Breaking the Chains!

The enemy is so focused on paralyzing believers on their way to growing closer to Christ that he’d do anything in his power to stop us. Although he is not all-knowing, he does know all the right buttons to push to hinder our Christian walk. He throws obstacles on our track to make us stumble and fall, hoping we never get back up, or at the very least delay our recovery long enough to make us think we could never walk again. 

One of his favorite hindrances is deception. After all, he is the father of lies. He uses lies to trip his victims. He throws them on our road like traffic spikes to puncture our “tires” and make us lose control. He wraps his snares of deceit tightly around our feet like anchors to keep us from moving. The worst part is that he deceives us in such a way that oftentimes we end up locking the chains around our ankles ourselves. 

We all have our weak spots. We each have an area of our lives that is very sensitive to the attacks of the enemy…an area where we are most vulnerable. And he knows it all too well. He knows that once we get hit right there, we become disarmed. In my case, my biggest hindrance is fear. It paralyzes me. It keeps me from moving ahead and getting closer to a Christ-like existence. It is the button that the enemy pushes to entangle me and delay my walk.

Sigh…

I am tired of it! I am tired of being exposed to the flaming arrows that the enemy shoots my way. I don’t want to be vulnerable to his attacks. I don’t want to curl up in a ball, panicking. I don’t want to be so blind that I end up walking the plank voluntarily, dragging the ball and chains tied to my feet on my way to the abyss.

He makes us believe we are powerless. He convinces us that we are so unworthy of God’s mercy that we hide in shame. He twists reality in such a way that we end up accepting the lie that we are despised by God. Therefore, we, rather than running to Christ for redemption, end up running away from the Only One who can rescue us.

The good news is that we don’t have to succumb to the Devil’s schemes. We have the most perfect weapon to combat the enemy forces that strike against us. We have Jesus! And in Christ we are victorious. No matter how horrible life may seem, we overcome it all in Him!

There is power in the name of Jesus to break up ALL the chains!

We have the shield of faith to protect us. We have the sword that is the Word to slash the enemy in two when he advances. But we have to know it. We have to have it hidden in our hearts, ready to be pulled out at a moment’s notice.

What Bible verses do you have in your armory to block the attack of the enemy, strike him back and defeat him when he is after you?

Linking with:  Sandra Heskaking.com

I Will!

At a women’s Bible study I just began to attend, we read 1 Thessalonians 2 and then got challenged to come up with a very practical “I will” statement to be fulfilled during the two weeks before our next meeting. The leader asked each individual woman in the group to say their “I will” statement aloud so we could hold each other accountable in some way next time we get together. Needless to say, it was tough.

I watched myself, along with all the other 6 women in the group struggle to compose such a statement. The leader did a wonderful job guiding the women one by one to shape their general musings into an “I will” sentence…then, inevitably, my turn came up and of course I was not ready. As my usual recourse when I don’t know what to do/say, I went for a laugh and pointed out that someone else had taken my idea…so I should just say “ditto,” but that didn’t fly. I had to come up with something of my own, something that deeply spoke to me. 

All along my eyes had kept going back to the second part of verse 6 where it says, “as apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you…” The expression, “being a burden to you” was intriguing. So a question began to emerge, “Who am I being a burden to?”

Immediately, I thought of my husband Dan. I thought of my upcoming follow up tests which are beginning to cause me the usual anxiety. I thought of how much of a burden I must be to Dan every time I become anxious and overcome by fear when facing a check-up. That’s when I got it. The Holy Spirit put it all together for me. After a brief pause, I said, “I have one:”

“I will not lay the emotional burden of my fear and anxiety on my husband’s shoulders, but instead, I will lay it all on the Cross.” 

The leader helped me create a practical, action-statement by guiding me to say “every morning I will lay down my burden on Christ in prayer rather than onto my husband’s tired shoulders.”

It’s not like Dan is not willing to help me cope with my anxiety. He does a wonderful job! But, the Lord is the Only One who is able to withstand the heavy weight of my/our fear continuously, without getting crushed underneath. He is the Only One who would not grow weary or tired or appalled at the depth of our neediness. He is the Only One who would not reject us because of the messiness of our anxiety. He is the One who can take the burden of our despair and turn it into hope.

My husband, though wonderfully laid back and incredibly understanding and forgiving of my flaws (most of them…some others still bother him terribly : ) is not meant to carry the immensity of my unbelief (translate = fear). He is not responsible for it. I am! But, as we all know, I can’t carry such heavy load. No one can. So what’s our only alternative? We must give it to Him, who is strong enough for all of us. 

As I contemplate the day of my tests approaching quickly, I grow more and more fearful. However, I am resolved to do my part and surrender my fear to Him, the Only One who can make “the boogie man” go away. He can break the chain of my lack of faith. By the power of His Name, to which I cling, He will free me from the shackles of fear that have entangled me for far too long.

I don’t know how my test results will turn out. I think they will be OK since there has been no indication of anything being wrong so far. The same Jehovah Rapha who took care of me last year when I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer giving me a great prognosis will continue to take care of me today. He has never abandoned me before, He is not about to do so now.

I pray that in two weeks, when I meet with my Bible Study-buddies again, I can give them a good report on how I did with my “I will” statement. I pray we can all be accountable to each other and that we may continue to encourage one another in the weeks to come.

How about you? Do you have a group of sisters/brothers in Christ who serve as your accountability board? Do you have a special person who encourages you? Are you an encourager to those around you?

Limiting God

This past weekend I finally saw the movie “Heaven is for Real.” And I really liked it. I thought it was well done and acted, which makes a world of difference. The characters were very believable, and helped bring the story to life. My favorite character was the Dad. I identified with him very much. The way he wrestled with God and with disbelief touched me for I’ve been there so many times before.

The character reminded me of the father in Mark 9: 24 who approached Jesus to ask Him to deliver his son from an evil spirit that had possessed him since infancy. I love the direct exchange between Jesus and that father, 

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" 

Mark 9: 21-24 (NIV)

I can’t help but chuckle every time I read Jesus’ replying to the flustered Dad, “if you can?” From my human and egocentric perspective, I can almost hear an implied, “Don’t you know who I am?” Of course, Jesus’ compassionate and humble heart would not allow Him such an arrogant reply…I do enjoy, however, witnessing His humanity peak through in encounters like this one : ) I can sense His holy frustration with the dilemma of facing His children’s lack of understanding of who He is, while at the same time teaching us who He is.

At any rate, this is a story of man’s struggle with unbelief, and it mirrors on every human being that ever lived. We know the Power of God is limitless, but when it comes right down to it in our own personal lives, we just can’t believe it enough to know He is able to do what He says He can do.

We marvel with jaw-dropped wonder at miraculous stories that relate voodoo priests coming to Christ after witnessing a truly divine healing in Haiti, or at Muslim people becoming Christians thanks to visions gathered in dreams, or at gang leaders surrendering to Our Lord at the very church service they intended to break up. We attribute the steady sobriety of a life-long addict to rehab or the unexplained healing to modern science, forgetting that they are only possible because of the divine intervention and the guiding hands of the Holy Spirit. We forget that there is power in the Word, for the Word is All Mighty! We forget that the same power that spoke the earth and the universe into being is alive today, and it has not lost a bit of such power. We forget that everything is possible for God…even the fact that He may choose to reveal a vision of heaven to a little four-year-old.

Why do we insist on limiting Our Most High God? 

Perhaps it is because we are subconsciously trying to protect God’s reputation. If we look deep inside ourselves, though, who is it that we are really trying to protect with our disbelief? God’s reputation doesn’t need protected. Whether the world chooses to believe it or not, He already walks on water! I think we are trying to protect our own reputation as rational, level-headed thinkers. We don’t believe God enough, so we try to maintain a stance of impartial distance just in case He doesn’t deliver. We lower our expectations, just in case He doesn’t come through. We don’t hope for the supernatural, to avoid having to deal later with the disappointment of a less than ideal reality.

Whatever it is, it is caused by unbelief, and only Christ can help us overcome it. 

Like the father in the movie, the task of moving beyond doubt is impossible on our own. It is only achieved by coming to Him for help with a humble heart that recognizes He that is sovereign and that we can’t fully understand His ways for as long as we live on this side of Heaven. He chooses to do the irrational, the supernatural, the surreal within the constraints of our very material reality, and that throws our limited brains off. However, with His help, we can overcome our disbelief and appreciate His limitless power, whenever He may choose to reveal it.

Linking with: Whole Hearted Home

Feed My Sheep Beans, Tortillas and Rice!

The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.”  John 21: 17

Well, this Biblical passage came to life for me this past weekend in a very particular way. As it happened, rather unexpected guests arrived to our house on Friday evening to spend the weekend with us. They were Hector (19) and Carmela (22). They both recently arrived from Honduras to spend the summer at a Biblical Camp not far from our home. The purpose of their visit is for them to be mentored as future leaders and missionaries to far away lands. Their trip to the USA is meant to provide them with the opportunity to know what it feels like to be abroad and to learn as much English as possible while familiarizing themselves with American culture and people. 

Needless to say, Hector and Carmela are overwhelmed. Their lack of functioning English skills topped by the fact that they had never gone further than 100 miles away from their remote hometown on the Caribbean coast of Honduras are the perfect ingredients for a recipe that would make one’s heart explode. 

That evening, as they sat on my couch, listening to our stories spoken to them in their native Spanish, I saw nothing but two of God’s precious lambs. The smiles on their faces showed the signs of relief. They were finally able to relax after a couple of weeks of being bombarded by unknown stimuli. They related to us the stories of how, by God’s great providence, they were able to come on this trip. God surely paved the way for them to come to the States to do His Holy work. They speak in praise to the Most High and see His hands on everything that is happening to them. Regardless of how tough the experience is, they accept the challenge graciously and move ahead to figure out God’s plan for them.

We also talked about the food they eat back home in Honduras. So they both jumped at the opportunity to explain their favorite dish: “baleada.” I had no clue what that was, but they promptly described the simple treat as refried beans spread on a flour tortilla topped with white cheese. We talked about the cheese, since I knew that particular white cheese they were talking about is not readily found around here, and also how they make their own flour tortillas and use fresh beans. They told me how “baleada” is almost an anytime food staple. They would eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

At any rate, next day, we went to the place every visitor from abroad needs to know in the USA, Super Walmart : )

While they browsed around, I picked out some groceries. I figured I could maybe provide an American version of "baleada" for them, so I got prepackaged flower tortillas, canned refried beans and Monterrey cheese. I knew it would be a poor version, but I decided it would be worth the shot.

For breakfast on Sunday before church, I heated the beans and laid out the tortillas and the cheese on the counter. When they came downstairs, I told them we were going to make “gringo baleadas.” : ) Their eyes said it all. I suggested we heated the tortillas on a skillet, but they said, “Microwave is faster!” I suggested we heat up 4 tortillas, Hector asked me, “aren’t you having any?” : ) At that point I knew it was best just to leave them to the baleadas , so I moved on to pancakes : )

It was such a treat to see them enjoy their breakfast. A little taste of home even if pre-packaged at a Walmart store.

Later for dinner, I made some mac and cheese, chicken and some other stuff, laid it all out on the counter top again, and pulled out the cooked rice I had in the fridge, ‘cause I gotta my rice! Carmela and Hector had not mentioned rice as a favorite food, which I thought was strange since most Spanish speaking people love rice. I was kind of hurt at that…rice and I have a very special relationship : ) But I got over it and I figured it’s OK if not everyone cares for rice as much as I do. I heated it up anyway, and set it on the counter as well. They went straight for it.

“We haven’t had rice in two weeks!” They both exclaimed as they dug into their steamy treat. “They never cook rice at the camp,” they uttered with their mouths full : )

I sat back, smiled and enjoyed my rice all the more.

It was sad to see them leave on Sunday evening when the Camp Counselor came to pick them up, very punctually. We hugged and said, “see you later,” for we surely would love to host them again soon. They brought the blessing of the Lord to our home. He has great plans for them, and we are honored He has chosen us to be part of such a plan…even if our part is only to offer them some beans, tortillas and of course, rice!

Linking with:  Mondays Musings

Endurance+Love=Hope

How many times in any given day would you say you utter an expression that begins with the phrase: “I hope…”? In my case, it’s just way too many to count. I hope a lot. I hope I can get a new car soon. I hope my tomatoes bloom. I hope we can make it to the beach this summer. I mostly hope for sunny days, but sometimes I even hope it rains. 

I hope, I hope, I hope…I feel like a bunny…yeah, I know, it’s not the same word…but, I hop through hope all day long : )

At any rate, we all know what hope means. According to the dictionary, hope is: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Easy, right? The truth is that, even though, hope may be easy to define, it is a different story to experience it.

The rather complicated nature of the concept of hope comes, in my humble opinion as an impatient/controlling person, from its undeniable relationship with the concept of endurance. Like I read Beth Moore write in her Bible Study of Thessalonians, “hope is long.” 

Hope is not a thing of the moment. It is not an idea associated with the present. It is an expectation of the future. Furthermore, hope is unseen, and as it ties together with endurance, it inevitably implies suffering and hardship…otherwise we would not be talking about “endurance,” would we? It would be more like, “enjoyment” or “pleasure…” (Endurance, according to the dictionary is: the ability to do something difficult for a long time. The ability to deal with pain or suffering that continues for a long time.)

Look at the words related to endurance: difficult, pain, suffering…for a long time…

O boy…

I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t like to be in pain, suffering difficulty for a long time. Hope, however, sometimes includes such ingredients. Paul talked a lot about it. And as he tells us how hope is a good thing since it sustains us, and we are to boast on the hope of the glory of God, (Romans 5: 2) he also tells us that,

“we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5: 3-5)

Hope, therefore, is not a light, fluffy, dream-like state where we suspend our disbelieve and float away wishing upon stars. Hope is grounded on the reality of life’s hardship and on the need to be patient to endure whatever comes our way, but above all, hope is rooted in the certainty that we are not going to be disappointed for hope stems from God’s love. And that is the flip side of hope. On the one side, there is the implication of the need for endurance, and on the other, we realize that the basis for hope is found in God’s love, which He pours in us through the Holy Spirit. Hope inspires endurance because of Christ, and that’s the good news of hope. It is not a flaky illusion that could vanish in thin air. True hope is found in Jesus, and He will not disown it, for in this hope, we are saved. (Romans 8: 24)

Well, I guess, I may get carried away hoping for things that I may never see. But I will not stop, for even though at times it may involve enduring long periods of suffering, hope never disappoints because love never fails. 

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Linking with: Essential Thing Devotions

A Season for Miracles

Miracles are always in season, don't you think?  It doesn't matter how seemingly insignificant or how magnificent, miracles are God's gifts delivered to humanity to reveal to us who He really is.  And He is Amazing!

If there is one jaw-dropping thing about God that never ceases to astonish me no matter how often I experience it, it is His absolutely perfect timing. The thing is that I am a very impatient person. I am a controller by nature. Therefore, I know what I want and most importantly, I know when I want it. I have always had a hard time adjusting to other people’s schedules. I have to have my own, and if you like it, you are welcome to come along. If you don’t like it…well, find another partner. Life doesn’t work like that, though…so I’ve discovered…

Over the years, and mainly through experiences…marriage and parenthood come to mind first…God has taught me, and re-taught me, and continues to teach me today that He is the One in control of it all…not me.

It has been…and it continues to be a really hard lesson to swallow. I have to say, however, that like wine, I get better at it with time. I don’t really get better at being patient…I get better at recognizing that the Holy Spirit is at work in me and that He is not done yet. I’m getting better also at recognizing the wonder of trusting God and the miracles that are revealed every day when we submit to His perfect timing…real life, honest to goodness miracles…big and small, but always amazing…

Right now, we are in the middle of making a decision that is a rather difficult one. We have prayed about it and talked about it for months, but the time is approaching when we see the final decision finally materializing in the horizon. For most, this could hardly qualify as a miracle. For some others, however, (I’m talking to you, fellow controller) this does have elements of the miraculous. Just the simple fact that for once I have not rushed it, and I have not become impatient or frustrated, and I haven’t urged my husband to get with the program is a huge miracle! 

On the contrary, I have relaxed on the slow path to discerning the best way to deal with the issue. Has there been a reward for such subdued behavior, you may ask? The answer is, of course! The road has been one of discovery of God’s omniscience and wisdom. For instance, there are way too many pieces up in the air as we struggle with this decision, a condition which I find particularly disagreeable, being a control-freak, and all. God, however, is showing us, as we take our time, how He is fitting all those pieces together one by one in the most precise and delightfully creative way (a way I could have never thought of no matter how hard I had tried).

Hmmm…

The decision is not fully made yet. There are lots of details still to work out. But I am sure enjoying seeing God’s hand at work here. I know His timing is not our timing, and His ways are definitively not our ways, but His ways are perfect and He is always on time.

I’m still an impatient person, but the Holy Spirit is showing me a way to overcome my desire for control by allowing me to discern situations when I get to marvel at God’s plan, ways and timing, so I become more willing to let go of my own paths and accept His, instead…for only His, will lead to miracles.

Let us not miss it.  I pray the Holy Spirit gives us eyes to see the supernatural, the divine, in our every day life! May we catch our Miracle Worker fast at work at every turn.

Family Time

Recently, I had the privilege to have some of the most precious members of my family from Panama at my house for a week. It was my sister, Ileana, her son Willy and Nicole, my brother’s daughter who is like my little sister. We had a lot of fun even though we didn’t do much. I feel bad because we didn’t take any trips to see anything other than shopping venues and places to eat, but I believe our time was well spent. We were able to relax in each other’s company and take it easy. It was a big change from the fast-pace life they all lead in the city. We didn’t explore a lot of the sights around, but we sure spent a lot of time talking. We talked about everything, from heavy stuff like family conflicts and how to learn more about the Bible, to the silly gossips of the European royalty…don't ask…

As I look back on the lazy mornings chatting around the breakfast table and the laid back evenings watching movies during that week with my family, I realize that lasting relationships are not built on elaborate planning. They are built on the quality of the time spent together. Thinking about that I discovered that it is the same in our relationship with Christ. Sometimes we become frazzled and obsessed over the idea of having to do things to please God. In reality, however, what He wants from us is…us. He wants us to spend time getting to know Him. He wants us to take the time to be in His presence. He wants us to follow Him.

He doesn’t love us because we do good things. He loves us because He is Good and merciful. He loves us because He is Love…and we love Him and others, because He first loved us. (1 John 4: 19)

He doesn’t ask us for ceremonious good deeds. He asks us for our time. He doesn’t require ritualistic acts of service. He wants the sincerity of our hearts. He doesn’t want us to only remember Him at special occasions. He wants us to celebrate Him in our every-day life. He doesn’t want us to just know about Him. He wants us to know Him personally and to follow him whole-heartedly. 

Like with our own family, He knits us together to His Heart by His precious blood. We are hemmed into His garment with unbreakable ties that transcend our actions into our very souls. And nothing could ever separate us from His Love. (Romans 8: 31-39)

At the end of the week, it was deeply painful to see my family go away. A profound sense of loneliness threatened to settle in my heart. The Lord reminded me, however, of all these things. He comforted me with the knowledge that we are bound together with the unbreakable ties of His love, and Love transcends time, space and circumstance. 

So, even though we didn’t do anything special during the week we spent together, every minute I get to spend with my beloved family is, indeed, truly special. It is a celebration of love that goes beyond planning and expectation to penetrate the mundane details of our everyday life…and for that, I am most grateful.