Jesus said, "In this life...

Let’s fill in the blank. Jesus said, “In this life you will have all your requests granted.” No!  Second Corinthians states that Paul asked three times to have some unknown torment removed, but the Lord refused. Rather then granting his desire the Lord gave Paul additional grace to help him in his weakness. Did Jesus say, “In this life you will be liked and appreciated, especially for your pursuit of righteousness?” No!  In Acts 7:54 it states, “When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.” Who was furious, at whom and why? The Jewish people became furious at Stephen when He accused them (his fellow Jews) of nailing Jesus to the Cross and missing the Messiah. They did not like him. They hated him, so much so, they stoned him to death!  In Luke 6:26 Jesus said, “Woe to you when men speak well of you, for this is how they treated the prophets.” So it’s not that. 

There are so many things we “expect” in this life. We expect to have our prayers answered, and answered our way. We expect to be prosperous, including financially. We expect to be healed, after all doesn’t the scriptures say, “That what so ever you ask in the name of Jesus will be granted?” We expect so much in this temporal and momentary life. But the one thing Jesus said that I WILL have in this life is trouble! As a matter of fact, these are His exact words, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

You see I need to read scriptures like these. I need to be reminded that it is his purposes for my life that will be unfolded. 

In Isaiah 46: 9-10 the Sovereign Lord says, 

“Remember the former things, those of long ago; 

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

I make known the end from the beginning,

from ancient times, what is to come.

‘I say: My purpose will stand,

and I will do all that I please.”

You see, today I have had a rough day. It has actually been a rough few weeks.

I feel silly admitting my weakness (but I want to be ranked among those as Paul)  especially when I just wrote on my blog a few days ago... Lord let me have a Christian home. A home where the mommy teaches the Bible and teaches her children to love it. Well today I was not an example of that. In all honesty, had the humility factor not shown up this would have been leverage for my girls to turn from the Bible. Before the night ended and they settled into their beds I gathered my daughters and read 1John 1: 8-10 with them and really emphasized vs. 9. 

It states, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 

So with my daughters I confessed my sin of anger and frustration combined with unkind words. As I sat there and asked for their forgiveness I was humbled yet disappointed in my failure. As I cried and received their forgiveness and prayers I realized the things that are occurring in my life are all planned and purpose by the Sovereign Lord for whatever reason. I may never know the reasons but I can trust that He will grant me peace. I know if I really wanted to be stubborn I can make things happen. I could change the way the things are in my life. God would allow me to go my way and follow the way that seems right to me only to learn that it is His ultimate will that will be achieved. 

So I write tonight because I have a heavy heart. Somedays are just hard. Life is hard. Jesus said, “In this life you will have trouble!” Expect it! 

I can’t help but question why? Is it because of Satan...perhaps? Is it because of sin...maybe? Is it because of this fallen world we live in...possibly? Have I done something wrong...more then likely? But regardless of the reasons why trouble is in my life or in your life...it is all granted, allowed and purposed by the Sovereign Lord and somehow...that is comforting.

Before I close I want to end with a scripture about the Sovereignty of God and many scriptures of the tribulations promised to the children of God.

Isaiah 48: 17

This is what the Lord says-

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the Lord your God,

who teaches you what is best for you,

who directs you in the way you should go.”

Acts 14: 21-22

Then they (Paul and Barnabas) returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain in the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

Roman 5: 3-5

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us.

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

1 Thessalonians 3: 1-4, 6-7

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way as you well know. But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because or your faith.

Life is not easy! The Lord never promised it would be. He promised to be with us, to never leave us, to see us through it, to grant us peace, comfort and grace. He will strengthen his people and he will not leave us without hope.

He is our all, in all!

Phileo,

Patsy

My Desire

Looking through my hymn book the other day I came across this modern day hymn.

B.B. McKinney wrote God, Give Us Christian Homes. 
I love the words penned in this music sheet.
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught, and where the Master's will is sought.
Yes, may I grow more and more diligent to teach my family to love the Bible and live it. And may we all grow a deep desire to  live our lives to please the Lord and not ourselves.
Homes where the Father is true and strong.
Homes where the mother is caring and desires to show your way is best.
Homes where the children are led to know the Lord.
How accurate! A home where we all fit into our proper roles and we function best in it.
Oh Father may this be more then a beautiful hymn I have come across. May this be the lived out reflection of my hearts's desire. Help me to accomplish such a great and honored task. And the many, many places I fall short, help me to have the grace and strength to endure?
In your name Jesus. Amen.
Is this the cry of your heart too? Is this your home? Do you desire it to be? Turn to the One who is able to grow the things that dreams are made of. The One who can turn a life of wrongs into a life of rights. Repentance is always the key. And Jesus is always the door that opens to the Way!
Phileo,
Patsy

Fasting...What did it reveal? Much....

Every year Ramiro goes on a fast. He has been doing this since 2000. His fast's vary. Sometimes they last a few days and have lasted all the way to a full forty days. They consist of refraining from various things. Every time Ramiro goes on a fast the Lord is always faithful to speak and move in our lives. Although I have seen the hand of God through Ramiro seeking for Him through fasting, I have never had the determination, desire or discipline to join him. BUT...this year was different. For some time now I have felt a great need and desire to get healthy. My weight was skyrocketing and I felt awful. So in complete honesty I started a forty day fast with Ramiro on January 1st in an attempt to get healthy and lose weight. Up until January 16th it had pretty much been a cake walk. It was not hard to refrain from eating. I was simply just sticking to water, juice and broth and I was fine. BUT then the Lord spoke to me. You see inwardly, much more then my weight, I was struggling with unforgiveness and shame. The Lord told me I was hiding and embarrassed because of the falling out I had with another person. I could see how unhealthy and unwhole I was. I was walking with fear and I just didn't know how to let it go. I remember on Monday night, January 17th, standing at my sink, washing dishes, thinking about what was going on in my heart. I began to pray..."Lord I don't know what to do anymore. I am consumed by this. It has affected every area of my life and I just don't know how to let it go. I don't even know what it looks like to lay this situation down at your feet. All I know is that I am going to do it and trust you will somehow help me, because Jesus I need you. I really need you!" Well the very next morning I was doing my BSF homework and low and behold the answer to my prayer came. As I studied Isaiah 37: 9-17 I saw a word picture of King Hezekiah learning thru a message that the Assyrian army was coming to destroy Judah. With great fear he took the message and LAID it before the Lord in the temple and worshiped the Lord. To me, that was a picture of what it looks like to lay something down before the Lord. Needless to say, the Lord helped King Hezekiah and I was hopeful He would help me too. Two nights later, I followed my husbands lead and went to embrace the very people I feared. The Lord gave me courage, strength and humility to do what I needed to do to receive the healing I so desperately need to be healthy and whole. I needed to let go, trust God and forgive. But I could only do those things with the help of the Lord. As of today I feel so cleansed. The fear, the shame and guilt is gone. I am so thankful for God's greatness and for being my Lord. Well, needless to say I was encouraged to continue the fast BUT it got harder! It was harder to stay away from food. All I wanted to do was eat and I craved everything. Well I lasted until the 30th of Jan. Again the Lord spoke to me. After the 17th the fast became about losing weight not seeking Him. The Lord showed me to get healthy physically it was going to require hard work on my part, a sacrifice, which I was not willing to do because I'm...LAZY!!! But I realized I couldn't go on starving myself. I learned that I need to learn how to eat! I need to watch what I am putting in my mouth and how much!! And... I need to started exercising!!! So I am doing those things. It has been hard! But I determined to change my bad habits into good ones, get healthy and keep the weight off. All to the Glory of God!!!

Keep me in your prayers.
I need them.
Phileo,
Patsy


^{Isaiah 37: 9-17
9} Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the king of Cush, was marching out to fight against him. When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: ¹⁰ “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’ ¹¹ Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? ¹² Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? ¹³ Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?”

Hezekiah’s Prayer

 ¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. ¹⁵ And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: ¹⁶ “LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁷ Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

Me in December 2010 at 150 lbs.

Me as of February 1, 2011 at 132 lbs.

Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy

Is it the Law or is it the Cross?  Well my dear friend, may I humbly suggest, it is both!  What is the Law?  What is the Cross?  Well I'm talking about the message of the Gospel. A message that is not heard in it's entirety much these days. You see right now, in the year 2011, the message the disciples preached and died for has changed!  The message that Peter preached was the Law and the Cross!


Acts 2 (New Living Translation) Please read all of Acts 2, the following are the highlighted scriptures that I would like to emphasize.


Acts 2: 14, 22-24, 31-34, 36-40

 ¹⁴ Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.

²² “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene^[d] by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. ²³ But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. ²⁴ But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 

 ²⁹ “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. ³⁰ But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. ³¹ David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.³² “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. ³³ Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 
      
 ³⁶ “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
 ³⁷ Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
 ³⁸ Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles^[h]—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”⁴⁰ Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

You see the message Peter preached was the Law...you are a sinner and He preached the Cross...repent of your sinfulness and receive the pardon Jesus died to give you!

And that is the message of the Gospel...Jesus Christ died on the Cross of Calvary for Law Breakers...whom are you and I.  Unfortunately, many modern day preachers are not preaching this message!  What I hear doesn't even sound like what Peter said!  And isn't the Bible our example, our mirror, that we should look on at our reflection?  And after we have seen our reflection and see that it doesn't look like the mirror...well then what do we do?  Do we change the reflection or do we change the mirror???  Well, in today's society the mirror has been changed...the standard has been changed!  Todays Gospel is no longer "Wretched Sinners that so desperately need a a Savior!", but rather "Hurting and Problem Filled People who Need a Savior to Make their life Meaningful and Happy."  No where in Peter's message will you read that!!!  Over and over he points to the Law to reveal the sin in each of us and then he points to the penalty for that sin which is death.  He points to the one who paid for that sin...Jesus!  He points to the guilty one who received the pardon... us!  Finally he tells us what to do about it...repent and receive forgiveness!!! 

We as a created people are sinners!  We simply are!  That is why we fail, we hurt people, including our own spouses and children!  We lie and gossip!  We hate and then pretend that we love!  We steal and are never content!  How many of us are swimming in debt, just so we can have what everyone else has?  Is God the center of your life or is there something or someone else that you want more?  Have you rested on the truth of what Jesus has done for you on that Cross?  Well my friend, if you are guilty in any of these areas then you are guilty of them all...you are a Lawbreaker and your penalty is death!  It doesn't sound like a loving and kind message BUT it is!!  God loves us so much He is offering us a way out of our sinful condition!  In our shallow minds we think that love is... give me my dreams and material prosperity!  But the Lord says I want to give you something far greater...it's forgiveness that we so DESPERATELY need...so that we can really live!  Will you accept the payment made by Jesus Christ for you?  Will you humble yourself and repent and admit you are guilty and then receive the forgiveness and cleansing that Jesus offers!!  This is the message of the Gospel! This is the truth!  We need the Savior, I constantly need the Savior!  The more I read my Bible and get closer to the Lord, the more sin I see and the more sin I see, the more I need to repent and receive forgiveness!  It is a life long process but Jesus is faithful...lifelong!   

May I say, my friend, there are no similarities between the the first message of the Gospel that Peter preached and the Gospel Message of the 21st Century!  None!  One removes our burden and the other places a stronger one!  They are indeed two different messages...whom will you believe?

Come to Jesus!

Phileo,

Patsy

Being Simon Peter

 Do you notice the resemblance? It's Simon Peter! You know, one of Jesus' chosen disciples. Sure, we could be twins! All you have to do is look real good and you can see what I see... that we are much more alike then you know.


Just what am I talking about... pride, shame, hurt, weeping, arrogance, weakness... the list goes on and on. Peter was God's chosen "Rock." But he was also God's chosen weakling. God used the very makings of Peter to show me a mirror of myself.
Rewind, April 2009, I sat with my friend, complaining as usual. I was talking about this Christian and that Christian and why don't they do things like this and why don't they do things like that? And in the middle of my rampage my sweet friend turned to me and said, "Patsy, I can tell you exactly what your problem is!" "Oh yeah", I said, "What is it?" "Your problem is pride.", she said. I said, "Well of course I'm proud, look at all that God has done in my life. Look at where I once was and look now. Look how much change he has done!"
Wrong answer!!! My reply should have been one of gratefulness and thankfulness that He had done anything at all. But for the next twelve months the Lord took me on a journey to show me my pride, to humiliate me with it, weep for site of my sin and bring me back to forgiveness and grace.
 Impulsive and boastful Peter said in Mark 14: 29, "Even if all fall away, I will not!!!" Isn't that pretty much what I was saying? No one else can endure the way I can. No one else loves you more than me! They will fall, no doubt. But not me Lord, no way! But did Peter fall? Absolutely, and he fell in front of them all. It was humiliating!
On the very night Jesus was arrested he was pretty much told by Jesus to calm down, don't make such arrogant claims, for this very night you will indeed fall away. As a matter of fact you will completely deny you ever knew me! But Peter doubted, even exclaiming I will never disown you! He didn't yet fully believe that Jesus knows the inward makings of the heart. He didn't fully know the limits of his own weakness and strength.  So Jesus was going to have to prove it to him and teach a lesson that he would learn well and never forget.
Mark 14: 66-72, Matthew 26: 69-75, Luke 22: 54-62 and John 18: 15-27 all give accounts of Peters betrayal and fall. In addition they speak about him being broken and weeping bitterly. Those are quite descriptive.  Broken, just what did he need to be broken of? His pride, his arrogance, his self-will.
 Weeping bitterly, what for? Perhaps he saw himself for what he was. A betrayer ranked among the lines of Judas. He saw his sin and ultimately what he was capable of on his on strength.
From the death of Jesus, to the resurrection, to when we finally see Jesus meet with Peter and some of the other disciples on the beach we really never hear pride from Peter again. You see Jesus, in his gentle love, restores Peter. He makes sure to make it known. "Feed my Lambs." In other words care for my very own, love them as you have loved me and as I love you. I never read Peter making a boastful claim that he loves Jesus more then the other when Jesus asks, "Do you love me more then these?" As a matter of fact he is beside himself again with wonder because he knows that fall he just had and he also knows that Jesus knows his heart better then he does. But in Jesus' gentle way He loves on Peter and brings him back to that place where he can walk in confidence with his Savior.
Is that me? Absolutely! God just took me through a humiliating season of seeing how far I can really go for Jesus. He showed me how much sin was in my heart, how much shame I bring him when I fail him and fall and most of all the lonely feeling of not having his presence with me. And I wept... I wept bitterly to see me as I was. I experienced humility once my pride was removed and I was able to call upon the name of the Lord to forgive and he did.
What did I learn? Never again will I boost that God has done more in my life or that I am more faithful than another. John 15:5 "Apart from me you can do nothing!"And that is the truth!
One other note that I was thinking of today. It will be one year this June 2nd that I suffered a miscarriage,  and as sorrowful as that loss was... it was nothing compared to the sorrow I felt for disappointing my Lord and not having His presence felt near me!
Blessings, Patsy

"Looks can be Deceiving"

Patsy
Originally uploaded by Patsy Gutierrez

Ram asked, "What are you doing?" I replied, "Working on my blog." "Oh yeah. What are you writing about?", he asked.
I said, "I'm writing about the girls fishing at Landa Park."
Then he replied, "Why don't you write about us?"
What! I was taken for a moment. Write about us, right now, what we are going through! Well that is exactly what he meant. He wants me to write what we are experiencing right now.
Well as of today we are on a rocky road. We have always been pretty transparent people. If we are happy we laugh, if we are sad we cry and if we are mad we fight. We have never been fake in just being who we are. But the struggles we are facing right now are different then just mere emotions changing. We are on a rocky road in our marriage right now. We are angry with each other, we are hurt with each other, we have said "not so nice" things to one another and there have been many questions raised. What's at stake... everything! The easy option is to say.. "That's it! I've had it! It's over!"
But we never do anything easy and quitting is not an option.
So what's the solution.... Christ's example! Wow, it is so much easier to say it then do it. Right now I don't want to forgive, I don't want to be kind, I want to stay upset and I want to remind him of his failures. Ok, nows the time to look at that "cute little photo" up there and say I can't believe she is acting like that. But it is true! I am just like anybody else, except for one possible difference... My faith. You see, that woman you see in that photo has only one real choice. Yes, I may not want to forgive, I may want to stand in my pride and continue to be ticked off. But if I claim to walk with Christ, if I claim to have any inheritance in His Kingdom than I must swallow my pride and do all that Christ requires of me.
I don't want to forgive Ramiro, but Christ forgave me. I don't want to show kindness but even when I hated Christ he extended great kindness to me. I really want to stay upset and remind Ram of his failures but then I  remember the Lord says he forgives my failures and remembers them no more. You see I don't have an ounce to stand on, I just can't win! If I want to be his disciple I have to live out what he first lived out.  No matter how much I have been hurt, not matter how much I may even be right, the fact remains I still do not have a justified reason to not humble myself and extend love, grace and mercy.
You see, this is what I am talking about. This faith walk is so much harder than I could have ever realized. Forgiveness is not easy. Showing kindness and giving a gentle word or touch seems almost impossible. But when I stop and think and really understand the Cross and what it means for me. Then I have no excuse.
So look again! She looks so sweet, a picture of maternal bliss! But her heart is in opposition to the Lord. There is sin at work that desires to have her. But there is also the Holy Spirit at work that will ultimately win her.
My prayer tonight... Patsy, humble yourself! The Lord will oppose you if you continue to stand in your pride (no matter what rights you think you have). But He will give you the grace you need if you choose to humble yourself. Oh Jesus help me to do that. Help me to love my husband and help me to truly forgive and then ask to be forgiven.

The Truth of My Thoughts

This morning's Matthew Henry's Prayer Method Devotional stretched me. Simply put, my thoughts are ugly; And my intentions can be quite sinful. I am humbled again. To many times I feel like I have a right! A right to make my point, a right to be heard and a right to demand my way. But when I really stop and compare the way I am thinking, what I am demanding and what I am desiring against the Word of God and the example of Christ, what I often find is all my wants and thoughts are me centered and selfish. 

Oh Lord, Help me today to be like you. To consider others higher than myself. Even as your example was so that you laid your very life down for those who hated you. Grant me grace and help me to live out your example.

If you would like to receive the same daily devotional please subscribe at the link below.

Blessings, 

Patsy

http://www.matthewhenry.org/daily-devotional-emails/?id=1

Lament and Confess your Vain Thoughts and Carnal Affections

4.3

The vanity of my thoughts, their neglect of those things which they ought to be conversant with and dwelling upon those things that are unworthy of them and tend to corrupt my mind.

Every intent of the thoughts of my heart is evil, only evil, and that continually, Genesis 6:5(NASB) and it has been so from my youth. Genesis 8:21(NASB)
O how long have those wicked thoughts lodged within me! Jeremiah 4:14(NASB) Like the devising of folly, those thoughts are sin. Proverbs 24:9(NASB) From within, out of the heart, come evil thoughts; Matthew 15:19(NASB) which work out evil on the bed, Micah 2:1(NASB) and carry the heart with the fool’s eyes to the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:24(NASB)
But God is not in all my thoughts; Psalm 10:4(KJV) it is well if He is any of them. I have neglected the Rock who begot me, and have forgotten the God who gave me birth: Deuteronomy 32:18(NASB) I have forgotten Him days without number, Jeremiah 2:32(NASB) and my heart has walked after emptiness and become empty. Jeremiah 2:5(NASB) My inner thought having been that my house was forever: Psalm 49:11(NASB) this, my way, is the way of those who are foolish. Psalm 49:13(NASB)

4.4

The carnality of my affections, their being placed on wrong objects and carried beyond due bounds.

I have set my mind on things beneath, which should have been set on things above, where my treasure is, Matthew 6:21(NASB) where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; Colossians 3:1-2(NASB) these are the things which I should seek.
I have followed after vain idols and forsaken my faithfulness; Jonah 2:8(NASB) have forsaken the fountain of living waters, for cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13(NASB)
I have panted after the very dust of the earth, Amos 2:7(NASB) and have been full of care regarding what I shall eat and what I shall drink and what I shall wear for clothing, the things which the Gentiles eagerly seek. Matthew 6:31-33(NASB)
I have lifted up my soul to falsehood, Psalm 24:4(NASB) and set my eyes on the things which are not; have looked at the things which are seen, which are temporal, but the things which are eternal have been forgotten and postponed. 2 Corinthians 4:18(NASB)