Tag: Jesus Christ

Relationship with God – Part 2

On By CarmenIn Salvation & Relationship with God21 Comments

Once you’ve accepted Christ’s invitation to be the Lord and Savior of your life, you will want to strengthen your relationship with Him. The way to do this is to learn about Him, that is to read about Him, to seek Him, to commune with Him. God wants us to know about Him and He wants a relationship with us. He has given us His Word, His Holy Scripture in the form of the Bible.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

THE BIBLE IS A GIFT FROM GOD

Over the years since my salvation in Christ, I have heard and read about Bible reading plans. Some of these include reading the Bible in a year. This will require dedication and time daily to study the Scriptures. You will need to carve out a set time that works best for you based on your work and personal life. Some people (including me) prefer to wake up early in the morning before they start their day with their families and/or work. I like reading the Bible first thing because I have uninterrupted time with God to study His Word and I feel that I start my day off with good news and the ability to meditate on or practice what I learned for that day. Other people may have time to read on their lunch hour, and still others prefer to wait until evening after the children have gone to bed and the chores are done. One factor to consider is whether you are an early riser or a night owl. There have been times that I have read morning, noon, and evening. What’s important is that you read consistently each day. If you miss a day here and there, don’t fret, it happens to all of us. Just start again the next day and keep reading. God is not looking for perfection, He sees our efforts and knows our intentions.

When starting to read the Bible, many wonder where to start. Some say that it is good to start in John in the New Testament. Here you will find John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Everything in the Bible points to Jesus, the gift of God, and promise of salvation. The Old Testament is full of prophecy that points to the promise of our Savior; the New Testament is about the life of Jesus and His redeeming work on the cross; and the last chapter, Revelation, is about His second coming and eternal rule over all the nations. I won’t recommend where you should start, but I have always started in Genesis and read all the way through to the end of Revelation. Each time I read through one version of the Bible I immediately start another version. There are many versions available and the hardest one for me to read was the King James version. I promise you that I read it in its entirety! It took a little more effort, but was completely doable.

Before reading each day, speak with God in prayer and ask Him to show you what He wants you to understand and learn. Also, remember to meditate on what you learned and maybe even practice it for that day or talk to someone else about it who reads the Bible and is a Christ follower. There will be times that you may not understand what you are reading and that’s ok. Perhaps after talking to your friend who is also reading, you may understand better. There have been times that I have searched for online comments by Christian sources that I have followed and trust in their knowledge of the Bible. There are also study Bibles available that explain the context which references the time and customs when the chapter was written. Also, you can reach out to the pastor of the Bible-believing church you will be attending.

FELLOWSHIP IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR WALK WITH CHRIST

It is important that you attend a church that teaches from the Bible. You may want to go to several churches before you decide which one is right for you. And remember, ask God to show you where you should attend and He will make it clear to you. When my husband and I moved from Florida to South Carolina, we started searching for a new church home. This was during COVID, so it took some time because some churches were just starting to reopen their doors. We attended many different churches before we decided on one. We would go to one church and then another, until we gravitated toward one church in particular. The primary reason to choose a church is that it teaches from the whole Bible with Jesus as the central theme, and all honor and glory are given to God—not man. There are other attributes that are important such as a youth program, Bible study, the worship ministry, men’s and women’s ministries, financial stability, outreach programs, and for my husband and me—cultural diversity in the membership.

Once you decide on the church that you want to attend, you should attend regularly and get involved. It may take a few weeks before you get to know some of the people, but make it a point to reach out to the members of this church. Remember the old saying, “To make friends, you have to be a friend.” Yes, you must make the effort to get to know people. When you do, soon you will start to be invited to the different programs that the church offers. Make it a point to introduce yourself to the pastor and his wife. They may be busy talking to others after church on occasion, but wait for your opportunity to talk to them. The leadership wants to meet you and know what they can do to help you in your walk with Christ. They will help you get connected in programs that you need or have an interest in. The reason to get connected is not so you will have a social calendar full of events; it is so that you can connect with others that have walked with Christ during both good times and trials. They will be more than happy to help you with your struggles and celebrate your victories.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I remember when I first started attending a new church in Miami many years ago, I made a promise to God (after I surrendered my life to Jesus) that I would do whatever He wanted me to do. I was sincere. It wasn’t but a few weeks later that there was a request at this church for volunteers at a pregnancy center. I felt in my spirit that God wanted me to get involved and I did. I contacted the pregnancy center, signed up for a Saturday orientation class, and became a volunteer at the center closest to my home. I could not have imagined how God would use me in this opportunity to counsel young pregnant women (and sometimes their husbands/boyfriends) on the sanctity of human life. It was a joyful experience for three-and-a-half years to volunteer weekly at this pregnancy center while meeting many who were determined to keep their babies and counseling others who were scared and wanted to make a good choice for their lives. I also gained a few friends that I know were and still are praying for me to reach God’s potential for my life.

I could go on and on about all the doors God opened for me to get involved in this church. There were many and I walked through them as He led me. What I gained in return was far more than I could have ever imagined or asked Him for. He is so good to us! I made so many dear friends and met women who wanted to help me and walk alongside me in my walk with Christ. There were many who were praying for me. Others taught me God’s word, gave me a safe place to talk about my struggles, showed me kindness, invited me into their homes, paid for Christian conferences (that I couldn’t afford and would never have asked for), taught me leadership skills, and gave me opportunities to grow in leadership. God only intends good for us and HE makes the way. We just need to be willing to follow His lead.

A NEW AND MORE JOYFUL LIFE

Jesus promises us that we will have an abundant life while living on this earth. We all want to have deep inner joy and feel like we have purpose in the here and now. As we become a doer (not just a hearer) of God’s word, we will find that our walk with the Lord leads us to a purposeful life. We grow in confidence in Him to achieve goals that we never imagined we could. And when the difficult trials of life come, we learn who our provider is—our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we have walked with Him through the storms, we understand that He loves us and cares for us and will never forsake us.

“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.”

John 10:9-10

My prayer is that you will allow God to show you His love and mighty hand that will make a way for you. May you also reach your full potential in Christ Jesus and enjoy the abundant life.

Below is a song that I have included for your listening pleasure. Music was and still is a great enjoyment and support that helps me in my walk with Christ. I hope you enjoy it too.

“I Surrender” – Hillsong

See my previous post Relationship with God.

Relationship with God

On By CarmenIn Salvation & Relationship with God22 Comments

For those who may be struggling and are looking for a better, joyful life and would like to taste and see the goodness of our Lord Jesus, it is only an ask away. You can ask Him to be Lord of your life, to forgive you of your sins, and to direct your path going forward. 

For He says,


“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Matthew 7:7-8

If you surrender your life to Him, He will guide you in the way that you should go and you will indeed have a fuller, more joyful life here on earth and eternal life in heaven. This does not mean that you will not have trials and suffer hardship in this life, but as you trust in Him, you will experience His closeness and power in your life. You will understand true joy and experience the peace that surpasses all understanding.

My friends, we are all going to die and pass into eternal life. What’s important is for us to know where we are going. If we know the Lord Jesus, if we surrender our lives to Him and abide in Him, we don’t have to be afraid of dying. In fact, we can look forward to eternal blessings and peace with Him.

His word tells us


For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16-17

Below is a beautiful song that I want to share with you.

“O Come to the Altar” – Elevation Worship


I pray if you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, that you will today.

Also, see my post Relationship with God – Part 2.

May God bless you.



God Still Performs Miracles

On By CarmenIn Faith & Trust, God's Character2 Comments

Welcome!

My name is Carmen and my goal for this blog is to share stories in my life and the lives of others to praise our Lord and Savior and to encourage others who may be going through a difficult time that He is indeed almighty God and He is in control of all our situations.


Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!

Psalm 105:1-2


Over the last couple of years, I have been seeking God’s will for my life, praying for and asking Him what’s next for this season of my life. It has recently become evident to me that I should start writing about the goodness of God after I witnessed a personal family miracle a little over a year ago.

I was called by my parents to inform me that my older brother was in the hospital in ICU and was severely brain impaired. My father told me that several doctors and nurses told him if my brother were to come out of the heavily sedated coma he was in, he would have less than 5% use of his brain. He would basically be a vegetable—he would not know who he was, who we were; he would not be able to speak or understand us; and he would not have control over bodily functions. He was basically brain dead. I immediately started clearing my schedule and trying to decide when I should leave to make the twelve-hour drive home. I called my nephew who is my brother’s only child and spoke with him about when I should go and what the doctors were saying about how much time he had to live. He told me that his dad was on life-support and he was going to sign a DNR for the medical team. He also told me that if I needed time to travel, he would hold off on disconnecting him from life support until I had a chance to see him.

I immediately began praying and contacted my prayer warrior friends all over the US to ask for prayer and God’s will (even though I understood it might not be what I personally wanted). Meanwhile, friends and family were praying here in the US and abroad.

I made the 12-hour trip in one day and went to see my brother the following morning with my father. He was intubated and hooked up to several monitors for his brain, heart, kidneys, and other vital functions. His eyes were closed and as I approached him in the ICU all I could do was pray. I prayed for his salvation mostly, but I also prayed that God would allow him to live as normal a life as possible. I knew that God could keep him from dying, but was not sure that He would. After all, my brother did this to himself.

While there, I spoke with the head nurse of the ICU and asked a lot of the same questions that my family had already asked. They wanted to give us hope, but their experience could only speak the hard facts that he would most likely not live or have a normal life. My nephew had signed the DNR and all we could do was pray and continue to visit him during visiting hours daily.

My mother came with us to see him that evening and I had already prepared to read him a scripture verse from the Bible. I asked God to show me which verse to read and I felt that Psalm 23 was the chosen one for that evening. I had predetermined that I didn’t care what my family thought of this as they are more private with their prayer and outward profession of faith. So, I read Psalm 23 at his bedside and we said goodnight telling him that we would be back in the morning. The next day we noticed that he was beginning to move his body some and trying to open his eyes. The nurses monitored him closely, and again we asked if there was any chance that he could come out of this. The nurse said yes, but most people in his condition don’t make it. My father told me that he spoke with a female nurse prior to me traveling there, and she said that she had seen a few people come back and get up and walk and talk again as if nothing had happened. She was telling him to not give up hope. Meanwhile, our family and friends kept praying and asking us how he was doing. We asked them to please keep praying.

     

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire, and it shall be
done for you.”

John 15:7

The third day, early in the morning around 6:00, the head nurse of the ICU called us and told us that my brother was staring at him intently as he was checking on him overnight. He went through a list of procedures of which I can’t recall now, but I do remember being filled with hope and praying to hear good news. I asked the nurse what he was trying to tell me and he replied that he wanted to give my brother more time. “It just so happened” that my nephew was ready to have the medical staff take him off life support this very day. We visited my brother as soon as visiting hours began and he was continuing to move and was opening his eyes a little. Later that evening, it seemed that he was trying to communicate with us, so I asked him to squeeze my hand if he understood me. I felt a slight motion and I told him that he needed to squeeze my hand harder—and he did! Not only was he starting to use his hands, he understood my requests! Thank you, Lord! Before we left, I led my family in prayer around him, holding his hands and asked God to heal him from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet.

I wrote “just so happened” because anyone who has experienced a miracle from God knows that it “didn’t just happen.”

It is God who brings the miracle and we should rightly give Him praise for it!



You are the God who works wonders; you have made
known your might among the peoples.

Psalm 77:14

We left the hospital that evening with renewed hope in our hearts and minds. The next morning, my father and I returned to the hospital ICU at the start of visiting hours and while we were walking in, the head nurse said to my father, “You are going to be very happy!” At the same time, I had glanced through the glass door into my brother’s room and he was reclining in his bed with most of the monitors taken off him. His eyes were open and he recognized me and started speaking faintly. He was his old cantankerous self! I am not much of a crier, but I can tell you that I shed some tears that morning. My father walked in with such a look of surprise on his face that was priceless. My nephew came in about five minutes later and his jaw had dropped in utter amazement. I texted my sister, “Your brother is back!” and she called immediately asking what I meant. I told her that he was alive and well. She was screaming and praising God so loudly that they had to close the door to his room. Soon after, a nephrologist came in to check on him and started asking him questions about who he was, and who my nephew, my dad, and I were. He answered all correctly! He even added that his other sister was on the phone with me. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! To God be the glory!

The rest of the story:

My brother was moved to a regular room and stayed there for a couple of weeks before he was released. The hospital staff on that floor was glad to see him go. Did I mention that he was difficult? True to his personality, he refused all therapy and rehabilitation offered to him and was adamant about going home. After he was seen by the neurologist, he was finally released and was taken home. My concern was that he would not be able to take care of himself because he wasn’t walking when I left to go back home. A month or so went by and he showed up at my parents’ house to pick up his mail. He was walking without any aid!

I have experienced the Lord’s faithfulness in my life over the years and I can truly say that I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good!

God gave my brother another chance to live his life. Please pray with me that he will allow God to work in his life to let go of what put him near death. My prayer is that he would be fired up about overcoming his struggles and use his story as a testimony for the Lord.

I would like to end this post by linking a beautiful song that praises God for his goodness and faithfulness. May you be blessed.

“Goodness of God” – Bethel Music

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.