GOD'S MERCY. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Romans 11:32

For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

OBSERVATION

In this passage Paul answers the question, "How do we get to know the mercy of God?" It would be impossible to experience God's mercy if we never drift away from His ways. The proper punishment for our sin is death, but God's mercy is revealed through our disobedience so no one can claim is their own doing. His mercy and grace abounds even more when we disobey His ways.

APPLICATION

Lately I've been having the same conversation with many people about why God doesn't take our weaknesses away. We may be obedient for a while but then our sinful nature kicks in again and we end up walking in disobedience. We hate the process because it makes us feel like we are not growing or being set free, or even worse, that God doesn't care. One person asked me, "Does God enjoy allowing the enemy causing me to fall in my sin?"

This passage reveals that one of the reasons why we continue struggle in our walk with Christ is the revelation of God's mercy. We have experienced the love and mercy of God in our salvation, but God knows we need to be reminded that His mercy is not a one time deal, it's a constant flow of love from His heart to us. We cannot experience mercy unless we disobey. That's why God allows the many thorns in our flesh because in our weakness He is strong. It's not about us being good, it's always about God being merciful. Is this a license to continue living in sin or to abuse God's mercy? Of course not! It's actually a motivation to stay closer to God in obedience. But when God notices that we are getting self reliant confident in our own efforts, He may allow some temptation so we can rely on his mercy, not only to be forgiven, but also to be empowered to overcome temptation.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, during this season of reflection I have a new appreciation for your mercy in my life. I understand than when I fall I have an opportunity to experience your mercy once again.

THE PRICE FOR THE PRIZE. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

OBSERVATION

Paul highlights here the importance of self-discipline in order to walk with Christ. This is a process of surrendering our comfort consistently for what is best for the advancement of the Kingdom of God in our lives. Paul uses the illustration of an athlete as a parallel to our journey with Christ. We cannot go through the motions of Christianity, running aimlessly, but we should run with purpose, knowing that what we do in training will eventually produce a great result in the race. Without an intentional regimen of self-discipline we will be disqualified for the race because we have not been diligent developing what it takes to run to win.

APPLICATION

Even though I enjoy playing sports, I've never been attracted to become highly competitive. And even though I like to win in sports, I'm not interested in paying the price that requires to get to the top of the podium. I'm simply not competitive. Now, when it comes to my health, I know the importance of daily exercise and balanced diet. But I avoid exercising like a plague and once in a while I eat too much of what I shouldn't. I'm simply not diligent.

The problem with this attitude is that when it comes to our race of life and living the way that God intends, I could easily ditch self-discipline and go through the motions. Training is not fun for those who are not jazzed about winning, but it's everything for those who want to succeed. If I'm serious about becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ, I need to be serious about being intentional applying a regimen of self-discipline in daily prayer, devotions, personal Bible study, character development, and leadership training. I know that the Holy Spirit is doing a huge work in me, but I must also partner with Him and do everything possible in my life so He can bring genuine spiritual growth in me.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly father, please forgive me for my laziness and lack of intentionality in being diligent with my spiritual regimen. I want to grow, but I'm not paying the price for the prize. Let me become more competitive in this run so I'm not running aimlessly but with a clear purpose, training hard, devoted to the spiritual disciplines when no one else is watching, but growing in your image more and more. I love you Lord. Amen.

THE SUPREMACY OF GOD'S WISDOM. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

OBSERVATION

Paul reveals his philosophy of life and ministry as he writes to the Corinthians. A sincere sense of humility is at the core of Paul's values. He recognizes that the wisdom of God cannot be compared to the wisdom of this world. In fact, what this word considers important, the wisdom of God disregards as meaningless. God's methods are sometimes opposite from the world's methods. And even though God has called to himself people that are wise in the world's standards and wants to use them in His kingdom, Paul is concerned that there is too much of the world's wisdom in the way the church lives and operates. He uses his own life and ministry as an example of God's power working through in amazing ways when we simply prioritize and embrace God's wisdom.

APPLICATION

In the same way Paul was concerned about the church in Corinth, I'm concerned about the way I prioritize the wisdom of this world over the wisdom of God. Starting with my own life, I usually follow the advice of what in our world is considered "wise." I have my favorite financial advisers, health and fitness advisers, parenting advisers, etc. I personally believe that following their wisdom will bless me, but it will be never at the level that God's wisdom can bless my life. Following the world's wisdom requires common sense but following God's wisdom requires faith. Am I willing to challenge my human common sense and that risks by placing my faith in God?

When it comes to my ministry, I know that my success has nothing to do with my personal abilities. I'm a living example that God uses the foolish things of this world. As I honestly assess myself, I can see shortcomings in many areas that by common sense we would consider as crucial and important to succeed. But God's wisdom has been revealed in my own life and His favor in my ministry declares that it is by HIS power, not mine. There is a balance to keep between our human wisdom and God's wisdom. We need both. However, there are times where I favor human wisdom over God's wisdom. I may make good decisions that way, but I miss the opportunity to make optimum decisions that will bring more miracles and blessings in my life and ministry.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for speaking so kindly yet so firmly about this lack of balance in my own life. I cannot live tilting the balance on the side of human wisdom. I must live more on the side of your wisdom, which requires a greater amount of faith. Please forgive me for relying more on common sense rather than on faith in your promises. Help me to be very good at living a life and ministry where the wisdom of this world is often embarrassed because your ways are more fruitful, everlasting, and effective. Give me the leadership gifts to motivate our church leaders to never disregard their human wisdom, but to pursue and prioritize your wisdom above everything else. I love you Lord, Amen.

REMOVING THE STONES. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Mark 16:1-4

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

OBSERVATION
A group of women want to anoint Jesus' body and they made preparations for it. They got the spices and all the ingredients necessary for the task. They rose early that day to do their service to the Lord. Everything seems in order until they realize on their way to the tomb that there was one problem they did not planned for... who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb? But they neither went back to find help nor stop to discussed the possibilities. They moved forward in faith and they got there the problem was already removed.

APPLICATION
Very often we go through situations where we have good intentions to do what God is calling us to do. We prepare and plan as best as we can, and we start the journey hoping to get things done. But almost without failing, we find challenges and roadblocks we did not planned for and we feel powerless to remove. We encounter a stone blocking us and we realize we don't have what it takes to remove it. Our tendency is to either give up and go back in disappointment or become paralyzed and try to find a solution on our own. These women did the right thing. They became aware of their shortcomings, but they move forward in faith, hoping to find the answer on their way up.

These women are very encouraging to me today. When I see the kind of things God wants me to do and I become aware of the roadblocks ahead, I recognize that certainly I don't have the wisdom, the stamina, the resources, and the strength to roll away the stones blocking me. Normally I don't give up, but unfortunately, I get numb, paralyzed, thinking and processing a lot, but not moving forward. It's at those moments where I need to move forward in faith. I need to trust that God's vision always comes with God's provision. I need to move forward knowing that God is going to meet me with a miracle of provision.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for revealing to me today that I'm missing so much because I'm stuck trying to move stones on my own. Please help me to put my complete trust in you, to move forward in spite of all my shortcomings. Certainly the new ventures you are calling me to requires a greater faith. I recognize that I don't have what it takes. I'm not enough to move the stones ahead. But you have all the wisdom, all the strength, all the resources to make it possible. So in your name, I will be moving forward, trusting each step of the way that you will meet me with miracles and removed stones.

WHO'S ON STAGE? By Pastor Mark Olson

SCRIPTURE - Mark 1:7-8

And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

OBSERVATION

John the Baptist preached one of the simplest messages ever. Repent and get ready for the Lord’s coming. In this verse John spoke a lesson we all need to heed in our lives. He pointed to someone else who was coming soon and always spoke about that other person - Jesus.

APPLICATION

Accolades are a real potential downfall in ministry. When you devote your life to serving God in ministry, you begin to be more visible - and because of the visibility, people sometimes compliment you, thank you for serving, and even look up to you more than they might if you were not in full time ministry. The natural tendency of my human nature is to accept those compliments and allow it to build my ego. Sometimes that can help my confidence for ministry, but mostly it gives an opportunity for Satan to build a “house on the sand” in my heart where I can begin to think I actually am something ! Ha ! If I’m not careful my “success” in ministry will be the downfall of my ministry ! What a strange dynamic - success can lead to failure !

John the Baptist was a perfect example to follow in this regard. He never talked about himself – he just pointed people to Jesus. Everything about him was pointing to someone else coming soon. And John was very aware that his ministry was going to grow smaller and eventually disappear while Jesus ministry was going to grow and become more and more “successful” (John 3:30 – “he must become greater; I must become less”). John eventually was arrested, spent time in prison and then beheaded – not a real successful end to his life in the worldly sense. How do I feel thinking that someday I might end up as an old man, living in a tiny rented room somewhere, going to a small church and no one even notices me ? Can I deal with that possibility ? Is my love for Jesus and commitment to his work so deep and real that I can deal with my life eventually becoming “nothing” ? Test that thought in my heart and see how it feels. If I don’t like that thought, then maybe I need to examine my heart as to what it is that really drives me to serve God. Is it partly because it gives me a platform to receive praise ? I hope not.

Ministry success (or ANY success) must be attributed to Jesus, accolades must be turned over to Jesus for praise and honor to Him. No matter how much “success” anyone sees in their ministry – full time service, or volunteer - or even in business, or sports or education or whatever, we must always look at Jesus – point to Jesus as the author of our success. Everything I say and do needs to point others to Jesus, never to me or anyone else.

PRAYER

Lord, Help me to point to Jesus in every single thing I say and do and even think. Help me to not allow any accolades to come to me without me turning them back to YOU. I love you and don’t want to try to take center stage in anything. In Jesus name, Amen.

HARDSHIPS ON THE WAY. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Acts 14:21-22

They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

OBSERVATION
Paul and Barnabas found all kinds of hardships as they traveled preaching the Gospel. They went through disappointments, trials, and life-threatening situations. Paul almost died by stoning. Yet, all these hardships couldn't stop them from doing their mission. Every time they got knocked down, they got up again. They understood that their assignment was crucial and bigger than their own comfort and safety. They persevered in their efforts, and as a result hundreds and thousands of people came to know Christ and history was radically changed for the glory of God.

APPLICATION
Sometimes I forget that hardships are always on the way towards fulfilling our mission. Sharing the Gospel and living the Gospel is not easy. We have a spiritual enemy that spews hate towards the power of the Gospel in people's lives and will oppose in all possible ways the advancement of the Kingdom of God. I shouldn't be surprised when doing the right thing brings trouble.

So if we are going to be effective advancing the kingdom in our own lives and in others, first of all we need to be aware of hardships and expect them. As we prepare for them, we must remember that our conflict is spiritual in nature and we must face off those hardships with spiritual weapons. Secondly, we need to be willing to persevere. Victory may not come immediately, so we need to be prepare to stay firm on our ground until the enemy is defeated. We must encourage one another in our hardships because when our enemy uses them to destroy us, The Holy Spirit is using them to make us more like Jesus. Hardships are not just inevitable. They are also necessary.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, as I move forward to get closer to you and see more of your kingdom in my personal life, I've been forgetting of the hardships I must endure first in order to succeed. Why do I act surprised when trials come? Why do I assume that something is wrong when in actuality hardships are a sign that everything is the way is supposed to be? Please give me the endurance and perseverance to stay firm on the course. And as we proclaim the Gospel and make crucial decisions to be more effective, help us to face our hardships in a way that glorifies your name. Hardships will come. It's not a matter of "if they come," but of "when they come." Whatever comes against us, please prepare us spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. The cause of the Gospel is worthwhile the sacrifices we have to make. Amen.

SEARCHIN FOR CORNELIUS. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Acts 10:30-33

30Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."

OBSERVATION
The Holy Spirit reveals in amazing supernatural ways that the Gospel is not exclusive for the Jews but reaches all peoples, including those who were considered unclean. Cornelius was a good man and a spiritual man, but he was a Gentile. This was a huge revelation for the early church. They struggled with this, some opposed it, but the Holy Spirit prevailed.

APPLICATION
There are many Cornelius types of people around us. These are people that do righteous works and even sympathize with spirituality in one way or another. They know that there is a God and they try their best to honor and live according to His will. However, they do not have a full understanding of the Gospel and need someone like Peter to deliver the good news. This sounds like an easy job. But in reality it is not. Just like Cornelius, there are many people that Christians consider "unclean." They are compassionate and somehow spiritual, but their lifestyle doesn't reflect sound doctrine or the foundations of the scripture. Unfortunately, many people in the Church deal with them without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. These well intended people are more concerned to prove they are right rather than being the light. And instead of bringing them closer to God, they end up moving further and further form the truth of the Gospel.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I'm aware that there are some many Cornelius out there and very few people like Peter, willing to break the stereotypes, and become effective presenters of the Gospel in a way that brings them closer to you. My prayer today is that you will anoint me and our church to be effective reaching those who are ostracized and considered unclean. Give us favor among the communities that are often overlooked by the church and use us to bring them closer to God. Let your Holy Spirit speak to them and to us just like you spoke to Cornelius and Peter. In Jesus name, Amen!

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES. By Pastor Mark Olson

SCRIPTURE - Nehemiah 7:2

I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.

OBSERVATION

Nehemiah’s job of overseeing the building of the wall is done and he is now tasked with establishing the leadership of Jerusalem and putting into place the plans for the next phase of rebuilding the city. He appoints his brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem and provides the reason for his choice – “he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most.”

APPLICATION

One definition of leadership is “the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”. That’s pretty straight-forward and easy to grasp. And when we think of leaders we often think in those terms - able to influence people, able to get others to do things to accomplish a task, getting people to rally around a cause. All are important and are a part of what we would normally ask for in a good leader.

It’s interesting that when Nehemiah appoints his brother as the leader over Jerusalem he also provides a reason for his choice and it’s not the reason you might expect if you use the Webster’s definition of a leader. Maybe Nehemiah had to justify why he appointed his brother (nepotism), but more likely he wanted to define the qualities a true leader should have. In any case, the reasons he gave were that Hanani was a man of integrity and feared God more than most.

Integrity is someone who steadfastly adheres to a strict moral or ethical code. They are unimpaired by distractions or temptations, undivided and focused. Hanani was this type of man and was chosen, in part, because of his integrity. But secondly, Hanani was chosen because of his relationship with God. He feared God. When we fear someone (in the way the Bible defines fear of God), we pay close attention to what they say and what they have already said before. That “fear” influences our decisions - how we act, how we think and the choices we make.

The two statements about Hanani are very similar – both indicate a solid, rock like character that will not be easily influenced by distractions, by shouting of special interests, by bribes and by the power of his position. These qualities were within Hanani and those two characteristics made him a good candidate to lead. Yes, we want a leader who is able to influence others, but we more want someone who is able to hear God and stand firm on God’s word and God’s direction when the distractions are shouting loud in their face. In this political season, we have plenty of people who are good at influencing others, but men and women of integrity, who love and fear God, are somewhat hard to find.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to be a man of integrity and a man who pays attention to what You say. Help me to lead by those qualities as you place in my heart. In Jesus name, Amen.

MY DELIGHT! By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE- Psalm 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

OBSERVATION
This psalm reveals the key for genuine success in life. Delighting in the Word of God and not in the patterns of this world brings rewards that overflow into eternity. Makes sense to apply this principle into our lives. However, this is not an easy task. The patterns of this world have a cunning way to infiltrate our mindset and convince us that they are delightful. Sometimes we walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit with the mockers completely unaware. This happens because we do not allow God's Word to bring a daily alignment of our thoughts.

APPLICATION
I have a big front yard and and even bigger backyard that requires a lot of maintenance. There are daily routines like watering that need to take place. We need to pick up leaves regularly, cut the grass every two weeks, and prune trees consistently. When the work is neglected, weeds take over and the yards get pretty messy. Last week I neglected the daily work on my yards, so this week I had to spend 7 hours pruning them and cleaning them to get it back to ideal shape. It's hard work, but the end result is very rewarding.

Every time we neglect our devotions and the daily input of God's Word, we are letting our flesh grow wild. The yard of our minds become overwhelmed with the mindset of this word, which never stops to influence us. God's Word has the power to uproot all the junk this world offers by revealing the truth and the life that God brings. Even when we read passages that we don't understand, the Holy Spirit is planting seeds of righteousness in our hearts and uprooting the weeds of decay this world so effectively infiltrates.

PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, let me embrace with greater responsibility my daily devotion to your Word. Let me be like a tree planted besides a stream of waters. Let my mind be constantly manicured by the power of your Word and make me aware of the influences of this world. Remove all the weeds that this world tries to plant in my heart in a regular basis. Let me walk with the wise, stand with the righteous, and sit with the compassionate. Amen!

THE DECEPTION OF RITUALS. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Zechariah 7:9-10
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'"

OBSERVATION
The people of Israel got used to many religious rituals like fasting in certain months, but lost the purpose and the significance of them. In fact, they neglected the most important things of the Law. And they were more concerned in doing the rituals rather than becoming what God instructed them to become, a people that reflected God's glory through justice, mercy, compassion and sincere love for others. Sadly, they did not listen and continue neglecting what really mattered. In Jesus' time we see the same happening with regard of the Sabbath. People were more concerned about the rituals than helping people on the day of rest.

APPLICATION
It's easier to reduce our relationship with God to mere rituals rather than focusing in what God wants us to become. With a ritual we can check the box and have the impression that we accomplish what is required. Rituals can be very deceptive. But when the real test is who we are and who are we becoming, the reality of God's will reveals our shortcomings.

There are more rituals in my daily life than ever before: doing daily devotions, praying for the needs of others, having communion once a month, doing water baptisms every two months, etc... All these rituals can be deceiving and become meaningless if the main purpose of doing them is neglected. And that purpose simple stated is that I become more like Christ.

Today I'm challenged to look beyond all the rituals I practice into the reality of who I am becoming. Rituals are not necessarily bad, but they are not the end of the means. They are means to an end. And if I'm not arriving to the character of Jesus, to the Fruit of the Spirit, then I need to evaluate those rituals and get rid of those which are not helpful in becoming a man after God's own heart, full of passion for God and compassion for people.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for your faithfulness in my life. This morning I'm remembering the song, "I'm coming Back to the heart of worship," when it says, "I'm sorry Lord for this thing I made, when it's all about You!" Please reveal to me when my rituals become a deception and a distraction for what really maters. Bring more of the Fruit of the Spirit into my life and if a religious ritual is on the way blocking my progress, give me the courage to challenge it and get rid of it so your anointing flows like a river and I can become more like you. Amen!

THE PRINCIPLE OF AUTHORITY. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Zechariah 3:7
"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: if you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards..."

OBSERVATION
Zechariah is ministering to Jeshua, the high priest, and delivers a prophetic word containing an amazing promise from God. This promise is about a divine flow of authority over the things of God, but it comes with a condition. It requires obedience and faithful service to the house of the Lord. And in verse 8, Zechariah says to Jeshua... "you are symbols of the things to come." Just like many passages of the OT, this verse has important implications today for all those who serve the Lord.

APPLICATION
I like to be in authority over my house, not becasue I'm a control freak, but because I can see God's anointing flowing through me to provide emotional security, spiritual direction, and physical resources to my family. There is harmony when authority is steward well. But when I've been a guest in someone else's house where I'm not in authority, and there is chaos all around, I want to take over and lead. However that authority hasn't been given to me. The same principle works in the kingdom of God. Authority flows from God when we line up in his will through obedience and faithful service.

As an individual, I need such authority to rule over God's temple, my body, my mind and my heart. The fruit if the Holy Spirit is self-control, and it easily flows when we are under authority. As a head of my family, I need such authority to love and serve them like Jesus would. But I could easily loose my command post if I walk away from the flow of divine authority. And as a shepherd of God's people, I need that authority, no to manipulate others, but to guide them to the fresh waters and green pastors God wants us to go.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for setting effective principles to live blessed lives. I have to admit that I violated this principle and I have lost grip of my authority. I may not loose my title or position, but the authority, the favor I have with people to motivate them and mobilize them. Please restore my heart so self-control flows naturally in my life.

THE PROMISE OF GREATER GLORY. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Haggai 2:9
"'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty.'"

OBSERVATION
In this passage the Lord is promising an amazing blessing. For years the people of Israel prioritize the reconstruction of their own homes, but neglected the temple. But if the people prioritize building the Temple, God promised to pour out His glory in a greater way than before. And the former glory experienced at the Temple when Solomon dedicated it was over the top. God always wanted to give greater blessings to His people. as long as they submit to His plan and will.

APPLICATION
In my own understanding of this passage, I cannot avoid thinking that in the New Covenant my soul is the living temple of the Holy Spirit. As we look at the condition of such temple, we need to look for places of differed maintenance, areas where neglect is evident, and situation that defile and bring corruption to the temple of the Lord. This ear God gave us the blessing of purchasing a home. We are very thankful for it. However, the past owners neglected some issues of maintenance in this house. Slowly we have been taking care of this issues one by one. It's a lot of work to do, but if we want to keep our home livable, we need to be intentional about taking care of it.

In my own temple, I can see many areas where my own neglect has become evident. In the past I experienced amazing moments of God's glory, and sometimes I think that I would never reach that level again. But this promise in Haggai gives me hope to expect a greater glory than the former. There is more form God for my life. And as I become more intentional about restoring this temple, I will see God's promise being fulfilled in my on life.

PRAYER
Dear Heavenly father, thank you so much for this promise that brings me hope for greater things ahead. Please forgive me for the differed maintenance in your house, for allowing corrupted things in your house, and for neglect the proper care of your house. please renew my heart and stir my will to prioritize the ministry of my own heart. Make my heart your home once again, and let it be more glorious than ever before. Shine your face upon me and bring me to new vistas and greater intimacy with you. I love you Lord. Amen!

POSSESSIONS. By Pastor Mark Olson

SCRIPTURE - Ezekiel 44:28

I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.

OBSERVATION

Ezekiel is telling the people of Israel about the various things he saw in his vision. One of them pertains to the priests – how they are to minister, dress, etc. Here he tells the priests that the Lord is their inheritance and they are to own nothing in land or possessions.

APPLICATION

I am finding that preparing to move to Haiti is hard on my flesh. Every day I go home for lunch to go through a box or two - and every day I have to choose whether to sell, save or toss various things I own. It’s an exciting time, but a hard time. Going through your entire life and making decisions about getting rid of stuff is not easy. Mementos from my childhood, family photos – even my Boy Scout uniform and my high school letter sweater ! - all of which I have to deal with!! I admit, I am saving and packing away some of those things, but others I am getting rid of and I don’t want to.

The priests were told that they could have NO possessions. Wow ! Imagine that. They could have nothing at all and had to depend on God for absolutely everything in their life. God was their possession and inheritance. Yet, as you read the scripture, the priests had it all ! They lived in the temple, got to eat the first fruits and the best of the gifts to the Lord. They ate the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings. And everything devoted to the Lord was theirs to use (verses 28 – 30).

What is it about us that we must have stuff that belongs only to us and not to anyone else. Even when God provides things for us to use, we still seem to want to have them for ourselves – we want to own them. Our natural, selfish tendency is to heap up possessions and “treasures” in this life to hold on to. Even though we say we don’t heap up treasures here on earth – we do, or at least we want to ! Though we don’t often admit it, we are selfish. And the truth comes out when the treasures have to be disposed of or are physically taken away. Am I willing – am I able – to let go of my possessions for God’s call to Haiti ? It’s fairly easy to let go of the “duplicates” and the stuff I don’t care about much, but as I get closer and now am going through personal things to get rid of that I really love (my camping gear, my tools, things I’ve had for many, many years, etc.), the reality of my selfishness comes out. Letting go is hard.

Someone yesterday said I should sock away a bunch of money in the bank for when I return to “civilian life” after the mission field. He said I would need it to get started again in the “regular world”. Little did he know that I don’t have any money to “sock away”, but the interesting part is that his comment made me nervous. Should I try to hold onto something for the future ? Or should I just trust that God will take care of me when I am in the field and when I return to the regular day to day world (assuming I won’t be in the mission field the rest of my life). The fact that I got a little nervous, again shows my selfishness and also my incomplete trust in God to take care of me.

It’s amazing that an obscure little scripture in Ezekiel would cause me to think so hard about my life and what is really in the depths of my heart. God has a way of showing us our own heart and bringing out the darkness that’s down deep for us to see. Hard to deal with those emotions. But I am also reminded that no matter what “possessions” I don’t have, or have to get rid of, I have it all in Christ. God owns the “cattle on a thousand hills” as the scripture says and I don’t have to worry because I have a God who loves me, who died for me, and who will take care of me in every situation. I need to remember that piece of this scripture – I have everything I need in Christ !!

PRAYER

Lord, You are everything to me. Help me to live that out in my day to day life. You are my inheritance, my possession. If I don’t have something that I think I need, you will either provide it for me somehow, or I don’t need it ! Thank you for showing me the selfishness inside me. Cleanse my heart and make me more like you. In Jesus name, Amen.

FAITHFUL REWARDS. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Psalm 128:1-4

Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

OBSERVATION
The fear of the Lord has great rewards in eternity, but also in this world. Walking in God's ways prepares an atmosphere where blessings are abundant and family relationships thrive. Many men, even non believers, would love to have such lifestyle. They want the rewards but they don't want to pay the price. Somehow we want to walk on our own ways and expect the rewards of those who walk in God's ways. What a great deception!

APPLICATION
Sometimes I wonder, "What did I do right to be so blessed?" I enjoy what I do for a living, God has given me unprecedented favor with other people, my family life is very rewarding, and generally speaking, my life overflows with blessings. Certainly, the decisions I made in the past about living according to God's ways has paid off. However, today's decisions and tomorrow's decisions could change my life's outcome in a swift way. The great blessings I have today can be spoiled if my fear of the Lord - my desire to walk in God's ways - is compromised. Every day I face decisions where I must choose my way of Gods way. And my way is usually easier and more appealing, but it will damage my relationship with God. I need to stay away from anything that has the potential to ruin my relationship with the Lord.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for all the amazing and abundant blessings you have poured into my life. I don't deserve your grace and mercy. Yet, because of your unfailing love, you have given me more than I could ever imagine. Please help me to steward well all those blessings by staying closer to you, by following your ways, not my ways, and by staying away from the things that could separate me from you. My decisions affect the lives of those who I love the most. And out of love for you and for them, keep me always in your ways. Let me surrender my fears, my flesh and my sinful desires before you. Let me become a man after your own heart. Amen!

DRY BONES. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Ezekiel 37:4-6
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

OBSERVATION
This prophecy from Ezekiel is one of the most significant ones in the the history of the people of God. Ezekiel foretells the undeserving outpouring of God's grace over Israel as God himself brings life again to the nation of Israel. In Jewish mindset, dry bones were the strongest sign for desolation, hopelessness, and godlessness. This strong picture describes perfectly where they were emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. But God's promise challenges that reality.

APPLICATION
During this season in my life I want to look into the areas where it feels like a field of dry bones. What it used to be alive and functional has become dead. But I have hope today. I need a powerful blow of the breath of God in those areas. I need to come to life as the presence of God does a miracle of resurrection. My devotion for God sometimes feels like a field of dry bones. The only way I can come to life again is not by my own efforts and religious routines. I truly need an infuse of the Holy Spirit into my life.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, today I come to you seeking more of your presence in my life. Please breathe on to me the breath of life. Turn my dry bones into a new healthy body that gives glory to your name. Give me a new heart so I can follow you wholeheartedly. In Jesus name, Amen!

WITH DESPERATION. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Lamentations 2:19

Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street.

OBSERVATION

Jeremiah is grieving over the destruction of Jerusalem. Everything that once was dear was devastated. As he laments for this tragedy, he encourages the people to seek the Lord now like never before. He warned them about this destruction before it happened, hoping for them to repent and change their ways. But they continued in their rebellion. Now he hopes that after the destruction of the city and the fulfillment of his prophecies, their hearts are soften and ready to seek the Lord. But he instruct them to seek God once again with an increasing passion an desperation.

APPLICATION

Our tendency is to seek God with passion and desperation when we are in major trouble. We shouldn't wait for destruction to come at our doorsteps for us to seek the Lord. We need to develop a heart that is always willing to seek God, not only when we are facing difficulties, but also when we are enjoying fruitfulness.

In my own life my tendency is to be desperate for God when I'm desperate about life. Sometimes I wait until the last minute to pour out my heart like water in the presence of the Lord. I need to learn how to be more proactive in seeking the Lord with desperation, to remain in the offensive and not in a constant defensive mode.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please forgive me for not seeking you in the way I should. lately, I've been very passive about what's going on around me. This season is crucial in several fronts in my life, so I've been fasting and praying. But my intensity spiritually needs to go to next level. Help me to seek you with such passion and desperation now, and not just when difficult times arrive. Amen.

GOD IS JUST! By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Ezekiel 18:29

Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

OBSERVATION

A bitter sentiment among some people of Israel arouse when the consequences of their sinful lifestyle caught up to them. In their reasoning God wasn't just. In their minds they followed the rules, but God still allowed devastation. They had another opportunity to repent, yet they decided to justify themselves and condemned God. Rather than recognizing their fault, they passed blame to the Lord.

APPLICATION

How easy is to pass blame for the consequences of our wrong actions! Very often when a tragedy occurs is normal to ask why this is happening. In our grieving is natural to think that God has abandon us, or that He didn't care, or that it is His fault. But when we are objective and genuine, we will discover that God is the one giving us comfort and peace in those difficult times. We discover more about God's love and we draw closer to HIm.

However, there are other times when people are very quick to blame God and they refuse to be objective. Their external tragedy becomes internal and corrodes whatever amount of faith they had. At this point, God continues giving opportunities to repent, but sadly, many people choose to walk away from God. In their reasoning, they are doing something great, challenging the Almighty because they have proof that either He doesn't exist, or if He does, he doesn't care about our suffering.

What do we do when we go through difficult times? I've doubted and I've question God's motives, but I cannot see myself going that far as to justify myself and blame God. However, there are thousands of people around me that feel that way and need to be brought back to the understanding of God's fairness and justice. They certainly need a new heart and a new spirit.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, please continue building in me a pure heart that will humble himself before you and will never blame you for what this world brings into my life. Give me also wisdom and understanding of how I can guide people that continue justifying themselves and blaming you. You have so much mercy on them. Please use me to help them see the light of your love for them. Amen!

HARP AND BOWL. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Revelation 5:9-10

And when he (the Lamb) had taken it (the scroll), the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

OBSERVATION

In this chapter there is a common theme of sincere and passionate worship. There are three songs that come in waves of greater intensity, building a crescendo, performed by three different groups: the 4 creatures and 24 elders, the myriads of angels, and every creature in the world. The first song is rendered by those who are the closes to the throne of God, the 4 creatures and the 24 elders, who worship the Lamb of God for the great things He has done. And as they worship, they each carry a harp and a golden bowl full of incense. John tells us that they are the prayers of all the saints.

APPLICATION

Today I'm reminded of a powerful pattern of proper worship before the Lord. A harp and a bowl of incense must be at hand when bowing before God in intimate worship. With the harp we express our most deeper emotions and true self. We need to connect our heart with our worship to God. We cannot go simply through the motions. We also need to bring before God a golden bowl full of incense, the prayers of the saints. My prayers before the Lord are precious enough to be in golden bowls, and I need to regard other people' prayers in the same way.

On Wednesday we are calling people to come and pray before God and expect a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in their lives. We are combining it with worship because of the patterns we have discovered in the Scripture. But more than anything, we must come with a sincere heart heart attached to our worship. Very easy to be distracted and loose focus. Also we need to have a high regard for the prayers of people. Worshipping God in such powerful way will create a welcoming atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to glory Jesus and to release His mighty power in our lives.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, help me and our church to understand the patterns that create a powerful environment for your glory to dwell. Help me to prepare myself and our people to expect a powerful touch form you as we worship you with sincere hearts and bring our prayers with faith. Give me a greater sense of focus and purpose as I lead people in prayer and worship before your throne. Holy Spirit, please come and join us in our worship so you glorify Jesus among ourselves. Amen!

RUNNING WITH HORSES. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Jeremiah 12:5

"If you have raced with men on foot

and they have worn you out,

how can you compete with horses?

If you stumble in safe country,

how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

OBSERVATION

This passage is God’s response to Jeremiah’s question, “Why do the good people have to suffer so much while the wicked enjoys the things of life?” God’s answer provides unique insight about this issue, which is rooted in God’s divine purpose for our lives. God’s desire for His people is to do the impossible -- the things that only men can do when in close relationship with God. God wants them to run and compete with horses. But if they get weary racing other men, they will never become what God wants them to be. So God will take them into situations, some of them extreme, when they learn how to depend on Him and on His strength to do amazing things for the glory of God. God will not let them move around in the safe country side. He will take them where there are enemies and hazards so they can seek to God for help and experience His power to do the impossible.

APPLICATION

Like Jeremiah, very often I complain about the trials of my life and I find it unfair when I compare myself to ungodly people that have easy lives. But once in a while, it’s important to remember that if we want to run against horses, we need to graduate from running against mere men. We need to embrace God’s difficult training and painful situations that will help us to seek Him and depend on Him to live a life that goes beyond our imagination. God has a great destiny right in front of us and we may miss it if we continue struggling on our own with our present situations. We need to learn how to surrender to God and trust him to help us conquer the current issues. Only then, God will take us to greater playfields and enlarge our vistas to soar like never before in our lives.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that you want me to live an extraordinary life, an impossible life, where I run against horses, where I can soar like the eagles. Please help me to put my trust in you and depend on your strength and wisdom for all the issues in my life. GIve me a passion to graduate soon from the struggles of running against men so I can truly soar and embrace the supernatural life of running against horses. Let your will be done in my life. Amen!

A VOICE OF ENCOURAGEMENT. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

OBSERVATION

Following Christ is not just a walk around the park. It’s more like a competitive race, full of energy and excitement. Great rewards and satisfaction are on the line when we endure to the end. That’s why we need to persevere, ignore our tiredness, find strength in the Lord, avoid distractions, and stop paying attention to the voices that want to slow us down.

APPLICATION

As I take a look into my own life I can see how easy is to slow down. When facing distractions, discouragement, and tiredness, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the one who endure it all: criticism, exhaustion, pain, suffering, fears, doubts and even betrayal. By following Jesus’ example we will overcome and we will run non-stop towards the finish line.

In the past I had many people around me cheering me up to keep running in spite of the difficulties. If it wasn’t for these people, I would have become lethargic and miss great blessings in my life and ministry. I knew I’m surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, the heroes of the faith, cheering us from heaven. But also I have a great cloud of loving and encouraging people that motivate me to move forward, running with great passion towards the goal. I’m very thankful for these people.

During this season in my life I feel God’s calling to be an encourager and cheer other pastors that are struggling in their race of ministry. Being here in Taiwan this week I can sense God using me to encourage pastor Stephen to keep running towards the goal, fixing his eyes on Jesus. I’m so privileged to stand on the sidelines and cheer him and his team on. There’s no doubt in my mind that they will advance Go’s Kingdom in Taiwan and China in amazing ways.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be a hero of the faith and an encourager of those who are running the race with me. Help me to run aside Steven and Joyce during this season to be an ally in their race. Use my life to help other pastors that feel tired and need a voice of encouragement. Amen!

JESUS' CORE VALUES: SUBMISSION AND OBEDIENCE. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Hebrews 5:7-10

During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

OBSERVATION

In this passage of Hebrews, the Holy Spirit reveals the core values of our Lord Jesus. For Him, submission to God’s plan and obedience to His ways was paramount for His assignment in life. The greatest miracle that Jesus performed was to completely submit and obey God. And this miracle was not easy because required lots of suffering. But it is the most effective miracle because it made Jesus the source of eternal salvation for all who believe and put their trust in Him.

APPLICATION

Certainly we would like to perform great miracles to reveal the glory and power of God. Healing people, raising the dead, accurate prophecies about the future, all of them are very impressive. But none of them compare with the miracle of a life fully submitted and obedient to God’s ways. It’s easier to heal someone than to fully submit and obey God’s ways. We don’t see Jesus in the Gospels crying out to God with loud petitions and tears to heal someone. He only does that when facing the challenges of God’s will, when facing the suffering that comes when we have to chose between our way and God’s way.

In my own life I can recall many times when I’ve been crying out to God to use me to do great things in people’s lives, but very seldom I cry out with intensity for the miracle of full submission and obedience to His ways. When I struggle between what I want and what God wants I don’t seek the Lord with loud cries and tears, and I choose the option with less suffering. Maybe it’s time, as I grow as a follower of Christ, to embrace this passion for righteousness, and to seek the Lord with fear and trembling, asking Him to do the greatest miracle in me, to lay down my life and my plan, and to embrace God’s perfect will for me.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, here I am renewing my mind to conform to yours. Help me to have this intense desire and passion to become more submitted and obedient to your plan and will for my life. I want to grow in the fear of the Lord. Please help me to stay away from whatever damages my relationship with you. Let your core values be mine. Amen!

SOMETHING SMELLS! By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE: John 11:39

“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”

OBSERVATION

Jesus is angry in His spirit because the people, including Martha, can neither understand nor comprehend His power and assignment. They had Lazarus' dead body inside a grave decomposing, but Jesus insists to open the grave and expose it. Martha's main concern is the smell. She doesn't want to deal with it! It's unpleasant and uncomfortable. She resisted the Lord's command and protested. But eventually Jesus got what he wanted. There was truly a stench inside that grave, but His power was more than able to restore that was decaying. Jesus was able to bring life and hope where there was death and despair.

APPLICATION

Sometimes before a miraculous act of God we must be willing to expose what is rotting. Many of us we cannot experience the amazing miracles of God because we are like Martha, we resist and protest the unpleasant act of uncovering the smell of decay around our lives. Sometimes our secret sins or our most embarrassing issues are kept hidden for no one else to know about. We tapper wear them hoping for them to go away. But unless we expose them and deal with them in the open, they will remain in our hearts advancing the decay.

What amazes me about this story is the way John reveals what was going on inside Jesus' heart. The Lord felt angry to the point of crying. It really bothers Him when we lack faith in His power to deal effectively with the stench around our lives. It bothers Him when we protest dealing with them and when we insist in leaving things the way they are because we want to avoid the uncomfortable. As I walk with Christ and grow in my relationship with Him, this issue becomes more and more important. I need to let Jesus deal with the decay and bad smell because He will make something amazing out of what stinks in my life.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, there are somethings that are hidden in a grave in my heart that if uncovered, they will certainly stink. I cannot fool myself any longer. I need to let you deal with it. And even though I'm scared and fearful of what the unpleasant smell can do in me and others around me, what I fear the most making you angry and disappointed. I want to honor you, put my hope and faith in you alone, because you can effectively deal with the things that stink in me. Give me the boldness to open those graves and give me the courage to trust in your mighty work. you alone can bring hope and life in those areas. Do what you have to do in me. Amen!

THE BEST FOR LAST. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - John 2:9-10

Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

OBSERVATION

In this passage the Holy Spirit though John's writing wants to communicate a principle rather than just a story. And this principle is based in God's progressive blessing in our lives. When the master of the banquet tasted the superior quality wine, his comment reveals that Jesus' work doesn't rely in the glory of the past, but leaves the best for last. When Jesus touches our lives we go from glory to glory, from better to much better. Once we are enjoying today's blessings, we have a tendency to become comfortable and complacent. But Jesus wants us to expect more from Him.

APPLICATION

In my personal life and in my ministry I've seen the Lord doing great and amazing things. Through the years I've seen a progression in His blessing over my life. But for some reason, lately I've been feeling stuck and relying more in the blessings of the past. This nostalgia causes me to crave some old blessings rather than the new and better blessings ahead. My past blessings are helpful to remind me that God has always been faithful, but I should not rely in yesterday's blessings. I should be hungry and thirsty for the choice wine that Jesus always leaves for later. My best days are yet to come.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, please forgive me for relying in the past and for focusing more in yesterday that in tomorrow. You are a God that leaves the best for last. You love to increase more and more blessings as days go by. Please help me to see the future applying this principle, knowing that you are not done with me and that I've not seen or heard the awesome things you want to do in my life. Please bring me closer to you like never before. And help me to expect the most fruitful season in my relationship with you as new days come. I'm looking forward to the choice wine you have prepared for me. I love you Lord. Amen!

CHEERLEADERS. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Hebrews 12:1-4

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

OBSERVATION

Following Christ is not just a walk around the park. It’s more like a competitive race, full of energy and excitement. Great rewards and satisfaction are on the line when we stop running. That’s why we need to persevere, ignore our tiredness, find strength in the Lord, avoid distractions, and stop paying attention to the voices that want to slow us down.

As I take a look into my own life I can see how easy is to slow down. When facing distractions, discouragement, and tiredness, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the one who endure it all: criticism, exhaustion, pain, suffering, fears, doubts and even betrayal. By following Jesus’ example we will overcome and we will run towards the goal.

APPLICATION

In the past I had many people around me cheering me up to keep running in spite of the difficulties. If it wasn’t for these people, I would have become lethargic and miss great blessings in my life and ministry. I knew I’m surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, the heroes of the faith, cheering us from heaven. But also I have a great cloud of loving and encouraging people that motivate me to move forward, running with great passion towards the goal. I’m very thankful for these people.

During this season in my life I feel God’s callig to be an encourager and cheer other pastors that are struggling in their race of ministry. Being here in Taiwan this week I can sense God using me to encourage pastor Stephen to keep running towards the goal, fixing his eyes on Jesus. I’m so privileged to stand on the sidelines and cheer him and his team on. There’s no doubt in my mind that they will advance God’s Kingdom in Taiwan and China in amazing ways.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for all the people in my life that have been cheerleaders, encouragers, and heroes of the faith. I owe them so much. Let me be a cheerleader for others as well, encouraging always, speaking God's purpose into their lives, and supporting them form the sidelines. Amen!

BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM WITH FAITH. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

OBSERVATION
Reading this passage today has a very special meaning. It's my first day in Taiwan, following God's instructions to come and serve a dear group of brothers and sisters that are called to plan a New Hope church here in Taipei. They are following a pattern that each Bible hero had to follow for their generation. It's the pattern of faith. All the amazing things we read in Scripture came because these men and women simply believed God's promises. Regardless the opposition the encountered and the impossibilities ahead of them, they simply trusted in God's promise and they made a huge difference.

APPLICATION

I remember when we launched our church at Diamond Head. We only had the promises of God to rely upon and God did great things in us and through us. However, there's more to be done, things that go beyond our footprint in this generation. This is the only way to please God: by believing in His promises and by continuing doing what God has called us to do. I know that I'm a small part in God's plan for Hawaii. I'm just a another brick God is using to build His church in Hawaii. But as insignificant as my work is, I'm able to build upon what others have built and others after me will continue building upon what I build.

I believe that this season for my brothers and sisters in Taiwan is very special. They are called to engaged in a journey of faith. They are building upon the faith of many other great servants of God before them. And I believe that their labor of faith in their generation will cause more of Gods kingdom to be built among the Taiwanese and Chinese people.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for bringing me here to Taiwan to serve these amazing group of faithful brothers and sisters to build your Kingdom. Please anoint our team to serve them effectively and practically so they can continue giving their lives for the cause of Christ in Taiwan and China. Please help us to follow this pattern of faith that truly pleases you so we can continue building your kingdom. Amen.

HELPING A BRUTE BEAST. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Psalm 73:21-26

²¹ When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

²² I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

OBSERVATION

This passage reveals one of the most amazing facts about God's grace and patience with His people. God knows that our flesh and our heart fails, causing us to be embittered, senseless and ignorant, like a brute beast. This description may not be pretty, but it's very accurate. We all have our "brute beast" moments. We often fall into a funk and struggle in our faith, convictions, and even compromise in our behavior. But God's promise is to never leave us and never forsake us. He is the strength of our heart and our portion forever.

APPLICATION

What I love about this passage is that I can relate completely with the description here. I have my times when I behave and think like a brute beast, letting my raw natural instinct direct my ways into the wrong path. Those are the moments when my heart and my flesh fail. But even then, when I walk away from God's presence, I have to say that I don't feel completely alone. Even though I feel ashamed, I honestly sense the presence of God calling me back. His right hand is always ready to guide me back to His perfect will. His crazy love for me overwhelms me, helping a brute beast like me to find strength once again in my heart to become faithful to Him.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for never leaving me alone, especially when my heart and flesh fail me. I don't deserve your faithful love and I could never do anything to deserve it. Please help a brute beast like me to become a faithful and willing servant. Be my strength and my portion forever. Help me to live out my faith, so when I say that I love you, it's truly a testimony of my daily life. Amen!

IN THE DESERT. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE - Hosea 2: 14-15

¹⁴ "Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her.

¹⁵ There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

OBSERVATION

The book of Hosea reveals the heart of God towards his sinful people. God's mercy and grace are available towards a stubborn Israel. He conquers people's hearts not by force but with His love and compassion. People worship God as a response of His love for them. God initiates, provides, and secures this kind of relationship because of the nature and power of His love.

This passage reveals how God deals with our propensity to sin. He allures us to the desert to change our hearts and to restore us with his tender voice and faithful care. When we experience the desert we are more prone to experience God. What amazes me about the Lord is that He speaks his greatest revelation to his greatest servants while they are in the desert. It's in the midst of exhaustion, loneliness, barrenness, heat, and thirst that our hearts become sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. It's in the desert where we find our true purpose in life, hope for living, and joy to endure the tests and suffering this life brings. The question is, "Do we run away from the desert, or do we run towards it?"

APPLICATION

Deserts come in different shapes and forms. Those seasons when we feel lonely, tired, frustrated, ineffective, hopeless, and meaningless, are great opportunities to experience the power of God's love and to hear His tender voice. In my own life I've only heard God's tender voice in the midst of deserts. When I was lonely God spoke to me about building true friendships and serving people. When I was barren and ineffective in my ministry, God's love allured me to give up my rights, to surrender to God's plan, and I heard God's instructions that led me to a place of fruitfulness and effectiveness. When I felt far away from God and deeply convicted of my selfishness and repetitive sins, God came with the power of His grace to restore me, to heal me, to lift me up, and to show me that no matter what I do, His love for me is real, strong, and eternal.

What is interesting about all these experiences is that even though the deserts in my life have been the places to conceive fruitfulness, hope, growth, and significance in my life, I'm still afraid of them. I don't want to go through them. I want to run away from them. Nobody likes to experience the symptoms of a desert season. But I cannot forget that in the deserts of my life I will find more closeness to God and I will experience His love and grace in a transforming way.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, please give me strength and purpose when facing the unavoidable deserts of my life. I cannot say that I enjoy these seasons, but help me to see their purpose and give me the endurance to persevere, to wait, until your tender voice is heard and your loving power is displayed in my life. I need to be different. There's so much that needs to be changed. And today I realize that you may allure me to the desert to answer my prayer. I cannot deny that it's scary. So please help me to fix my eyes on You, because when I do that, all my fears go away. Help me to trust you and in your ways to speak truth and light into my life. Take me to the desert and mold me according to your perfect will. Amen!