Christian Life Center - Spanish Ministry

03/22/2024

‭1 Peter 3:15 NASB1995‬
[15] but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

02/21/2024

Hope In The Lost and Confused Season

Whenever I found myself in the “silent season,” I felt the need to take steps to fix the issue. I’m a solutions person. A fixer. A take-action type of woman. I thought that maybe God was waiting for me to take a leap of faith, and He would meet me where I leaped. However, I felt ill-guided and lost. I found myself asking others, “How do I know what to do?” or having conversations surrounding the idea that I was lost. It was frustrating because I desired to do God’s will and listen attentively, but He wasn’t saying anything. So, not only did I feel He was silent, but amid the silence, I also felt left in the wilderness with no direction.

When we are lost, we sometimes look for guidance in places outside of God instead of waiting. We ask our friends. We ask our parents. We look to Google for guidance. We get desperate. We tend to feel the need to find an answer in hopes that we will gain clarity. But ultimately; peace. We have to be very mindful of these thoughts and actions because sometimes that push to make it happen will bring a counterfeit blessing. What's a counterfeit blessing? A counterfeit blessing will look similar to what you desire, but it’s not. But, it fulfills the desire you have enough to satisfy you temporarily. The problem? You are delaying the real desire you have and will possibly miss it. Just wait! You want what you desire, correct? You want exactly what you asked for and more, correct? Don’t allow a waiting season to trick you into a distracted and bewildered season and end up taking a temporary fulfillment over the best blessing God has for you.

He hasn't forgotten about you. He is always ready to guide you, but, sometimes, the guidance is simply to be still.

Reflection Day II:

Talk to others who have had God answer their prayer that is similar to yours. For instance, I have a friend of mine who had a baby after several losses. It's encouraging to see what God has done for her and it encourages me that He will do the same for me.

02/20/2024

Hope In The Silent Season

There have been times that I’ve asked God multiple times for a particular outcome or desire. I asked, and I wondered. I prayed, and I prayed. Yet, nothing. It started to make me feel as if God wasn’t listening or didn’t care. I was struggling. I was suffering. I found myself asking God, “Where are you ?” I felt like I wasn’t being heard or guided. I was in the season by myself, and God was silent.

I remember years ago desiring to start teaching online. I asked my supervisor, but I was denied. I decided to still teach for the school, and a couple of months later, I decided to move due to a life change. I was out sick one week, and I vividly remember God telling me, “Ask them to let you teach online when you leave.” I immediately said to God "What? Where did that come from?" I didn’t have the courage, but I asked anyway. Little did I know that my superior supervisor had brought up the option of me teaching online the first time I applied; however, my then-immediate supervisor didn’t want me to. However, I had a new immediate supervisor, and she was all for it. I had to wait until the former supervisor left and be replaced for God to answer my prayer.

In silent seasons, though it can feel like God is still; God is usually very active. He is preparing you and, most of all, preparing that desire you have to come to fruition. God is preparing the place for you. Don’t move too quickly and miss your blessing and/or go out of His timing to receive your blessing. Be patient. He is preparing the place for you and preparing you to be ready to receive it.

He isn't doing nothing. He is doing much more than you could even imagine.

Reflection Day I:

Write down times God has answered a prayer for you before in your life. How did it come? When did it come? Was it better than you thought it would be? Sometimes we forget all He has already done for us.

02/16/2024

‭Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV‬
[1] Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children [2] and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

02/09/2024

‭Micah‬ ‭7:18‬ ‭NKJV‬
[18] Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.

https://bible.com/bible/114/mic.7.18.NKJV

02/03/2024

‭Mark‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭NKJV‬
[9] And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

01/25/2024

‭Matthew‬ ‭6:9‭-‬13‬ ‭NIV‬

[9] “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

[10] your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

[11] Give us today our daily bread.

[12] And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

[13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’

12/29/2023

#‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‭-‬10‬ ‭MEV‬‬

[9] And let us not grow in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The rule is a given, do to others what you want done to you. (Luke 6:31,

Matthew 7:12)

When we see others in the , we want to , hold the door open, give a to work, etc. most of the time because we would want someone to us in a time of , and a small part of us kind of in .

Not everyone believes in or the , much less follows the commandments. Still do good for these people. They may not return the , but that is not what we do it for.

As we are to our neighbor, we of like should have no problem doing good to each other.

12/24/2023

12/22/2023

The Price of Unforgiveness

What’s at stake if we don’t forgive? If we don’t release others from their offenses against us, it cuts us off from the forgiveness of God. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14–15, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (NKJV). The cost of unforgiveness is high. When we don’t forgive, God won’t forgive us!

But how often are expected to forgive? Peter, the same guy who later denied Jesus and then received His forgiveness, asked Jesus this very question: “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?” Then to seem extra spiritual, he added, “Seven times?” Jesus looked at him and replied, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” (Matthew 18:21–22, NLT).

We can all do the math. Seventy times seven equals 490. And Jesus is talking about forgiving the same person that many times! Some people reading this already have friends or family pushing that line. They know someone who’s at 489 right now. But by saying seventy times seven, Jesus actually meant we are to extend unlimited forgiveness.

We all have people who have wronged us numerous times. Depending on the level of offense, we might be able to forgive the first time easily, but by offense number three or four, we usually get fed up. We no longer want to talk to or be around that person.

Many of us have at least one or two people who are objects of our unforgiveness—people who caused us great pain, hurting us in ways only tears and anger can express. We can forgive everyone but them. We put them in a room all by themselves—close and lock the door—and try not to think about them. Yet these are the very ones Jesus has in mind.

Forgiving people like this requires a supernatural love that is bigger than us. It is beyond our own ability to keep forgiving. None of us can give or receive unlimited grace and forgiveness unless empowered by the Holy Spirit. It has to be a God thing. But with His help, the door to that room of repeat offenders can be unlocked. The Holy Spirit can empower you to forgive them, even if they are up to offense number 491.

12/21/2023

El ejemplo de perdón de Jesús

En nuestro mundo hay muchas injusticias, pero ninguna equivalente a la injusticia que sufrió Jesús por una turba enfurecida y un gobierno cruel. Él era el Cordero sin mancha, el epítome de la sabiduría y el amor. No sólo nunca había cometido un crimen, sino que tampoco había dicho nunca una palabra pecaminosa. Él era perfecto.

Mientras Jesús colgaba de la cruz, soportando el tormento que le infligían los líderes judíos y los soldados romanos, pronunció estas hermosas palabras: “Padre, perdónalos, porque no saben lo que hacen” (Lucas 23:34). Con solo una palabra, Él podría haber detenido todos los latidos de sus corazones. En cambio, tuvo compasión de ellos.

En una larga lista de cosas que Jesús nos mostró sobre cómo relacionarnos con las personas, el perdón ocupa el primer lugar. El perdón que Él enseñó es exclusivo del cristianismo. En nuestro mundo no es popular perdonar las injusticias. Nos aprovechamos de la instrucción del Antiguo Testamento de tomar ojo por ojo y diente por diente, pero esa no es la manera de Jesús, quien nos dijo que pusiéramos la otra mejilla. (Ver Éxodo 21:23–25 y Mateo 5:38–39). Jesús no merecía la pena de muerte. La verdadera justicia habría sido la ejecución de todos los involucrados en Su as*****to. Pero clamó a su Padre para que fuera misericordioso con ellos. La misericordia triunfó sobre el juicio (ver Santiago 2:13).

Jesús ejemplificó este corazón de perdón a lo largo de Su vida, aunque fue más pronunciado alrededor de Su crucifixión. Judas, que había estado con Él durante tres años, lo vendió por dinero. Pedro, su mano derecha y apóstol principal, lo repudió. Su propia nación, el centro de todo su ministerio, lo entregó a los romanos.

Jesús los perdonó a todos.

Cuando Jesús vino a Pedro después de la resurrección, extendió su perdón al hombre que lo había negado intencionalmente (ver Juan 21:15-17). A menudo me pregunto qué habría pasado si Judas se hubiera quedado después de la resurrección. Personalmente creo que Jesús lo habría perdonado tal como perdonó a Pedro. Para algunos, esa afirmación es asombrosa, pero yo conozco a Jesús y Su amor, y Él amaba incluso a Judas.

Por supuesto, no se puede argumentar mejor sobre el perdón de Jesús que el hecho de que Él perdona miles de millones de pecados a miles de millones de personas. Su gracia y misericordia son fuerzas poderosas.

Que significa esto para nosotros? Significa que estamos obligados a seguir su ejemplo. Nuestro Maestro demostró el máximo perdón hacia cada persona que le hizo daño, incluyéndonos a usted y a mí, y eso no nos deja otra opción que hacer lo mismo.