Him the question, “What is your name?” I had always wondered because He is called a lot of names in the Bible, and we refer to him as “God.” But His name is not God. His name is “Yah.” God is the noun we use to describe the highest of all gods. The only true God. That’s why we capitalize the name.

God is, more than anything, LOVE. And He wants a relationship with each one of us. His name is Yah. And Yah means “love,” and it also means “the one who saves.” Let’s study other names we use to describe and to worship God.

The Only God

Isaiah 43:10 “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God—there never has been, and there never will be.”

The Lord, the Almighty

Revelation 4:8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

The First and the Last

Isaiah 48:12 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, Israel my chosen one! I alone am God, the First and the Last.”

Isaiah 41: 4 Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”

Revelation 2:8 (Jesus is talking to John) “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive…”

The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Yah (or Jah), Yahwe, Yahova (Jehovah)

The “Lord” means Yah which means salvation in Hebrew.

Exodos 6:2 And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh—‘the Lord.’

The phrase "hallelujah" translates to "praise Jah/Yah." The word “halel” in Hebrew means “a joyous praise in song, to boast in God.” The second part, Yah, is a shortened form of his name "God, Jah, or Jehovah".

Father

When Jesus was being punished for our sins on the cross, in Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people, because they don’t know what they are doing.”

As Jesus was dying on the cross, in Luke 23:46, Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!”

Jesus is waiting for us. John 14:2 “There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you.”

Jesus taught us how to pray to our Father. Matthew 6:9-13: This, then, is how you should pray:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”

Jesus is God

Revelation 1:17-18 (John speaking) When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

So we established that there is only One who is the Lord, Yah (short for Yahwe), the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Almighty. And it is clear too that He is the One who died and is now alive. Jesus is therefore God!

Yah knows your name. And He knows everything about you too because He created you. And He loved you since the moment of conception in your mother’s womb. David said in Psalm 71: 6 “Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you!” and in Psalm 139:13 “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” God told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

So today I want to introduce you to my Father, my friend, the One who saved me by sacrificing His own Son, Jesus, my God… “Yah.” He wants to and yearns to have a relationship with you too.

Are You Spiritually Hungry?

Are you spiritually hungry? Do you feel hungry for “solid food” and not just for “milk” in your spiritual life? What does it mean to be “spiritually hungry”? It means you want to learn more about the things of God. You want to seek God and get to know Him as a person and as your Father. You have a deep desire in your heart to know Jesus personally. And you have the Holy Spirit inside you who guides you into a deeper relationship with your Creator. The Holy Spirit is like the “translator” that helps you understand what the Word of God says. He reveals the things of God and helps you apply them to your everyday life. I am spiritually hungry!

When you seek Jesus, you will find Him. He will satisfy your hunger in every aspect. He will not only feed you physically by providing financially for your family but will also satisfy your spiritual hunger. In Mark 8:1-10 (NLT) we learn about the story when Jesus fed four thousand people. A large crowd followed Jesus for three days listening to his teachings. By the third day, they had no food, and Jesus didn’t want to send them home without eating because many had come from long distances. Therefore, Jesus asked his disciples to bring whatever bread and food there was available. They found seven loaves of bread and a few small fish.

Jesus first told all the people to sit down on the ground (v6). This is important because our part is to sit and wait in anticipation to be fed. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd (v6).

Jesus first blessed the bread, gave thanks to God, and broke them into pieces. Notice that Jesus was the one who broke the bread into pieces. He took the action of breaking the bread; therefore, He did the miracle! Then He blessed the fish and told the disciples to pass them out. Verse 8 says that they ate until they were full, and when the scraps were picked up, there were seven large baskets of food left over!

The disciples’ job was to obey Jesus and act which was to distribute the blessing of the bread and the fish to the people. This is an illustration of how when we follow Jesus and are hungry for more of Him, He does the miracle of feeding us—both physically and spiritually. What’s more, He will do so abundantly! Meaning, you will have enough for your family and to give to others around you! God doesn’t do anything halfway. He is always thinking big and His love overflows in everything He does for us.

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 the apostle Paul addresses the church of Corinth saying, Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?

Paul explains to the church of Corinth in that letter that when we just start our walk with Jesus, we are like a baby and can only digest “milk.” But as you grow up in the Lord, learn more about Him and in your relationship with Him, you can now handle “solid food” (or “meat.)” The meat is deeper knowledge of the things of God and a deeper relationship with Him. And the funny thing is, the more you hunger to know God and deepen your relationship with Jesus, the more you discover how little you know. You will want more! The seeking becomes part of your life’s journey walking alongside Jesus here on earth and then in eternity.

I leave you with two powerful scriptures to encourage you to be hungry for God, seek Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the Bible!

Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Are you spiritually hungry? If you seek Jesus, you will not only find the truth and life, but you will get to the Father and will spend eternity in heaven with Him. Let’s thank God that He gave us the One way to get back to Him… Jesus!

Life is Uncertain but God is Certain

When talking with leaders around the nation about the current situation we live in, I am reminded that life is uncertain, but God is certain. Planning with uncertainty being the only thing that is for certain is extremely difficult. But when we look at everything from the spiritual perspective trusting that God will help us along the way, planning in uncertain times becomes doable. In fact, planning is our responsibility.

Planning is a must for leaders to succeed, not only in their own careers but also for the companies they lead. I encourage you to plan in the midst of uncertainty to the best of your ability. Then stay the course you set out to do.

Below are some reminders from the book of wisdom—the Bible—that tells us how to plan during uncertain times:

Do plan if you want to succeed. Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)

God has good plans for you. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Trust God not money. Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17

Ask God for wisdom. If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you do to—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent you asking. (James 1:5)

Planning brings you honor and respect. My child, don’t lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. (Proverbs 3:21-22)

As you can see, it is in God’s will for us to plan so we can have certainty in our lives. Lack of planning brings uncertainty and fear. Planning brings peace, certainty, security, honor, and respect. If you are a planner, those who watch you will see you as a wise person. Then you’ll have an opportunity to share your wisdom and where it comes from. Proverbs 2:11 says, “Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.”

By planning all aspects of your life, you take control of your life and responsibility for your actions. But it also means you choose to give that control to God and let Him guide you. With God as part of your planning, you can’t go wrong because you have God’s will for you as your plan. And even though the enemy may try to change and confuse those plans, the Lord will give you wisdom “and you will know how to find the right course of action every time” (Proverbs 2:9).

I hope these scriptures from the Bible encourage you to plan, seek wisdom, and trust God in your journey. Remember, life is uncertain, but God is certain. He is always there for you and ready to help you. All you have to do is reach out and ask for help.

Honoring Country and Freedom Is a Daily Journey of Gratefulness

Honoring country and freedom is a daily journey of gratefulness. During the month of May, we honor mothers. In June, we honor fathers. July is the month we celebrate our country’s independence. Therefore, it is appropriate to honor our country and the freedom we all hold so dear that comes at a cost.

In May we also remember all the men and women who gave their lives—the ultimate sacrifice of love—to ensure we all enjoy freedom. In October, we give thanks to all the Veterans who risked their lives to fight for our freedom and to protect our country. We dedicate one day each year to celebrate, honor, and remember these special people. However, it’s not enough to honor them only one day out of an entire 365-day year. We must honor our mother and father daily. Similarly, we must remember those who died and fought for our country all the time. Every time we experience the feeling of being free, when we can still make choices on our own, we must remember why.

The cost of freedom is blood… The blood shed by those who dare to step up and risk everything they’ve got, up to their own lives. Why? That is a question I often ponder on. What drives the men and women to fight for our freedom and to protect our country from all its enemies? I believe the main reason is a deep conviction for patriotism and love for Country.

When I became an American years ago, I received the most encouraging and inspiring letter from the President of the United States of America. While it may be a “form letter” sent to all the immigrants who chose to become an American that year, I appropriated it as if it was written personally to me. Since then, I have lived my life with the fire it ignited within me. Here is the letter!

“Dear Fellow American: 
I want to congratulate you on reaching the impressive milestone of becoming a citizen of our great nation. As you enjoy the benefits of American citizenship and assume the responsibilities that accompany it, you follow the many brave men and women who have sacrificed to establish and preserve our democracy over the last two centuries. 

You now share in a great experiment: a nation dedicated to the ideal that all of us are created equal, a nation with profound respect for individual rights. The United States is a land of unparalleled natural beauty, vast opportunity, and freedom. It is home to people who have been drawn to our shores from all over the world and who share a common love for life and liberty.

Please join me in devoting your hopes, your prayers, your energies, and your labor to our common good and to the future of this wonderful country. Together we must strive to safeguard the freedoms we hold so dear, not only for ourselves but for future generations.”

Below are five things you can do in your daily journey of gratefulness:

1)      When you experience the feeling of freedom, simply remember the men and women who made it possible for you. You honor them by remembering them and their legacy.

2)      As you walk by a member of the military anywhere, stop to say, “thank you.” This includes police officers that risk their lives daily to keep your own city safe.

3)      Pray for the members who are on active duty right now. Ask God to give them strength and grace as they are away from their families. Pray for protection and for them to return home safely.

4)      Keep their families in your prayers. They too sacrifice by staying home, sometimes all alone, waiting to hear from their loved one. And, often wondering if they will even return home.

5)      Thank God that there are men and women who are called to serve in the military. Because, more than anything, it is their calling. And we reap the benefits. Let’s hold them in highest esteem and respect for their sacrifice.

I hope this letter inspires you to love this beautiful country of America and to remind you of the cost of our daily freedom.

May God continue to bless America, even though many Americans no longer want God involved.

Happy Independence Day!

Honoring the Father by Praying for Our Children

Honoring the Father by praying for our children is one of our biggest responsibilities as a parent. God our Father created each person in the entire world. Every child is God’s unique creation, and He wants each human being to go to heaven and spend eternity with Him. Why? Because God is love and He loves us.

When a person becomes a parent, you experience a type of love that is the closest you will ever compare to God’s love for you. Having children is a direct blessing from God. And it is a privilege to raise children in the Christian faith. What does that mean? It means parents have the responsibility to teach the children about the things of God, starting with the truth that God created them and loves them. Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) tells us to “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they won’t leave it.”

Many parents are experiencing a falling away of their children leaving their faith. But we must stand firm on that promise and believe your children will return to God. What is happening? The attraction to the things of the world is stronger than the desire to follow Jesus. The younger generation is disappointed at how “Christians” behave towards other human beings. The hypocrisy amongst believers who judge everyone around them is just as damaging as when an unbeliever hurts another person.

Being a follower of Jesus Christ is hard. No one said it would be easy. Jesus told his disciples in John 14: 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Jesus continued telling them what was to come after He left this earth. Later Jesus said to His disciples in John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

If you are a parent, this message is for you. Because we celebrate Father’s Day in June, I dedicate this message to all the fathers and to my dad. I encourage you to pray for your children and never give up on your faith. If you don’t know God the Father, I encourage you to seek Him, and you shall find Him! In Jeremiah 29:13, God told His people, “If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you.” Read the Bible, as it is “the manual” for life and for raising our children. I am thankful that I still have my earthly father at 97. And I’m even more thankful that my Father in heaven loves me and I will spend eternity with Him. I pray you have this revelation in your heart as well.

Happy Father’s Day!

Gracias papa, te quiero mucho!

Honoring Moms on Mother’s Day

Honoring moms on Mother’s Day is not enough. The experience of carrying a child and giving birth to a human being is indescribable unless you are a mom. Mothers around the world sacrifice throughout their lives to provide for their children’s needs. But the greatest need of a child is the need to be loved and accepted, which most moms do well.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:1-3 (NLT) Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” The verb to honor means to “to hold in honor or high respect,” to “venerate and esteem.” Although we celebrate mothers one day of the year, we (children) must honor our mother and father daily. This is one of the only commandments from the Bible that comes with a promise of long life on earth.

This month, I want to celebrate my own mother and will share a little bit of her background. She was born in Leon, Nicaragua. Her father passed away days after she was born, and her mom (my grandmother) raised eleven children on her own. My mom married my father, a native of Managua, and they had six children. 2024 marks their 60th anniversary!

Life has been difficult for both my parents. They survived several natural disasters such as the earthquake in Nicaragua in 1972. They lived through the two-year revolution that culminated in June 1979 with them losing all their properties. They fled to the Dominican Republic where two months later encountered Hurricane David which devastated the island. Moved to America in 1986 sending one kid at a time until it was their turn and the family reunited after one year of being apart.

Although they had their working visas and eventually became American citizens, life in the United States as immigrants was very hard. After several years they moved back to Nicaragua to recover the properties taken by the government after the revolution. They never recovered the properties. They only received government bonds worth a fifth of their value. Nevertheless, they lived in Nicaragua for over twenty years until recently. Two years ago, we (the children) moved them back to the United States where they can be at peace and no longer live in fear.

Someday I may write a book about my family’s story. But today I want to thank my parents for always loving me and for introducing me and my siblings to Jesus. My mom has always been strong in her faith. She never gives up, is hard working, and has never blamed God for anything that life has thrown at them. Seeing her example of faith has strengthened mine over the years.

If you still have your mom on this earth, I encourage you to tell her with words that you love her and appreciate her. Our parents need to hear us say it. If you can visit your mom and give her a hug to show her support during this season in her life, do it. If you have an adoptive mom, love her, thank her, and appreciate her!

Here is to all the moms! Happy Mother’s Day!

Gracias mama, te quiero mucho!

All Because of Love

All because of love. That’s the reason Jesus suffered the worst death possible. The death of the cross. His motive? Love for us. It’s difficult to grasp the amount of love Jesus has for each individual person in the world. Remember, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins and make us right with Him again. “When he (Jesus) sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.” (Isaiah 53:11)

What does it take to be a loving person?

How do we become a loving wife or husband, a loving brother or sister, a loving daughter or son, a loving mother or father, or a loving neighbor? We choose to do it. We are intentional about it, and we ask Jesus to show us how. He gave us tons of examples on how to be a loving person during His ministry days. God also tells us what to do in His Word. To love others is a command.

Below are several Scriptures where we are told to love others and how to do it.

Romans 12:9 tells us, “Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them…Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

Romans 13:8 encourages us to “Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God’s law…Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God’s requirements.”

Ephesians 6:2-3 reminds us to “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, “you will live a long life, full of blessing.”

Ephesians 5:2 inspires us to “Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.”

Ephesians 5:22-23 motivates women, “You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior.”

I know this is a controversial verse for women. But notice why and when we are to submit. The husband’s responsibility and expectation is way bigger and harder:

Ephesians 5:25-26 commands men, “And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s word.”

As you can see, we have plenty of encouragement to become a loving person in whatever circumstance you may find yourself throughout your life. I hope you are inspired to become a loving person and love others as Christ loves you.

During this Easter, meditate on what Jesus did for you personally and thank Him for that eternal gift of salvation. Happy Easter!