April 9

Deuteronomy 33:1-29; Luke 13:1-21; Psalm 78:65-72; Proverbs 12:25


"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 12:25


Athletic stores are filled with lightweight gear and streamlined running shoes specifically designed to provide protection and support without unnecessarily weighing the runner down. Because whether you run, jog or even walk through life, the more weight you carry, the slower you're able move. In the spiritual sense, being anxious or filled with worry places additional weight upon our shoulders...making life more difficult and burdensome.

Jesus said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30

When we allow ourselves to be yoked with Jesus, He doesn't ADD to our burdens, He walks alongside us and bears the load for us. One of my favorite songs is Scott Wesley Brown's "He Will Carry You". Here are some of the lyrics:

There is no problem too big God cannot solve it.
There is no mountain too tall He cannot move it.
There is no storm too dark God cannot calm it.
There is no sorrow too deep, God cannot sooth it.


Chorus:
If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders,
I know, my brother, that He will carry you.
If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders,
I know my sister, that He will carry you.


Link to song with inspirational illustrations: He Will Carry You

Enough about being weighted down. The second part of today's verse in Proverbs states how we can cheer people up. It is so simple and yet worth being reminded of...speak a kind word to the people around you. Bring them the joy of the Lord and help to put a smile on their face!

Have a blessed weekend!

Pastor Susan

April 8

Deuteronomy 32:28-52; Luke 12:35-59; Psalm 78:56-64; Proverbs 12:24

35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.

Are you dressed and ready? Or are you sleeping at the wheel of life? Today many people don't sleep at the wheel, they are just looking at their phones while driving. I heard a scary example the other day, it compared texting while driving to closing your eyes for 3-5 seconds while driving in traffic. Would you advise that practice to your favorite teenage driver? That example reminds me that the distractions of life can cause us to head the wrong way or even worse head into the ditch.

The scripture today encourages us to "keep our lamps burning" waiting for our master. That picture of a servant involves much more than trying to survive each moment of life little by little. The picture I see is of a servant working to keep his own lamp filled with light. Does your life burn with hope and light to those around you? A life filled with anticipation and actions calling for the master's return. We all have influence among our friends and family, what do they see with your light?

What is the good news today? "It will be good for those servants", He repeats this twice in verse 38 and in verse 39. What kind of servants? Those who are watching and ready. Are your eyes looking for God in everyday life? Are we ready to follow His guidance in the decisions we make? When is a good time to start? Right now! Jesus is a good Master and is ready to welcome us into the kingdom of God. I believe He is knocking on the door of our hearts today, asking if we are dressed and ready to enter into His arms. Jesus is ready to serve you with His love, wisdom and power. Will you be ready?

Blessings,

Pastor David

April 7

When I was in Bible School, a fellow student once preached a sermon in a chapel service entitled, “Four Things the Foolish Farmer Forgot.” It was based on a portion of our Bible reading for today, Luke 12:13-21.

His short, arresting outline still sticks in my mind…

1. He remembered His gifts, but forgot the Giver.

This is the essence of materialism, putting things before everything else, even God. It springs from a lack of recognition that everything we have comes from God.

2. He remembered himself, but forgot others.

Much of his wrong attitude can be seen by his frequent use of the word, “I.”  Think of how much good he could have done with his bumper crop had he thought of helping the poor, etc., instead of just building bigger barns to keep it all for himself!

3. He remembered today, but forgot tomorrow.

A common mistake is sacrificing the future on the altar of the present. Wise people consider both the long and short-term outcome of their attitudes and actions.

4. He remembered life, but forgot about death.

Death is a part of life. It is the destination we are all headed toward. In a sense, life is nothing more than an opportunity to prepare for death. Scripture teaches us that we all will eventually die and then give an account to God for our lives. Death is not the end. It is just the beginning of life after death.

Here is the “bottom-line” concerning all the mistakes this foolish farmer made:

HE LIVED FOR TIME INSTEAD OF ETERNITY…!

I encourage you to make this verse from Psalms your prayer for today,

Psalm 90:12 (NIV84) — 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Pastor Mark

April 6--Sparrows

Sparrows

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20 Luke 11:37-12:7 Psalm 78:1-31 Proverbs 12:19-20

My bird feeder runneth over with sparrows. It’s always been that way. Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, I helped keep the bird-feeder full and the sparrows were the most plentiful of all the many species of birds. My wife, Anita, bought me a bird-feeder last year for my birthday, and here in Carrollton, Texas the sparrows are also the most abundant species of birds at my feeder. I counted a dozen eating at one time the other night. So, I can relate to what Jesus said in our reading for today, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)

You are worth more than many sparrows to God! There sure are a lot of sparrows around; and I hope that you can join me in letting sparrows be a reminder to you of God’s unconditional love for you, His omniscience in knowing everything about you and His omnipotence in watching over you. We have nothing to fear! God cares about the sparrows and He cares infinitely more about us. He is watching over us.

There’s one more lesson to connect to sparrows. Sparrows should remind us that God desires reciprocal love and that our salvation depends on that reciprocity. He loves us so much more than sparrows that He sent His son Jesus to live, die and rise from the dead to make possible our eternal relationship with the Father and to prevent our eternal separation from Him. In both the gospel of Matthew and here in Luke, Jesus tells of the sparrows in the context of warning us about hell: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” (Luke 12:4-5//Matthew 10:28).

If you are ever at my house looking out the kitchen window at the sparrows, I will quiz you on this. Besides reminding us not to be afraid, and reminding us of God’s love, knowledge and power concerning every detail of our lives, the sparrows remind us to revere God with a holy fear. May we not be afraid of anything more than we fear separation from God. Next time you feel tempted or feel afraid, remember the sparrows!

Pastor Paul

April 5

Demons are real. They are not just the figment of someone’s over-active imagination or the leftover legacy of an unscientific world-view of previous generations. They are fallen angels who were led astray by Satan in the original cosmic rebellion. They have supernatural power that can impact human lives when people fail to open themselves up to the fullness of God’s work in their hearts.

In passages throughout the Gospels such as the one found in our reading for today from Luke 11:14-28, we see Jesus exercising absolute authority over demons as He set people completely free from their influence. His ability to do this was so evident that even His enemies acknowledged it, all the while attributing that power to Satan! That, of course, was a ludicrous proposition, something the Lord was quick to point out.

Here are the three most important things you need to know about demons:

1. They are real. Failure to acknowledge their existence renders one even more susceptible to their influence.
2. Their power is finite. While they have some power, they do not have all power. Their negative impact can influence human behavior in some profound, even startling ways, but there is a limit to what they can do.
3. They are completely subject to the authority of Jesus. He not only exercised authority over them during His earthly ministry, but He overcame all Satanic and demonic power through His death on Calvary and His resurrection from the dead. When you open your heart to Him, His power is within you and you can confront demons with His authority.

Here are some other faith-building verses to meditate on in this regard:

1 John 4:4  —  …the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

James 4:7 — 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Luke 10:17–20 — 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Pastor Mark

Kicking Off The Week

In Luke 10:38-42 we find the very familiar story of Jesus at Mary and Martha’s house. Martha was working at furious pace to make sure everything was ready and prepared for Jesus while Mary sat and listened at Jesus’ feet. Martha became irritated with her sister and demanded that Jesus send Mary to the kitchen to give her a hand! From our perspective, that is a reasonable request on Martha’s part! But Jesus said that Mary had chosen what was more valuable.

Knowing Jesus is life. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus says some very sobering words, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father. Many will say…’did we not prophecy in your name, and…drive out demons and perform miracles?’ Then I will tell them… ‘I never knew you…’” Serving Jesus is great. It is valuable, significant, and fulfilling—but serving is not the same as knowing. You can work alongside someone at your job and never really know them. Knowing takes intentional effort to quiet one’s self down and listen to the other person’s heart. What God desires from us is more than anything else is that we KNOW Him. In knowing Him, we will love Him better. In loving Him better, we will serve Him better. In serving Him better, we will reach people better. But it all starts with knowing Him. Relationship trumps work. The “who” trumps the “what.” Becoming like Him trumps doing things for Him (because when you are like Him, you will then do the things as He Himself would do them!).

As we begin this work week that is sure to be filled with busyness, meetings, paper work, deadlines, co-workers :-), and other such things, please take time to spend in the presence of Jesus. Take five or ten minutes to bow before Him and draw off of His strength and His life. Spend that time to get to know another aspect of His heart and character. He will speak with you and talk to you if you are listening! Know Him. It’s life!

Blessings!

Pastor Kyle Bauer

April 3

Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19, Luke 10:13-37, Psalm 75:1-10

The Art Of Living Well!

Deuteronomy is definitely one of my favorite books and also one of the hardest words to pronounce. I don’t know why my tongue gets twisted up when I try to pronounce it.
But the content of this book is something that I always enjoy and it’s basically because of one thing, because it teaches me The Art of Living Well!
The chapters that are in our reading for today are the 23rd to 25th chapters and they are the essence of what the book is in it’s totality. It’s very applicable in terms of the principles to our daily Christian life in this present time of the New Testament.
God’s wish is for us to live well as human beings, that we enjoy everything that He has created for us and that we live a life of significance.
That was the message for Israel as they were experiencing a freedom from oppression and turning into a nation with it’s own identity; Deuteronomy appears as a book to teach them what I call The Art of Living Well! It occurred to me to think of the word art because of the great painters, the great musicians, the great poets, and the great human beings that have left us a legacy of having great taste in what they did or for what they still do.
Sometimes I hear the phrase ‘the art of dressing well’ or ‘the art of eating well’ or ‘the art of decorating’ and I think that God wants us to have The Art of Living Well.
Deuteronomy basically speaks of simple, practical and easily understandable things that if they are practiced will result in Israel living in harmony, in progress, in development forward, in living in a community that produces happiness.
Truthfully, in this day and age as Christians we need to learn al the Bible secrets that help us to better our art of living well.
God’s laws in the Bible were not written to annoy us or to enslave us to a routine that says, ‘YOU CAN’T DO THIS, YOU SHOULDN’T DO THIS,’ but rather to make some things happen in us as the family of God. Please allow me to share 2 or 3 things that happen when I take my Bible and I’m taught by the Holy Spirit the art of living well.
These are a few of the results:
1. Harmony in personal relations
2. Tolerance to accept each other in our differences
3. Respect towards each individual who is different than us
4. Personal growth as human beings
I hope you have a great Sunday and may all your personal relationships be in harmony as you apply the concept of The Art of Living Well!


Sincerely,




Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest






Deuteronomio 23:1-25:19, Lucas 10:13-37, Salmo 75:1-10

¡El Arte de Vivir Bien!

Definitivamente uno de mis libros favoritos es Deuteronomio y curiosamente es una de las palabras que mas se me dificulta pronunciar y no se porque razón se me enreda la lengua, es algo curioso.
Pero el contenido de este libro siempre lo disfruto y básicamente por una cosa, porque me enseña ¡El Arte de Vivir Bien!
Los capítulos que corresponden a la lectura de hoy van desde el capitulo 23 hasta el capitulo 25 y son una esencia de lo que es en si el libro en su totalidad. Es muy aplicable en términos de principios a nuestra vida cristiana hoy que vivimos en la época del Nuevo Testamento.
El deseo del Padre Dios es que vivamos bien como seres humanos, que disfrutemos de todo aquello que El ha creado para nosotros y que vivamos una vida con significado.
Ese era el mensaje para Israel que estaba experimentando una libertad de opresión y convirtiéndose en una nación con identidad propia y entonces aparece un libro como Deuteronomio para enseñarles lo que llamo ¡Al Arte de Vivir Bien! Se me ocurrió pensar en la palabra Arte por lo de los grandes pintores, los grandes músicos, los grandes poetas, los grandes seres humanos que nos han dejado legado de tener ese buen gusto para hacer lo que hacen o para hacer lo que hicieron.
A veces yo escucho la frase, el arte del buen vestir, el arte del buen comer, el arte de la decoración y creo que Dios quiere que tengamos el Arte de Vivir bien.
Deuteronomio básicamente habla de cosas sencillas, practicas y entendibles que si son llevadas a la practica producirán en Israel un vivir en armonía, un vivir en progreso, un vivir en desarrollo, un vivir en comunidad que produce felicidad.
En Verdad hoy necesitamos mucho como cristianos de aprender todos los secretos de la Biblia que nos ayuden a mejorar El Arte de Vivir Bien.
Las leyes de Dios escritas en la Biblia no se escribieron para fastidiarnos y esclavizarnos a una rutina de NO PUEDES, NO DEBES sino mas bien para que sucedan varias cosas en nosotros que somos la familia de Dios. Permítame enumerarles dos o tres cosas que suceden cuando tomo la Biblia y por el Espíritu Santo soy enseñado en el Arte de vivir bien. Estos son algunos resultados que se dan :
1. Armonía en las relaciones interpersonales.
2. Tolerancia para aceptarnos en nuestras diferencias.
3. Respeto hacia cada individuo que es distinto a nosotros.
4. Crecimiento personal como seres humanos.
Que tengan un maravilloso día domingo y que sean armonizadas todas sus relaciones interpersonales aplicando el concepto de ¡El Arte de Vivir Bien!


Atentamente,




Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest.

April 2

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30; Luke 9:51-10:12; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 12:11

"He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field'." Luke 10:2

I grew up in a small town in northern Oklahoma, surrounded on all sides by miles of farm land. Our family farmed in Kay County for generations. When I was a little girl, my Grandpa Cline would take me with him as he drove dirt roads, checking the crops in each of his sections. I learned how important every step of the farming process was, and came to realize timing was everything. Once a crop is "ready", there is a very small window of time to bring in the harvest before the plants begin to decay.

One summer, a farmer was hospitalized after a terrible accident - right when it was time to begin harvesting the wheat. There was nobody to take care of his crops and it looked like he was going to lose everything. But many of the locals who were already busy taking care of their own crops, left their fields to harvest the fields of their injured friend. They saved him from financial devastation!

Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." Imagine how God must feel, working in the lives of lost people to get seeds planted, their hearts watered and fertilized, and just when they are finally open to listening --- there is nobody waiting to tell them who Jesus is and what He's done for them. What do you think happens to those people? There is a reason Jesus used the harvest metaphor. The reality is, without workers to bring in the souls, the people will perish just like a wheat crop will.

Two things I see in this passage that we should be doing. First, we are told to pray. Ask God to send out the workers. I don't begin to understand the mysteries of how prayer unlocks doors in the spiritual realm. But if we do what Jesus said and get serious with our prayers, our asking could help bring a mighty wave of revival to the world!

Next...in case you thought "asking" might let you off the hook from "working", let's take a peek at the first part of verse 3. Jesus says, "Go! I am sending you..." We are the "few" workers who have already been sent! We have much to do. Time may be running out...for your next-door neighbor, for that co-worker in the office, for a son or daughter...or any of the dozens of people you've never talked to about Jesus.

The harvest is plentiful. It's a bumper crop. Let's do all we can to make sure no one is lost!

Blessings,

Pastor Susan

April 1

Deuteronomy 18-20:20; Luke 9:28-50; Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 12:10

Mountain top... Valley low

In today's New Testament reading I find one of my favorite pictures of Jesus. The scripture captures the moment that Jesus is seen glorified with his heavenly adornment. It is as if Jesus steps out of the earth realm into heaven before the eyes of Peter, John and James. Moses and Elijah appear before Jesus and we even hear the voice of the Father from heaven speaking on behalf of His Son. Wow what a scene, right? Well, that is not my favorite picture of Jesus in this story. My favorite picture is of Jesus walking down the mountain into the valley below.

Have you ever had a "mountain top" experience in life where it seemed nothing could get any better than that moment? Maybe you had been fighting every obstacle in life and finally made it to the top of your mountain in victory. It may have been a time in your life that you receieved the exact right wisdom or opportunity from out of nowhere. Or maybe it was the day you heard the voice of God on your life, affirming exactly who you are in the eyes of God. Wow, what a day right? But what happens when you get down off the mountain top... valley low.

Even Jesus, after a very, very good mountain top experience had to visit the crowd below in the valley. Notice that life did not stop during the "high times" in His life. As soon as He came down the mountain He faced an evil spirit. Not just an ordinary enemy, listen to a man in the crowd, he said, "I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not." This is what I call a "valley low" experience, the times in life when I feel like yelling, "Someone stop this roller coaster!!!" Have you ever felt this way?

I have some good news for us all, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever more. In the scripture reading, the people surrounding Jesus were amazed at who He was in both situations. It did not matter what circumstances Jesus walked into, He remained a fully glorified God. Mountain top or valley low moments in life do not determine the greatness of God in our lives. So whether you are climbing up or coming down today, I want to remind you to STAY AMAZED at what Jesus can do for you!

Blessings,

Pastor David

March 30--The Poor

Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23 Luke 8:40-9:6 Psalm 71:1-24 Proverbs 12:5-7

The Dallas International Street Church had a few dozen people from the homeless shelters and from off the streets of Dallas last Friday night. These guys had lost everything. They were poor and needy. Through worship, preaching, prayer and serving food, our Hillcrest Church team fulfilled this Scripture from our reading today, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land" (Deuteronomy 15:11).

Jesus, in beginning His ministry, said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor..." (Luke 4:18). We are commanded to make this our mission as well. The text in Deuteronomy has some advice for us in how to bless the poor: "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you" (Deuteronomy 15:15). We should go with our own testimonies like that in Psalms today, "My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you--I, whom you have redeemed" (Psalm 71:23).

The redemption that the poor in Dallas need is the same that we have received:
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)

May we reach the poor. May we go just as our New Testament lesson today shows that Jesus sent out the twelve, with "power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases... to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick" (Luke 9:1-2). May we go sharing our own testimonies of faith, of being redeemed and of being set free. May our message be like the chorus: "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! I'm redeemed, I'm redeemed, Praise the Lord!"

Pastor Paul

March 29

The process we must all go through in order to experience the prosperity God desires to give us is like the journey Israel took to the Promised Land. They started out as slaves in Egypt, the land of “not enough.” Through Moses, God promised to take them to Canaan, the land of “more than enough.” To get there, they first had to go through the wilderness, the land of “just enough.”

As they wandered around in the desert, the Israelites were utterly dependent upon the miracle-working power of God to survive. Without any grocery stores or bakeries anywhere to be found, unless manna fell from heaven daily, they would starve to death!

If you are like me, you like the land of “more than enough” more than the land of “not enough” or the land of “just enough.” I am sure the Israelites felt the same way, but God allowed them to pass through their season of complete reliance on Him for three specific reasons:

1. In order to know what was in their heart:

Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV) — “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”

2. In order to teach them to listen to and obey His voice:

Deuteronomy 8:3 (NIV) —“…to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord…”

3. In order to insure their long-term success.

Deuteronomy 8:16 (NIV) — “He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.”

God knew that once they reached the prosperity He had promised, the Israelites would be in danger of falling back into sin. He warned them repeatedly and clearly to remain dependent upon Him, even when it looked like their life circumstances had improved so dramatically that they no longer needed sustaining miracles.

“The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden…the land is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven…a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.” (11:10-12)

Egypt had been a place where they could irrigate their fields through the power of their own flesh, i.e., by working a primitive sort of pump with their foot. Canaan was a place of hills and valleys that was watered through the rain. Even there, they were dependent upon God to provide. If they sinned, He would shut up the heavens and no rain would fall.

Let's continually trust God together! He will honor our faith...because our faith honors Him...!

Pastor Mark

The Number One Priority

Life in Jesus is not difficult to understand, but at times can be very difficult to live out. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 gives us a snap shot; the crux of this life:

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good…”

Life in Jesus is an issue of priority. The very first of the Ten Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” That’s it! There is a reason that one is first! God is our number one priority in everything that we do, say, see, or think. Jesus summed up the entire Bible by saying in Matthew 22:37-40, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

This is not a difficult concept to understand. If we love God with all that we are and with all that we have, then everything in life will fall into its proper place. The difficulty in this that we must learn to deny ourselves! It is sinful human nature that causes us to want to please ourselves in all things instead of God! God is holy—simply put, that means He is pure, whole, and integrated in all aspects. He desires us to be holy as He is holy. This means that He must become our highest priority in everything of life, and when we place Him at the top of everything, then everything will begin to look like Him: our children, our jobs, our homes, our thoughts, and our emotions will come under His control and His abundant life. This may seem like an impossibility, and humanly speaking it is—but that is why God has given us His Holy Spirit—so we can be holy as He is holy!

I want to encourage you today to, once again, submit every part of your life to Jesus. An easy thing to do is once a day, take a few moments alone and bow before the Lord. Worship Him. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Draw off of the life and strength that He so freely offers to us. In Jesus Christ, God has made it possible for us to be like Him and experience His life in our lives! The key is to make Him the number one priority!

Blessings!

Pastor Kyle Bauer

March 27

2 Samuel 12:1-31, John 16:1-33, Psalm 119:65-80, Proverbs 16:4-5

What To Do With Mistakes, Because One Mistake Is Not The End

Good morning friends, I hope that this has been one of those weeks where
things have worked in your favor and as we reach this Sunday, your hearts
are encouraged to come to church and alongside other brothers and sisters in
the faith, express our gratitude to our God!
I'd like to share on today's passage of 2 Samuel 12:1-31. The reading is a
little long, it's 31 verses, but the story is great. It's filled with very
important life lessons.
Personally, I do not like making mistakes and quite frankly what I least
like about making mistakes is when I make a mistake in public. I feel
terrible embarrassed. However, I have to confess that no matter how hard
I've tried to not make mistakes and tried not to sin, sooner or later I do.
I remember one year that on December 31st at midnight I promised God that I
would not sin in the new year "what a promise!" I spent that night praying and
I was so immersed in prayer that day that supposedly I did not sin that day.
Then came the 2nd of January and supposedly I still did not sin. But then
came January 6th, and do you know what happened? That's right, I sinned!
My whole world came apart and I thought God didn't love me anymore. But then I overcame that feeling, I found out that the mistakes couldn't mark a total defeat in my Christian life.
Some time after that I read a book called "Lead On!" by John E. Haggai, and
one of the chapters is called "The Principle of Opportunity", in that
chapter he says: "The principle of opportunity lets us see that life is a
series of obstacles and it's precisely those obstacles that open the doors
to great opportunities if we are disciplined enough to recognize that
opportunities are everywhere." He goes on to say, "You are not perfect!
I'm not perfect either, and there isn't anyone who is. Since you will
inevitably make mistakes, one mistake you make out of foolishness, out of
ignorance or by not paying attention; you will need to learn to turn those
mistakes into benefits. Learn from your mistakes, turning them into
unexpected benefits." He goes on to explain 3 things:
1. I need to learn what to do with mistakes.

2. I need to learn how to face mistakes.

3. I need to learn how to take advantage of my mistakes in a positive
way.

I'd like to wrap up this devotional so it doesn't turn into a conference
(but thank you for reading it) by saying that David learned a lot from this
experience and God taught him that his mistakes were not the end of his
career as king.
We are not perfect, what a great thing to know! Mistakes will happen, but
the lesson from David is to overcome, because God will always be there to
help us. Of course, if like David we can admit that we have failed. Do you
remember the phrase "Please have patience with me, God isn¹t done with me?"
That helps us to know that God will get the best out of us! That one
mistake is not our end.
Have a great Sunday!


Sincerely,


Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest



2 Samuel 12:1-31, Juan 16:1-33, Salmo 119:65-80, Proverbios 16:4-5

Que Hacer Con Los Errores, Pues Un Error No Es Nuestro Final.

Amigos buenos días deseo que esta semana para ustedes haya sido una de esas
semanas donde las cosas hayan trabajado a su favor y que al llegar este día
domingo sus corazones estén muy animados para venir a la Iglesia y junto con
los hermanos en la fe, expresarle a nuestro Dios toda nuestra gratitud.
Quiero comentar en este devocional de hoy el pasaje bíblico de 2 Samuel
12:1-31. El texto bíblico es largo, son 31 versos pero la historia es
estupenda, llena de lecciones de vida muy importantes para el diario vivir.
Personalmente no me gusta cometer errores y francamente lo que no me gusta
es que cuando los cometo, esos errores se hagan públicos, me da una terrible
vergüenza. Sin embargo tengo que confesar que por mas que me he esforzado
por no cometer errores y pecados tarde que temprano los he cometido. Les
comparto que hubo un 31 de diciembre a la medianoche que le prometí a Dios
que no pecaría en el nuevo año (¡Que promesa! uuuffff). Esa noche amanecí
orando y el 1 de enero estaba tan metido en la oración que supuestamente,
no peque. Luego vino el 2 de enero y supuestamente tampoco peque, (decía
yo) pero para el día 6 ¿saben que paso? Si ya se que lo saben... ¡Peque! Y
todo se me desmorono y creía que ya Dios no me amaba, ¡luego lo supere! Me
di cuenta que los errores no deben marcar una derrota total en mi vida
cristiana.
Tiempo después conocí un libro que se llama Liderazgo que Perdura en un
mundo que Cambia fue escrito en ingles bajo el titulo Lead On! por John E
Haggai y el tiene un capitulo que se llama El Principio de la Oportunidad y
dentro de ese capitulo el dice: "El principio de la Oportunidad nos hace ver
que la vida es una serie de obstáculos y precisamente estos obstáculos nos
abren las puertas a las mas grandes oportunidades si nos disciplinamos a
nosotros mismos para saber reconocer las oportunidades por todas partes."
Luego sigue diciendo "¡Usted nos es perfecto! Yo tampoco lo soy, ni hay
nadie que lo sea. Como usted cometerá errores de manera inevitable, un
error que cometa usted por necedad, por ignorancia o por falta de atención;
usted necesita saber de que manera convertir esos errores en benéficos.
Aprenda de sus errores, convirtiéndolos en benéficos inesperados" y luego
explica tres cosas
1. Debo saber que hacer con los errores.

2. Debo saber como enfrentarme a los errores.

3. Debo saber de que manera aprovecharlos positivamente.

Termino entonces este devocional para que no se convierta en una conferencia
(pero gracias por leerlo) diciendo que David aprendió mucho de esa
experiencia y Dios le enseño que esos errores no eran el fin de su carrera
como rey.
¡No somos perfectos, que bueno saberlo! Vendrán errores, pero la lección de
David es que se pueden superar porque Dios siempre estará allí para
ayudarnos. Por supuesto si como David sabemos admitir que hemos fallado.
Recuerdan la frase: "Ténganme paciencia que Dios todavía no ha terminado
conmigo?² ¡Eso nos ayuda a saber que Dios sacara lo mejor de nosotros! Que
un error no es nuestro final.
¡Que tengan un buen domingo!


Atentamente,


Dr. Oscar Camacho O.
Pastor Iglesia Hispana Hillcrest

March 26

Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25; Luke 7:11-35; Psalm 68:19-35; Proverbs 11:29-31

"So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." (Deut. 5:32-33)

When my kids were young, a traveling circus came to our home town of Abilene. To boost ticket sales, they invited local television anchors to participate in an elephant race at the Montgomery Ward parking lot. It began as an exciting close-up view of celebrities trying to ride the huge animals, but quickly turned into a nightmare when the elephants charged the spectators - including me with my two small children. We had to run for our life!

Despite the incident, I still love the circus. My favorite "big top" performers are the tightrope walkers. Their skill, precision and intense focus demonstrate years of practice and self-discipline. As they place one foot after another across a wire suspended in mid-air, they dare not even glance to the left or the right for fear of losing their balance and falling to a certain death.

The Bible instructs us to be careful and walk in the way God commanded, specifically warning against turning to the right or the left. There is only one straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. "...small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:14)

Walking the right path takes practice, similar to what a tightrope walker goes through while learning how to keep from falling. Over time, he masters the art of balance and the technique of tuning out distractions, enabling safe and steady movement forward. Our distractions come in the form of temptation...the enemy's effort to shift our focus and pull our eyes off of the Lord. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..."  (John 10:10a)  Following the path of temptation can be as dangerous as a tightrope walker letting one foot slip off the wire.

"...when you are tempted He [God] will also provide a way out so you can endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

God wants us to make it across without falling, but He knows our nature --- there will be times when we turn and fall. So He sent Jesus to be our safety net. When we fall into His arms, He'll catch us, forgive us, and guide us back onto the right path. The tightrope walker might never get a second chance to get it right, but because of God's grace, we do!

Blessings,

Pastor Susan

March 25

Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Luke 6:39-7:10; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 11:28

Luke 6:46-49
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

If you have lived long enough you know the question is not if but when the storm comes to your house. Recently, the tragedy in Japan has reminded us all how a flood can devastate the lives of many. We all watched in fear and awe as the powerful flood waters tore through neighborhoods and structures that I am positive were thought to be able to stand any storm. But who would have been able to predict the terrible earthquake that morning? Jesus. I'm not going to debate the question of God's sovereignty and if natural disasters are the Lord's hand of judgment. Let's decide to have that discussion in heaven before the throne, I would rather see us both get there and have better things to talk about.

In our New Testament passage today, Jesus reminds us that there is a solution to the storms of life for our house. That solution is that we not only "hear" His words but that we also put them into "practice." How many friends have we sat before and watched the tears roll down their face while they told us of the destruction in their lives? Maybe you have told your story to someone recently? Thankfully we all know of a God who can restore lives and heal the broken hearts of all who come to Him. May I encourage you today that the time to build a strong foundation is not during the flood, but before the waters arrive. To "hear" and "do" the word of God in our lives every day is like digging your foundation deep in the rock of salvation. Of course you already know this truth, reading the Word of God daily is what we are doing together as a church family and I love sharing this time with you all. So everyone at Hillcrest Church... dig family, keep on digging!

Blessings,

Pastor David

March 23--Weavings

Weavings

Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46 Luke 5:29-6:11 Psalm 66:1-20 Proverbs 11:25

In the highlands of Guatemala, I have seen the women stretch out yards of colorful cotton strands and then use wooden hand looms to weave the freshly-dyed threads into beautiful textiles. I was in that majestic Guatemalan territory on a human rights tour during the final days of a brutal civil war that claimed the lives of many of these weavers and their families. Still today, however, designs passed down through generations appear in their weavings.

Weavings of beautiful fabric, designed and carefully created from beginning to end, take on the patterns, thread-by-thread, on the traditional Mayan looms. It’s a picture that comes to mind as I look at today’s One Year Bible readings. God’s gracious plan of salvation and purpose for our lives is revealed, like a weaving designed from the beginning of time. Jesus teaches us today, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31) Many of the sick are our own children and adults acting like children who have yet to understand the gospel of God’s grace, His deliverance from evil, the personal relationship with Jesus Christ that awaits them. In fear, we often write off the lost by thinking they are “too sick” for Jesus and are destined for captivity. Fear not, the weaving contains more hopeful threads! “And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it” (Deuteronomy 1:39) Without fear, we present our saving, healing, forgiving, life-transforming Lord Jesus to those around us who need Him. One of the strands in the fabric of God’s Word today shows us how to do this. We are to share our own testimonies of how Jesus has transformed our sinful lives, we are to declare: “Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf!” (Psalm 66:5) As we share this Good News, as we lead people to our Great Physician and see sinners repent and be healed, the weak made strong, the poor made rich in Christ Jesus, we will ourselves be refreshed! “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25). The greatest refreshment of all is our on-going astonishment by God’s awesome grace!

I invite you today, and every day, to see the way God’s grace is weaved throughout the fabric of His Word! Experience it! Share it! Be astonished!

Pastor Paul