One thing that has been in my heart lately is the sad reality that the modern church lacks what 1 Thessalonians 5:11 calls for us to practice:

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you also are doing.

As I was working on a morning devotional for the Verse of the Day blog I co-author with my Pastor, I had an interesting thought that crossed my mind. The devotional was on Matthew 5:14-16 (click here for the VOD version or click here for the re-post in this blog, they are the same thing) and it was about the verse that speaks about being a light to this world and it suddenly hit me how so many Christians (myself included sometimes) fail to shine light in this world of darkness.

Did you know that many people either don't want to or stop attending churches because they see hatred, jelaousy, pride, judgement, gossip, and other problems in the churches themselves? The even more surprising fact is that they notice it from the leadership of the church!

We are called to be different to the world, it should be no surprise that people don't have a desire to be a part of churches in which the treatment is not different from the world!

I am thankful that God has placed me in a loving church that preaches the Word of God as it is, but we are not exempt  from that problem.

So I have decided to challenge myself to shine, to be a light, not just at church but in everything I do, I tend to not be a light at work sometimes because of problems with people (which I will not go in detail), but I am decided to make the best out of every situation. Not just that, but encourage my fellow brothers and sisters daily. We tend to have this habit at church of bashing on people (all in love), but I know that is something that needs to change, specially around non-believers or less mature Christians.

People are very good at watching and learning from others.

Can you do that?

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:14-16)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

How many times have you read this verse before? I have several, I even have it memorized and it is one of those verses that jump out whenever I read it.

This is a good reminder though of what we must believe as followers of Christ:

The Bible is God-breathed: Many people claim that the Bible is just another book, that it was man-made, but we know the truth, that the Bible is the living Word of God, that He spoke to the several authors and that everything in the Bible is there for a reason.

is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness: The Bible is the perfect tool for people to learn how to live a righteous life, all the rules are set, all the examples are in it, yet we miss the main purpose when we don't study it. Think of the Word of God as the instruction manual for life that the Maker and Creator of everything made specifically for those who follow Him.

so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work: I am all for education, it is great and resourceful, but there is no better education than the Word of God, the teaching direct from the source. There are thousands, maybe even millions of different Bible commentaries, written by brilliant and inspired men, but even the best commentary cannot compare to what will be gained from reading and studying the Bible.

Here is a super interesting article I read today from the Gospel Coalition, which I have been following for some time now and usually has some really neat stuff. It speaks of the problem with house church and the rebelious hearts of some of the people that attend them. I have seen this several times even from people that come through CC3C for a season, they come in searching, but often have the wrong intentions in their hearts and then decide to leave because they can't submit to leadership, thinking they know better than those that have been placed and called by the Lord to lead the church.

Not that I am against small groups, I think they are great and churches need them, but personally, I believe that there is still proper leadership needed, which is not the case of some small groups/ house churches I have attended in the past. They should be overseen by Pastors or leaders of the church, rather than people who claim to have the right authority because no one else knows the truth but them, which sadly is the case with many of these groups.

Alright, enough of my BIG opinion, read it for yourself and come up with your own conclusions:

At Home in a House Church

We’ve been hearing for years that house churches are the wave of the future. Now comes a feature from the Associated Press that suggests house churches are really beginning to gain traction. Based on the AP report, it’s hard to distinguish between house churches and the small groups so many evangelicals attend weekly. Like small groups, houses churches appeal to Christians seeking close-knit relationships built around prayer, Bible study, and corporate singing. Simplicity is a key selling point.

“I think part of the appeal for some in the house church movement is the desire to return to a simpler expression of church,” Ed Stetzer told the AP. “For many, church has become too much (like a) business while they just want to live like the Bible.”

According to a 2009 Pew study, 9 percent of church-attending American Protestants forgo services outside the home altogether. Though not a big trend, we might imagine reasons for the growing appeal of house churches. Staffing grows more expensive every year, especially with the rapidly escalating costs of health insurance. City councils aren’t always eager to approve permits for churches looking to build new facilities. Some Christians get lost in the shuffle at megachurches. Others may feel burned by church leadership, who must frequently make difficult decisions, sometimes necessary and occasionally unwise.

But there is another reason Christians turn to house churches. Evangelicals don’t always have a comfortable relationship with human authority. Such chafing against institutional figures can be traced back to Martin Luther and other Protestant leaders during the Reformation. But today some Christians buck against any external human leader, however well-trained, godly, and submissive to God’s Word. Evangelicals in particular harbor a populist spirit.

“You don’t have to be dependent upon someone you hear at church to translate for you,” Neil Cole, founder and director of Church Multiplication Associates, told the AP. “God is capable of speaking your language and talking to you where you live and I think that’s attractive to people.”

What Cole says might merely refer to Luther’s pioneering contributions to Christianity. The renegade monk translated the Bible from its original languages into vernacular German, against the wishes of the Roman Catholic Church. By doing so he unleashed the power of God’s Word through the priesthood of all believers. Next year, Protestants will celebrate 400 years since the Authorized King James Version of the Bible was published in England. Through his Word, God speaks all our languages and talks to us wherever we live. We don’t need any church authority to filter it and tell us what it really means.

Sometimes, though, spiritual democracy can veer into anti-intellectualism. If God speaks directly to all of us, then maybe we don’t need any teachers at all. We don’t need to depend on anyone else, so we don’t need to study, either. Further education, such as seminary, supposedly becomes more of a hindrance than a help. Unfortunately, some house churches appeal to Christians who hold these views, too.

We’re all familiar with the dangers of education that privileges scholarly approval over the Word’s clear teaching. But we must also beware the sort of rebellion against authority that forsakes the teaching office altogether. This privilege and responsibility finds its warrant in the Scriptures themselves. The apostle Paul wrote about elders, “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it,” (Tit. 1:9). Again in Titus 2:1 he writes, “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” And in Titus 2:15: “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

At their best, house churches recall the dynamic fellowship of the early church, exemplified in Acts 2:42-27. Let us not forget, then, that Luke’s beautiful description begins with believers devoting themselves to the apostles’ authoritative teaching.

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The Gospel Coalition

This book is one I definitely recommend.

"The Forgotten God touches" on the neglect of the power and work of the Holy Spirit in the modern church era from a different point of view.

I was a little hesitant when I first saw this book because right away I tend to think: "Book about the Holy Spirit usually means a hype jambamamba charismatic teaching", but this book is the exact oposite, it studies the Holy Spirit from the perspective of the empowerment that God gives to His people through the Holy Spirit to be used in ministry and in reaching out to the world.

It does touch on the charismatic subject, but more in the aspect of the abuse of the Holy Spirit and the misconception of Him. I like how it has reminded how that if I ever want to pursue any type or shape of ministry, I must be empowered by the Holy Spirit,


This last statement can be very easily be taken out of context, as many people abuse of the Holy Spirit and fake the power of the Holy Spirit, they use terms such as: baptism of fire, baptism of the Holy Spirit in very light terms and as something that ONLY the people of their church or denomination can have, confusing those who are or were once truly seeking God in heart and soul and misleading many. The book touches on this big time, making a clear difference about what it means to be truly guided by the Spirit and those guided by man's ways.

I have only read about half of this book and so far I am liking and learning about everything. Best part: It is not a "this is my opinion about the Holy Spirit" type-book, but the author makes strong emphasis to back up everything he writes about in light of the Scripture, not taking it out of context.

Check it out, the author also has a website for the book, just discovered it right now, so I will check the website a little more later:

Forgotten God

I hesitated a lot about sharing this, but my mom wrote this for a baby shower she helped organize. Its about me and how my coming to the Lord was for her.

Now, I am not sharing this to make myself the center of attention, it is all God's Sovereign grace that changed my life. I might someday write my testimony as there are other elements that were involved with me coming to the Lord.

 “THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORDS A MOTHER CAN HEAR”

I don’t want to give a long devotional at all, in fact, I am unsure how I am doing this in the first place .  I only know that I suggested a  short devotional would be nice and was told “great idea, its your idea, YOU do it…” so here I am.

Now I  do NOT consider myself an expert in motherhood, I don’t think anyone is.  I have 3 kids and I love them all to death, and I would do almost anything for them, but I am not expert!

Let me read a beautiful scripture and just share a few thoughts with you today…

“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 in earnest,  you will find me. When you seek me, I will be found by you.” Jer. 29: 11-14

I read this verse today and thought about my oldest son Luis. When he left home, I gave him a Bible and wrote this verse in it. Let me share you a little about Luis…

.…he is not here, so he can’t defend himself!  When he was in his last year of high school here, he decided he wanted to go live in the USA and work and study there. He turned just  18 and started the party scene, drinking and just went wild, with what he thought was his newfound freedom, being 18 and all . He came to church with us always, at our insistence, but wasn’t that interested in spiritual things.

SO I was not real happy to  let him go to the US, though I knew in the back of my mind, it would  probably be good for him. Both Armando and I have family in the US, and when he finally decided to go to Las Cruces, NM with Armando’s sister, Rosa and her family, I was comforted.  A strong Christian, missionary with her husband, and with two sons, older than Luis, strong Christians also, who I felt would be a good influence.

It was SO hard to let him go, but I had to let him go….I joked that it was sort of “divine payback”, God’s little joke that he go so far away from home….I had done the same thing when I came here, not much older than him!

His cousins and aunt and uncle were a  very good influence, and invited him to church and his cousins invited him to their  Christian college meetings.  He put off going for awhile, but finally did…and one night, I  got a phone call from him and he told me the most beautiful thing I think any Christian mother could ever want to hear…better than any “I love you mommy, or Happy’s Mother’s day, “ all good too…but this beat it all!

He said…”Mom, I think the Lord  really has touched me.”

And HE DID! Today Luis is a strong, committed Christian…growing and serving God.

So this brings me to this conclusion: God’s plan IS the best….I didn’t really want to let Luis go, he was so rebellious at the time and so young!   And at  first,  I cried a lot, then put him into God’s hands….and God has had him there, all the time, IN HIS HANDS.

SO I feel this is what we must strive for as mother’s…we do our best to teach them in the way that they should go, guide them, love them always, NO MATTER WHAT, but ultimately, their lives are in God’s hands…we have to give them to God, pray without ceasing and IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS.

Amen

I was blessed to go to my work's camp this week. It's called camp DEFY (which stands for Drug Education For Youth). It is organized in junction by the Police Department, National Guard and the Weed and Seed program (which is where I work for).

Our camp was in the beautiful Ruidoso, NM and we took about 40 kids that attend our program. It was a long and fun week.

Stay posted, I might add some pics or post something about the fun experience soon.

I was reminded today of something very important:

When in doubt, pray!

How important is that in the life of believers, yet we "forget" to do it so much.

Reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures and I know I have quoted this one a few times already, but it is one of those that remains engraved in my heart:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

I doubted today about some things...I doubted because of fear, because of not understanding God's will and I prayed, and was prayed for today with my pastor and God reminded me that He is always here, He never leaves me and I can always count on Him. I know He is doing a great work in my life, but sometimes my doubtful and hessitant self gets on His way...

I strive to completely depend on Him, whether He wants me to go to the left, or to the right, He has a plan for me and for you. As Christians, we need not only to remember, but to know and claim that God has a plan for our lives, that He works in and through us and that everything happens for a reason.

Sometimes, God puts situations in our lives to cause us to rely and depend more on Him.

What a glorious and awesome God we serve...I have no doubt of that in my mind!

For the longest time in my life, I used to be so afraid of getting up in front of people and speak. I would have any imaginable fear: rejection, dislike from the audience, unacceptance, even that weird dream where stand up in front of people and suddenly realize you are not wearing pants!

Recently, I have been giving the anouncements at church on Sundays, it is basically an easy task. You just get up in front of the pulpit and read out what the church activities are and ocassionally throwing in a joke or two and a little story. The first time I did it, I kept saying "uhm" and "like" a lot, but I feel like that is fading away and some people have even encouraged me to be a pastor...which is something that has somewhat been in the back of my mind ever since I became a Christian.

The truth is that God gives us gifts, he has given some the gift of teaching, wisdom, discernment, compassion, etc (see 1 Corinthians 12:7-10) and I know that God also gives some people the gift of speaking in front of others and entertaining the audience. I think I have received that gift recently, since I am up for a few minutes before the pastor comes in and gives the teaching for the week.

God never ceases to amaze how much He can use His servants, I remember first coming to Christ and wanting to do everything and revolutionize the Christian world, and as I have been growing in the Lord, He has humbled and changed my heart. It is no longer about what "I" can do for God, but what He can do through me. We must be willing to be the vessels that God uses to reach the world. Society fails and the big stars of the world focus all on themselves, but we must let go of self and allow God to use us, in whatever it is that He calls you.

I think I have always struggled with what God's plan is for my life and I see it unveiling little by little as time goes by...God is so good!

 I read this from one of the daily devotionals I get sent to my email, sometimes there is some really good stuff.

It got me to think about how I handle the time I spend with the Lord in His Word...I long to be distraction free, and then some way or another I get distracted. I remember when I worked at Fort Lone Tree, a Christian Camp in Ruidoso, NM in 2006. Every morning I would get up early (we had staff meetings everyday at 7:30a.m) and would go to a quiet place (this camp is in the mountains so there was a lot to choose from) and just dig in the Word of God and pray...it was easy because of the nature of the place, but after that summer and returning to live in "civilization", it became harder to retreat myself from distractions and just spend time with God.

This is a challenge for me, since my time with God is important, and it is so easy to get distracted when you have a cellphone, computer, tv, etc.

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Empowered
And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them.”
Deuteronomy 5:1
Moses is going to minister on the importance of really being obedient to the Word of God. If you do not obey God’s Word, it is of no value to you. Understand that—no value. It is like having a flashlight without batteries. There is no power without the Holy Spirit—there is no power in your life. If there is no obedience in your life, the Word of God becomes void in your life and you have no power.
Interesting enough, Moses used the word hear constantly. Notice the importance of really paying attention, concentrating. When you sit down to read the Bible, when you sit down to pray, how many times do you play around with something and not fully concentrate? So, you are not going to get anything out of your reading or praying. When you read, when you pray, you need to be where there are no distractions; phones are off, the television is off. Then you can concentrate on the Word of God, and the Word of God can take effect in your life. Why? Because you are really listening.
When we take the time to read God’s Word, pray and spend quiet time with the Lord, He will empower us, through the Holy Spirit, to live our lives in obedience, glorifying Him!
We may depend upon it as a certainty that where
there is no holy living there is no Holy Ghost.
—J. C. Ryle—

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
(James 4:13-15)

One of the things I am the worse at is thinking too much about my future and planning stuff...I feel like I have got better now that I am a little older, but before I would worry so much if things wouldn't turn out just the way I wanted them to.

Its interesting how much time, headaches and sleepless nights we can have when things don't come out our way, isn't it? God has a bigger picture of what our life is and as I grow older and spiritually, I have learned that God has a bigger plan, He sees the beggining and the end and even through the trials of life, He has taught me many things and will still teach me many more. I am not perfected yet, and will never be (in this life), but I decided to give my life to Him, not just a little, but ALL of my life to Him and that includes life choices.

God does have a big picture for your life, no matter what you think the best way to go is or what the best choice is, remember He sees it all, He is sovereign and knows what is best for you.

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 3:18 (ESV)

This verse really gives me hope, God goes before me, He walks ahead of me and by my side in all times and if I have the Sovereign Maker of everything with me, what is to fear??

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy (but early, since it is July 3) 4th of July.

To all who live in the US, I wish you the best and pray that you acknowledge the freedom this day represents.

Be safe, and enjoy!

I first wanted to thank all my readers. Since this blog started, I never really cared who reads what I write or what they make of it, and I have no idea how many people read what I write or if anyone reads it at all.

Last month I had a whopping 18 blogposts, which is more than I have since I started this blog in February than any other month. June was an inspired month and since I was out of school, I had more free time to do the things I like to do.

Now that July starts, I am still in summer break and I will try to keep this blog as fresh as it was last month.

The internet is such an awesome venue that I feel is used for a lot of evil in this world. Let God speak and spread His Word. Who are we to limit the things He can do?