INCARNATED. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching cannot be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.
Titus 2:7-8

OBSERVATION
For the apostle Paul, consistency between what we teach and how we live was everything. The Gospel becomes incarnated in our own lives when we live according to its teachings. As Titus is instructed to be an example for all people by being consistent, Paul also points out that those who oppose the truth will have a hard time finding damaging accusations when the Gospel is incarnated in our lives. There are people that wait patiently for the first opportunity to accuse us if we are inconsistent. They are hypocrisy hunters, willing to use our own mistakes over and over again to disqualify us. We could spend time and energy fighting their attacks, or we could be wiser and stop giving them opportunities. For that reason, a Bible-based modest and simple lifestyle is the best option. We don't want to confuse people about our teaching by the way we live. It truly shows off when we incarnate the Gospel.

APPLICATION
Our spiritual journey is about making the Gospel a practical 24/7 lifestyle. When walking with the Spirit, we learn to think, act and speak like the Gospel teaches. We train hard to let the Gospel be incarnated in every single cell of our beings. The Holy Spirit never gives up working in our hearts, making sure that Jesus is incarnated. Knowing about Jesus is not enough. We must know Jesus intimately. Just like Mary experienced the miracle of incarnation, Jesus growing inside of her body, we also need to experience Jesus growing, being incarnated in our minds and hearts. This is what makes the Gospel the hope for the world. When we experience the incarnation of Jesus, our lives change from the inside out. I need to stop and reverse my tendency to work from the outside in. This is not a good way to live out the Gospel. But the more I let Jesus change me, the better example I become for other people, and my teaching becomes more powerful and effective.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, please be incarnated in every area and let the miracle of a heart transformation be real in m own life. Let me be a good example for others, not because I have embraced great disciplines from the outside in, but because your presence takes over more and more of my heart from the inside out. Keep advancing your kingdom in my own heart. Help me to be consistent in my teaching and not to give opportunity for criticism to those who are waiting for my mistakes to appear. Let your grace and mercy follow me all my days. Without them I'm lost. Amen!

UNDIVIDED. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE

10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.

13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

Psalm 86:10-13

OBSERVATION

David is a man that understands the love and mercy of God. He knows the importance of knowing God's ways, not just as an intellectual exercise, but as a practical way of living. He knows what it feels to have a divided heart and to lack consistence between what we know and what we do. David knew God's instructions, yet he found himself walking in deception. He knew the path of truth, yet he detoured often and walked in his own desires. For him, God's love is not just big enough to forgive all his sins. David knew that God's love was powerful enough to change his heart.

APPLICATION
In my spiritual journey, I continue learning about the amazing love of God for me. Even though I do wrong things and I'm insignificant before God, His love reaches me by dealing effectively with my sin and by making me significant. But His love goes beyond all this. God does not only accepts me how I am. He is truly committed to show me His ways, to guide me in the path of truth, and to create a consistent heart in me. Like I say to other people, "God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way."

Knowing the truth means nothing if I don't live the truth. I know many things, what I must do and what I must not do. However, sometimes I have a divided heart and I lack consistency in doing what I believe. I need to fight daily the tendency of my heart to be divided. I want to partner with God in having a heart that is 100 % dedicated to His ways 100 % of the time. I'm yet to see great miracles of the power of God's love in my own life.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I'm desperately seeking you with a sense of awe and humility. Please forgive me for my divided heart and for being a poor steward of your wisdom. I know how I am supposed to live according to your ways, yet I default to what I want to do anyways. Help me to apply the truth that I know very well to all my daily affairs and give me an undivided heart. Give me your strength to become the husband, the father, the leader, and the man you want me to be. Amen!

FOLLOWING ORDERS. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered.
2 Chronicles 23:8

OBSERVATION
Jehoiada is one of those unknown heroes of Israel. His name is not usually mentioned and his work goes unrecognized. But this priest changed the history of Israel for good as he set the stage to crown king Joash, one of the best and godliest kings of Judah. Jehoiada came out with a brilliant plant to dethrone Athaliah, a self-proclaimed wicked queen. His plan included the full participation of all the commanders of the army, all the tribal leaders, and the levites and priests. His instructions were clear and comprehensive. Success depended in everyone following the plan. There was no room for disobedience, second guesses, or under minding. Not only their reputations were at risk, their lives were at danger, including the young king's. In this opportunity, everyone follow the instructions, Joash became king, and Judah experienced revival in their relationship with God.

APPLICATION
Sometimes we under estimate the value of following orders, especially in our culture where everyone has an opinion and people feel entitled to do whatever they want regardless of who is in charge. Sadly, things get worse in the church when influenced by a strong western mindset which elevates democracy as the perfect way of governance. God appointed leaders are reduced to people pleasers. Instead of speaking the truth in love, leaders pratice diplomacy. The value of ownership of the many has replaced the value of submission. No wonder why the church has lost its influence in this world. No wonder God's vision gets dilluted. And no wonder the church moves so slow in reaching the world with the Gospel.

Even though we must avoid authoritarian styles of leadership and value collaboration, at the end of the day there are people who are called to make decisions, and there are people that are called to follow them. I always loved the leadership model set by the tale of King Arthur and the Round Table. Everyone was equeal, but at the end of the discussion, Arthur was still the king. In church leadership, everyone is equal and we must respect each other's calling. But also we must respect each other's roles. Sometimes that is missing in the culture of the church! We can have both, a culture of collaboration and a culture of submission.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please help me to respect people's callings as well as their roles in the kingdom of God. Show me where I undermind or second guess those who have a role of authority over me. Also, allow me to create a culture where people respect my calling and also my role as a leader. Show me how to earn the respect of those who are called to partner with me. Refresh my anointing as a shepherd in such a way that those who follow me don't struggle with my instructions or distrust my advice. Help us to advance your kingdom in effective ways. Amen!

THAT ONE THING. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
"Because of what you have done, the Lord is very angry with you. Even so, there is some good in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles throughout the land, and you have committed yourself to seeking God."
2 Chronicles 19:2-3

OBSERVATION
King Jehoshaphat was a good king. He did many wonderful hings, yet he made one big mistake. He made an alliance with the bad guys. He welcomed and embraced wicked people. The context indicated that he did this out of political gain. He trusted in his smarts as a politician and diplomat, but not in the Lord. Jehu the prophet pointed out that God was angry at him for doing that. And this alliance almost cost Jehoshaphat his life.

APPLICATION
We can be doing everything right before God, yet there is one thing, that one thing, that erases everything we have worked so hard for. One mistake can ruin lots of progress. That one thing can destroy our lives and ruin everything around us. That's why we must be thankful that because of the sacrifice of Jesus in the cross, all our wrongdoings, even the effects of that one thing, all the anger of God towards me has been taken care off. I cannot deviate from trusting in the provision of the cross to deal with God's anger in my life. Certainly, I need to be careful from making the wrong alliances with wickedness. Jesus died for me, not so I can go ahead and allow that one thing to go unchecked in my life. Jesus died to set me free from that one thing. And all my joy and blessings depend on my unchanging trust in God's way to deal with that one thing.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I cannot thank you enough for your sacrifice at the cross. God would be very angry at me right now if it wasn't that you step into my life, took the blame for my sin, and received the punishment in my place. Please help me to live always strong and confident that your love is more than enough to deal correctly with my sin. Let me put my trust in you at all times, not only when I do bad things, but also when I do good things. I'm blessed with salvation not because my good works. I'm saved because of what you have done for me. I love you Lord. Help me to live in a way that honors you and reflects the freedom that your power brings. Amen!

DISTRACTED WITH SELF-PITY. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
1 Kings 19:3-4

OBSERVATION
Elijah was a prophet with an amazing gift for miracles. Through him, God was able to resurrect the dead, bring fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice and defeat the priests of Baal. Elijah prayed for drought, and prayed for rain. He became a supernatural runner. The list is very impressive. Yet, he is afraid of one woman. And his fear for her was deep. He ran away from her and fell in a pit of depression and self-pity. What an irony! The man that can bring so many amazing miracles in the lives of others cannot have faith for a miracle in his own life. And yet, God's mercy and grace covered him for the rest of his ministry.

APPLICATION
How often do I share the same tendencies that Elijah had? We see God's power doing great things through us. We believe that God can move mountains and we tell people to keep believing. However, our own lives lack the trust and faithfulness that God deserves. In a similar way Elijah struggled, we think we are the only ones suffering, we think that we have the worse deal in our hands, and we compare ourselves to others. We think is not fair. We are tired even when we have enough rest. We lost our sense of purpose and we become victims of our own circumstances. These symptoms are a clear sign that something is missing. Maybe it's time to seek the Lord and to hear His voice in a whisper saying, "What are you doing here?"

We are not here to simply pass by. We are here to make a difference and to advance the kingdom of God. We cannot afford being distracted with self-pity. We cannot let our mind embrace depression. We must continue strong trusting that he same God that does amazing miracles around us is the same God that does miracles within us.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and for being patient with me, especially when I become a victim of my own circumstances. Please help me to seek your face regularly, to hear your whisper reaffirming my calling, reminding me of my assignment, providing fresh vision, and doing miracles in my own life. I love you Lord. Amen!

A PROPHET WITH NO NAME. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
"It is the man of God who disobeyed the Lord's command."
1 Kings 13:26

OBSERVATION
We don't know his name. The Scripture chooses not to name him. All we know is that he was a man of God, a prophet. He started well, being bold delivering a tough and risky message to King Jeroboam, and trusting God to back him up with great signs and wonders. God told him not to eat or drink anything until he returned to Judah. So on his way home, he encountered an older prophet. We don't know why, but this older prophet deceives the man of God, plays the "God Card" and tells him that upon the command of an angel, he should come to his house and eat and drink. The man of God does not stop to check this "prophecy," follows the older prophet, eats and drinks, and ends up disobeying God's direct command to him. He became known in the scripture as "the man of God who disobeyed the Lord's command." And to make things worse, after realizing of his mistake, he did not seek the Lord for mercy. He simply continued his journey as if anything serious happened. Sadly, he died that very same day.

APPLICATION
Today our church celebrates their 5th birthday. 5 years ago, following God's direct instruction, we started a church not knowing the amazing rewards and blessings that we would experience. Interesting that during these 5 years, some people have come playing the "God Card" also, telling me that we should go in a certain direction. And very often, their instruction was different that the one God first provided. How do you know when people are giving their own opinion and try to manipulate by using God's name?

I think the key is in another verse. 2 Chronicles 12:14 says that Rehoboam was an evil king because, "he did not seek the Lord with all his heart." You can be called, anointed, and appointed. But if you don't seek the Lord with all your heart, sooner or later, you will loose direction, focus, and you end up becoming a man of God who disobeyed the Lord. That is not God's plan. That is our enemy's plan. I will do everything possible to stay obedient before the Lord. I may not be perfect. But I will certainly come before the Lord as soon as I realize that I took steps away from his will. But also, I will not let anyone misguide me from my assignment, specially if they try to manipulate me with their visions, prophecies, and revelations. I will not become a man of God who disobeyed the Lord.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please forgive me for the many times I have step out from the path you have traced for me. I recognize that in the past I took short cuts and detours. I come to you depending on your mercy and grace, not in my good efforts or works. Please set my feet in the path you designed for me and help me to stay focused on it. Give me discernment to reject the so called "revelations" of those who try to manipulate me using your name. They may not be bad people, but they have the potential to distract me and cause me to walk away from my call. Let me depend on you, and in you alone. Let the next 5 years in our ministry be even more fruitful simply because we follow your plan. Let me continue leading with a greater humility, transparency, and godliness. You are all we need!

THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11

OBSERVATION
I cannot avoid to think about the wonderful people of NHDH when I read this chapter. They have been my partners in the ministry, spreading the Gospel in this community and in other parts of the world. I really want God's best for each one of them. Paul's prayer reveals a pattern of what really matters in a community of believers. First, that their love grows in such a way that overflows with wisdom beyond theirs so they can dedicate their lives to what is best, pure, and blameless. And second, that they are filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes thorugh a genuine relationship with Jesus.

APPLICATION
These are defenetely good prayer points when praying for other people. But also they are good indicators of my own spiritual progress. If my love for people doesn't abund and grow, then I will have a hard time discerning waht is right. When our motives are based on genuine love, our actions will be the best, pure and blameless. Many times people choose for second's best becasue they are motivated for something else but love. Also, the fruit of righteousness in my own life is a good indicator of my relationship with Jesus. If the fruit is not righteousness, I must be diligent to seek the Lord with hunger and thirst for His righteousness. The more time I spend with Him, the more of His nature will be embraced in my own nature. I need to soak myself in His presence and let Him fill me up until it overflows. The more I live this way, the more glory I will bring to God.

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, let me seek you with passion. Let me have a hunger and thirst for you llike never before. Fill me with the fruit of righteousness that only comes form you. And also let me serve people motivated by sincere love. I don't want to miss the best, waht is pure and blameless, because I'm distracted with other things.

AGAINST THE CURRENT. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Ephesians 5:17

OBSERVATION
Paul calls our season on this planet "evil days." He realized that by default, our nature will embrace the purposes of these evil days unless we pay attention to the way we live. It's like going up the river, against the current. It's not necessarily impossible, but it requires dedication, diligence, and discipline in order to make it. Paul wants to communicate that we need to know what we are doing. We cannot depend on good intentions and emotions to walk against the current. This is thoughtless. We need to understand what God wants us to do and do it! Just do it!

APPLICATION
If I'm not careful to plan my steps and to make unwavering decisions to accomplish them, I will become thoughtless in my efforts and I will be overwhelmed by the currents of this world. These evil days, with all its allures, are no small force to ignore. I usually become motivated to walk against the current when my emotions are aroused, but there is little thought and consideration to my steps. So even though I try to walk against the current, because of lack of planing, I take the wrong steps, anchoring my feet in a vulnerable place. Sooner or later, I end up being overpowered by the wash waters, dragged down the river, humbled once again, losing to start the journey again. This simply happens because I don't plan my steps carefully. And when I do, I fail to turn my plan into action. It's an action plan, not a good intentions plan.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, once again I found myself pushed back by the current, loosing ground in my journey, very frustrated at this situation. I know that I am the one to blame. You are faithful to me when I'm simply thoughtless about where I put my feet. Please forgive me for not planing well, and for not following through with the plans I come up with. Please help me to make the best out of these evil days. Help me to walk against the current and fill me with your Spirit to plan well and execute diligently the plans you have for me. Amen.

MY STRENGTH. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
"Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says."
Romans 16:25

OBSERVATION
The message of the Gospel does not only proclaim salvation. It also includes provision of strength. Why do we need it it? Well, strength is necessary in many ways in our Christian walk. We need strength to deal with the storms of life. We need strength to defeat daily temptations. We need strength to endure quitting points. We may have many good intentions, but without strength coming from the Lord, we don't have the stamina to overcome. We need to receive the promise of the Gospel in which God is able to make us strong. We are not able on our own, but He is more than able to make us stronger, especially where we have weak points and vulnerable areas.

APPLICATION
I am not able to make me strong. I can try so many things to improve my strength, but only God is able to make me strong. I often feel frustrated for my lack of emotional, physical, mental, and even spiritual strength. And even though I know that only God is able to make me strong, for some reason I keep trying on my own. I don't seek first the promises of the Gospel and default to my own efforts for strength. This is the reason why I set myself for failure.

My journey with God is not easy. Jesus promised that when we follow Him, we all carry a cross that seems sometimes heavier and heavier. At those moments we need to depend in the One who is able to make us strong. That's how we experience His daily presence and power in our lives.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for reminding me where I can find strength beyond mine. Please forgive me for depending in my efforts alone and for not depending in you to make me strong when I feel weak. Please let me experience this power and strength consistently in my life. You are my strength, and you are able to make my strong. Amen!

DEPENDING ON YOU. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.
Proverbs 24:3-4

OBSERVATION
We need wisdom to build a house, but there is more to it. We need to establish it with understanding, and then we need to fill it up with knowledge. Solomon is trying to communicate our dependence on God to build, establish and use our lives. Unless the Lord builds the house, the workers labor in vain. We cannot rely on yesterday's wisdom. We need today's understanding. We need the fresh knowledge of the Lord to make our lives a holy sacrifice before the Lord.

APPLICATION
We cannot become comfortable with the wisdom God gave us to build our lives in the past. We need to depend every day in the understanding and fresh knowledge of the Lord that will lead us today and tomorrow. Yesterday's favor is not guaranteed to endure forever. As graciously as it was given to us, it can be gone without a notice.

Certainly our church is a living proof of the way God build a house with wisdom. However, we cannot depend on the past glory to keep moving forward. We need to be established in understanding. We need God's knowledge to turn this church into what God wants. We need to be hungry and thirsty for his direction just as we were at the beginning. We cannot rely on past miracles or in the resources we have now. We are thankful for them, but we must continue trusting in his provision, walking by faith, and depending daily on His grace and mercy.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for the wisdom you have given us to build our ministry aand my own life. Forgive me for the times I become complacent and comfortable. Give me a bigger hunger and thirst for your understanding and knowledge to keep moving forward according to your plan. Use our church to bring glory to your name, not just for the things of tha past five years, but for the thngs you are about to do today and tomorrow. Above all things, give us a greater heart hear of passion for you and compassion for your people. Amen!