Sunday, February 29, 2004
Sometimes we have days when we are happy and we have others when we are sad. When I am happy, I act as if I were a little girl. I sing and laugh. In other words, I enjoy the day. When I am sad, I feel down and the day just isn’t the same as when I’m happy.
God says in His word that when the good times come to enjoy them, but when the hard times come, remember that God has all things in His hands.
-Nohemi Meléndez
-Ecclesiastes 7:14 NIV
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, a man cannot discover
anything about his future.
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Have you ever felt unsure about whether or not you should follow Christ? This does happen at times to some of us. Sometimes during tough times we feel like we are falling or that we are about to faint due to the seriousness or gravity of our problems. But when we have really experienced the grace and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, there is no problem or anguish que can make us want to turn away from the path of following Christ.
Strive to be sure that nothing and no one deceives you and tries to separate you from the love of God. Keep trusting in Him.
-Betty Hernández
-Romanos 8:39
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-1 John 2:27
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Friday, February 27, 2004
When you decide to follow the Lord, it means that you should live the way He wants you to live, by principally following His commandments and by being obedient to His word.
Always try to forget the past and strive for what is ahead. That is the way you can keep heading towards the goal to win the prize that God has prepared for you.
-Nohemi Meléndez
-Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Thursday, February 26, 2004
The day before yesterday, I was talking with a co-worker and the supervisor was watching. She joined the conversation and made a remark that made me laugh. The supervisor was absolutely quiet as he observed me and when I realized that he was watching me, I stopped laughing and asked him why he was watching me that way. He said that he was happy that someone like me was in that place and that my smiles made him feel happy. He remarked that I always seemed to be happy and that he missed my smile when he wasn’t around me. My response was that what I am, is because of Christ who lives in me.
Remember that we as Christians should be different from the rest and we should reflect Christ’s love to those around us.
-Betty Hernández
-Matthew 5:16 NIV
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Did you know that God has a plan for you? Weil if you didn’t know it before, now you do. God has a plan for you and for me. He is concerned about your problems and your needs.
He also hears our sincere prayers and He responds. God says in His word: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
I am in my first few days at a new job and I am happy because God answered my prayer. Once again He has shown me His faithfulness and love. I had been praying for a long time for a job that would not hinder my service to God and praise God, He answered.
What have you been asking God to give you in the past few days? If He hasn’t answered, don’t give up. Keep praying and I assure you that He will answer. You just need a little faith.
But remember to pray for needs. And if God has already answered your prayers, it is up to you to thank Him for the answer.
-Betty Hernández
-Psalm 55:17
Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
Sunday, February 22, 2004
I have been praying for awhile for a good job and in my prayers I asked God for a job that would not hinder me from continuing in the ministries I am currently involved in. After praying, I went around with resumes to various places. With all the resumes that I delivered, I thought, “Lord Jesus, just open one door (in other words, of all these places, have only one call). As time went on, my prayer was answered and I thank God for His faithfulness.
Remember that God is always faithful to us. Don’t give up, but keep going, always trusting in Him.
-Betty Hernández
-Mateo 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Saturday, February 21, 2004
(God Says:) “I love you, and I will never leave you in difficult times.” When God promises that He will never leave us, that means that He is always with us.
God loves you. Even when you are going through tough times, He will not leave you or distance Himself from your side.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the LORD , who has compassion on you.
Friday, February 20, 2004
Did you know that life is much more than living just for the moment? You will spend much more time on the other side of death, in eternity, than here. On this earth, you will live probably at the most 100 years. But in eternity, you will live forever. Your heart will stop beating one day. That moment will be the end of this earthly boday and of your days here on earth. But it will not be the end of your being. The earthly life gives us many options but eternity has only two: heaven or hell.
Where will you spend eternity?
-Betty Hernández
-Jeremiah 21:8
Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Many of us think of the dark when we hear the word fear. But if you are afraid, turn on the light, but not the normal light you would think of. No. Ask God to turn on the light in your heart, that He will take away all fear in your life.
There is a song that we sing in church called “Turn on the Light”. One line says “let that light shine, in every place, the light of Jesus. Let it shine everywhere, the light you can’t hide…” (Marcos Witt, 1998, CanZion Producciones)
This is just a part of the song, but what I like the most is the line that says we can’t hide the light of Jesus.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Matthew 5:14
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
-1 John 1:5
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Today I learned something and I want to share it with you.
There are times that we are so busy counting our problems that we forget to count our blessings.
-Betty Hernández
-Psalm 103:1-4
Praise the LORD , O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD , O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
The world in which we live is full of signs. When my family goes out of town and we are driving down the highway, we are guided by the signs that indicate which road to take or which lane of the highway we should be in. There are other signs that say “No entrance” while others tell us either to go forward or to stop. Life would be really confusing if we had no signs to help us find our way.
Life is full of situations in which we have to decide what is good and what is bad. God desires that we always make wise decisions so we stay on the right road. What road would you choose? The good or the bad.
My advice is that you choose the good road.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Proverbs 4:25-27
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Monday, February 16, 2004
Sunday morning I was in church for Sunday School. The pastor started the teaching with a question. The question was this: What guides your life. What did I think? I couldn’t get a clear response. Immediately the pastor gave us 5 points that can guide our lives.
- Many are guided by guilt.
- Anger and resentment
- Fear
- Materialism
- The need to be accepted
And then he mentioned that there are other influences that can guide your life, but each of them end up being a dead-end street. So the only wise thing is to have your life guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit and the plans of God for your life.
Remember that there is nothing more important than knowing His plans and purposes for your life. Not even riches, success, fame or the pleasures of the world compare with knowing His will for your life. Life without purpose (in Christ) is insignificant and useless.
How about you? What is guiding your life?
-Betty Hernández
-1 John 2:15-16
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world.
-John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
Sunday, February 15, 2004
It is terrible to feel alone. Separated. You can feel lonely when you are alone, but you can also feel lonely when you are surrounded by people. This is the strange part. Why? Because at times we feel alone and no one knows.
When you feel that you are completely alone, remember you are not alone. There is someone who is with you when you wake and when you go to sleep. That person is Jesus. He loves you and doesn’t want you to be lost.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Deut 31:6 NIV
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Sunday, February 15, 2004
It is terrible to feel alone. Separated. You can feel lonely when you are alone, but you can also feel lonely when you are surrounded by people. This is the strange part. Why? Because at times we feel alone and no one knows.
When you feel that you are completely alone, remember you are not alone. There is someone who is with you when you wake and when you go to sleep. That person is Jesus. He loves you and doesn’t want you to be lost.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Deut 31:6 NIV
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Saturday, February 14, 2004
How important is praise to you?
We need to understand the magnitude and meaning of the word. Each one of us will realize that something is wrong when praise doesn’t edify the church. Praise is for God and only for Him and He is worthy of it.
In reality, praise is much more than a song or an activity. It is a way of life. The Bible teaches us that we can worship by learning His word and having fruits of righteousness among many other things. So, how important is praise for you?
It should be of utmost importance, a basic need in our lives. Remember. God’s praises change things.
-Betty Hernández
-Heb 13:15 NIV
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Friday, February 13, 2004
Tomorrow is a very special day for many families, friends and sweethearts. It is a day to love and also to forgive. God wants us to love one another as He loves us.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-1 John 4:7-9 NIV
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Thursday, February 12, 2004
As we all know, in February we celebrate one Valentines Day. If we understand it well, it is an important day. And I think we need to recognize where the GREAT LOVE comes from.
It is time to start loving and to stop hating or getting angry with those around us. Love consists of loving others whether or not they love you. The Word of God is very clear on that.
I invite you to show love to your parents, friends and family, not just on Feb 14, but every day of the year.
-Betty Hernández
– 1 John 4:8-9 NIV
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
-1 John 4:18 NIV
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
I love to sing. I have been told that I sing well. But in spite of what they tell me, I think about the fact that if I sing for you and to you, that is of little value. I don’t want to sing to draw attention to myself. My desire is that whatever comes out of my mouth is for God.
Perhaps you like to play an instrument or you have some special talent. I would like to tell you that whatever it is that you like to do, dedicate that to God. You don’t gain anything by boasting of your talents. If you dedicate them to God, He will help you to become better at them.
-Nohemy Meléndez
– Phil 2:3 NIV
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
-1 John 2:16 NIV
For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
One time I read the weekly bulletin of a large congregation where there was an article about medicine. The article was about a disease that a man had and with time, his joints got weaker and weaker. His body was together, not united.
The same thing can happen in any organization—even in the church. The organization or the body looks fine but really, it is not united. Unity in congregations comes only from the Holy Spirit.
I invite you and your church to work together to reach the goal, which is reaching souls for Christ. Just as a man suffers when his body is one body but doesn’t work together, with the head giving commands and having legs to walk and hands to work, but they don’t respond, so the body of Christ suffers when His body isn’t united and working together.
Let’s obey our pastors, elders, deacons and leaders so we can truly be the united body of Christ.
-Betty Hernández
-Ezra 3:1-2 NIV
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices.
-John 17:21 NIV
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Monday, February 9, 2004
Have you ever had a day when you felt that the whole world was against you? It was like the whole world launched a campaign to hurt you and life seems to be a complete tragedy. Perhaps you feel you don’t even have a word you can say. But God knows your problems. He knows all about it. Rest in that assurance.
-Nohemy Meléndez
– Ps 139:1-12 NIV
O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in–behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Sunday, February 8, 2004
Did you know that the power of God is much greater than the power of sin?
Today I would like to tell you something very important. Things that you may have been experiencing in the past few days can be resolved with God’s help. I know that you have the spiritual resources to defeat the power of the enemy. In these days, God is raising up brave young people, young people who will not take the world and what it has to offer. These are young people with a radical faith. Today I invite you to become part of this army of young Christians. Dedicate yourself to the Word of God and prayer. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and keep away from sin. You are victorious through the blood of Jesus.
-Betty Hernández
-1 John 4:4
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
-1 John 5:4
for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Saturday, February 7, 2004
Have you ever told someone “I forgive you”? Unfortunately, some young people today feel destroyed and the reason is because they don’t want to forgive or because others refuse to forgive them.
Do you know who is the great forgiver? Jesus Christ is the great forgiver. Do you believe that? He took all our sins on Himself and willingly died on the cross so that we can be forgiven and live with Him forever.
So I want to tell you one things. Forgive, because that is the what God wants us to do.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Colossians 3:13 NIV
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Friday, February 6, 2004
Do you know what is the most powerful battlefield we have with the enemy? This place is our mind and our actions. Satan is our enemy and he knows that if he can win in the area of our thoughts and words that perhaps we will be actually fighting on his side. But we can take control and rebuke in Jesus’ name each thought, deed and word that does not agree with God’s Word. That way we can avoid allowing the dirt of sin to enter our lives. Perhaps you have heard someone say this: “You can’t prevent a bird from flying over your head but you can stop him from building a nest there.”
Take hold of God’s promises.
-Betty Hernández
-2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Thursday, February 5, 2004
Hello.
I would like to ask a favor of you. Take a minute and think about your family. Perhaps you are thinking that you love your family alot or about a time when you really needed your family.
The family is something special. I love my family a lot.
How about you? Love them and pray for them.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-1 John 3:11
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Today I was talking to a young man and he told me something that make me think of why we young people don’t spend much time with other Christians. As he was talking, he said that he found it easier to talk to non-Christians than with Christians. I told him that the enemy is smart and and wants us to develop strong friendships with non-believers.
What do you think?
-Betty Hernández
-James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Today we had to take a test in Physical Education. The teacher said that as the test we would have to play a game of volleyball. This is the sport I like the most. At the beginning of the game we were all nervous. Why? I don’t know. It was up to me to make the first play. I was nervous. I hit the ball and the first point went to the other team. After that this thought came to me: “he who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
I told my teammates “come on, you can do it”. The first round, we lost. But that’s ok. We made up for it.
That’s the way God is with us. He doesn’t want us to exalt ourselves, but He wants us to have humble hearts.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Monday, February 2, 2004
Do you know what the devil doesn’t want you to know? He doesn’t want you to understand that the promises of God are for you. He also doesn’t want you to share the Gospel with someone who hasn’t heard it.
But God’s word tells us that anything the world offers us is not for our eternal good. We have two options in this world: Follow Christ or chase the pleasures of the world and be condemned for eternity.
The decision is yours.
-Betty Hernández
-Matthew 16:26
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Sunday, February 1, 2004
I have been meditating on the text in Isaiah 40:30 and 31. In this passage it says that the young get tired. What the verses say is very true. Many young people are desperate and they get tired “waiting for the Lord”. And they say “The Lord has delayed His return or whatever. But they don’t stop to think that if they are truly waiting for Him, and if they will put in “batteries”, they will have new strength, strength like the eagles. How? You should ask yourself. You will have a change in outlook both spiritually and physically. It is by sharing the Gospel with another young person.
-Nohemy Meléndez
-Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
