Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007                                                 by Llenis M

As I sit here and write I wonder at God’s strange thoughts. Of course to me they are a bit crazy because I am a human with a finite mind, incapable to understand such wonderful profoundness! This past week in Sunday school we learned about the life of Rahab. It’s funny that I’ve read the story before, but never quite understood the meaning of the story. To me it had no meaning because I really didn’t understand what the big deal about what she had done.

 As I began to study it carefully it took on a different meaning for me that I would like to share with you today. Rahab was a prostitute, who lived in Jericho.  She had heard about the God of Israel and his mighty works and had chosen to believe that he was the Lord God of the heaven and earth (Joshua 2:11). But her faith and confession didn’t stop there, but lead to more. When the time came down for her to trust in the God of Israel she took that next step and cooperated with God’s plan to help the spies from Israel escape. This meant risking her life, even when the king demanded of her to tell where the spies went. She manifested her faith into works.

Every true believer of Christ will not alone live satisfied with just saying they are Christians, but will live it out in their actions. James 2:20, “You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” Now I’m not talking about living out rules, but living the word of God in our life. Many times our sins we think aren’t as bad because they are unseen to the human eye. But what about our thoughts and anger and resentment held inside our hearts? As a write about all of this I myself feel the conviction of many times not living God’s word.

Sometimes I become distant to His word because I’m avoiding hearing that which I need to hear. Lord help us to return to him in prayer and his word. Scripture tells us in James 2:24, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”  As you and I think about this word, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you and show you which are those areas in your life which we’re not practicing Christianity. God Bless!

    Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007                                           by Llenis M

Hello readers from IPF!!! It’s a joy to be back after some time off. I was so occupied with work and school and other activities that I just needed a break. But now I’m ready to share with you once again what God is teaching me through his word. Also, on a side note, “School is here, and to all those students returning to classes I wish you a wonderful year!” As this new school year begins with a fresh start, we must look at what we want to accomplish this year.

Everything in life needs to have some kind of planning if not then we can be assured that we are planning to fail.  Let me let you in to what kind of planning I am talking about. In order for us to get through this year we must have a heart that is determined beforehand to serve Christ. Schools in America today are saturated with all kinds of distorted truth. It seems like we are unable to differentiate between right and wrong. The definition of truth that I found said, “There is no single definition of truth about which the majority of philosophers agree.”

So this leads me to ask you what truth is. Is it a principle, definition or philosophy? The only real truth that can change the life of people is the truth they obey. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.” If we as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ know that He is Truth we must obey his commands, if we claim to know the Truth. Daniel 11:32, “…but, the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” I believe we can only stand up for we truly believe is Truth. The truth of God revealed is real because it fulfills its purpose every time. Once we have come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ we learn about his promises for our lives. When we apply them we can honestly say they hold true.

Countless lives have been transformed by the Bible over and over again through time. Jesus said in John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  Only the Truth from the Bible can make a person free from depression, sin, or any bondage.  Will you and I make the effort to resist all the junk and lies that our society teaches against our Christian values? Let us make an effort this year to stand for our beliefs. For everywhere we go, people are looking for the truth.

    Posted on Wednesday, January 24, 2007                                                 by Llenis M

First I’d like to begin wishing you all a blessed New Year. It is amazing to begin another year, starting off fresh and new. As we begin and try to fulfill all our goals in this year, I pray that we can grow in the Lord stronger and more maturely. We must also be aware that we also need to keep guard of our hearts from all the temptations that we face in this world. I feel that if we want to begin fresh we need to first be honest with ourselves and the Lord.

Sometimes we may find that we overlook some things that are in my heart that are not honoring to the Lord. Yet, the Lord reveals it in his appropriate time; sometimes these issues have been in our lives for years. Quite frankly, we are all in the same boat; in desperate need of God’s help for our weaknesses. God wants us to bring to him those things in which we cannot overcome with human efforts. Hebrews 4:14-16 reminds us that we indeed have a high priest Jesus, whom is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, yet without sin! Jesus knows exactly what we face, and we have an option. We can choose to be wise or foolish, Proverbs 12:15, “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” We can choose to face our weakness and rely on his strength to be made strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

As someone said before, the Christian life is all about trusting and obeying God’s word. That however, takes a lifetime to accomplish, because naturally our fallen nature always distrusts. We can remember that God has already provided all that we need to live a Godly life. May we be encouraged in his words for this coming year and not faint on this daily pursuit of God and aiming to live a holy life separated from sin. Let’s give everything we can’t handle into the hands of who can handle all things! Be blessed and encouraged this year…