Our Father still will be faithful

Minnesota!

Before we left working at the church cafeteria, our heavenly Dad has already prepared for us to work at the Weberbauer's school cafeteria: two teachers came by to eat at the church cafeteria and told my wife that, if we are interested, we can send a proposal to Weberbauer's office to take over of its cafeteria. They accepted.

Before we left working at the Weberbauer's cafeteria, our heavenly Dad has already prepared for us to work at Saga Falabella's dinning area: the security guy at Weberbauer school told my wife that Saga Falabella is looking for somebody to administrate its dinning area. We sent them a proposal, and they accepted.

Before we left working at Saga Falabella, our heavenly Dad has already prepared for us to work at the cafe bistrot in the French Alliance's location: by a screen shot my mom sent me about a post of the lady in charge of the art area at the French Alliance, we knew they were looking for an administrator for its cafe bistrot. Though they were looking for months, they didn't find any administrator which they were comfortable with, even though some of them were well known restaurants. We tried and they accepted our proposal.

Then we moved to EEUU and could see that really our heavenly Dad has gone before us preparing the way: the migration area was almost empty, the migration officer was super kind and fast, our necessary documents to get a job came after two weeks, so at the 16th day after arriving to the States, I've got a job. River Valley Church, which is the church we are attending is full of grace, life and love, my two boys like it, and its the place we decided to be rooted in.

When I recall this, I get encourage to keep believing in my Dad's faithfulness, and gives me certainty that He still will be with me helping me for what's coming and for what's still have to be taken care of: my boys' school, the place where we'll live, car, ministry, personal projects, etc. He was faithful and Hell still be faithful!

I hope this also encourage you! Our heavenly Father wants to show Himself faithful to you too! He loves you, He is for you, He goes before you preparing the way for you! You won't be going through uncertain ways, but through prepared ways! They are prepared for you to walk in to reach the fullness of your destiny!!

Peace in the middle of so much Violence

One characteristic of the time we live in is violence. This is something undeniable. This doesn't only happen at country's level where we see that the conflicts between nations get worse, but also we see it as much as a symptom of society as individual. It is even in social network!

Nowadays people live in a hurry and tense in the traffic, they exasperate easily if the person in front of them in the line to the cash machine takes longer than they should, we don't find tolerance whatsoever between each other, you can find insults everywhere in social media, people are killed just for a cellphone, brutally beaten up just for liking a different football team, verbal rudeness and lack of patience is daily fare, and abuse has become normal in many families. Sadly, it's not the first time that the earth is so full of violence.

The same characteristic is found in Noah's days. Genesis 6:11 says: "The earth was full of violence". I remember that 25 years ago I used to asked myself how much violence must've been back then for the Bible to say that the earth was full of violence, but now I think that maybe it hasn't been much different from nowadays or, at least, that we're close to be like them.

But what makes me think the most is that in Matthew 24:37 says that "as the days of Noah were, so will also the coming of the Son of Man be". That's to say, one of the characteristics of the earth before Jesus comes back is that it'll be full of violence.

2 Timothy 3:1-3 states it clearer because it says that the last days will be perilous and the people will be cruel, truce breaking, fierce, selfish and without natural affection.

I see these characteristics in many people nowadays. That's why, on one hand I'm happy that I can see that my Jesus is coming soon, but on the other hand it saddens me how many people suffers for violence, as much for receiving it as for giving it.

As christians, the Bible gives the solution: "Overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).

"Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore, «if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.» Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". (Romans 12:17-21)

In Jesus's time, there was an abusive Roman law, which consisted in that a Roman soldier could legally demand you to carry his package (backpack, purse, etc.) for one mile, and then you could leave.

Can you imagine that law nowadays? How do you believe people would react? How would you react if a policeman approach to you and say: "Carry my package for a mile"? I think that social networks would be fill with videos on those abuses, protests would fill many of our streets and many would rather fist-fight the police than to obey that law.

Sadly violence by words or actions ALWAYS produce more violence. Hurt people hurt people. That's why Jesus, in order to stop the degrading vicious circle of violence, told his disciples what to do: "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two" (Matthew 5:41). Would you be able to do it? That's why it's necessary more strength to be christian than not to be it.

Can you imagine the face of the Roman soldier after hearing from a Jesus's follower that he/she is offering to carry his stuff for one more mile? I imagine a face of surprise, thinking "is he/she for real?", but at the same time, of curiosity for knowing why he/she is different, why he/she is not upset or angry like everyone else, why he/she doesn't hate me like everyone else.

As a result, in the worst-case scenario, it's very likely that this soldier won't demand again to the same person to carry his stuff, but in the best-case scenario, surely this soldier will tell to this person: "I want to know the God you know".

Do you have a problem with your neighbor, family member, workmate? Any of them is starting to act with violence against you either by word or by action? How about if you get out of that degrading vicious circle of violence and rather start to apply this principle and let your heavenly Father move. Overcome evil with good! Ask for strength and wisdom to your Father to do this!

Will this guarantee that this person will change? No, unfortunately no. That's why Romans 12:18 says "as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men", in other words, sometimes people will not change, BUT check out what our Father promise us (and you can hold on to this promise!) in Psalms 34:12-14 if we want to see good days:

"Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it."

Note that ALL the requirements to see good days DEPEND ON US, no one of them depends of the things that happen to us. In other words, we might be surrounded by violence, BUT if we do not answer that violence with more violence, but rather, seeking peace, our Father promises us that we'll see good days!

Overcoming evil with good, seeking peace in the middle of violence, it might not end up in friendship with the ones that hurt us, but you will end seeing good days in the midst of violence, your heart will be protected against evil, you'll have joy in spite of everybody is attacking you, because you'll learn that the Prince of Peace will be with you always.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be trouble and do not be afraid" (John 14:27) 

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33)

I hope this may have blessed you!

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For more teachings you may want to visit my page "Consejos y Enseñanzas Varias" (Various Tips and Teachings) clicking Here. There you will find teachings about marriages, parents, leadership and more =)

Rebuke the Wind and the Sea will Appease

The account of Jesus calming the storm is told mentioning a detail in particular in the Gospel of Mark: that Jesus didn't rebuke the sea, but the wind (Mark 4:39). This is because the wind was what provoked the big waves that covered the boat. In other words, Jesus dealt with the cause of the problem and not just with the problem itself.

The disciples weren't afraid of the furious wind but of the waves, because the waves swamped the boat (Mark 4:37) and they could sink and drown. The disciples looked at the raising waves and how they fell on the boat and their hearts filled with fear. They didn't looked at the invisible force behind the raising of the sea waves, but their focus was on the sea. Jesus didn't only deal with the problem (the waves), but also with the cause of it (the wind).

Check what Mark 4:37 says in the New King James Version, "And a great windstorm arose." Jesus knew what the real essence of the storm was: the wind. The disciples didn't. They thought that their only problem was the sea waves. They didn't realize that if Jesus didn't rebuke the wind and just said to the wind to be calmed, it was just matter of time for the waves to raise up again. That's why He rebuked the wind first, and then calmed the sea.

Have you recognize what is the real essence of the storm you go through? Maybe you're only watching "the waves that fall on your boat" which fill you up with fear, but don't see what provoke those waves. Maybe you say:
- My problem is my son's nightmares, but you don't focus on what causes those nightmares.
- My problem is my debts, but you don't focus on the bad habits that cause those debts.
- My problem is the estrangement with my spouse, but you don't focus on what causes that estrangement.
- My problem is that I'm sickly, but you don't focus on your eating habits and lack of exercises that cause those sicknesses.
- Etc., etc., etc.

Proverbs 26:2 states that causeless curse doesn't come. Rather than bury yourself in the symptoms, deal with the cause of them. Stop wasting time and energy solving the same problem again and again, and rather use that time and energy to deal with the causes of that problem.

Maybe you've been dealing for long time only with the problem, but not with the cause of it. That's why it constantly appears! If you want to get rid of that problem once and for all, ask for help to your heavenly Father so that He may help you to recognize what you are doing or maybe what you are expose to, which provokes the problem, and of course, ask wisdom to finally get rid of it.

Hope this may helped you!

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I'm sure that these following links about more faith and grace teachings will help you:

• Believe that You'll TAKE it, and it'll Come: Learn how to receive what you are asking God for.
• Rest from Yourself: Learn that we should stop trying to win our good Heavenly Father's favor, and just rest.
• Focus on what your Heavenly Father Does: Sometimes we think that God is solving the problems that the devil makes, but it's actually the opposite way: the devil is trying to ruin the blessings that God has created for you.

How to Juice

When you juice, you can combine cucumber, carrot and spinach. It not only has a good flavor, but also it's a good combination of vitamins. If you want, you can add to it celery, ginger and/or beetroot. In fact, you can add whatever you want. I recommend you to not combine veggies with fruit, because I heard that's not good for you. But above all, do it with much love, specially if it is for your wife!

I DON'T LIKE JUICING, but I felt that my heavenly Father was telling me that doing so is my ministry. And not any ministry, but your main ministry. I felt that He was telling me that I have to learn to do it with the same willingness, joy, excellence and anointing as when I taught behind a pulpit, because she, my amorcito, my Ceci, is my main ministry.

I understood that it'd be useless for me that I can give good teachings to many if I don't know how to serve her. I understood that when serving, it doesn't mean that you're gonna do ALWAYS what you like, and this doesn't mean that it doesn't have to be done with all willingness and excellence, always improving in what's being done.

Maybe the most important thing that my dear Father revealed me is that my marriage is not the preparation for my real ministry, but it is my real ministry! Whatever comes next will rest and develop on the foundation of our marriage. In the same way that the tree branches are sustained and nourished by the trunk, all the public ministry areas that my heavenly Father will add to us will be sustained and nourished by my marriage with my beauty (that's how me and my boys refer to her at home).

This changed everything in me. And it still does.

This revelation is the main anchor to which I constantly hold on, it's the main energy source when I have to do something for her that I don't want and it is my main "north", my compass that helps me to find the way and guides me everyday in my marriage.

When I received this, I remember that I felt the same presence of my loving Father that I felt teaching behind a pulpit, but this time it was making a papaya juice. While tears were coming down, I took it like a confirmation of the real, powerful and fundamental that this would be to me.

I hope this testimony may have helped you.

May our Father keep blessing you!

Prayer III: Call Him Father!

The first word a child normally says is either "dad" or mom". I say that my boys said "dad" first and my wife says they said "mom" first. We'll know the truth in heaven! When they said to me "dad" for the first time, my heart rejoiced in a way it's never rejoiced before. Even though I'm also a writer, boss, leader, pastor, I'm not interested that they call me so. I want them to call me "daddy" for the rest of my life!

I think that our heavenly Father desires the same!

When Jesus came and prayed to God calling Him Father, and every time He talked to others about God, always referring Him as Father, this was something revolutionary and even blasphemous for many Jews (John 10:36), but not for His disciples. Maybe at first they felt a little uncomfortable, but when they saw the fruits of His life, they got convinced that Jesus knew what He was saying. That's why that they approached to Him once to ask Him to teach them to pray. Jesus agreed to do it, and THE VERY FIRST THING HE TAUGHT THEM WAS TO ADDRESS HIM AS "FATHER"!

"Lord, teach us to pray. Jesus said to them: When you pray, say this: FATHER" (Luke 11:1-2)

We have learnt wrong. We got used to address to our heavenly Father by His many titles, but not for the one He Himself urged us to use! (Galatians 4:6). The Holy Spirit inside you is not bearing witness that you are His creation, His servant, His property. Though we're all of that and more, He is bearing witness that we are His children! (Romans 8:16).

Just like that it wouldn't be normal that a little kid call his dad: "Oh great CEO!", "Powerful boss!", "Majestic Businessman!", it's not normal that we, HIS CHIDREN, don't see Him as FATHER above any other of His titles. Just like the correct thing would be that a child proudly says: "My dad is the boss of that great company!", the correct thing would be that we boast saying: "My Father is the Creator of the Universe, the Powerful Savior, the Redeemer of my soul, the Almighty!"

The Law made the Israelites don't see God as their Father, but Jesus got us close to the Father, made us His children, now we're part of His family! When you learn to call God "Father" from the bottom of your heart, I guarantee you that your prayer life, and because of that, your life, will change.

Hope it helps!

Prayer II: Learning to Pray

The Jewish people knew a great deal of the Bible, at least the current Bible in Jesus's day, that's to say, the Old Testament. The most studious Jews learnt by heart ALL the Old Testament. If you've ever boasted about memorizing part of the Bible, next one of them, you won't have a chance!

The disciples, as Jewish, also knew a lot of the Old Testament and, of course, knew to pray; or at least, they thought so, because they came to Jesus one day to ask Him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1).

I think that when the disciples saw Jesus's miracles, heard His powerful teachings and, above all, when they saw how He prayed, they reflected, got sincere and came to the conclusion that their Master prayed much better than them. They realized that Jesus's prayers were effective and authentic, so they humbled themselves putting all their knowledge aside, and asked Him: "Teach us to pray." In order to be able to ask Jesus "teach us" from the bottom of their heart, first they had to recognize that they didn't know. To be filled, they had to be emptied.

To be able to learn, first you have to recognize that you don't know. If you think you know, you won't be able to learn.

So, what was Jesus's answer? What did He do? Jesus proceeded to teach them. Do you know what this tells me? It tells me that we can learn, because if Jesus would've answered: "You know what, it's too late for you guys because you know already too much and it's hard to re-teach somebody", "this is for just a few selected people, and you're not one of them", or if He just would've said: "No, I don't want to teach you", then we could be sure that learning to pray is something that we'll never get. But it wasn't like that! Jesus taught them to pray because He knew that they could learn! And so it is for us!

Do you want to learn to pray like Jesus? Ask him to teach you! Put all your knowledge aside, your experience, studies and pride so you can learn. Remember that He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6), and be sure that He'll teach you like a Father to a son. Just say to Him: "Jesus, teach to pray."

Hope this may helped you!

The best way to stop doing the wrong

Do you want to change? Do you want to stop doing the wrong that you know you have to quit doing? Surely you've tried for long time to quit that addiction, that bad habit, to change that personality trait that has brought you so many problems, but without good results. I'm gonna give you now the way to stop doing the wrong thing: Do good.

No kidding! The best way to stop doing wrong is doing good!

It's not about of just trying to stop doing wrong things, but of doing good things. That bad habit has to be replaced by other in order for it to disappear, and what's better than by a good habit!

This is not about of just resisting doing bad things. Waiting for that moment of anxiety to come wherein temptation already started to take over the will, just to start saying: "I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it!", is an 100% inefficient way. The best way is NEVER ALLOW THAT DESIRE TO START GROWING.

If you analyze the daily life of a person with a bad habit, you'll note that it's all designed for that bad habit to appear and to flourish. That bad habit or addiction didn't just all of a sudden appear out of the thin air with no reason, but it flourished because it's fed by the many decisions that are made in a daily basis. That's why that the best way to be free from that wrong habit is creating a new one.

It's not about to stop doing wrong, but to do good.

It's not a new decision you have to make, but a bunch of it. You have to re-design your life style. It's nonsense to think that doing the same thing you'll obtain different results. That's why your decisions have to aim to create a new life style. For example, make the decision to practice a sport, to create a new group of friends, to take classes of something new, to assist more to your church, to be part of a small group in it, to actively participate in the events it organizes, etc. This kind of decisions will be changing your life style, using the time you used before to cultivate that bad habit to create a new and good one, you'll be surrounding yourself with people that will naturally help you to go to that new direction because they are going to that same direction!

By doing so, in time, you'll realize that you won't be worrying for not doing that bad thing, but for doing new good things. You'll note that bad thing you used to do will be a past thing, you won't remember how you quit doing it, because your focus will have changed, because you won't be worried on destroying the bad thing, but on building a good one.

I hope this may helped you!

"God didn't bless me today"

There are many that maybe they don't say it, but from the bottom of their heart think that their heavenly Father didn't bless them. Many times, when the night comes, they say to themselves: "Well, I didn't see God moving for me today, He didn't bless me nor protect me. I just didn't feel Him today." I think that that thought is based on a misconception about what being blessed by God is.

Remember this: The fact that you didn't see that your heavenly Father has blessed you, it doesn't t mean He hasn't done it. The fact that you haven't seen your heavenly Father protecting you, it doesn't mean that He hasn't protected you. The fact that you haven't seen your heavenly Father helping you, it doesn't mean He hasn't helped you. The fact that you haven't felt your heavenly Father with you, it doesn't mean that He wasn't with you.

Even though you haven't felt Him, your heavenly Father TODAY has blessed you, helped you, protected you and was with you! He never ceases working for us, never rests, never sleeps. He thinks about us all the time.

Elisha's servant was worried because an army came for him and for Elisha. The army was so numerous that it could surround the city, and they came just for the two of them. The servant panicked and asked Elisha: "What shall we do?" Then, Elisha prayed so God may open his servant's eyes, and when his eyes were opened, he saw the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire all around them (2 Kings 6:14-17).

Check this out: the Bible doesn't say that the angels were sent in the moment that his eyes were opened. Those angels with chariots of fire WERE ALREADY THERE! The servant realized their presence only when their spiritual eyes were open.

The fact that we cannot see what our heavenly Father does for us, doesn't mean that He is doing nothing. He is ALWAYS helping us. He is ALWAYS protecting us. He is ALWAYS blessing us.

I believe that only in Heaven we will realize how much our Father was actually doing for us without us realizing.

Many of us, like Elisha's servant, aren't able to see what our Father is doing because we're only focusing on what our physical eyes see: the traffic problem, the medical report, that others are better than us, that I still hear strifes at home, etc. But if we learn to focus on what our Father is doing, we'll be able to see what he does!

Because He is our Father, His nature is to bless us, to help us, to protect us, to provide for us. He doesn't bless, help, protect and provide only when we ask Him. NO! He always does it because that's His nature! Our prayer must be to have our eyes open to see and receive what all He does for us. And remember this, that even if then we can't see Him, just BELIEVE that He is working for us!

Hope it helps!

The blind leading the blind

Many make this mistake: They confuse love with wisdom. How's it? When they have a problem, they look for advice from the people they love instead of from the people that know what to do about it. Of course, if the people they love are the ones that know what to do, that'd be perfect.

It's usual to see people seeking for advice concerning a marriage problem from people that are in a worse situation, or seeking for a financial advice from the ones that are constantly in debt, or advice concerning of how to be free from an addiction from the ones that are in the same way for years. The blind leading the blind, lost people guiding lost people. If you've been doing that, surely you've realized why you're not prospering in that area.

When you seek for help, seek for help from someone that, at least in that area, have gone further than you. It's not necessary that that person has succeeded in all the areas of life so just then to ask for advice. Besides, if you're going to wait to find someone perfect so just then to ask for advice, I think you'll wait for a looong time.

When you seek for help, seek for help from someone that, at least in that area, have gone further than you.

That's why it's recommendable to have several mentors or counselors for different key areas of your life. The Bible says that there is wisdom in the multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14). For example, you can have someone to help you with your physical condition, someone else (or a couple) to help you with your marriage, another one with your finances, etc. Maybe more than one for each area.

One danger of looking for help for a specific area from people that haven't succeeded in that area is that, most likely, they have justified their failure; so, what you're going to receive is a justification of why they are like they are, dooming yourself to follow the same way. So, don't look for an advice from those that justify their divorce, that justify their bad physical condition, that justify their poverty, etc.

If you want to share your problem to your friends so that you may receive emotional support, go ahead and do it (always with wisdom), but please discern the advices you're going to receive from the ones that you're not. They might be telling you many things out of love, but they're not necessarily the right things.

I hope this may bless you a lot! =)

"Are you crying just for that?!" - An advice for parents

How many of us, parents, have ever told our kids: "You cry just for that!"? Big mistake! Do you know what we're actually telling them? We're telling them: "The reason you're crying for is nonsense", and worse: "what is important to you isn't to me".

If you've been telling that to your kids, this is what you have to do:
- Tell them you are sorry for doing that. Tell them: "Son/daughter, forgive me because so many times I looked down on what is important to you".
- Promise them that you'll try to change. Tell them: "I promise you to consider as much important the things you tell me as they are to you".
- Ask for help to your heavenly Father to change that as soon as possible.

As parents of little children, we are in danger that if we don't change, they will grow with the idea that their problems aren't important, that they shouldn't bother us with their nonsense, that they aren't as much important as us, and consequently, they'll unconsciously seek to feel important in other places and ways, and many times it'll be with people that will demand from them something in return.

How does our good and loving heavenly Father treat us? Have you ever read in His Word something that says or suggest that what is important to us isn't important for Him? Have you ever felt looked down by Him? Have you ever felt when you cried out to Him for help that He says to you: "Are you crying just for that! Seriously?"?

On the contrary, He cries when we cry, He gets happy when we get happy, He is familiar with our pain, and in His Word says that He has even numbered the hair of our head (Matthew 10:30), and if He pays attention to that, something that isn't important, how much more attention will He pay to something that it is actually important to us, to what makes us cry, to what keep us awake at night! So, when we go to Him burdened by something, He will NEVER tell us: ""Are you crying for that! Seriously?", but He'll hug us, comfort us and guide us by the hand to the answer that He'd already prepared.

If there is somebody authorized to despised any of our issues, that'd be God, because for Him there is nothing impossible. But our Father, far from doing that, understands us perfectly.

So then, if you've been despising your children's problems, run to your heavenly Father, because He won't condemn you for doing that, but hug you, comfort you and guide you by the hand to the solution that He'd already prepared.

Hope it helps!

Focus on what your Heavenly Father does

Your heavenly Father isn't trying to catch up the devil; it's the other way around. It's the devil that is trying to catch up your Father! There is no contest between them. Jesus already won!

What do I mean? We usually think that when we have problems, our heavenly Father has to do something to solve the situation, that's to say, that the devil attacked first and then your Father comes to solve the problem, but I think it's the other way around. It's your heavenly Father the one that is already doing something to bless you and the devil is trying that you don't receive it, and that's why he attacks!

Those problems just are the devil's attempts for you to not receive what your heavenly Father is doing for you.

Your Father isn't with arms crossed seeing how you go through trials and waiting for you to ask Him for help so He just start doing something about it. Not so! He has started doing something even before the foundation of the earth and has finished all with Jesus, and it is the devil the one trying to lie to you so you don't take the blessings that belongs to you.

So that, when you go through many trials, take them as a sign of the devil's desperation that tries to do something so you don't receive what your Father has already sent. Don't be discourage looking only the problems, because that's exactly what the devil wants. Many times we focus more on what the devil does than on what our Father does, and that's why we get discourage and don't take our blessings.

When Jesus was born, the devil tried to do something to kill him (Matthew 2:16-18). The same happened when Moses was born (Exodus 1:22). For the people back then, that time was the darkest, and because of their discouragement, they didn't see the blessing that'd been born, and that already was among them.

I encourage you to open your eyes and see what your heavenly Father is doing. All those trials, many of them inexplicable, are just the devil's attempts to get you discourage, to get you think that your Father hasn't done anything, that He's forgotten you, so that you decide not to take what's yours.

When the Bible says that the earth is filled with His glory (Isaiah 6:3), or that He loads us with blessings that each day (Psalms 68:19), or that you're already blessed in Jesus (Ephesians 1:3), isn't a lie so you may feel better, nor a motivational trick so you may see the glass half full instead half empty. It is the truth!

Be strong and courageous and dare to look only at what your heavenly Father is doing, and you'll see that you'll get encourage, you'll start to see what He's doing and you'll note the opportunities and blessings where you hasn't seen them before!

Hope this may blessed you! 😀

An Advice that will help you to get your goals this 2018

If you divide what you want to achieve in 365 parts, I assure you that it'll get much easier. The problem that many people face when they resolve to achieve something is that they see what they want as a whole, and obviously what they see is an impossible-to-achieve goal.

What do you want for this 2018? To loose weight, a better relationship with your kids, with you wife, to be free from an adiction? Whatever it may be, you'll get discourage if you think that achieve your goal consists of just one step. Remember this: NO ACHIEVEMENT IS GOTTEN WITH JUST ONE STEP.

Any feat you want to achieve (or that has been achieved) will require time, sacrifice, care, discipline, perseverance, planing, etc., and obviously you can't apply these on just one day, unless, of course, that you know a person that in one day has lost weigh, gotten a dream marriage, restored his/her children relationship, been free from an addiction, etc.

Just in case, there is no magic pill that will make you to loose weigh without exercising and eating healthy food, and those persons that say to the ones with a great marriage, "how lucky you were to get such a beautiful marriage!", don't know what they're saying, they're wrong, because it cost them YEARS of learning to give in, to forgive, to understand and to sacrifice.

So, more than a goal, see what you want to achieve as a direction for YOUR DAILY STEPS to aim, and these DAILY STEPS, these do have to be your goals! EACH DAY AN INDIVIDUAL GOAL, which altogether will take you to where you want to get.

Learn to find satisfaction in achieving these daily goals, in the little ones, each and every day. Learn to be happy:
- Not only when you got your ideal weigh, but you finished a day of eating healthy and exercising.
- Not only when somebody tells you "how great marriage you have!", but when finished a prayer for your spouse (which is one of the many little steps to get to marriage restoration).
- Not only when you "feel free" from your addiction, but when your day is up and you didn't fall.

Doing this you not only will enjoy the process until you get where you want to go, but also you'll realize that doing exploits isn't something for a few people, but YOU also will feel that can do your own exploit, and you'll know there's nothing you cannot achieve.

A prayer for 2018

Heavenly Father, I thank you for 2017 that just finished, because I know that You've been with me all the time. Maybe many times I didn't realize that You were there, but that doesn't mean that You weren't. And for this same reason I know that You'll be with me this year 2018.

I ask you to help me to see You all this starting year. I don't want to be led by my feelings, but I want to learn to live by faith. I know there will be problems, situation that will make me stumble and maybe I'll turn my eye off of You, but help me to put my eyes back to You rapidly, knowing that You won't condemn me for not having trusted You, but You'll be ready to receive me, hug me and help me to solve that problem.

Thank you for I know that you don't seek perfection in me. You don't ask me to be a perfect son, because You know that that is impossible for me. Rather, thank You because You gave your perfect Son so He may die for my imperfections, and thanks to Him, now You see me perfect, holy, pure and spotless. Thank You because that gives the confidence that in 2018 I can go forth for new challenges without the fear of being wrong before You, because I know that You won't be disappointed of me, that You won't get weary of my mistakes and sins, but You'll always be willing to help, correct and direct me with love.

Thank You because Your Word says that You go before me (Deuteronomy 31:8) and that You prepare the way for me (Ephesians 2:10). This means that 2018 isn't new for You. I don't know the things I'll face this starting year, but You do. And I know that, in Your faithfulness, You already ensured that any situation I face has a way of escape, so I'll be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). So I'll walk confident that You've already been to where I'll be and that You prepared everything for me.

I won't be afraid of the bad news that 2018 brings, because my heart will be steadfast trusting You (Psalms 112:7). You won't abandon me in anytime, move away from me nor leave me alone, but You'll ALWAYS be with me (Matthew 28:20). I decide to see your goodness (Psalms 27:13), and to believe that the earth is filled with your glory (Isaiah 6:3), and that includes my family, my business, my church and my country. My mouth will declare Your good news and not the bad news I'll hear. The physician doesn't have the last word, neither my boss, the president, the authorities, nor the things I see in my family. I decide to believe that You have the last word. I decide to believe Your Word and fix my eyes only on You.

Thank Father because You love and You will always do, and that love is the anchor that soul needs. I feel safe in You.

Amen

Christmas: The answer in form of a seed

What would you like to receive as an answer of your prayer if you're going through a serious illness? Well, I want a miracle!, that in a blink of an eye I may be healed! I think that's what you'd like to receive if you're as the rest of us, isn't it? But, what is what we normally receive? A process, a seed that we have to cultivate, something little that we have to take care of little by little.

The same happen if, for instance, you're going through a crisis in your marriage. All would want that, all of a sudden, everything may be solved, and already a the dream marriage. But, what is what we normally receive as an answer of our prayer? A process, a seed that has to be cultivated, something little that has to be taken care so it may grow little by little.

Being free from an addiction, from debts, having your family problems solve, etc., are normally prayers that our Heavenly Father answers but little by little, using the little we have in our hands, taking us through a process holding our hands, being faithful in little and receiving more every time, from glory to glory and from victory to victory.

What did our Father to save all humanity? Did He send Superman, Goku, Iroman, or an angel? No, He didn't. Our Father sent a baby. He was the Savior of the world but in form of a child. He was a seed that had to grow and go through a process. Our Savior was faithful in little and received more, and then He kept being faithful even to death and inherited eternal glory.

Maybe you are going through a difficult time in some area of your life and are praying for an answer. You know something, it's for sure that your Heavenly Father has already started to answer you, but because of that answer has "form of a baby", probably you didn't realize it, and maybe you're getting despaired and thinking that He hasn't heard you, but it wasn't so.

Open your eyes and see! Surely your answer is already around you! Quit waiting for that "miracle" and, rather, look for the seed of that miracle. Learn to find the extraordinary among the ordinary.

Do you believe that our Heavenly Father JUST STARTS doing something about your problem in the moment when you asks Him for help? In other words, if you don't ask for help, He didn't start doing something about it. Well, if you believed so, you are wrong! He already did something even since before the foundation of the earth, the way is already paved, NOTHING surprised Him! So, ask Him for help so you can see what He is doing, and wisdom and strength so you can go through this process toward your victory.

I hope this helped you =)

Gadol's Nugget: His children's free will

One of the characteristics of Gadol, the main character of my book, was his over concern about his children. He was convinced that they'd want to serve God thanks to the perfect testimony he thought he had before them (actually, before everybody!), that's why it was a surprise for him that they, being adults already, told them that they didn't want to serve God.

Being concerned about what would be of them away from God, he decided to take responsibility of their spiritual lives. They, in order to not make a division in their family, were agree to his idea, but obviously, since no one can approach God by force, manipulated or by being deceived, Gadol's idea didn't work.

Where was Gadol mistaken? He didn't respect his children's free will. He didn't let God to work in them, but on the contrary, by meddling in their decisions, Gadol interrupted what God was doing in them.

Advice:
If you have children, YOU CAN NOT OBLIGATE THEM TO SERVE GOD. You just can, by your example, make them want to do it.
Until certain age, you can "obligate" them to go to church, but you have to have discernment to know when you have to stop obligating them (just in case, that age is normally 12, 13 o 14 year old more or less -  if he/she is 35 years old and you're still obligating him/her, you need counseling! 😀).
The best way will always be your own testimony. The fact that they see you happy, carefree, that when you run to God they see you come out different, that you changed many bad things in you, are things that your children will see in spite of their age, and that will make them want to serve the same God you serve.

Being Naive or Wary

For some reason, most people think that everybody that goes to church is perfect, that all of them are good and, therefore, every church goer is trustworthy. Big mistake!

One characteristic of many christians is that they're just too naive. Maybe they're thinking: "I can see that this person right there is a good christian because he's raising his hands when we worship and says 'Amen' and 'Hallelujah' in every other word. On the top of that, he says bye saying 'God bless you'. I am positive, he is trustworthy." And based on this, without any further investigation, christians lend him/her money, start a sentimental relationship with him/her and just give away their trust. They asume that he/she is trustworthy just because he is christian.

Remember this always: TRUST IS A PRIZE, NOT A PRESENT. And for someone to get to be trustworthy requires TIME.

If you've been giving away your trust, I'm almost sure that you have already disappointed and/or gotten in some trouble. Do yourself a favor and don't give your trust away anymore.

Just because of the fact that a person goes to a church, even if he/she has time attending, it guarantees nothing. Before of starting a business or a relationship, before of trusting your kids to someone, etc., double-check his/her trajectory, verify if he/she has gotten fruits in that area. Be demanding on this matter! Do not believe persuading words of people that, consciously or unconsciously, deceive (Proverbs 7:21-23).

Do not think that being wary is a bad thing. On the contrary, being naive and, because of it, not administrate well what God has given, that is a bad thing, and it brings along a lot of bad consequences. Obviously that not trusting a person even that that person has demonstrated an impeccable trajectory (which requires a lot of time) is an exaggeration and it only shows a personal problem of not being able of trusting people (but God can heal you!).

It is not a bad thing being demanding on who to put your trust on. In fact, that's being wise.

"But, if I don't trust anyone, I will have no friends." Do not give your trust away based on the need of friends. If someone stops being your "friend" because you mistrusted him/her, I think he/she never was your friend all along.

Do you want to succeed in all the areas of your life? Then do what the people that have succeed have done, and I really doubt that you'll find someone successful in business that simply has given away their money to anyone, or that you'll find someone that has opened their heart to a stranger that has enjoyed a solid and flourishing relationship. Are there exceptions? Yes, there are, but are you sure that you want to take a risk?

If you say: "Why didn't I read this before!", don't worry because our Heavenly Father doesn't condemn you, but He helps you to restore everything! Run to Him and you'll find the help and the guide you needed!

Hope this helped you!

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The best moment to destroy your enemy

We all have fought (or we're currently fighting) against a worst enemy: an addiction, sicknesses caused by wrong-feedind habits, marriage problems, financial problems, etc. For many of us, it was very difficult to overcome it; others, sadly they're still fighting. But all of us have committed this mistake: we've let our enemy to grow.

Our enemy hasn't always been so strong. For most of us, there was a time when this enemy was weak, and because of we thought that is was harmless, we let it live with us and we let it grow. It was then that:
- "It was just a try, everything will be fine!", turned into stealing your own family to by drugs.
- "I don't have to tell my wife everyday that I love her, we are very happy this way!", became into an unbearable marriage situation caused by indifference.
- "We're just taking, besides she needs my help, my wife will understand", turned into adultery.
There are many example of this.

Psalms 137:9 says: "Happy is the one that seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks". It is for sure that the psalmist claimed this hard-to-hear words at seeing the atrocities that Babylon did to his people when they captured them and took them into captivity, but the Holy Spirit let them recorded in order to take advice from it. What is the advice? The best moment to get rid of your enemy is when he is small, that's to say, when you are still stronger.

Now, in this moment of your life, maybe you are living with your worst enemy, but he is still "a child", he's small, you are still stronger. Maybe you've already recognize him, but you're underestimating him, or maybe other people close to you recognized him, but you're not listen to them, you think that they're exaggerating. Do yourself a favor and get rid of your enemy now that you can! Do not let him become stronger! Attack him and destroy him completely once and for all! Because if you don't do it, your enemy will grow stronger, and he will destroy you.

Hope it helped you =)

One proof that God is real

There are people that simply are determined not to believe in God even before you say something to them. Can I give you a piece of advice? Stop trying. Remember that Jesus taught us that the way that they may glorify our Father is by seeing your good works (Matthew 5:14-16, John 13:35), and not by "convincing their minds." Besides, be honest, trying to win when you're arguing many times it turns more into a personal pride issue than a really passion to see that person deciding to believe in God.

A few years ago, I had the chance to talk to a jail director, who was in charge of a penitentiary center wherein different forms to re-socialize the inmate were tried. This man had a sincere desire to help those men, and this drove him to try different ways to get results. The big problem he faced was that the best methods psychologists and psychiatrists had (he himself was a nationally rewarded psychologist) took too much time to show results, if there was any.

On one occasion, thinking about this in his office at the jail, he saw through the window a well-dressed, big-smile, smelling-good inmate walking by holding a Bible with his hand. The director was surprised because he knew this inmate. Less than two weeks ago he saw him completely different, he was one of those than nobody would give a penny for him, consumed by drugs, naked, he looked like a dead living man, abandoned in the trash because not even his fellow inmate wanted him. "How did he dramatically changed in just two weeks?", the surprised director wondered. So, no need to think it twice, the director decided to follow this man, and he was greatly surprised to see that that man was going to a church inside the penitentiary.

"This is it!", he exclaimed. "This exactly what was missing!" Without wasting time he call several Christian churches to a meeting so he could start practicing what he called "the God's factor." In that meeting, he said to us: "I now know the cure, but I don't know how to apply it. That's why I need you."

What, then, is the proof that God is real? Lives changed by Him. What it would take years for men, only in the case that there is any hope, God does in a short time. Restored marriages, changed lives, saved children, miracles, the sick being healed, the fact that we can say: "before I was like that, now I am different", joy and peace in the middle of problems, etc., all of that are things that we experienced and that are palpable to us.

Maybe one testimony is not enough for someone to believe, but what about if he hears ten, or one hundred, or one thousand testimonies? That's why, more than just words, your changed life is what others need to believe so that they may glorify our Father (Matthew 5:14-16)

"I will praise, O Lord, with my whole heart. I will tell of all your marvelous works" (Psalm 9:1). What your Heavenly Father did for you is the best marvelous work that need to be told!