To be Known by God!

There is a great difference between knowing about someone and being known by them.

I can read a great biography of my Prime Minister, I can even know what his favourite dessert is. How his house looks like, where he went to school and who his friends are. I may know what he believes about God, education, if he is a good administrator of his money or not, if he is liberal or conservative in his thinking, if his kids are well behaved... and the list goes on. I may know a lot more about him, that you. Or a lot less than you, yet at the end of the day, if we decide to go to his house and knock on the door, it does not matter how much we know about him but the person who will be allowed in and sit with him is the person the Prime Minister knows.

The same is with God. There are people that can recite every verse from the Bible by memory, they know all history and people. They know much about theology and can win an argument quite easily. Yet, they are not known by God. Others, know little about Him, their knowledge is increasing slowly and with much effort, their memory is not that great, they forget passages they "should" know, they read slower than others and their list of books does not seem to add as fast as others with more knowledge, they need much prayer because their flesh is weak, they battle constantly with the desires of their own heart. Yet, they are free to sit at His table, and eat with Him. They are known by God.

Now, I am not saying that reading and learning is useless. But the opposite! One that is known by God will naturally want to learn more about Him, because God himself will increase their love for Him, so that person will want to study and live a life that is holy.

Private prayer is essential, because it gives you assurance of your salvation. To pray and to read His word when no one is watching. You do it, because you truly love Him.Because He has given you love for Him. And that love, becomes irresistible!

O, to be known by God! That is the essence of Christianity! That is the why all works are useless, unless they are motivated by Him who give us the will to act according to His good purpose. O, to be known by God! Is the rest of mind to know that we can approach His throne with confidence, to be soaked by the blood of Christ to be His own. O, to be known by God! and know that every good act will be remembered, every tear kept, every prayer heard, through every trouble sustained. O what a comfort that is! ...To be known by God! To be welcomed into His house, comforted by His love, saved by His blood, forgiven by His grace.

Why?

My baby girl has gone to be with this precious Lord 10 months ago. What a beautiful life she had. A life with no knowledge of sin and corruption! If you ever question why this happened to us. Please read and and I pray you will understand.

God made this world prefect, it was sinless. It was beautiful and no sadness  was ever there. Yet man, rebelled against God and sin entered this world. Sadness, death, corruption, lies, vanity, greed ... man wanted to have their own choices apart from God. Man died that day. His desires were not for God, but for himself, shame covered them, man knew evil, and death entered the world. What a sad day that was. Yet, God in His mercy, because He is a merciful God, had compassion on men and love them so much that offered a way of salvation. He did not have to do that. Men deserved the full wrath of God for rejecting all that was good and perfect and disobeying the one command God gave them.

God cursed the ground, and labor and pain was going to follow the rest of his days. And promised a Savior who was going to come and save His people from their sins and conquer death and give eternal life. And while this Savior came, He chose people for himself to show us who God was and explain us through history who this Savior was going to be. So he saved His people out of the slavery of Egypt, to show us how Jesus was going to save His people from the slavery of sin. He had a mediator between God and man. Someone who would plead their case before God. To show us how Jesus would be our mediator between God and man.. to plead for us.  They had to sacrifice a perfect lamb before the Lord for the forgiveness of sins and place the hands of the person over the lamb to pass the sins of the person unto the lamb, then, the lamb had to die. Because without blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. They had to do this to realize the ugliness of sin, how sad it was, and what terrible consequences it brings. God gave them 10 commandments  for them to know what sin was. To know that even stumbling in one of those points, was enough to have to sacrifice a lamb. They had to followed them perfectly.  Well, as you can imagine, it was, and is impossible for any man to follow the 10 commandments perfectly. But that was God's plan. This way, they realized that for men it was impossible, but not for God. Only God can save us. But how? Well, Jesus came "The Lamb of God". He fulfilled, all the requirements of the law perfectly. Not one of the commandments He broke. He lived a sinless life and as a young man, perfect and holy, fully human, and yet fully God, died on the cross. His blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins. With His blood, he bought us back so that we can have access to the Father. On the third day, He was raised from the dead conquering death as promised from the beginning. And now, Jesus is sited at the right hand of God, praying for us. Pleading our case before the Father.

He purchased people for himself. Those who were not His people He called His people. Those who were unbelievers, He gave saving faith. And His Holy Spirit, comes, and give us life so that we might believe in Him. So I say to you, repent of your sins, look upon that cross and pray that the Lord may grant you repentance unto life.

So why my baby died? Because we live in a broken world. Sinful and cursed. Jesus came not to make our lives happy and rich, painless and magical; but to save us from our sins and give us perfect, eternal life, to live with Him forever. To save us from His coming wrath.

Was God able to save my baby from death and spare us from pain? Yes. But He did not, because His plans are better that ours. He knows what I do not, He loves us so much that He chose this to be best for us, even in a broken world full of pains and suffering, He is merciful to His people and uses even the bad of this world to show us more of who He is, to show us His goodness and our dependency upon Him. To make us more like Jesus Christ.  And to long for heaven, where the perfect rest of all suffering, pain and sin is our hope. But not a hope that is based on nothing, but a hope based on assurance.

To follow Christ will not be easy, but His love will be more beautiful to you the moment you know Him. Because He will fill every corner of your heart. You can know much about God and the stories written in the Bible, you can know much about religion. But O, to be known by God! To be called by Him and be His own possession.... there is nothing that compares.

Repent and follow Christ. Ask for mercy. And see how beautiful the Lord is. Pray to Him alone through Jesus Christ who gives us access to the Father. Pray to the One who can save your life and give you eternal life.

To Whom O Lord?

To whom O Lord can I go to? Who O Lord is enough for my soul? Is it not only You who can feed my soul?The only One who can comfort the inner parts of me? Who can I pray to that has the power to do wonderful things? Only You my Lord! Only You.

Who loves me with everlasting love but You O Lord? "If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."(ps.139)

Doubt my love for You, how can I? If it is Your Word who keeps me, Your love that sustains me, Your grace that receives me, Your mercy that forgives me, Your tenderness that captures me, Your love that ties me to You, Your faithfulness that keeps me, Your beauty that surrounds me, Your goodness that conquers me.

Beautiful Lord, there is nothing I desire more that to know You more, to live for You, to cherish You more and to surrend to You.

When I see the greatness of Your love, my mouth is without words. I can only bow my knees and thank You for saving me.

Monday

Monday. The first of the week. The day most hated by most people. Most people live for Friday afternoon. The goal of the week, is to get to Friday. Nothing else matters. Friday! people love Fridays!. On Monday people complain, On Friday people rejoice.

I just finished studying Ecclesiastes with my children (we have not read it in a long time). I started reading it as a "Monday" , I even warned my children: "it is a very depressing book, but is God's Word... we must study it"  at the end, I fell in love with the book I finished reading it as a "Friday" :) When we arrived at the last chapter... I was sad it finished! I wanted to read more, I could not get enough of it.. there is so much to learn, so much hope, so many great warnings and counsel. It finishes leaving you with hunger for more. For a hope for Heaven.

So, living for "Friday" it is a clear chase after the wind. There is nothing exciting... we work all week, just for the great weekend of party and rest. Just to realize, we need to do this again on Monday. There is no end. And after, we start living for the end of the month. What for? just to start again another week, another month, another year.

O, but as I was reading in His beautiful Word: "Then I realized that it is good for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God gas given him-for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work- this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart... God gives man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them and a stranger enjoys them instead..."Ecc. 5:18 - 6:2

O how much truth in this passage! Even our ability to enjoy our work is a gift from God.This man is so busy working, that he has little time to reflect on his own "issues of life" (what he has and what he doesn't, what he wants, what others think of him, what is the latest on-anything, what someone's life is like compared to mine, why am I better than ...) but keeps himself busy and glad. Not feeling miserable of the lack of free time, of his lack of this or that, or how every day he wakes up to go to work, or "while my friends are having fun, I have to work"...) but his heart is glad. Because he is busy, enjoying God's gift - the ability to enjoy it!

So today, as we start our Monday, let us be glad and rejoice in it. For the Lord made it, gave us this lot and let us not be idle but keep ourselves occupied with gladness of heart. The rest will come. But chasing after the wind will take us no where, but to the place we started. We live for that eternal rest, and the days we are here, God will enable us to accept our lot and be happy in our work.

Preparation for the Lord's Day.

Prepare to meet thy God, O Christian! Betake thyself to thy chamber on the Saturday night, confess and bewail thine unfaithfulness under the ordinances of God; ashamed and condemn thyself for thy sins, entreat God to prepare they heart for, and assist it in, thy religious performances; spend some time in consideration of the infinite majesty, holiness, jealously, and goodness, of that God, with whom thouart to have to do in sacred duties; ponder the weight and importance of his holy ordinances...; meditate on the shortness of the time thou hast to enjoy Sabbaths in; and continue musing...till the fire burneth; thou canst not think the good thou mayest gain by such forethoughts, how pleasant and profitable a Lord's day would be to thee after such a preparation. The oven of thine heart thus baked in, as it were overnight, would be easily heated the next morning; the fire so well raked up when thou wentest to bed, would be the sooner kindled when thou shouldst rise. If thou wouldst thus leave thy heart with God on the Saturday night, thou shouldst find it with him in the Lord's Day morning.
George Swinnock

8 months with a different life.

Not too long ago, I felt complete. I felt with my hands full and missing nothing. I never saw myself like I was missing someone to hold or to hug. I was complete with the children God gave us. Two wonderful boys that filled my house with laughs, those boys that make me smile every time I see them. Those boys that are growing to be godly men.. O what a joy and satisfaction that is! I always teased that all I ever was going to be, was the "mother in law" because I had no daughters to "plan" the wedding with, but it was fine!, I was happy and said that I was going to spoil my daughters in laws so much so that I would be not just the dreaded "mother in law"... it was fine, really, It was a very happy and complete life, we were 4 in my house and 4 was great!

And then, I had the privilege of having a daughter with me for very little time, yet, I got to hug and kiss, to love and cherish, to fill my head with dreams and sweet memories that lasted but a short time... she was beautiful! And 8 months ago, I became incomplete. I am now broken and part of me is missing. Part of me was ripped away. My heart is missing someone, my arms are empty still. I still miss my little baby Erica Faith. I have her face printed in my head, her little fat hands and soft cheeks...There is not one day, I do not think of her.

BUT, (I love this beautiful word!) As broken as I feel sometimes, I have to say, When I feel very low and very sad, there is always the love of my All Sufficient Father comforting me... it has been a blessing to know God's providence in our life. God's kindness and to see His strength sustaining me on those days that feel so deep in the dark cave of sorrow... yet, I can smile,I love to laugh (something I thought would not come back), I have my dear husband and boys to encourage each other. I see my kids persevering in the faith and my husband, holding unto our Lord. I am so blessed by them! I am the only image of a "girl" in their lives! (poor kids! hahaha ... there are many other women better than me for this job!, I fall so short, ..but that is another post) May I be a Godly example, may I reflect Jesus Christ even in my mourning and may we continue to trust in the future Providences that may come whatever they are, knowing that my days and the days of my family are in His hands. He owns us and He will care for what belongs to Him.. what a rest that is! So whatever may come, good or hard, I know will be the best.

He has truly showed me that we live not for today, we live for tomorrow's rest. When our Heavenly Father will hold us. And there by His feet I will weep my last tears... and He will trade them for joy. My best life now? Impossible! I look forward to my best life when I see my Savior. And while we are here, He gives me the grace to enjoy life, my dear husband (Victor), my 2 beautiful sons (Marco and Sebastian)... and I am so thankful for those mercies... waiting together the coming of our Lord.

And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9:10

My prayers are filled with tears. But not all are sad tears, many of those tears are grateful tears for having 3 handsome men around me :), so incredible blessed by the 3 in many different ways, my daughter safe in His arms. For having my sons walking in the truth.  For giving us the privilege to know Him in a way we never knew Him before, and to love Him more!

And I pray: Lord, come quickly! gather your people and hasten your return!

Parenting...

I hear so often mothers "afraid" to tell their children to not listen to certain music, read a book, watch a movie,... that are of questionable benefit for the heart of your children, because they are afraid they will get frustrated and reject the Lord because everything is a "NO". 

My comment to that is: If your children walk away from the teaching of the Lord, they are responsible before the Lord. But you are to be faithful in teaching them to walk in His way, to not bend their morality and to stand firm in what is good.

If your parenting is a bunch of rules to follow, then yes, you should be worried. But that is why we need to talk to them, talk to them about what the Bible teaches, why is it wrong, the dangers of it, the beauty of not doing that what is wrong, and help them to have a deeper desire and passion for the Lord.

I am no charismatic, I do not agree with the doctrine of it. But I tell my kids, I am a strong Calvinist with a sprinkle of charismatic in my love for the Lord. I want them to see that passion, desire it.  I tell them: all doctrine and no emotions, you run the risk of being to proud; and all emotions and no doctrine, makes you ignorant and unstable. So be all doctrine with a touch of charismatic :) (now, this may be controversial for some of my friends on both sides of the fence, but if you know me, you understand what I mean).

If you teach your kids to dress in a certain way, explain why. Explain it to them so that it becomes part of who they are. If it is having certain friends, also talk to them, warn them if necessary and encourage them if appropriate. Be quick to listen to them and ready to explain.

Be afraid of the Lord, not of them. The Lord will convince them. He can be much more persuasive that the world. Once He gets a hold of their heart, He will not let them go.