Tag: hope

God’s Love Speaks Through Every Language

Psalm 67:5(NLT),”May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.”

God’s love can speak to us through any language and yesterday was one of those times. During the worship service at church, there was a song that the worship team started singing in Spanish. Being that we live in South Florida, it’s not unusual for them to start singing a verse of a song in Spanish. But usually when they do, they will then sing the same verse in English. So as they were singing in Spanish, I was waiting for the moment when they would switch back over to English. As the soloist continued in Spanish, I glanced to my right and then my left. I was curious to see how many other people looked as if they didn’t understand, like me.

As I examined the parts of the congregation that I could see, I saw some singing along word for word as they worshipped. I also saw others like myself just standing there listening. My daughter speaks Spanish pretty well, and I remember thinking I wish she was there to help me. Once it was clear to me that, “that moment” when they switch to English may never come, I decided to look at the screen that had the words on display. That wasn’t much help. I did understand a word here and there, but my Spanish skills are minimal. I could tell by the tune that it was a familiar song, so I thought I would just try and sing along in English. That didn’t work. What I was hearing from the stage in Spanish, seemed to take precedence over the English I was trying to hear in my own head.

Finally, I decided to just hum along and watch the soloist. As I watched her, her worship seemed pure and heartfelt. I could sense God’s love, not through her words, since I could not understand, but through her body language and her expressions. I could imagine that giving God praise in her native tongue was what felt most comfortable for her.

The hands and hearts that were raised to the Lord were evidence of His presence. As we all stood across the sanctuary, language did not matter. We were all there united by one thing, the love of God. When the Spirit of God is present, He is always ready and willing to do the work He came to do. He did do that work, because at the end of the service, He caused twelve souls to repent and give their lives to Jesus Christ.

I felt the joy of the Lord and saw His goodness as I watched those twelve people walk into the newness of life. They were now new creations in Christ Jesus. I wondered if that song the worship team sung completely in Spanish, could have been the reason at least one of those twelve souls came to Christ. I may never know, but this I do know, God’s love never fails.

Psalm 136:6(CEV),”Praise the God of all gods. God’s love never fails.”

I’m so thankful the love of God can speak to us through any language, even when we don’t understand the words.

Dios te amo=God loves you

Stay Connected to the True Vine: Prayer

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)

J E S U S. He is the Source that gives us life. When we are connected to Him, we bear fruit. Fruit that will last. Fruit that will make a true difference. While Jesus was here on Earth, He set a great example for us by showing us how He stayed connected to the Father.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35, NIV)

Jesus realized that regular communication with the Father through prayer, was the way to stay focused and empowered. It’s no different for us. We need to have our special quiet times where we can spend time alone with God in prayer. However, we also can say short prayers throughout our day. Our Father is always available to us, no matter where we are. He tells us to pray continuously (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Prayer has many benefits but here are some that I have experienced:

Prayer…

1. Keeps us aware of God’s presence.

2. Keeps us sensitive to the leading of The Holy Spirit.

3. Keeps us focused on what matters most.

4. Builds our trust and faith in God.

5. Gives us peace.

6. Helps us to walk in love.

7. Brings healing to our lives where needed.

Because of Christ we have direct 24/7 access to our Heavenly Father through prayer.

What are some of the ways you have seen prayer work in your life?

When God Changes Things, Don’t Resist

Proverbs 19:21(NLT) says, “You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.”

My tenth grade marketing teacher taught us this quote by Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “Change is the only constant in our lives.” It’s interesting how change is constant, but we’re prone to resist it. I guess it’s the comfort of familiarity that holds us hostage. Even though we have our routines and plans, as Christians we should always be open to the possibility of God redirecting our course. Our lives become more meaningful when we allow Him to saturate our lives with His adventures.

I always like to remember Abraham…

Hebrews 11:8 (NLT), “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.”

This is a great example of stepping out on faith and following the leading of The Holy Spirit. We have to be willing to take the first step God is showing us. After that, he’ll show us the next step. God might not call you to go to another land (although He might), but perhaps He’s calling you to change jobs, or sign up as a volunteer at a local organization. God may even be calling you to reach out to a new person at work or church and invite them to lunch.

We must be willing to embrace the changes He brings our way. Rather the changes are big or small, they count as part of our destiny. Plus, one small change could make a huge difference in the day or life of another person. We can’t let fear of the unknown hinder our progress. The satisfaction we crave is found in walking in obedience to God’s divine plans . This includes making changes as needed.

Ever Wondered What God Is Up To?

Have you ever gone through those times where you wondered what God is up to? Those times where you wished you had more information about how God is working in your life. He does reveal things to us, but only in His timing. Of course waiting on His timing is the hard part, because our human nature wants to know the how’s, when’s, where’s, and why’s.

Plus we live in a world that tries to convince us, that we need to know every single thing, about every single thing. If that were the case, we wouldn’t need God. I know I definitely would do a lousy job at being the god of my life. What about you? I already tried that before. It seemed easy at the time. I just simply ignored God’s commands and did exactly what I wanted. Believe me when I say, that has never turned out good. Sins consequences can be devastating, but I’m so thankful for His forgiveness and mercy!

I have been through many different seasons of life, some felt more relaxed, while during other seasons I felt more anxious. Right now, I am actually in a season where I am praying and asking God for direction in certain areas. I’m trying not to worry. Can you relate? Perhaps you too need God to move in a particular area of your life.

When we need answers the Bible tells us to pray and not be anxious (Philippians 4:6). There are times when I go to God in prayer and I feel very anxious, stressed, confused and even fearful about whatever I’m going through. I have to ask God to remove the anxiousness, stress, confusion and fear from my heart. He’s faithful to do that, but when I feel those negative feelings trying to return, I have to keep giving it to Him in prayer. I have to ask Him to help me to understand in my heart, that He will work all things together for my good (Romans 8:28). The more we see His faithful track record, the better we become at being faithful in our ability to trust Him.

Can you imagine the majesty of our God? It’s really mind blowing! He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He was and is and is to come (Revelation 1:8). This is the God that we are entrusting ourselves to, when we have given our lives to Jesus Christ. We won’t always understand how He is working, but the truth is, we don’t necessarily need to understand everything (Proverbs 3:5). He knows exactly how much we need to know. That’s where we find our rest, in knowing that He will always do what’s best for us.

As we wait, we need to just keep doing the things we already know He wants us to do. We need to rejoice, be thankful, and stay prayerful, because this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Also stay watchful. Constantly watch for God’s direction, because He does hear the cries of His children and He answers (Psalm 34:6).

I just want to encourage you if you’re in a season of waiting on God for answers. Just keep pouring your heart out to Him because He will bring you peace. Another thing I really love is when I get that wonderful feeling of anticipation inside that assures me He’s up to something good. Remember, although you can’t see the good just yet, it’s sure to come. Why? Because we serve a Risen Savior! Keep moving forward in Christ!

Green, the color of life and growth!

No Need to Worry

It’s easy to become anxious because there is so much going on to be anxious about. Even on days where we may feel we have it all together, an unexpected news update showing the latest tragedy can ignite fear within our hearts. When things happen that are beyond our control, it can cause us to feel worried and insecure.

God tells us not to worry…

Matthew 6:34(NIV), “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I know it’s easy to feel comfortable when things are going smoothly and according to our plans. When we have an “abundant supply”, we feel more in control. Rather it’s an abundance of clothes, food, money, friends, “likes” on social media (Lol), good health, or whatever it is that seems to bring us comfort and a sense of control. It’s good when we have these things, however it’s not good when we allow them to replace God’s security in our lives. The things we have can be here today and gone tomorrow. Life can change so quickly.

God wants us to look to Him for our every need…

Matthew 6:28-32(NIV), “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

I just want to remind you that you are rare and valuable in God’s eyes. Your value is not rooted in how many possessions you have or how many achievements you have made. You’re valuable because you are created in the image of God and He loves you. You are unique because there is only one you.

God wants us to find our true value in Him…

Matthew 6:26(NIV), “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

There is No Need to Worry because God has promised to take care of you.

Beautiful rainbow at my job, 3-29-19

Refreshed in His Presence

Yesterday was Communion Sunday at church. I’m always very thankful to have the privilege to join with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and take communion. It’s refreshing to take time out to remember the sacrifice Christ made for us. As we eat and drink together, I find strength and hope because I am reminded that the victory for every dilemma we face was won at the Cross. Every obstacle that may try to threaten us has been conquered.

1 Corinthians 11:24-25 (NIV) says, “and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Jesus’ blood was shed and His body was broken so that we can be cleansed of sin and made completely whole. He wants to bring healing to everything that is broken in our lives. Rather the healing we need is physical, emotional, mental or financial, He wants us to be well and do well.

As the old hymn says, “There is pow’r pow’r wonder-working pow’r in the blood of the Lamb!”

We can rejoice because we know that the wonder-working blood, of the precious Lamb Jesus Christ, will NEVER loose it’s power!

NEVER!

The Lord’s Supper & my favorite Bible verse

A “Last Look” at Psalm 37 (verses 37-40)

Psalm 37:37-40 (NIV), “37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. 38 But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked 38 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”

Thank you for reading with me through Psalm 37!!

Well, we’ve reached the end of our journey through Psalm 37!!! Do you feel inspired by God’s constant reminders that He will take good care of His children? I hope so! I also hope you have been encouraged to keep on living for Jesus and choosing to do what is right, even in the face of adversity.

In these final verses of Psalm 37, God’s relentless love and concern for mankind continues to resonate. He is still calling out to those with unrepentant hearts. Sinners who refuse to repent and turn from their wicked ways, will be destroyed and have no future. On the other hand God’s righteous ones, who have repented and given their lives to Jesus Christ, will be saved from evil and enjoy a future of peace. He promises to protect His children in times of trouble.

I’m asking God to renew our strength so that we will not become weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). We need power from His Holy Spirit to keep pursuing His divine purpose for our lives. We need His “keen vision” to see life from His eternal perspective. Whatever you do, don’t give up the fight! I’m praying for you.

Perhaps you have been reading these Psalm 37 posts, and you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Maybe you are now beginning to think about your life more deeply. Maybe you are wondering what God has in store for you if you will trust Him. I invite you to ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and to ask Jesus to come into you life and be your Savior and Lord. Jesus paid the price on Calvary so that you can be delivered from sin and shame. He wants to spend eternity with you in heaven. Will you trust Him to make you a new creation and make all things new?

2 Corinthians 5:17(KJV), “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This is probably the most familiar verse in Psalm 37…

Psalm 37:4(NKJV),”Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

Hold this promise close to your heart and trust the Lord to love and care for you in ways you have yet to even imagine.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV), “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

Keep smiling & Keep shining for JESUS.