I expand on my explanation of the sower and the seed parable from Luke 8. The soil has to be prepared to receive the seed of the word from God. If we prepare our hearts to receive the word, then it can be planted and activated in our lives.
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Seeds have an amazing ability to retain and preserve their quality and ability to reproduce and multiply. Seeds kept for years still retain the same untouched qualities they had generations past. I have heard of some 2,000-year-old seeds that germinated. They can not only reproduce the same DNA—the qualities of what they are—but they can reproduce it in great quantity. …
I explain the parable from Jesus Christ about the sower and the seed in Luke 8. The seed that is spoken of in this parable is relating to the word from God that we hear. How we listen to and use the word will determine if it bears fruit.
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We should have abundant life and be in a constant process of growing in our love for the Father and for each other. But then the question is: how can we do this? I think that the most important thing is to consistently connect back to our first love (Revelation 2:4). Think back to the first experience you had with …
This July 15, 2017 marks exactly ten years my husband and then, five year old daughter, Julia Jael, left our families, careers, and possessions in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and moved to Maui, Hawaii. Earlier that year in March, we were praying and looking for the next steps in our lives. That is when our beloved pastors and spiritual parents …
Is it better to be disillusioned or to live in illusions? We easily build illusions about God and what we think He should do for us and in the world around us. When we walk with God we have to be seeking Him and studying His word, and we must do it with the Holy Spirit as he guides us …
There were several times throughout Christ’s ministry where He received an impartation of God’s spirit and love. (Matt 3:16-17, Matt 17:5) These experiences equipped Him to do the will of His Father. The disciples were likewise equipped in order to fulfill the commission they received in Matt 28:19-20 to make disciples of the nations. In Luke 24:29 Jesus told them …
As we approach the time of the Feast of Passover we are filled with anticipation to celebrate it as a family. The Feast of Passover is inexhaustible in its significance for us today because it represents the love and drive of God to see His people delivered from any obligation so they can come to worship Him only. During the first …
Recently at our Bible Study we went over a lesson on prayer and it is clear to see that when we study the scriptures, we understand the Father knows our needs before we ask Him. However, there is something about the daily time in prayer that leads us to practice His presence, bringing us closer to Him. Our time in …
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT). God is a loving Father who created mankind out of a desire to have a relationship. He longed to have sons that would give their lives in worship to Him. Although …
During this holiday season I wanted to take time to study the scriptures on being joyful. In my studies I came across this nagging question: What makes us joyful? The answer became clear when I read Nehemiah 7 through 9 about the days of Jerusalem’s restoration. The people of Israel were reconnecting with the word of God and restoring the …
The scriptures teach us that we are to believe for the kingdom coming on this earth; Jesus taught us to pray to our Father this way: “Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Christ also said that the kingdom is like a leaven that leavens the whole lump of dough (Matthew 13:33). The …
We are approaching the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. As Christians, we do not only celebrate it in remembrance of what God did in the past, but we also anticipate the fulfillment of what God is doing during the Feast of Tabernacles today. We believe that there are truths hidden in plain sight in the Scriptures, but we also …
When we study and celebrate the Old Testament Feasts we are not looking back to something that God did in the past. We are actually looking into the future and anticipating what God promised that He would do during the time we are living now. Leading up to the Feast of Tabernacles we observe the Feast of Trumpets from Sundown …
As we approach the time of the Feast of Tabernacles we reflect on the time when the people of Israel experienced the presence of God with them for forty years. That time was prophetic and a type of the days of the Kingdom of God on earth (Deuteronomy 8:4). We also think about the coming of Jesus Christ as the …
God is looking for us to be His worshippers, but we don’t do anything without discipline. We must set our will on God and discipline ourselves to pray and worship. We invite the Holy Spirit to enable us so that it is not just a mechanical ritual but an expression of our relationship with the Father and a meaningful offering …
I have been meditating on one verse for the last week. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD (Proverbs 21:31). In my mind I started to think about all the details that are necessary to prepare a horse for a battle, or even a competition. It takes years to prepare a horse, …
Whenever I read the Scriptures, I want to try and understand what really happened by placing myself in the story. For instance, at the coming of Christ many people were fed, healed, and resurrected (Luke 7:20-23). Out of the thousands that had some contact with Him, only one hundred and twenty were together on the Day of Pentecost. It bothers …
Today it is very easy to find information about everything. Everyone has something to say about anything. More and more people rely upon their knowledge and understanding, and yet we are told to trust the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). But, trust must be based on …
We have been studying the life of David and how he had to be anointed three times to finally become the king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:12; 2 Sam. 2:4; 5:1). When Samuel first anointed David he was still a young boy, but the plan of God for his life was established. David went through a period where it did …
In our walk with God we experience times when we feel like we are stuck on a level and things stop working the way they did before. All the mechanics of our walk with God, all the ministries and gifts are not supposed to be our goal. The goal always has to be a deeper experience of God’s love for …
When we read the scripture we see that in Christ we are born again. Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. “Do not …
Mark 5:25-29 gives us a great example to follow, “A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and …
In John 14:15-17 Jesus introduced the disciples to the Holy Spirit. He told them, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you …
During the Ten Days of Repentance, and in preparation for the Day of Atonement, we should reach in to a new level of appropriation of all that Christ has already done for us. We must approach this day not thinking that there is still something to be done, but in faith we must appropriate what has already been provided for …
When we study and celebrate the Old Testament Feasts we are not looking back to something that God did in the past. We are actually looking into the future and anticipating what God promised that He would do during the time we are living now. As Christians we believe that the celebration of the feasts were pointing to a greater …
We are approaching the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. As Christians, we do not only celebrate it in remembrance of what God did in the past, but we also anticipate the fulfillment of what God is doing during the Feast of Tabernacles today. We believe that there are truths hidden in plain sight in the Scriptures, but we also …
In our relationship with God, we can all notice how God presents constant situations in our lives where we need to take a step of trust in Him and continually give of ourselves. How do we do that and not become weary? (Galatians 6:9-10) Here is a story to help us understand that. In Palestine there are two seas, and …
We must recognize and appreciate that we are living in days where God is active. We are not in the 400 years of slavery in Egypt, or the 400 silent years between the Old and the New Testament. God has prepared us for change, and these are the days when change is taking place. This should give us excitement and …
We are starting again our After School Program for our school age children. The focus of the program is very simple: We love our children.
That being our goal, we have gathered an amazing team of moms, aunties, and grandmas to help us. We bring the kids to our church facility and provide the snacks, devotional time, help with homework, story-telling, play-time, arts and crafts, and occasional field-trips.
The smiles on their faces are the reward, and a sign that it is working. The family spirit and sense of community creates the perfect atmosphere to see the love of God flowing to and from our children and families.
I have read once that it takes a village to raise a child. That statement is true, and I can safely say that it takes a spiritual family to raise these amazing kids who are being filled with love and grace. I will end with the words of Paul to Timothy as a reminder of how effective the prayers of our parents and grandparents are in raising us up to have faith and know the love of God.
Blessings to a great school year ahead for teachers, students, and families in our community!
“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well” (2 Timothy 1:5).
