Purpose in His Way

This past few months have been of trial in my life. Coming to IGNITE was a changing point in my life. Life that had certain wrong aspects in my attitudes, they weren’t honoring God. Through the days I learned to surrender them and to live a life for Him. Still, I found myself weak in my mind and heart. It is surprising to fight a kind of similar battle this time. Battle that little by little started to take more and more of me. Thoughts wouldn’t stop coming to my mind. Even though I tried to take them captive to His obedience, they would come later. There is nothing more important in me than Christ, and there shouldn’t be anything that is fighting for the first place in my life. That place is only for Him, and pursuing to have that relationship with Him, motivated me to keep fighting the battle. There were times of victory and others of failing, myself was moving into a comfort zone. I thought about that it wasn’t sin, then I am not doing nothing wrong. Christ came back to my mind, an...

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. When it comes to poor and rich, it comes to my mind the condition of having somethings or not. In this world and what culture says, is that we: human beings must for the rest of our lives work hard and pursue happiness. Which is found in the accumulation of stuff like: cars, real estate, clothing, etc. The idea is over the more you have the more happy or complete someone will be. Although in this verses Jesus is saying something different, He states a total different idea. Those who are poor in spirit are blessed. When in the world we think that if we have everything we can we then are blessed. We can have all but possess nothing, all things are from God. He only gives things to us as gifts. As we learn more that having nothing is how we get to obtain things, surrendering will become easier. The scripture says that they are blessed because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.  We must know that real treasures are...

We need to acknowledge that we are not perfect in our lives. Each day is different and it brings battles to us, in which many cases we can fail and sin. From a thought, feeling or action we can sin. Whenever we set the eyes on us, on how “good” we are or strong, we stop having our vision on Jesus. It is lying to ourselves. It is important to recognize that the only righteous is Jesus Christ and that it is through Him that we have salvation; not by our own merit. He is great in mercy and love, needing only our confession and all our dirtiness will be cleaned.  I thought justification came before sanctification. This brought my life to never meet my expectancies or desires to be “acceptable” for Him. It is only through Jesus and His grace that I am able to be called His son. There is nothing I can do to be justified, He justifies me. He already payed the price. Price that took all of my sins. Sins from yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is important that He cleans, this refers to...

Sometimes we believe that our ways are better, that how we think is the way to do things; but if we haven’t been taught in wisdom or through His knowledge, then our most possible outcome won’t be right. We can continue looking to make it with our own strength or by our capacities. If we only knew that our Father’s wisdom is abundant and is available for us if we ask for it, then we could see good fruit. Until we get to know real wisdom (His) and see the difference in our lives, we won’t love it or want it the way it should. I spent 8 years trying to do things my way, how I thought that things needed to work. This only took me into failures and deceptions, not being wise draw me into very wrong mistakes. His grace and love found me, Jesus showed me that He is the way. I didn’t like to be corrected, I thought that I was smart enough to know what was better. My life wasn’t for Him, it was only seeking my own sake. Now I know that my ways are not His, He has something greater and better f...

As a follower it is important to listen carefully to what his leader is saying. It is one way in which we can grow in knowledge and wisdom. What is given to us we can’t be selfish and don’t share it with others, but it is important to know who can we entrust what we know. Faithful people are disciples, this are the ones who listen but still want to come back and ask or get a more profound statement. If we don’t get the right people, we wouldn’t waist to much our time. God can do the work in them, but we need to be careful who we entrust because they are going to go to share the gospel to others and this is not a light or easy thing. Having a leader for the past three months helped so much for my growth. The words God speaks through his mouth are full of wisdom and truth. God teaches me through my leader’s example too. We don’t only learn by listening but by watching too. I am in a process were I want to improve my knowledge and talking abilities so that I can teach properly, but a...

Give the wise or just because He understands what wisdom or righteousness is. He knows what it takes to be able to have it. If he was a fool He would surely don’t receive the knowledge. It would be a waste of time to try to “help” them out, there is nothing that we can do that will make them acknowledge their foolishness. Better be looking for the people who is willing to grow. Those who have the desire to keep going forward and to improve their situation. They will really appreciate every word and exhortation. The only way that they will grow is if there is people who care about them and are willing to help them out.  After trying to live with earthly wisdom I got tired of every failure and mistake. All that I tried didn’t work out how I wanted or planned it to be. God has brought people to my life who are really talking wisdom and knowledge to it. Before I didn’t share too openly with my parents about my thoughts and situation because I didn’t want to worry them; but now hav...

For being lost during three days little Jesus must have just enjoyed talking and sharing with people around. The important aspect is the place in which He was found.. the temple. He was able to maintain a conversation with law doctorates, that talks very much of His wisdom. There was no selfishness in Him, being so young and be able to share what He knew in that moment was so humble for himself. I can only imagine Him having so much joy at the temple with all the people and all the grown ups falling in love with this little kid.  This reminds me of some kids I know in our Potter’s Field Kids Club in Antigua. Two of them walk for about 1 hour to reach our facilities every wednesday and then take another hour to get back home. Kids really show us the “big ones” how real hunger and passion looks like. They don’t care about rain, sun, distance, tiredness, etc. They just love God in a very genuine way. It is to admire and seek to have a heart of a kid. That is why we need to be kid...

How Jesus, the master, after giving a real profound lesson, could be alone with few more than his twelve? I can sometimes relate to this people or type of followers. It doesn’t matter sometimes how much doubt or not understanding we have and still not look for knowledge. In school I would the same thing, after a lecture I wouldn’t always understand everything. But I can say it mostly happened with the classes I didn’t like or cared that much. And when exams or midterms came be rushing, looking for a way to understand.  Jesus explained only to those who were near Him. If we want to be good disciples, we need to be near Him always. He can’t trust someone who He doesn’t know. For Him knowing me, we must have a close relationship. I have such great joy now that I really know Jesus, He has fulfilled my emptiness. And little by little He give His word to my life in a different way than those who are far. I can only say that this is love. How can He still make time and teach someone ...

Praying and having fear of God is to be prudent in our life. Although it is a response from His love, that we follow Him, we need to know the consequences that our actions could have in eternity. Also the enemy and devil is real, and he wants us to fail. For every path or decision we need to take, God shall be in it. If we have a close relationship with Him, He can give us discernment and wisdom when good or bad starts to happen. It is through prayer and reading His word were God can speak to us. Knowing that He is in control and that everything works good for those who love Him, makes our hearts have rest. He will answer if we ask what we need in His will, being humble and honest. Then He shall give me a peace that I can’t understand.  If we are not in constant prayer life or the enemy can find us without weapons that will help us fight the battle. Our trust is in Him and He shall help us out, but still we have to do part of the work too. Praying helps us be ahead. If we ...

When the soldiers went to war, their families weren’t sure if they were going to be able to see them again back in home. If they die they left wives, kids, houses, etc. Surely everyone who has no conviction would like to come back from war before time and be able to be at home. When you know where you are called and what you should be doing, there shouldn’t be anything else that could move you apart from it. David tempted the flesh of Urias, but He only accepted what the King invited him. How can Urias only accept food and drink, but not going to his house? Maybe he knew himself very well, food and drinks won’t move him away from the call; but, maybe going to his home would made him wanting to stay and not allowing him to go back to war. He also had respect for his brethren soldiers. He knew that it wasn’t fair that they were fighting while he was enjoying family at home.  How often I don’t set myself into a total commitment, just looking for a chance to stop on whatever I am ...