The Good Samaritan...A Story of God's Compassion

Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.; So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." ~Luke 10:25-37

Every time I've read this story, I've always thought that this was a story focused on the Good Samaritan. I thought that this story was about teaching mankind to become a more merciful people, as the Good Samaritan modeled.

However, upon reading this passage of Scripture this morning, I identified with the wounded traveler who had had things stolen from him. Like this man, I too can think of ways that I have been wounded along life's journey, and have had things stolen from me. I too, need the help of a Good Samaritan to come alongside me to bring me comfort and healing. Jesus is my Good Samaritan! Jesus is the One who binds up my wounds and brings healing into my life.

The second impression this passage had on me today was the call of God upon my life. I can hear God whispering to me through this passage. I can hear God asking me, "Monica, would you become a healer in the lives of others? Would you reach out, befriend, and help those whom I bring across your path?" I answered to the Lord and said, "Yes, Lord. I will go. Yes, Lord. I will do it."

God put it in my heart to be willing to come alongside others. Now may He open my eyes to see who He brings, or who He has already brought! Amen.

Those Who Sow in Tears Shall Reap in Joy

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalms 126:5-6 So, when I read this this morning, I thought of 2 aches in my heart that I have had on an on-going off and on basis. The 1st is loneliness in my heart; feeling without friends and feeling without family, left alone from the outside family life of the FLOW group. The 2nd sorrow in my heart is related the 1st, but it is the sorrow of singleness; of not having a husband. How many times have I sowed in tears over these 2 issues? So many times! Today I read that God has promised joy to me! So, there is joy coming to me. This is God's promise to me, and I can hold him to it!!

Holy Spirit

Okay, so today I was thinking about how it is necessary to drink water before exercising so the body doesn't dehydrate from a workout. Then, I began to wonder if it were not the same in the spiritual realm as well. Could it be that, it is also necessary to "drink in" the Holy Spirit on a regular basis, so that when we "exercise" our faith, there is some fuel to work with. Is this right? Maybe we are like camels; that is, the water they drink can be stored for a long time until needed? Or, are we like cactus plants? Anyways, the point is, we should store up times spent with the Heavenly Father, to know Him. And, He gives us our strength, day by day, moment by moment.

Love and Obedience Rewarded

And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and wit all your soul,then I will give you the rain..."~Deuteronomy 11:13

Oh my goodness! I used to think that earnest meant one thing, like with enthusiasm or strong effort. However, I looked up this word in the dictionary and it means with seriousness, and solemnness; something is done in a deeply sincere way.

So, I thought about how does God want us to obey Him? He says earnestly obey Him. What I see that He is saying is that we are to obey Him with a serious heart, and a sincere heart. This is a little bit different than how I formerly viewed the word "earnest".

Wow; what a difference a word makes!!

Promise of God's Peace

My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. ~Isaiah 32:18

When I read this today it made me think of my current living situation. I'd say around last year, in November, I moved into this place. Since that time, people and friends have often asked me how's it going living in my new place? And, I'd overwhelmingly reply to them, I'm living in a place of peace! Unknown to me at the time, God promises that his people will live, dwell, He says, in peaceful places, habitations. I am thankful to God for providing the place I live now. It is a total place of peace. Furthermore, where I live now is close to church, close to my parent's house, close to where I grew up, in a nice neighborhood, has a pool and jacuzzi, and the market is nearby, just one minute by car!! Living here is GOOOOD!!

Worship God

I recently read this quote in a devotional magazine. It encouraged me so as I share it I hope it encourages you!

"You were designed to worship God and if you fail to wroship Him, you will create other things (idols) to give your life to." ~Rick Warren

How Do We Become Filled with the Spirit of God?

Here's a short list I've come up with of ways we can become filled with the Spirit of God. Feel free to add more to this list by leaving me a comment. Thanks, and God bless you!!

1. attend a worship service, small group, prayer meeting, etc
2. read Bible
3. pray
4. ask God to fill me
5. serve people; do something for someone else
6. listen to a worship CD
7. sing worship songs to God
8. fellowship, talk with other brothers and sisters in Body of Christ
9. speak in tongues
10. pray for others/lay hands on

Does God Speak in Dreams? Part 2

So, the other night I had a dream. I wrote about it in my last blog page. Today I would like to offer what I believe the message of the dream. I believe God is speaking through this dream.

This could be a warning dream and/or an intercessory type of dreams.

The enemy seems to be trying to attack, discourage, people of God through speaking through one of the family members of the worship leader. (A kind of put down in tone). The attack is a low-level attack. The attack is through words. The attack came through a family member (sometimes in real life this happens).

Since Larry H. is our church's worship leaders, I think he represents God's presence, annointing and favor. Even Christ.

The building may represent the church, or the house of God.

My friend Dave represents a brother in Christ; the family of God, warmth; love.

My girlfriend represents a sister in Christ; family of God; closeness; friendship; sisterhood; fellowship.

It's an intercessory dream. And, a "teaching" dream. I think God is teaching me how to interpret!!

Later, or before, I'm following a young boy to the pool. Pool represents Holy Spirit, filling, empowerment, equipping, etc...

The problem is the enemy wants to attack the people of God. (Enemy roars around like a lion seeking who to devour). The solution is being filled with the Spirit of God. Staying connected to family of God. (No weapon formed against us will prosper). We need God's presence constantly...continuously...all the time.

The quesadilla probably represents nourishment. Why a quesadilla? For Hispanics. My nationality is Hispanic (Mexican). Our God is a personal God. Quesadilla is filling.

I believe the general message of my dream: Be filled with the Holy Spirit!!!
(Do not be drunk with wine but instead, be filled with the Spirit).

Does God Speak in Dreams?

Does God speak in dreams today? How can I know if what I dream is from God?

I think we can expect God to speak to us in dreams. He is the same God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In the Bible times God spoke to men in dreams. If we ask God to reveal His messages to us in the night while we are sleeping, then we can expect God to answer that prayer. Sometimes, we get so busy during the day and have "no time for God", that God uses our sleep time to speak to us when He can get our attention. I've heard that before.

So, last night I had a dream. When I awoke I could barely remember most of the dream. However, I was able to remember some of it. I wrote it down in my "dream journal" and drew picutes to help me remember it. Here it is.

I'm in a building, a 3 story building. I'm with 2 of my friends, one girlfriend and one male friend, Dave W. On the 2nd floor is a family from our church that lives there. It is one of our church's worship leaders, Larry H. On the 3rd level is a kind of room and there is a way to touch a computer and see images.

I am very excited to show my friends the neighbor/worship leader in our building; I am eager to introduce my friends to him (Larry). My guy friend, Dave goes out, and meets one of the family members who asks him a question. They seemingly are getting along great until he asks my friend a question. He wants to know what they have in common? And, my friend, Dave, responds that they have Jesus Christ in common!! That seemed to upset my friend's family, and he mutters something in an unpleasant tone.

Then I am eating a quesadilla. In another dream I am following/babysitting a young boy who is walking around in the neighborhood. He stops at one house and there is a pool so he goes in the water.

Could God be speaking to me through these dreams? If so, what is He saying? If we ask God to speak to us in dreams and visions, then I believe that He will. Also, if we ask God for an interpretation of the dream and/or visions He's giving us, then I beleive He will also give that to us. I believe God is more than happy that we understand the messages He's giving us in our sleeping hours!! One way we can help remember our dreams is to write them down!! Best time to write them down is right away upon waking up while still fresh in the mind. Happy writing~!!

One of My Favorite All-Time Verses

He brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light~1 Peter 2:9

I love love love love LOVE this verse; it is one of my all-time favorite words from Scripture. We have been brought out of darkness into God's glorious light to sing and proclaim the praises of God!! Oh yeah. Thank you dear Lord!!

Lessons Learned

Do we ever do this? Feeling sorry for ourselves? Do we tell ourselves things like, "poor me, my past is too sinful, shameful or ugly"? Or, "poor me, my present is pretty terrible. I have no/little money and/or I have no life." Or, poor me, my future without a husband, or this or that, how can I live and who will provide for me?"

Sometimes we can easily get our focus off of our King and onto our problems and life circumstances. The enemy loves to do this! And how often do we cooperate, letting him?

When we come to the place of self-pity, or feelings of sorrow and discouragement come our way, it is then at that time that we need to remember to go to the Lord; let us run to the Lord. The Bible says we are to be "casting all your care upon Him, for he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

As we share with the Lord our sadness and discouragement, He takes it upon Himself and gives us joy and encouragement instead. We have to go to Him, and share our hearts with Him. Let Him in on what's happening in us. As we go to Him, He strengthens and encourages us. Our circumstances may not even change, but, as we go to Him, we are changed.

What is the antidote when we see our past as too sinful, shameful or ugly? When those thoughts come into our mind, we can confess them to the Lord. He will remind us that as far as the east is from the west, that's how far He has removed our transgressions from us. Oh, friend, that we would remember this in our time of need! He will remind us that though our sins were red as scarlet His blood has made us whiter than snow! These are truths of the gospel that we must hold onto and cling!

What is the answer when we see our present as hopeless or dull or not what we expected? We can ask the Lord to search our hearts to see if there is any wicked way in us and to cleanse us. We can also remember that His name is Jehovah Jirah; the Lord who Provides. It is His nature to provide for His children. We can thank Him for the provision that is coming. He may give us an idea or thought of how to make, earn or find some money.

What is the antidote to seeing our future as hopeless or less than what we desire? We need to remember God's truth that He knows the plans that He has for us; plans to give us a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11).

May the God of all hope comfort our hearts today.

The 10 Commandments

Yesterday I was watching a show on television, and the preacher was teaching on the 10 commandments. Okay, that's fine; good stuff. Then, today in my morning quiet time with the Lord, I was reading about how God desires us to obey Him fully. It dawned on me, that here was God speaking to me again! Two different sources, one the tv, and the other an unrelated devotional, both speaking about the same thing!! I am dedicating myself to learning (or relearning) the 10 commandments, as well as to obeying God's word!! This is what God wants? So this is what God gets!! Cool stuff!!

Of course, no one can obey perfectly. However, at this time, God is speaking to me to have these at the forefront of my brain; at the forefront of my heart and mind. I am simply humbly striving to hear God's voice in my life and obey Him! Happy reading!!

Exodus 20 (New King James Version)

Exodus 20
The Ten Commandments
1 And God spoke all these words, saying:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
8 “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
12 “ Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Source: www.biblegateway.com

They Were Single Too

One day I was browsing books in the bookstore and I stumbled upon this one called "They Were Single Too" by David M. Hoffeditz. The author studies 8 people from biblical times who were single: Paul, Ruth, Jeremiah, Anna, Martha, Joseph, Hehemiah and John the Baptist. I found this book to be very refreshing, biblical and helpful overall.

From a biblical standpoint, marriage is a gift from God. So too, singleness is a gift from God. Both marriage and singleness are gifts from God, biblically speaking. Both are good. One is not better than the other. Married people shouldn't look down upon single people. Single people have much to contribute to the cause of Christ. Both married and single people serve Christ alongside each other. Singleness is not a curse or lower standard in life; rather, it is a gift from God for His glory.

I highly recommend this book for all people; singles and married alike. It gives fresh insight into how we view the topic of singleness within the church. And, all from a biblical point of view, based upon the Bible. Get a copy of it, read it for yourself. Questions for review and reflection included at the end of each chapter.

Blessing Muslims Initiative

Just a short little note to say I went to the Blessing Muslims Initiative that was hosted by our church. During that time God began to reveal his heart for lost people, and especially for the Muslim people. God began to stir my heart and expand my heart for Muslim people. Originally I went to the Initiative for genreral training in reaching out to others, crossing boundries of ANY culture. However, it seems God had other plans! He used this time to plant seeds and grow a love in my heart for Muslim people. Jesus said that the gospel must be preached to all the nations then the end will come. So, we are getting there. We are on our way to seeing the end!! Thanks for letting me share!!