Guest Post: Rise Strong In Faith And The Flesh Will Follow By Diego Andres Lucero

 

Hey everyone! I'm excited for today's post! About a month ago I asked a dear friend of ours, Diego, if he would like to write a guest post and he actually said yes! Now I am actually super happy he waited until this long to finally finish his post or else we wouldn't have this amazing testimony of what occurred to him this week. "In sickness and in health" shouldn't be just vows to your partner but it should be your number one vow to your life partner, God! Remember our Prayer -The World's Greatest Wireless Connection post? Well this is just a taste of what prayer can do and why it is in fact our best WiFi system ever! And with out further or do, here is Diego.
With Love & Grace -Diana C

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On Monday afternoon, April 14, a fever slowly arouse in my body. As the night approached the fever elevated as high as 40 degrees C lasting several hours. Stomach pain and headaches tormented me through this time. Tuesday morning I was submitted to the emergency room for tests. The doctors found inflammation of the colon due to an aggressive bacterium called salmonella. As I stayed overnight in the emergency room I tried avoiding the pain and discomfort by watching a sermon by pastor Bill Johnson on the sovereignty of God where he covered part of Acts 12. It dawned on me how important and powerful prayer through family and community can be…

Acts 12: 1-10 (Summarized)  - James, brother of John, was ordered to be killed by King Herod. He was executed by sword. Because it pleased Jewish public opinion he decided it was a good idea to imprison Peter as well, and have him executed. After having captured Peter, Herod threw him in prison guarded by sixteen soldiers and was expected to be executed in front of the people after Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, BUT the church PRAYED ERNESTLY to God for him. The night before the execution an angel of the lord appeared and led him. Unseen by the soldiers Peter and the angel arrived at a gate that led to the city. The gate opening by itself allowed peter to walk through it. Walking a certain length the angel left Peter and he was therefore delivered from death

Notice the difference in outcome for James compared to Peter, one destination was death and the other life!  There is no mention of prayer for James, (although I am sure there must have been someone praying for poor James), the bible emphasizes and only mentions persistent prayer for Peter by the “church”- believers of Jesus Christ. This part of scripture emphasizes the POWER of prayer through community in the body of Christ. 

As I fell asleep I meditated on this teaching and scripture. When I awoke I found my phone bombarded with text messages from people from my church and close friends, showing compassion by keeping me in prayer. I was truly overwhelmed with blessings and love from all of those who texted.  My bro Ken, a youth leader at the church I attend to, even stopped by and prayed for me. 

My fever, which had not come down from the day before, finally leaked out in sweat and my lungs felt opened and a fresh breath seemed to fill them.  

Later on the doctor said to my mother, “your son must have a very strong immune system for him not to be showing worse symptoms”.  Little did he know that it was prayer and the love of God expressed through my church family that was empowering my immune system. I was sent home that very day to have a speedy recovery. As of now I feel a million times better and stronger in my faith! For all of those who kept me in prayer, I thank and honor you for letting the love of God shine through you. Just as my family was with me every moment the spirit of your prayers was felt every moment. The compassion showed through all who prayed really emphasized the teaching and instilled in me a wisdom which is hard to describe in words. At most all I can say is this:

Although we know that no sickness comes from God, he can use our situation to guide us to a deeper level of understanding of his word through divine encounters. My brothers and sisters do not let your faith be waivered in times of tribulations.  Let every hit from this world that knocks you down be an opportunity for you to come back stronger in faith. 

James 1:3 – For you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance

Let us hold steadfast to the promise of who He is and what His will is:

Mathew 6:10 -Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

We know there is no sickness in the kingdom of Heaven, no death, and no poverty. So let us proclaim His goodness even in times of sickness for this is faith in action.

And if anything we should remember this:

2 Corinthians 12:9 - But he said to me “My Grace is all you need. My power is made perfect in weakness”. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me

Where and when we are weak He is STRONG!

Keep fighting the good fight!

Much love,

Diego Andres Lucero

Don’t Forget What Was Said in Private

“But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” - Genesis 2:16, 17

“The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” -Genesis 3:6

& Just like that, Adam forgot what was said in private, in the secret place, where God and him where the only ones.

Doesn’t that happen to you? You pray about something you know what He’s saying to you, you hear Him, you know exactly what He feels for you but as soon as you step out of that secret place you completely forget about what was said between you and Him. I know it has for me, and I never understood why it is so easy to forget the promises and words of love the Father has laid upon our lives and believing the lies of the enemy, the one who wants to destroy you. Why does negativity stick like glue but the positive words of our Father slip off like soap in water?  

It is so easy to see your failures and mistakes, and to see how far you have to still reach your potential and that dream you’ve always wanted. It’s so easy to say “I’m not ready” and for the rest of the world to tell you that you aren’t ready. But why, why on earth are you forgetting what your Heavenly Father tells you every time you fall at his feet?!

 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

“And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’” Acts 22:16

Are these not His words to you?! “AND NOW WHY DO YOU WAIT?” That question is one of the questions that can make people stutter like they were Moses, the famous “It’s impossible,” that's when "We forget that IMPOSSIBLE is one of God’s favorite words. Don't let that word get in your way of your dreams!!” -unknown. Or we make excuses and declare all these statements in their lives about how “we aren’t ready.”  And granted some people aren’t ready for a lot of things; newsflash who is really ready for anything?!  And where is the joy in life if you don’t jump of a cliff to the unknown. God will go before you, and if you know that His presence is coming with you, if you and God have had this conversation (only you and him know exactly what conversation it is) then why are you waiting? Why are you forgetting the promises that he has breathed in you. The most crucial part here is, do not confuse your desire for his will. His will, will only lead you to a place of glory, which does not dismiss the fact that there may be bumps on the road, but ultimately it is a place where he can glorify Himself. Your desires may lead you to the wrong places, try to see the bigger picture, but desires and the will of God will be for another post.

We have to renew our minds every day, we cannot forget like Adam what was said in secret. For the person reading this, I know God has spoken to you, and it may not be literally speaking, it may be a dream, a passion in your heart. Those aren’t there for just any reason, don’t be afraid to go and live your dream. Don’t ever tame your spark because others just can’t handle it. The only one that matters has put the spark in you; never tame it. Always keep those God given words in your heart and mostly in your mind. Adam was supposed to be the voice of reason; the light in the darkness, but he forgot the words directly said to him by God and well you know what happens next.

Live in the grace, goodness and love of God. I hope you never forget your tears, laughs, half smiles, serious talks, funny talks, your petitions and your selfish ones (we all have them), your quiet and your “I Can’t Tame This Tongue’ talks in your secret place with God. I hope you never forget His response to you, the silent ones and the ‘This is So Clear’ responses. I hope you never forget the night that Jesus came and wrapped his love around you; only you and He knew exactly how that felt. Don’t forget it, you will need it on the days you most want to live out your dreams.

“All fear removed, I breathe you in, I lean into

 Your love, oh your love”

With Love & Grace- Diana C

Prayer - The World's Greastest Wireless Connection

On our last post we touched about overcoming fear and there were four steps to overcoming fear:
1)Prayer
2)Reading the word
3)Counsel
4)Worship

Well it's time to dig deeper into those individual aspects that make up our foundation for a great relationship with God. So let's get started with number 1: Prayer.
I think it's time that we start being honest with God. Growing up I had this image of God, an entity up in the clouds just ruling over people. In Sunday school I was taught to pray to God but not to communicate with Him. Let me tell you, those two things are completely different. I think many of us grow up with a notion that God has bigger problems out in the world than ours, so we don't express ourselves to Him and when we do,we start doing what the prodigal son did before coming home to his father. Rehearse his speech of forgiveness in hopes of being well received.

"I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father." Luke 15:18

How many times do you catch yourself formatting and scripting your prayers in your head and as soon as we get into "prayer mode" we start reciting this monotone rehearsed speech that God has already heard?! I think it's time that we start being honest in our prayer life, that we open up more, that we scream and cry. That we express and communicate our thoughts, our loneliness, fears, happiness and sadness to the Holy Spirit WITHOUT rehearsing them before hand because you know what? He already knows what's in your heart and on your mind. I also want to add that it doesn't matter where you are when you communicate with your Creator! Religion has made talking to your Father such a tradition that if we are not kneeling or in a church most feel like they aren't really praying. That makes prayer seem like a chore and to me, it's almost like having a specific place where I can talk to my parents, imagine that you are only allowed to talk to your parents in the kitchen and nowhere else! How crazy does that sound?! And we actually do this with our Heavenly Father! As if He is not everywhere! He is omniscient; all-knowing, all-wise, all-seeing, he is everywhere. It's time to be honest with God anywhere and everywhere! It's time to start communicating with Him at work, at school, in the car, even on the bus. It's time to close your eyes in the middle of a chaotic world and say "HELP" and it is essential to start understanding that prayer is not just holding your hands in front of your face and saying something out of Psalms. It is saying exactly what you feel, it is raw emotion, it is freedom. Jesus cried out to the Father: 

"And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” )." -Mark 15:34

Do you see that? He CRIED out, he had no shame to cry out to His father even when he knew that the story of his resurrection was greater and better than his death. But in the moment He felt alone and afraid and He made sure the Father knew, because He knew that the Father would deliver him from all fear and death. So why do we try to bottle up our feelings? Scream them out, ask for Him to show up when you don't feel Him! And when you actually start a real conversation with your God that's when He will say "Finally, it took you long enough to be honest with me, now let's get to work" and your redemption story will be far more beautiful than your trials, and it all starts with a decision. A decision to be open and honest with your prayers.

Peace and Grace - Diana 

Fear....a Trust Issue?

  I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one out there who's been afraid. Afraid of a multitude of things in this lifetime. Personally, I was so hooked on fear that it was starting to dominate over me, not letting me live my life the way I should. Now that's taking it too far I think. Of course, nobody's perfect and I'm still afraid of things such as public speaking (everyone's usually surprised by this one), but its something that I trust God will deliver me from slowly, but surely.
     But if there's something that I've learned over time it's that fear is a trust issue. Yeah, that sounds kind of weird right? Let me explain. I've come to realize that when you are afraid and fearful, it is because you aren't trusting God with the issue. There's this little thing called having faith, which is something that lacks if you are allowing fear to control your life.To overcome fear is to surrender it all to God. Like it says in  Philippians 4:6-7:

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

    If you allow God to take control of your fear then what makes you think He won't? He will give you that overwhelming peace that surpasses all of our understanding. Who doesn't want that?! I mean really? But we have to understand that there are implications to this. God wants you to do your part too! Don't just wait around for Him to make your feelings of fear magically disappear. It doesn't work that way. You have to make an effort yourself to be more trusting of God, meaning you have to seek Him, and get to know Him for who He really is; a loving Father!

There are a few things that I think really help you to overcome fear. 

1) Prayer
If you haven't experienced the power of prayer, I encourage you to go deeper. Dedicate time to this because prayer is the key in this battle. God promises us in Matthew 7.7 :

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you."

Put it into practice and be amazed by Gods glory! I dare you.

2) Read the Word
This one seems like a no brainer.  Read the word and you can really learn a lot about Jesus and the Father. But something that I've come to realize is that the enemy has NO new tricks. So recognizing the attack of the enemy against your life gives you an advantage and an opportunity to use the word to overcome.

3) Counsel
Put up your hand if you've ever been that type of person who thought they could do everything on their own without needing anyone's help. Yeah I was that person for far too long. I'm almost 100% sure that God put people on this planet so that we could help each other out and flee from isolation. So tell someone you trust about what you're going through; someone who is on higher spiritual grounds than you are. I promise you, God will use them to give you words of comfort and wisdom.

4) Worship  
Chains are broken during worship.  Its a time where you can completely let go of whats bothering you, and wholeheartedly give it up to God. Worship is a time to set an atmosphere to let the Holy Spirit do His work. Surrender it all and trust God!

    Essentially what I want is for you all to walk in the freedom that Jesus has given us. His love overcomes all things, and He is GREATER than any and every fear that exists. So why not go out on a limb and surrender all fear within you up to Jesus? There's really nothing to lose. All you do is gain! Learn to trust God with everything that you are, every inch of your being; all fears included, and walk out in the love that is Christ. I pray that God will set you free of all fear that is trying to dominate over your life, and that the love and peace of God may just overflow in your lives! 

Written by Michelle♡