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!

Prayer I: The Arrow Prayer

We tend to get discourage when we see so much pain nowadays because we think: "What can I do? What can I do to help so many people damaged for the natural disasters, the ones running away with their families from wars and violence, sicknesses, human trafficking, etc., etc., etc.?!"

There is something you can do. YOU CAN PRAY!

We despise the power of prayer when we think: "The only thing I can do about it is to pray."

Don't pay attention to those that say: "I agree, we can pray, but if we are going to pray, let's do it right!" They mean that we have to pray in certain ways in order for the prayer to be effective. They're wrong. It's not necessary to pray a very long prayer at the top of your lungs, fasting and on our knees in order for the prayer to be effective. Jesus already did effective our prayer! Jesus made our prayers to avail much because He made you just! (James 5:16, Romans 5:1)

Sister Esthercita Lu, one member of Camino de Vida's intercessors team, taught me what she called the Arrow Prayer, based on the account of Nehemiah chapter one and two.

Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer on that time. It happened that, while he was serving wine to the king, the king noted that Nehemiah was sad, so he asked him if everything was ok. Nehemiah told him that his people was suffering, and then the king said to him: "What do you request?" The Bible says that "Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven and answered" (Nehemiah 2:1-5).

Now, I want you to realize that Nehemiah didn't go aside to get on his knees and pray "properly", neither he told to the king that he'd answer him after a three days of fasting and whipping. Nehemiah was serving wine to the king, and that very moment, he prayed.

How would've Nehemiah prayed?! How do you imagined it? Well, it definitely wasn't more than a whisper. I am sure that it was a very silent and almost inaudible "God, help me!", "God, put words in my mouth!" But the Bible has it registered as to Nehemiah prayed.

Do not despise when you pray in the street, on the bus, walking, in the shower, or any other moment that you remember something and for which you say a: "Father, do something for it", "God, bless them", etc. My wife Cecilia, every time she hears an ambulance's or firefighter's siren, she prays for them for a few seconds. Don't think that because you don't do it with the "right gestures and positions" following the right liturgy, your prayer isn't effective. Remember that you don't make effective your prayer with your method you pray. Jesus made your prayer effective with his sacrifice!

So, pray more for what is going on in the world today. Prayer in every moment! Jesus said that we should ask the Father for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Pray with the confidence that the ears of the Father are attentive to your prayer (Psalms 34:!5), and with the confidence that EVERY WORD you say is heard and received!

Hope it helps!

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 =)

Please, pray with me for my country Peru

Father, bless my Peru. I pray for your unmerited favor over this land, over each Peruvian, but specially, over each of your sons and daughters that in these moments are lifting their faces to You with faith that they may receive the help that they need to go through this time of uncertainty and disappointment.

Give us the strength so we may decide to quit putting our trust and expectancy on our governors and authorities, and to start putting it on You alone, as always should have been. We take responsibility of being disappointment, because we are aware that disappointment comes when we received less than we expected, and we recognize that it was our mistake to expect from them what we always had to expect from You. We decide to put our trust no longer on a man or woman, but only on You.

We decide that peace, joy, the opportunities, the hope for a good future and the certainty that the best is yet to come, we no longer expect them from our authorities, but from You. You're our joy and peace! You open the door for us for the opportunities that we need! We believe that with You, nothing is never lost, but everything is getting better every time, from glory to glory, from victory to victory! We believe that with the little that we're able to give to You, You're able to do much!

We pray that You may turn into something good all this time of instability. You didn't send this evil of corruption, but we know that with You all things work together for good. We pray so that all of us may learn our lesson and take with responsibility and seriousness the next times that we'll have to go to vote to elect our authorities, not by only getting well informed, but also by asking You for wisdom to elect wisely.

We pray so that corruption may completely fall, that the light may illuminate in the darkness so that those selfish acts that have been done secretly to rob everybody's resources, might be exposed. We ask You that that won't happen again, that might be angels protecting what belongs to all Peruvians, that corrupters may be discovered and stopped before they fulfill their plans to steal. We pray that fear invades their hearts so they won't dare to take for themselves what belongs to all of us, that they might be unease until they desist to do those misdeeds, that their consciences won't le them be in peace, so that they decide stop their wickedness.

Heavenly Father, we ask You to put in our governors the conscience that the office they're on is holy because is designed to serve millions of people. We ask that they may realize the fact that their decisions affect so many people it's a privilege that not many people have. We pray for the conviction of being there to serve may be very real in them and that they may take it with responsibility, honesty, sacrifice and dedication. Bless them with the wisdom they need in every step they take. Bless their families and personal lives, and let them know that You rewarded them for their service.

Father, we decide to quit complaining, but to take responsibility from where we are. As your children, we decide to pray for them so that You may cover them constantly from all temptation and that they may be filled with guidance to execute their office with excellence. Speak to us Father, tell us the ways to contribute to form a better Peru, that we may not expect to receive a better Peru, but being, from now on, builders of it.

Thanks because we know that You hears us, that You're with us and that You will never leave us, and because of it, we know that we are going to go through this We will be in the other side, and we'll be stronger, wiser, better persons, better Peruvians and better Christians.

Amen.

The Power that Jesus gave to my Son

When Juan Esteban was two years old often suffered from nightmares. My wife and I were so worried because we saw his little face full of fear when he cried and called us at nights.

One night, I run to his room because he was crying once again, and when he saw me, he hugged me, and then he was frightened as he pointed to one corner of the room. When my wife and I looked at that direction, we saw nothing, but it was obvious that he could see something.

We prayed for many weeks until one day we talked to him about the authority that Jesus has given to him. We could feel that Jesus was talking to him in that moment. We said to him: "Son, Jesus has defeated the devil, he has no power and no authority over you. You can kick him OUT of that place because you have the power of Jesus!"

To be honest, we didn't know how much he understood us until that night, because we didn't wake up anymore because was crying or because he called us, but because we heard him yelling: "Out! Out!" Our son, being only two years old, was kicking the devil out of that place.

(this picture is when he was two)

I am absolutely sure that the answer of our prayers for him was that we felt to talk to him about the authority and power that Jesus gave him. I would never thought to do that because by natural instinct I myself was to defend him, specially at that age, but I can see that my Heavenly Father, who loves him and takes care of him more than me, wanted to defend him Himself. Instead of Juan Esteban depends on me, my Heavenly Father wanted him to depend on Him.

Moral: Better than worrying to take care of your kids all the time, let's teach them that the Almighty One, the Creator of everything, is their Father and that He Himself defends them.

I really hope this may bless you!

Thoughts about The Lord of Miracles in Lima - Perú

Every year in October there is a tradition in Peru: The Procession of the Lord of Miracles. I just wanted to leave some thoughts about this multitudinous celebration.

- From a historic, cultural and traditional point of view, I love it! Peru is a country filled with different customs which enrich us as a nation.

- There are many people that complain because the procession of the Lord of Miracles implies the shutting off many avenues and streets, which cause many people to delay to go where they want. You know something, we have to learn to be more tolerant because we live in a society in which we all don't think differently, and tolerance has to be manifested many times accepting a little of discomfort.

- It breaks my heart to see how many people approach to Jesus thinking that they have to do some kind of sacrifice in order to be heard by God and to obtain the miracle they want. I've seen how many people of different ages walk barefoot or with their knees, thinking that their suffering will convince Jesus. I'd like to be able to tell everyone that Jesus's sacrifice is more than enough, that He did it because He loves them, and that they don't have to beg for their Heavenly Father's favor, but go to take it because it is already theirs thanks to what Jesus did.

- I don't like the fact that many evangelic christians attack the people that go to the procession telling them that they shouldn't worship images. I just don't know what they are expecting to obtain with that attitude and way of telling them; are they expecting them, maybe, to decide to be no longer catholic and start to be evangelic? If that is so, what a disastrous way to preach!


- Just is case, the miracles that took place there were made by Jesus. You read it right, by Jesus! They weren't made by the devil, if you thought so. The fact that they are mistaken in the way they approach to God does not imply that they approach to the devil. What it does implies is that they won't receive in the way God wanted them to receive. There are many times that surely you has received a blessing from you Heavenly Father not in the way He wanted you to receive it, and that was because you approached to Him in a wrong way. The people that assist to the procession are approaching God by the Law instead of by the Grace of Jesus, and by His Grace it'll always be easier!

- If you don't agree with their way to approach God and you don't love them in your heart, please do not try to convince them that what they're doing is against the Bible because you'll just end up creating barriers because of the bad way and attitude with which you will end up saying things. Remember, an indispensable ingredient to be heard by others is LOVE. If you don't have love for them, you are not qualified to teach them.

- If you are not agree with what they're doing, pray for them! In prayer, your Heavenly Father will give you, if it's His will, not only the right attitude to approach to them but also right way to do it.

I hope you've been blessed by it.

If so, don't forget to share! =)

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• Halloween (ENGLISH version): Here I answer some argument on why we shouldn't hold a activity parallel to Halloween.
• "I am Corrupt, but not so much": Many complain about our authorities's corruption without realizing that that corruption started in ourselves.

Believe that you'll take it, and it'll come

Mark 11:24 says that all we ask in prayer, if we believe that we'll receive it, it will come to us. But the word that it's been translated "receive", in greek means "take". Then, Mark 11:24 should say: "Therefore, I tell you that everything you ask in prayer, believe that you will take it, and it will come."

What Jesus was teaching is when you pray, you must believe that you can take what you're asking for, and it will come to you, that's to say, you will have it.

1. "Everything you ask in prayer". In other words, you must pray! When you pray, when you are in the presence of your heavenly Father, your faith is lifted up. Your faith will not be lifted up if you just complain, worry, or think all the time about how impossible is to have that what you wish. Your faith will grow in the presence of your Father and feeding yourself with His Word!

2. "Believe." You decide to believe in God. Of course, it is easier if your faith just naturally grows because you are filling yourself with His Word and practicing His Presence all the time, but there will be times when you just have to BELIEVE NOW. In Mark 5, Jesus said to the principal of the synagogue when he received the bad news of his daughter's dead: "Fear not, just believe." His natural reaction was fearing, but Jesus told him, in other words: "Decide to believe".

3. "That you will take it." Does this imply a little of work from you? Yes, it does! But this work is not for you to be worthy of what you are asking for, but for taking what you already receive by faith when you prayed. Big difference!
The former is through the Law, the latter through faith.
The former would be thanks to your merits, the latter is thanks Jesus's merits.
With the former you'll be worried and stressed, with the latter you'll be in peace, because even though you will go to take what it's yours, you'll know that it is yours thanks to Jesus.
With the former you'll find yourself struggling for your victory, with the latter you'd fight from Jesus's victory.

Once I heard by the radio that a person won a car. The presenter called the winner, who lived outside Lima, to tell him to come the capital to receive his prize. The winner had to go to take what's his. He didn't come to fight for his prize, but just come to take it. His journey to Lima wasn't stressful and full of uncertainty, but full of expectation, excitement and peace. That's the way it should be when we take what we ask for believing we have already received it!

If you are asking for something in prayer to you heavenly Father who loves you, believe that He's already given it to you thanks to Jesus's sacrifice, and you'll see how that confidence of going and taking what's yours will increase inside of you, knowing, besides, that your Father is with you!