Carpet-minded....

Say whaaaaat????

That's right, Carpet minded, it actually exists!!
I'm sure you have a carpet at home right now that is thinking the same thing...

I could have a great time trying to make this fun, but it is quite a serious matter, and hard to do.

What am I saying? I'm saying that pretty much whenever you go into a room, you don't realize the carpet at first. You step in it, walk in it, and perhaps don't even realize that it is there. sometimes this happens to us. Sometimes we don't understand why, and we are sad and hurt.

But even then you and I shouldn't be disappointed. God wants His people to serve Him with a spirit that even when we are stepped on, we will not mind, or be sad, this will not be easy, and you and I will fail. But God will not.

This same kind of mindedness has been all over me this past months.
reminding me I should be joyful, even when I'm being stepped on God has a bigger plan for me.

Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

sometimes I overlook this verse so many times, perhaps that is why the verse says, "...and again I say,"

Rejoice my friend, I know that its hard....
I'm there.....
Carpet-minded.....
Rejoicing....
failing to rejoice....
asking forgiveness....
when I could be angry, or sad, in a pity party.... how boring!?? (never done it...or have I?)
Instead of enjoying a beautiful day that The LORD has created JUST FOR ME!!!....

I know that this "command" is not necessarily, per say, exactly.... literally mentioned in the Scripture, but it is mentioned now and then quite a lot about

Giving thanks.
Praising the Lord.
Laying yourself aside.
Humbling yourself.
Receiving the Spirit.
Trusting in Him.
Earnestly praying.
Honouring parents.
Obeying Leadership.
and so much more...

How can we do this things if we mind that we are being stepped on, excluded, uninvited, unwelcome, rejected, not-rejected, welcome, invited, and not being stepped on.
what I mean is that it doesn't matter... what matter is that you can rejoice whatever the situation.

God will test you, and see if you can rejoice and praise Him.

Even if we don't rejoice at times, God will remind you and bring you back, that you need to rejoice always.

so how can I be Carpet-minded.... by seeking God's face, with a hunger of a lion,
by Asking Him. by knowing in your own heart that HE IS ENOUGH. no friend or possession can measure up.

He will not let you down. everyone else will.
So start putting your focus on The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

  
till next time....

~ Ernesto

Are you willing to stand...

Am I willing to stand for what is right, even if it means loosing friends?

that last part of the question kinda catches the eye. does it not? sometimes we want to do what is right but without side effects. without having to get affected, or affect other people. But then you are worrying about what looks best instead of what is right. If we are truly following the instructions from God then we need to make hard decisions, I say hard because its easy to make wrong choices. since that is what we do all the time without the direction from God, we might know the direction but putting it on practice becomes the real challenge.

If you would have asked me this question a few years ago, in 2006 to be exact. I would have hesitated, and perhaps told you yes. But deep inside I knew that it would mean no friends (mostly). I would have, at some extent, not fully done and stood for what is right knowing the side effects of that choice. And that is wrong! God does not want lukewarm people. You must be Hot or cold. not both.

This same day in 2007,  having gone to my first Journey to the Heart, The Lord taught me that He is and always will be my true and only Friend and Father, and that I didn't have to put my expectations on other people, because He would never disappoint. Therefore, if I had friends or not it would not matter because He would be my true Friend, forever.

Matthew 28:20 says a very important truth,

"...And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Sometimes we bypass this promise and let it slip by our fingers, and just like it says in the verse, "And REMEMBER...." Don't forget!! Don't take this for granted! Don't miss out on this amazing truth!!

Fast forwarding to today; I received a message from a friend, a friend whom reminded me of the past year. And how he was blessed by my integrity, To stand for what is right even if it costs to loose friends. At the time I didn't think I would loose those friends for that decision, but that didn't come to my mind at all and that was the awesome part of it. I was in conviction with what God had taught me and all I wanted was to do the right thing no matter what.

 I want to encourage you just like I was encouraged today for something that I had done last year. I say that because I hadn't seen it that way, after loosing those "friends," I did feel sad, sure. And for a moment I didn't understand why. But I knew that God was the friend I could put my trust in and not be let down, I knew that God would always be with me no matter what.

 Are you willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of the Lord? even if it means letting go of friends. Maybe you can become an example by making a hard decision and encourage others to follow what God says and not what other people say.

Trust me, making a hard decision is REALLY HARD! but it not hard anymore if God is behind it, and all over the decision you are making. To whom are your choices pleasing? to people around you. or God. Simple as that.

Don't wait to make a right choice, Ask God to help you and He will give be there with you and then you will know to do what is right.

^"He (you) shall call upon Me (God), and I will answer him (you): I will be with him (you) in trouble; I will deliver him (you), and honour him (you)." Psalm 91:15

 What a promise.

So, Are you willing to do what is right, even if it means that you will stand alone, and no one will support your decision, you will be laughed at, and kicked out of the group?
 This is what I went through. But it was worth it!!! no doubt. Because I know that God was with me, I was not alone. God was holding my hand and telling me not to worry.

Whatever the outcome, be willing to follow, obey, trust, rest, and live in victory with Jesus.

Thirst no more!!

As I sit here in a computer that I do not own, typing away, I ask myself why I am doing it (why do I write in a blog). To tell you the truth, I'm not a great writer--shocking! lol But why am I doing it? I'll tell you... eventually. whaha.

I am doing it because even though I really don't know if you might be family, friend, acquaintance, or a complete stranger who happened to find this blog. I know one thing. we are all trying to get the most out of our day. sometimes we thing that being able to get the most out of things is perhaps making things fun, or making lots of money, or having the best things available, or winning a game, or being the most popular person on earth, or backyard. This is all but a grain of sand. I don't know if you know sand, but sand is pretty pretty small. it is usually accompanied by a lot of more sand. Anyhow, to give you an example as to what I am talking about; Many athletes have wondered "What now?" after being awarded the highest award for their sport. They worked so much to be the best of the best just so that they would ask themselves if there is something more.

With that being said, I will tell you why I write. I write because I want you to know and see for yourself that Jesus Satisfies! but not only that, you will have a new purpose in life. Jesus said to a woman close to a water well,

 "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)

This living water is not the type of water that you would literary drink. It is a spiritual, living water that you will can receive. But don't get me wrong, It is not given to you by force. I'm not trying to push this on you. I'm not trying to make you do anything. But I am telling you because I care about you and I don't want to see you miss out.

The next verse shows how the woman asked Jesus to give her this everlasting water that would make her thirst no more.....

"The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." (verse 15)

Aren't you tired of having to keep looking for that one thing that will "Satisfy" your everyday life?  Then ask Jesus to come in into your heart! and if Jesus is in your heart this is for you as well;

Stop looking for things that will only waste your time. Jesus is more than enough! so seek His Word, and see that He is always there by you, waiting for you to open your heart to Him. It is up to you.

Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart, waiting to see if you will invite Him in and give you Living water, that will satisfy you and give you everlasting life. 


What is Everlasting life?

 Coming soon....

Whiter Than Snow

These past days have been amazing. Last Saturday we got hit by a huge storm that went until about Monday evening, loads of snow came upon the great fields of Indiana and Northern states. The snow was perfect on Sunday. I was able to make the most round snowman I've ever built ( the past attempts had been not-quite-the-ideal-round-snowdude.). before I keep talking about the beauty of snow, and how much I love it-I want to share about Psalm 51....

the beauty of white.

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

² Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

¹² Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

¹⁵ O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

¹⁶ For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

¹⁸ Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar."

 What a chapter of Humility. I don't even know how to explain this chapter, it goes right to the point, straightforward and sweet. All I can say is once you ask for forgiveness God comes in and forgives you right away. You and I will keep doing things wrong, and that is why we need to keep coming to our knees and ask forgiveness, again, again, again, and again. He will make you white as snow! (vs. 7) Praising God is giving thanks for what He has done in your life, and will keep doing. (vs. 15)
Give your heart to God as a sacrifice, not because you are made too, but because you are willing to.

It takes a Broken heart ( humility) to realize that we are doing things wrong, making poor choices, getting angry at whatever, being impatient with family members-I have done all these things, and even more. But I know He will make me white as snow, if I am willing to ask him to forgive me. Friend do not keep your heart from God. He is waiting-waiting for you.