No fear for the future .

      When we look at the uncertainty of the future and how difficult things look ahead. We see all the impossibilities and doubt fills our minds but there is no reason to fear the future.  The nation of Israel before crossing the Jordan river, I am sure  they were thinking about how difficult the conquest on the new territory about the challenges they were going to face settling in, I am sure they had fear of failure and doubt about accomplishing all the things God had promised them.  New challenges in life always cause us fear and doubt so Joshua tell the children of Israel "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."Joshuah 3:4 

      Joshua is assuring them that God's presence will be with them.  I wonder how many times, God put new challenges in our lives, new territories  that we need to conquer in our spiritual walk  and you know "you have never been that way before "But God delivers you. Every day is a new battle, How can we face those battles without fear?  Joshuah led God by does something remarkable he tells 12 leaders "Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶ to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’  ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” Joshua 4.  We need to have memorials in life and when we are facing trials ,and challenges we need to remember the way God has delivered us in the past . The messenger of the Lord tells us " we have nothing to fear for the future except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us and his teaching in our past history " LS 196 . Ellen White encourages us to look to our past and see how God has led us. 

      Two years ago, I was doing bible work in Visalia, Ca.  But my dream has always been to be a Pastor, after 7 months I spoke to the leaders of the Central California conference and they told me they could not sponsor me, that they had some people already waiting, I was the new guy and there was not enough money to send me.  I felt so disappointed and decided to come to the Seminary anyway, with two small children, my wife, and without any source of income or any savings, by the grace of God I will finish my Mdiv this year. God has provided in miraculous ways, God has bless my work with the little income to pay for classes, rent, food, clothing, and all the things that we need and good friends who have done so much, praying and helping me with money just when things seem impossible, God has made a way.  Praise Jesus for all his blessings for giving us memorials of his blessings  in our past so we don't have fear for the future . 

Near at the door but be patient .

Is Jesus coming really soon ?.On the one  hand , there are some Christians who are making plans and spending all their energies and efforts in the things of this world and there are others who are  only thinking to  flee to the mountains  . Who is right and who is wrong ?The answer is both ! let me explain this , in the book of James 5 :7" Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near." What is James trying to tell us in this text ? If the coming of the Lord is near why do we need to be patient ? what lessons can we learn from the farmers? How are we supposed to wait ? like the lady who wants to flee to the mountains ? or like the person who have their priorities in this life ? James is telling us , Jesus could come soon or it could be many years what you need to do is work as the farmer , the farmer just doesn't wait for the harvest , he works to get a harvest . If he only waits and doesn't work , there is no harvest .Let's keep ourselves busy in the Lord's vineyard ,and one day we will see that great harvest of revelation 14 ^"14And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
¹⁵And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
¹⁶And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." I long for that day when the son of man will trust his sickle and reap the ripe harvest .So let us live our lives for Jesus watching for his coming , preparing others , and keeping ourselves busy doing his will so if it is soon or in a thousand years , or whenever he comes , I want to hear the words " well done , good and faithful servant , Is that something you want to be a part of ? I pray that all of us can be part of that great multitude , the redeemed . Blessings .

At the feet of Jesus .

The hymn says " draw me Jesus near the cross " This should be our prayer always. When we compare ourselves with others we will always feel good about ourselves, the scribe felt good about himself because he was not like the Publican ( Luke 18 ) we need to realize the sin is more than just "making the wrong decisions " but sin is a condition that we all are .For all have sinned Paul says and fall short of the glory of God . Ellen White explains this in Steps to Christ page 18 "It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all has their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness". Yes, we need to realize how our condition is Jeremiah 17 says that our heart is desperate wicked .I remember one person who always spoke about "standing up for God “ what she meant was that when something did not appear to be right, that person would "yell, mistreat and accuse people " God doesn't need those " standing up for him " The Apostle Peter understood this, after the miracle fish, he realized he was in the presence of God and Luke 5 says When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will be fishers of man " it is only at the feet of Jesus when we are on our knees when we realize how sinful we are and that only Jesus can heal us ,but he never leave us how we are , he never condemn us ,he always say "don't be afraid " because when we recognize our sinfulness , he knows that he can work with us , I pray that all of us spend more time on our knees at the feet of Jesus so we can experience his grace .

Grace and peace be with you !

Fredy