On our Gracious Lord!

 You are 2 adult men. 22 and 20 years old. One is about to get married, one is living away from home. How did we arrive to this day I still wonder. when the time passed and the memories are saved? All the love and games, and bible reading and sciences and math, and history and geography have passes into a book in my heart where I can re read any time I want. To visit those places of ice creams and talks next to the bed and rating meals, and nerf battles are as vivid in my memory as if they were yesterday. 

Here we are now. All the work is done on my end of the table. And no all I have is pray for you. Pray that the Lord will guide you in His glorious way. That you would continue to walk and that he may increase the love in you. To wait and see Him finishing the work in your life and me, learning to rest in Him. 

I now, wait upon the Lord.

Remember as you walk, that no matter how great your sin is, the grace of the Lord is greater! It will cover any sin.. just come to Him.

I was reading Isaiah 30 today, and how gives warning to the obstinate children of Israel. Those who go about and do their pleasing without consulting God first. and how they forgot about their Lord, and did evil. They rejected His message and loved deceit. How they had no repentance nor salvation because of their rebellions. And on verse 18, it says:

 "YET THE LORD LONGS TO BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; THEREFORE HE WILL RISE UP TO SHOW YOU COMPASSION.  For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed re all who wait on Him! People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”  Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”

Hear this sons and always look to Christ and teach this beautiful truth to your children.

My prayers will follow you every day..

Mom.

Dearest Sons,
It has been a while since I last wrote. Marco, you are going to University next September and Seb, I'll be enjoying you for the last two years before you go to university as well.

Here I am, still writing to you, with the hopes that one day you will find encouragement in these simple words.

Sons, the world will find it their goal to fill your head with thoughts that you are enough on your own, that you need nothing and no one, that you deserve all good things without even knowing you. They will try to convince you that for as long as you live, you are good enough, bombard you on every side, with a false image of perfection, success on what you have and done, telling you that you are not man enough if you do not have a certain body type and tough attitude, and on the other side they will try to remove your masculinity.

Sons, do not listen to these conflicting thoughts of the world. They will accomplish nothing but frustration and insecurity. Listen to the word of our precious Lord. Listen to His precious words when He says in Isaiah: "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away". We need a Savior, We need Christ. And in 1 Peter it says: "...And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."

Sons, we did not create our own, we were  created in His image and made perfect; we all have fallen away. And only Christ and His work in enough to save us from our sins, from the world and from the lies that easily entangle. Your only hope is in Christ.

Your works, your efforts if not done for Christ and by Christ are useless.

Will pray for you always!

Mom.

Dearest Sons,
It has been a while since I last wrote. Marco, you are going to University next September and Seb, we will be enjoying you for the last two years before you go to university as well.

Here I am, still writing to you, with the hopes that one day you will find encouragement in these simple words.

Sons, the world will find it their goal to fill your head with thoughts that you are enough on your own, that you need nothing and no one, that you deserve all good things without even knowing you. They will try to convince you that for as long as you live, you are good enough.. yet, bombard you on the other side, with a false image of perfection, success on what you have and done, telling you that you are not man enough if you do not have a certain type of body and tough attitude, and on the other side they will try to remove your masculinity.

Sons, do not listen to these conflicting thoughts of the world. They will accomplish nothing but frustration and insecurity. Listen to the word of our precious Lord. Listen to His precious words when He says in Isaiah: "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away". We need a Savior, We need Christ. And in 1 Peter it says: "...And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."
Sons, we on our own, though created in His image and made perfect; we all have fallen away. And only Christ and His work in enough to save us from our sins, from the world and from the lies that easily entangle. Your only hope is in Christ.


Your works, your efforts if not done for Christ and by Christ are useless.

On Becoming Men

Dear son,

You now are a man. a young man. And one of the hardest things for me to do, is learn how o treat you like one.. you see? you have been little. I have taught you, cared for you, carried you, telling you what to eat and how much, which movies to watch, what friends we would have over, I planned your play dates, your school activities and field trips... I have done much for you, because that was my life. Trying to teach you in all, how to make wise choices, seeing you fall and learning not to run (though I wanted to do). Showing you (some times easier than others) that choices have consequences. But at the end, I was the mom and you were my child.

Now, things changed. You are still my child (I think you will always be), but you are becoming a friend. Someone I like to hang out with. Someone whom I can learn, I can seek advice and admire.

I love seeing the man you are becoming. Seeing the choices you are making. The friends you are choosing. the activities you are using as entertainment. I know you are not perfect. Having 'not so perfect parents' it is comforting to know that you were taught by God. The most perfect Father of all.

I am still learning to be the mother of an adult son. I have much to learn and I ask that you are patient with me. I love being a mom, be needed, tell people what to do and how to do it, because "moms know best" :)

All my love,
Mom.

On being a hero, the silent way.

My sweet boys, now young men. With the weight of the world weighing heavy upon you as you grow older. When the struggles of childhood are fading away and the struggles of adulthood staring you in the face. You are young still, but not a child. You are young men.

As I think on the issues you face these days, specially as men, I feel very inadequate in the subject, considering that I had one sister and no brothers to relate. So the way I can bring some understanding is through the eyes of a woman.

What would you do if you saw a girl as you are walking by and a man beside her grabbed her forcefully? What if that man hurt that girl? What if you have it within you to stand up from where you are and defend that lady? Would you? Would you defend the girl? Would you stand up for her? ... I really hope you would. I really hope you would protect her, cost what it cost.

Why would you (and most men) would say yes to that question? Why would they desire to protect?.. The reason is simple: because they and you are men.

Now, what if you saw that on the side of your screen they are promoting girls to be looked at,to be lusted after? They are being hurt by men every day in the most brutal way. In a way that most women would gladly take drugs to forget what they have been put through. What then? Would you help them by not clicking? Would you hurt the man by not clicking and promoting his abuse to these women? I hope you do.

Why is it easier to stand up for a girl on the street than the one on the screen? The reason?. There is a reward by helping the one on the street. Even if no one saw you, she saw. You were a hero to her, and she knows it. You helped her and seeing her face gives you a reward. Seeing the face of the man who hurt her, with a bleeding nose running away, gives you a reward. But with the one on the screen, by no clicking you are a silent hero. No one will know how many women you are helping, not even her! Is a hero that works undercover. A hero that fights the battle to protect women in the streets and in the screens. A hero that won't be on the news or your friends will talk about it.. It is a true hero. Who protects, not for the reward, for the fame, for the glory, but for the fact that is his job as a man to protect women.

Can I be honest? I hated these women, I saw them as women that sneaked into people's homes.. robbed the innocence of men and put wrong ideas in their minds of what sex was. As I learned more.. I cry over these women. Most of them have been abused at a very young age. They are tricked by clever men preying on their weaknesses: the need to be loved, appreciated, accepted.. And so they lure the into this trap. They promise them love, fame, money... and the deeper they go, the harder it is for them to escape. They are blackmailed, drugged, hit, tattooed with the"owner's name", they are threatened.  80% (though is hard to put an exact number because many women will say they are there by their free will .. but reality is that they are afraid of their "owner", and afraid that they will not be able to survive in the outside world since they are damaged "forever" - reputation, skills, criminal records...) of women in this industry have been victims of human traffic. Meaning: they were forced into this. My heart has been turned from hate to pity and to do as much as I can to help these women! Would you?

Consent by manipulation, extortion, peer pressure, lies, fear, if the person consenting  is under authority and fears of losing his/her job, if a person is under the influence... that is not consent. It is human traffic.

Don't get me wrong.. I hate what they do.. but in most cases, they are trapped. They desperately need silent heroes. They need the heroes that by not clicking, help these women. They need men that stand up not for the glory but for what is right, even when no one is watching.

O that the Lord give you a heart of a man. A true man. One that cost what it cost, will do every "silent" work against this fastest growing industry. Growing because men love themselves too much. So much that they rather watch this abuse, than to save the victim.

Who will you be? the silent hero or the coward seeking his own pleasure at the expense of these women and fattening the pockets of the industry while they sell you a lie which will lead to a life of addiction and dissatisfaction with that which is meant to be beautiful and perfect. Something very beautiful and different from what you see on screen. That is not real. You must believe it.

Our gracious Lord is good. He knows what it is to be tempted in any way we have. He knows. He can keep you from falling. Remember in Jude 1:24, it says: "To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy" ...What a blessing that is! To be presented before a Holy God without fault because of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  And so he has done with us. while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Like these women, we were and are unfaithful to our Lord, prostituting ourselves with the world BUT He does not watch in pleasure, but covers us with His blood. The most precious blood  and makes us clean. In the same way, because of what He did for us, we must act towards our neighbor.. not watch their sin in pleasure, but cover their nakedness. And one way to cover their nakedness is not to click.

Different organizations that help these women are: 

http://rescuefreedom.org/ (#refucetoclick)

http://salvationist.ca/action-support/human-trafficking/how-you-can-help/

http://beautyfromashes.org/index.aspx

Love, Mom.

On Marriage

Dearest sons,
I see many couples (including me at the beginning of my marriage) who want the beautiful picture of marriage: fun, passionate, romantic, happy, sweet, and so on.  They want from the beginning a picture of the old couple where he is kissing the forehead of his old wife and she is holding him tight to help him (and help herself) cross the street. We all have a sweet spot for that picture, and no one is able to resist a deep breath of admiration when we see them.

The problem is, let me explain.

Marriage does not start like that. Marriage starts out of passion for the girl you like. That is why God made young girls pretty, because if their character is all you saw, there would be many young girls and boys unable to get married. You will marry a sinner. A girl who has many flaws, who is going to disappoint your ideal of her, she will drive you crazy at times because of her character. And you will do the same to her. But you know what? She is beautiful! And best of all, if you have chosen wisely. You chose a girl that loves the Lord with all her heart, soul and mind, therefore there is hope.

Marriage at first, is fun. You are young, newly married, you have energy, you go out with friends for dinner and then to the movies, you try to establish new traditions, you have your first baby and all is well. Your biggest fights are finding the things that drive you crazy about each other... but you learn to die to yourself.

When children come, you do no have the time you used to have. You are thrilled about this kids, but you are tired, she is tired, she is not as energetic as she once was because she is busy with the kids, the house, training them ... you are coming from work feeling the weight of the responsibility for these little ones and this beautiful wife the Lord has given you. It is not as 'fun" ... you see other couples and you think something is lost. Your marriage is not exciting... is just pleasant.

Let me tell you, pleasant is good! Pleasant brings true love. Her body is changing, yours is changing. Her character is becoming more like you and you are becoming more like her. You work at making time for each other.. once a month, once a week, once every three months. This is the time to work. Something that was natural for her when she first met you, now she will have to work at it. Some things that were natural for you to do or say, now you have to mark it in your calendar so you do them or say them. It is work. Marriage feels that is "just" pleasant. But don't forget, pleasant is good! Pleasant grows love.

Kids grow up, you have more time for each other again. You start finding time more easily for her and her for you. You discover that the things that you used to love have changed and you now find pleasure in other things together. Love is growing. Work is needed still.

That beautiful young girl you once met, has now a wrinkled body, and the beauty of her smooth skin and lovely hair are now gone.  You do not see her beauty because her character shines stronger. She does not look the same. Yet she is truly beautiful to you. She has endured with much pains your character and you have endured hers. She is changed because of the work the Lord has done in her and you have changed because of the Lord's work in you. And now, pleasant is a treasure!  You reach the love you wanted at the beginning. By perseverance, by dying to yourself for her, by forgiving constantly, by putting her needs above yours, by protecting her even against herself.

Now you hold hands.. wrinkled hands. Now you kiss each other's face and young people desire that for themselves. Now with no work.

Dear sons, enter a marriage and do not be discouraged about the times ahead. Love will require work, and mortification if you want it to count at the end..

Mom.

“He didn’t even get down on one knee or anything?”

You boys ask it incredulous, like there’s some kind of manual for this kind of holy.

And I’ve got no qualms in telling you no. No, he didn’t even get down on one knee – it was just a box, a glint of gold in the dark, two hallowed words and a question mark.

“Boring.”

I know. When you’ve watched a few dozen mastermind proposals on youtube, shared them with their rolling credits on Facebook, marvelling at how real romance has an imagination like that.

Can I tell you something, sons?

Romance isn’t measured by how viral your proposal goes. The internet age may try to sell you something different, but don’t ever forget that viral is closely associated with sickness – so don’t ever make being viral your goal.

Your goal is always to make your Christ-focus contagious – to just one person.
It’s more than just imagining some romantic proposal.

It’s a man who imagines washing puked-on sheets at 2:30 am, plunging out a full and plugged toilet for the third time this week, and then scraping out the crud in the bottom screen of the dishwasher — every single night for the next 37 years without any cameras rolling or soundtrack playing — that’s imagining true romance.

The man who imagines slipping his arm around his wife’s soft, thickening middle age waistline and whispering that he couldn’t love her more…. who imagines the manliness of standing bold and unashamed in the express checkout line with only maxi pads and tampons because someone he loves is having an unexpected Saturday morning emergency.

The man who imagines the coming decades of a fluid life – her leaking milky circles through a dress at Aunt Ruth’s birthday party, her wearing thick diaper-like Depends for soggy weeks after pushing a whole human being out through her inch-wide cervix, her bleeding through sheets and gushing amniotic oceans across the bathroom floor and the unexpected beauty of her crossing her legs everytime she jumps on the trampoline with the kids.

The real romantics imagine greying and sagging and wrinkling as the deepening of something sacred.

Because get this, kids — How a man proposes isn’t what makes him romantic. It’s how a man purposes to lay down his life that makes him romantic.

And a man begins being romantic years before any ring – romance begins with only having eyes for one woman now – so you don’t go giving your eyes away to cheap porn. Your dad will say it sometimes to me, a leaning over – “I am glad that there’s always only been you.” Not some bare, plastic-surgeon-scalpel-enhanced pixels ballooning on a screen, not some tempting flesh clicked on in the dark, not some photo-shopped figment of cultural beauty that’s basically a lie.

The real romantics know that stretchmarks are beauty marks and that different shaped women fit into the different shapes of men souls and that real romance is really sacrifice.

I know – you’re thinking, “Boring.”

Can you see it again – how your grandfather stood over your grandmother’s grave and brushed away his heart leaking without a sound down his cheeks?

50 boring years. 50 unfilmed years of milking 70 cows, raising 6 boys and 3 girls, getting ready for sermon every Sunday morning, him helping her with her zipper. 50 boring years of arguing in Dutch and making up in touching in the dark, 50 boring years of planting potatoes and weeding rows on humid July afternoons, 50 boring years of washing the white Corel dishes and turning out the light on the mess – till he finally carried her in and out of the tub and helped her pull up her Depends.

Don’t ever forget it:

The real romantics are the boring ones — they let another heart bore a hole deep into theirs.
Be one of the boring ones. Pray to be one who get 50 boring years of marriage – 50 years to let her heart bore a hole deep into yours.

Let everyone do their talking about 50 shades of grey, but don’t let anyone talk you out of it: committment is pretty much black and white. Because the truth is, real love will always make you suffer. Simply commit: Who am I willing to suffer for?

Who am I willing to take the reeking garbage out for and clean out the gross muck ponding at the bottom of the fridge? Who am I willing to listen to instead of talk at? Who am I willing to hold as they grow older and realer? Who am I willing to die a bit more for every day? Who am I willing to make heart-boring years with? Who am I willing to let bore a hole into my heart?

Get it: Life – and marriage proposals — isn’t not about one up-manship — it’s about one down-manship. It’s about the heart-boring years of sacrifice and going lower and serving. It’s not about how well you perform your proposal. It’s about how well you let Christ perform your life.

Sure, go ahead, have fun, make a ridiculously good memory and we’ll cheer loud: propose creatively — but never forget that what wows a woman and woos her is you how you purpose to live your life.
I’m praying, boys — be Men. Be one of the ‘boring” men – and let your heart be bore into.

And know there are women who love that kind of man.
The kind of man whose romance isn’t flashy – because love is gritty.
The kind of man whose romance isn’t about cameras — because it’s about Christ.
The kind of man whose romance doesn’t have to go viral — because it’s going eternal.

No, your dad did not get down on one knee when he proposed – because the romantic men know it’s about living your whole life on your knees.

There are Fridays. And the quiet romantics who will take out the garbage without fanfare. There will be the unimaginative calendar by the fridge, with all it’s scribbled squares of two lives being made one. The toilet seat will be left predictably up. The sink will be resigned to its load of last night’s dishes.

And there is now and the beautiful boring, the way two lives touch and go deeper into time with each other.

The clock ticking passionately into decades.

(taken from: Ann Voskamp  http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/11/the-real-truth-about-boring-men-and-the-women-who-live-with-them-redefining-boring/)

On Legalism

My sons,

Many will come and try to convince you that obeying and keeping God's commands is legalism. They will tell you that you need not holy habits like prayer, keeping the Lord's day, communion, baptism, worship together with other believers, mortification of the flesh, the reading of God's Holy Word, singing His psalms in worship, and hearing the Word preached.

Keep your ears away from such, for they follow the desires of their sinful nature. They desire that which pleases their senses. They like little religion, and justify their sins by saying they are 'free'.

Legalism is trying to keep the law in order to earn salvation by your 'good works'. But remember, keeping God's commands and obeying them (battling the flesh to keep them even when our plans are disrupted),  is not legalism. You are not working towards something you earn or deserve. Keeping them is love. Love towards the One who saved you. Towards the One who gave His precious blood as a payment for your soul.

He says: "If you love me, keep my commandments". It does not give us freedom to do as we please; but our pleasures are now to be transformed, mortified, purged and  aligned to His will and His pleasures. We will desire that which He desires and enjoy what He enjoys.

It is a painful process, it is a cross to carry, it is a battle to fight, with a great reward. Carry it humbly seeing your own frailty. Carry it strong, as a soldier in the middle of the battle.

Like R. C. Sproul said: "Freedom is a precious commodity. But our freedom has limits. We are under restraints and we are accountable. We are ultimately answerable to God. We are simply not permitted to do everything we might want to do"

Be careful, be on your guard. Be diligent and work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Watch your heart and know it well. If there is in your daily work a sense of 'earning' God's favor, step back and remember how impossible it is for you to please Him on your own in the first place. It is finished. His work, His purchase, His acceptance, His victory. And now, looking at the cross, at His finished work, at the redeeming blood, you have nothing else to give but to obey because of love.

Mom.

 

On forgiveness of sins

"I assure you that any sin can be forgiven"

These words fall lightly on the ears of many persons. They see no particular beauty in them. But to the man who is alive to his own sinfulness and deeply sensible of his need of mercy, these words are sweet and precious. "All sins shall be forgiven." The sins of youth and age--the sins of head, and hand, and tongue, and imagination--the sins against all God's commandments--the sins of persecutors, like Saul--the sins of idolaters, like Manasseh--the sins of open enemies of Christ, like the Jews who crucified Him--the sins of backsliders from Christ, like Peter--all, all may be forgiven. The blood of Christ can cleanse all away. The righteousness of Christ can cover all, and hide all from God's eyes.

The doctrine here laid down is the crown and glory of the Gospel. The very first thing it proposes to man is free pardon, full forgiveness, complete remission, without money and without price.

Let us lay hold on this doctrine, if we never received it before. It is for us. This very day, if we come to Christ, may be completely forgiven. "Though our sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18.)

 

Let us cleave firmly to this doctrine, if we have received it already. We may sometimes feel faint, and unworthy, and cast down. But if we have really come to Jesus by faith, our sins are fully forgiven. They are cast behind God's back--blotted out of the book of His remembrance--sunk into the depths of the sea. Let us believe and not be afraid.

 J.C Ryle

On approaching you

It has been 14 years since I became a mother. I almost smell your baby your clothes, feel your soft skin, hear your baby noises and your cry. There is nothing I wanted more for you, than the best in life. Little by little I understood, that the best in life was nothing to be found on earth, but to be hidden in the arms of God. To be loved by Him and to live for Him alone; anything else, was secondary.

As I learned to be a mom, I had to die to many things which I had no idea I was attached to, idols I did not know I had, and to see my self not as the righteous person I wanted you to see in me. I wanted you to see Christ in me, and follow my "holy" ways. I wanted to be the perfect sweet loving godly mother I knew I could be if I worked at it. How little I knew myself!

I had to learn often the hard way, to approach you with all patience and humility, as a sinner approaches other sinner. Not as a righteous person with no mistakes, or as a sinless mother with a sinless past. Not as someone who has it all together, or that I have nothing to learn from you because I am older and much wiser than you.  Humbling myself before you was a daily task. How often you did not see Christ in me, instead,  my sinful nature was exposed.

My wisdom, righteousness (or self righteousness), and all my 'good' works, were put to shame very quickly. I realized that even at a young age as yours, the Lord taught me wisdom, true repentance, faith, and obedience, through you. My beloved self righteousness was taught to go quietly on her knees and ask the gracious Lord for a repented heart, for His work to be done in me as I continue in the task commanded by Him: to raise these children in His way, not mine.

My comfort in your salvation and in your character does not rest in my work, but in the work of my Savior. The work of Christ on the cross. On His precious life and blood shed in exchange for yours. I cannot save you, I cannot give you life. But Christ alone can. All good that you see in me or even in you, is God's work. There is no credit I can take for any of your goodness, righteousness, kindness,... because all my work is empty if God does not build you up. Yet, He can build anything without my work.

I find it an honor and pure pleasure that the Lord has given me the grace to have you in my life, to give me the blessed opportunity to be part of His precious work in your life. And as the privilege that it is, I want to do my work faithfully, knowing that all my efforts are for Him and by Him.

And so I come to you, as a sinner working out my own salvation with fear and trembling, encouraging to keep your eyes fixed in the Lord, The beginner and finisher of our faith, and to rest in that promise, that He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love is perfect, His love is without blemish. He is The Righteous One, He is The Holy One, He is The One whose works are enough and His way is perfect. He is The perfect parent whom I only try to imitate, though I am  far from it. So I ask you, see me as a sinner, and see Him as the Savior of sinners, while together we walk in the faith given to us by our Father.

Mom.

On our Merciful God

O to look to please God and not men! seems so hard for men, specially young. I encourage you my beloved, to seek wisdom and often look at Him who is our standard of perfection, of that which is required of us. It should be an overwhelming thought to be compared to Christ. Nothing less. Yet.... Christ our standard, became our substitute. God's righteous wrath, was satisfied in Him. And His perfect life, accredited as ours! O precious Saviour! Look not to the standards of the world to feel better about yourself, look not to the things that you do well to gain glory for yourself, but look at Christ! His life and His death, His resurrection and His acceptance. Look at the merciful God, who does not look down on you and treat you as your sins deserve, but look at the Sovereign Lord who does as He pleases, whose will cannot be frustrated, whose decrees cannot be resisted; look at the Lord who is supreme over all things; the merciful King, and Just Lord. Look at Him who delights in showing mercy, to Him who says "come" to those who are heavy laden, to those whose sins are overwhelming, He says "come, and I will give you rest". Look at that righteous God with Jesus at His right hand as you will see one day face to face, and be called by name: he is mine!

O that precious blood, to be covered by it, is the gift of gifts! Lose not sight of the grace that saved you. Be reminded often of His blood, His sacrifice, His goodness and His love. See and taste how good God is! if you do, you will love to meet with Him, you will love to be at His feet one minute than thousands else where. You can never hear too much of His grace. Be never tired of studying, learning and hearing His word preached. It is food to your soul and a balm to the wounded heart.

Teach your heart the gospel, do not let your heart teach you its ways it will try to deceive you. The battle for your affections is a constant war, and the enemy will not rest. But rest assured, that Christ, who conquered death, is more desirable than any wordily thing the world may offer. Once you know Him, and His great mercy, you cannot be cold in your affections towards the One who saved you for a long time. That love will burn inside you and be evident in your walk.

Resolve it in your heart to know Him more.
Mom.

On Making a Difference

As you have noticed by now, it is not easy to be parents. It is not easy to make decisions regarding your life, your future, which movies are acceptable, at what age should you be allowed certain privileges, which attitudes are normal and which ones we should watch for, how to discipline you, when to talk, when to be quiet, how to encourage you, how to motivate you, how to build on the relationship and give you your space, and so on...

It is hard. No question. We are learning and we are so very grateful for your patience towards us. God saw it as a good thing to put us together as a family. To give you us as parents and you as our children. We are so pleased with God's choice... you are perfect for us. You fit just right in our arms when we hug, your smile is a perfect match for our household, your laughs and noise is always missed when is not here, your imagination and creativity is inspiring, your conversations are thought provoking, your character always has something to teach me, you are a blessing to us.

Continue to be gracious to us, continue to walk in the way of the Lord, continue to be a blessing. Continue to be merciful and patient with others. Be quick to learn about them, there is always something good to learn and bad things to discard. There is always ways to show compassion and kindness. And as you grow in wisdom and in knowledge and in stature, you teach us also to grow in humility. Because we see how faithful God has been to you and to us. We love seeing you becoming a that which God started one day.

Be strong and courageous. Make a difference in your generation!

On decision making

My dearest, the subject of "signs" and "God speaking" is of much controversy among Christians. A subject that involves emotions and therefore is very personal and can be interpreted in a personal way. That is the danger. Every person can have their own personal experiences, can have a clear sense in them that the Lord is speaking and find a sense of peace before making decisions. The problem here, is that they can "hear" or "confirm" any decision finding isolated verses in the Bible, or hearing a sermon where they say a key word which affirms the issue they are dealing with.

So how do you make decisions? How do you know what the Lord wants? Are there any mistakes I can make that are not according to His Word? What if I do not have peace.. does that mean I should stop? Is that God warning me? or the Devil scaring me? How do you know!!!

That is why we have His Holy Word. To know what to do. Now, many times, we will find decisions that are not clear in the Bible (homeschooling, the job you should take, the carrer you shoud choose, the outfit you should buy, the music you should hear, the girl/boy you should marry, the car you want to buy ...) So how do you decide? YOU PRAY. The Bible commands us to bring all our petitions before Him. It does not commands anywhere in the Bible to wait for a "special peace" before you decide something. It just commands us to pray. Then you decide according to what will be best for your soul, what will glorify the Lord most. And act after you looked wisely at all the cards, when you seek Godly counsel and when you ask the Lord for His guidance. And trust in Him. If the decision was "not the greatest - or wrong", you know the Lord will help you go through it and He will teach you through this. If it was the "right" decision,  you also know He will help you and teach you through this. You know the Lord is sovereign and if you look throughout His Word, you will see people doing the "wrong" thing and yet they did not got away with it. God's will still was fulfilled. Look at Abraham, Jonah, Moses, Esther... ) Look at the apostles and how they chose Matthias! (they prayed, and then they acted knowing that the Lord was Sovereign). And so you should pray, consider where your soul will profit best, and then act. They waited not for a special "peace" about the decision.

The Lord can change your desires or interests, He can change the circumstances so that you choose one over the other. The Lord is Sovereign. The Lord's will cannot be frustrated even if we choose "wrong".  His will, will prevail. He does as He pleases. We plan, but He decides. You can rest assured that He is your God and that He will guide your steps, not into financial prosperity necessarily, but into a prosperity of your soul.

Remember, God speaks through His Word. And His Word preached. Look not for signs or secret messages. But seek Him always, seek Him in every decision, seek Him wholeheartedly, do not go by emotions or feelings which can be deceiving.  Do not look for signs, because you will find them, but most of the time, will be signs you want to find.

Search the Lord and always go back to His Word, not to the new teachings of today.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Prov. 4:23

Look to Christ!

My dearest children, you will fall, you will sin, you will be unfaithful to the One who gave you life. There will be days of sorrow, but may those days be because you sorrow over your sin. There will be times you will be tired and want to give up. There will be days when mortifying the sin will seem so difficult. When the world may seem so attractive. When eternity may seem so far away. Times of frustration, and you may feel you are losing hope. There will be days when your prayers may seem so empty, when your faith is weak, when your desires are taking over.

Look to Christ. Cling to His cross. Hate sin and love God. Remember His goodness, remember how faithful He has been in the past. Remember His patience and how He is slow to anger but quick to show mercy. Remember His sacrifice and how much He loved you. Remember not your sin, but His forgiveness through His blood and how it washed your sins away. Remember His promises and how we read through the testimony of the past, that He does what He promise! Look to Christ! Look for the blessed hope in heaven! Look for that final rest. Look for the promised crown to those who persevere! Look for the day when all of your needs will be satisfied by Christ! Look forward to that blessed day!

Think of the day when after a long race you will face your God, you will see Him face to face, and how He will be so incredible satisfying and so incomprehensibly beautiful that nothing will be on your mind that day other that enjoy the presence of the Lord! And all your labor, and all your hard work will be rewarded, and you will sit at His table and eat with Him!

And then, your sins will be remembered no more. Your race finished. Your labor completed, your faith will be seen. And there, sitting by your Lord will be your rest. You will walk with Him, talk with Him as a friend, laugh, and not a sinful thought will be allowed in that place, so no more mortification, no more struggle, no more frustration, no more worldly desires, no more losing hope! NO MORE!

So, look to Christ!

On Remembering the Lord in your youth

What better advice one can give to her children? Which wiser words can be better that these?
O my children, keep these words in your heart and meditate constantly upon them if you care for your soul.

"Light is sweet and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.
Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that of all these things, God will bring you to judgement.
So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, ..."
Ecclesiastes 11,12

Mom.

On change of attitude

O that you would care for your soul more than for the comforts of the moment and the joys of today! So I plead with you to consider these words.

One of the most misused verses in the Bible is: "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Phil. 4:13 It is taught today as an empowerment verse, giving you that little push that you need to do great projects, or make great trips that you were afraid of doing before, or riding that so dreaded roller-coaster, or taking that extra course you needed to advance in your studies, or finally being able to talk to that person you had no courage to do before. And all these are good and fun, but the verse is not about any of them. This is what it says:

"I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (13) I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

God has ordained the circumstances you are in. He has decreed them from eternity. Nothing is escaping unnoticed nor is out of His reach. He is Sovereign over all things, over all acts of nature, over every atom, over every trouble, over every joy, over every tragedy, over every miracle. Nothing is by chance. So it is in those circumstances He set before you, is that "you can do everything through Him who gives you strength" not to change the circumstances in your favor, but to change your attitude towards those circumstance. Knowing it comes from your Sovereign God, who cares for you, who wants that which is best for His children.

           

Change your attitude. Whatever you do, do it as for the Lord and not for men. Learn the secret of being content in every circumstance. If is serving, serve with all your heart. If persecuted, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. If in trouble, pray. If in prosperity, help those in need. If in need, trust in the Lord. If outside of home, give witness of Jesus Christ all the time. If alone, resist temptation. When provoked to anger, do not sin. And yes, it is there, that you can do all things through Him, who gives you strength.

May the Lord teach you that contentment so that you may truly know it and hold on to this resting assured that He will give you strength.

On growing in grace and knowledge

"Therefore, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..." 2 Peter 3:17-18

Here is a great advice to heed. Listen so you may not be deceived. You are not called to learn to be happier, or to feel better about yourself. You have been called to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

So I encourage you to study His word faithfully. You need not to be content with knowing what you hear at church on Sundays, or what your parents teach you or what you saw on a "Jesus movie". Do not be satisfied until it is your hunger to search for more. Study the Word of God in a way that you are a theologian, know what you believe, why you do so, grow in knowledge of the Lord. If you do this, you will not be moved. Your feet will be firmly planted and will strengthen your faith. And at the same time, grow in grace. Grace will keep you humble, not thinking of yourself higher than you ought to. Grace will help you see others with less knowledge with patience and compassion, learning from them, and renewing your joy for the things that are holy. Grace mixed with knowledge will prevent the results of boasting, because you will know very well, that anything you know, is because God graciously gave it to you and you deserve it not.

Guard your heart from pride that comes with knowledge alone. Always fill your mind with grace so that is always overflowing. But also, guard your heart of grace without knowledge, because it will give you tolerance of sin and you will be weak in your faith, your mind will change very easily from one way of thinking to the next... you will be moved by emotions alone. Remember, you need to grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On the Lord' Day

Dearest children,
Prepare your heart always before going to hear the Word preached on the Lord's Day. Never go unprepared. Never enter without going before your Lord and ask Him to prepare your heart, to help you to listen and not be distracted, to listen and learn something for yourself. Go with an attitude of worship. Not to be entertained, not to be amused, but where the Word is preached. Be quick to listen and be sensitive in areas you need improvement; where discipline is lacking, and humble yourself not think that you know that topic, that you heard it before, but be aware, because there is always good to learn, always good that your soul needs.

Walk away from people that complain too much about the sermon, the church, the music, the likes, the dislikes. Walk away from them, they will only make you fall and pass that bad habit to you. But instead, speak what is right, look for the good, and encourage the weak.

There will be many churches with great music, or with a great preacher, or a wonderful program for kids or youth.  Do not be distracted. You do not go to church for an emotional experience, you do not go to find joy or happiness. You go to church to learn to wean yourself from the world by worshiping God, not necessarily the way you like it, but in a way  that your mind will be more focused to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (using your brain, saying that which is right and not run by the peer pressure of the emotions). Now, I am not saying you should have no emotions! Emotions are important! You go and sing or listen, with all fervency, even if you are the only one. You sing with your emotions poured out before the Lord. Be all aware of what you say and whatever you do it with all your heart.

Many people will complain about the preaching... may that not be you. If the Word is not been taught in the church, leave. If the Word is been preached, stay and listen without complaining. The style of preaching is the least important when it comes to hearing the Word. If you are attentive, you will learn.

 And lastly, I say to you. Be merciful with others. The Lord works in each one of us at different stages. And some people may know more than you, and some may know less, but always, there is something to learn. Prepare yourself so that the Lord's Day, may be of great blessing, growth, and satisfaction to your soul.

On Sin

Do not get tired of hearing about your sin. The world and ourselves make great excuses to minimize its guilt for that which God calls downright wicked and ruinous to the soul. We need to learn about its seduction, its poison, its goal if we want to understand God's grace.

Sin will not come to you and look at you in the eye and say: "Here I am, Sin. I want to take you, destroy you, kill your soul and increase hatred towards God.". No. It will come in a very attractive way, it will come and be something you desire and that it may seem good and pleasing. Good enough, that will be worth risking many things for a taste of it. It will be very seductive.

Sin will not knock at your door. It will come through unexpected ways, it will come when your guards are down, when you were not looking for it it, when you feel secure in your own ways. Be on your guard. The Bible says: Watch and Pray so that you do not fall into temptation!

Watch and Pray. Make that your resolution to always be on your guard, to always keep an eye over your mind and heart who are not trustworthy. Trust the Lord only. Trust your heart and mind to Him.

Resolve it in your heart, to never put yourself in a situation where you are vulnerable to sin. If you hide into your room, will be to pray. If you speak in secret, will be to edify. If you watch a movie, never watch something you cannot watch in front of your parents. If you play, never play whatever will bring shame to the Name you carry. If you read, read something to educate you. If you listen to music, listen to the words. If you play in the computer, will be in an open place where everyone can see what you are playing. If you must be alone, be accountable to someone for your time. If you need counsel, ask for advice to godly men. If you fast or pray or give to the poor, do it secretly, as secretly as possible.

And if you know sin and know how it always tries to seduce you the same ways, know it, know your heart, do not be ignorant about your weaknesses, but know where you need help from the Lord, and ask for that grace He gives to those who need it. Understand how terrible sin is in the eyes of the Almighty God, and even if you do not understand the severity of sin, see the cross, see the cruelty that happened on that day, see your Savior crucified and beaten because of your sin. See the blood that needed to be shed, the mocking and the nails He endured, the pain and the shame. All because of sin. And if you see that, you will much better understand His love, His grace and His mercy.

    

On Rejoice

What a mine of daily comfort there is in the thought—that we have an Advocate with the Father, who never slumbers or sleeps, whose eye is always upon us, who is continually pleading our cause and obtaining fresh supplies of grace for us, who watches over us in every company and place; and never forgets us, though we, in going to and fro, and doing our daily business, cannot always think of Him.(Ryle)

Listen and  Rejoice! Rejoice in having an advocate who is faithfully interceding with the Father in your behalf. He does not sleep. He does not get tired. He does not grow impatient. He is faithful. He cares for you. He does not change His mind. He does not forget. He is the One praying to the Father for you! Rejoice!

Rejoice that it is Jesus, who shed His blood for you, God's only Son himself praying for you all the time. What a comfort! What a comfort to know that Jesus will pray that which is good, that which pleases the Father, that which is perfect and not stained by sin or by selfish gain. I say to you, rejoice in that understanding. Grab unto that promise.

He is faithful and does not lie.

So I say to you: Rejoice!

On the 5 Solas

           
Live by the 5 Solas:



Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone
Solus Christus - Christ Alone
Sola Gratia - Grace Alone
Sola Fide - Faith Alone
Soli Deo Gloria - The Glory of God Alone

Do not trust in your human nature or your ability for salvation. God's grace in Christ is not just necessary but is the cause of salvation. In salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life. Salvation is never, never an act of human work. Faith is not produced, is a gift from God.

Scripture alone. Stay close to the doctrine of the gospel, but those doctrines that are closely knit with that which is written. Go to the Scriptures for final authority. Stand firm on the principle:
"Unless I am overcome with testimonies from Scripture or with evident reasons -for I believe neither the Pope nor the Councils, since they have often erred and contradicted one another - I am overcome by the Scripture texts which I have adduced, and my conscience is bound by God's Word" (Martin Luther).

Christ alone. There is no other way. No other path, believe or religion outside Christ to go to the Father. Christ alone paid the price, shed His own blood; not to cover His own sins but the sins of His people. He bought us with a price. Christ alone is the way.

Grace alone. You are saved by grace alone. Not by works, not by the will of man but because of His mercy. You cannot earn it, you cannot lose it. You cannot  buy it, you cannot demand it. It is a gift from the Father, executed by the Son and we are convinced by His Spirit who makes us call Him Abba Father.

Faith alone. You are justified (made as if you have never sinned)  by faith alone. Faith in the work of Christ, faith that rests on the work of Christ. Faith that believes in He who saves you. Faith the He hears your prayers. Faith that was given to you because it pleased the Father.

For the Glory of God alone. And why did He saved you? for His glory. He needed it not, but pleased Him to show us mercy. He alone receives the glory since it is His work alone. We add nothing, we helped in no way, but His love and mercy are enough. And our salvation rests upon God and God alone. So that on the day that we meet Him, we will have nothing to say but come with empty hands and lips full of thanks!

On Broken Heart

Most parents would love for their children to have a good life, a safe life, a life full of joys and a very prosperous life in all areas. And all these are good things, natural things to want for our children. These are all but temporal. But if you ask a God fearing father or mother what they really really hope for their children, the answer is with no doubt, for a broken heart, for them to know the Lord, to love Him and be loved by Him.

Oh, that you pray for a broken heart constantly! That you may not justify it in your heart that because you are a Christian, they your sins are forgiven. And again, as this is true also, you need to seek Him and ask earnestly to see your sin before a holy God, to see the cross and cling to it. To mourn over your sin understanding that it was your sin that caused Jesus to die and to not just love the preaching or the churches or the Christians, but that you may LOVE HIM with all your heart , mind and soul. Love Him because God's wrath was poured over Jesus instead of you... What a precious love!

May your sin be not just crucified in Christ but mortified every day as well.  Ask Him who hears, ask Him and beg for a perpetual broken-heartedness, that you may always cling to the cross. It is there, that you will find His love. It is in your brokenness, that you will know Him. It is in your understanding on  how little you are before Him, that your thoughts of Him will be higher. His power will be evident in your need and His grace in your sin.

O for a broken heart for you I pray! That you may know Him in His fullness! That everything you do is dependant on Him, because you know that nothing you can do on your own if He is not right there with you. A broken hearted Christian acknowledges Him in all his ways, because recognizes who is able to do all things in a way that has eternal value.

Ask the Lord for a broken heart, sensitive to the Spirit, a heart sensitive to sin, one that pleads easy and rejoices greatly.

A broken heart that goes often to the Lord; a broken heart where humbleness is his clothing; a broken heart that rejoices in the cross; a broken heart that begs for the lost; a broken heart that sees his accomplishments as nothing but the work of the Lord in him. O, for a broken heart I pray!

A man with a broken heart knows His Savior more, because he has the need to go and meet with his Lord so often.

On Secret Prayer

Listen carefully.

Do you Pray? Do you work at this holy habit? Do you go into your room, close the door and talk to your Father who hears in secret? ... Every day?
Only you know, only your Father knows.


Praying secretly will be of great assurance in your salvation, since you will know, that when no one knows that you are seeking Him, you are.

You will grow in wisdom when you are in your room alone with God.

Prayer will weaken your flesh, will make you needy of Christ understanding more your sin, and the beauty of His love.

The accuser (Satan) will be silent against you.. because you will confess your sins before the Lord, therefore, he will have no charge to bring against you.

You will know your Lord and His  forgiveness, His comfort and His patience. You will learn to rest on Him alone.

Through prayer your faith will be increased and your mind renewed.

Prayer will teach you to bring your concerns and complaints to the Lord, so it will keep you from sinning.

Through prayer, your desire for holy conversations and holy habits will increase,

It will give you a need for more of Him and less of you in your life.

Secret prayer, needs to be as secret as you can. You do not announce you will go to pray secretly, you do not tell people of your secret time with the Lord. But your secret prayer will be evident in every area of your life.

Secret prayer is a duty of the Christian. Is a sign that you belong to Him. Many can pray in public beautiful prayers, but the most beautiful prayers ever said, were those said in secret. Those that had the best aroma, those that shed the most secret tears. Those where the most intimate confessions happened. Those prayers that bring you very close to the cross. Secret prayer is where the Lord has a special communion with us. Where we seek not the gift, but the Giver. Where we can beg Him and thank Him; where we can cry and laugh; where we can be honest because He knows our heart -we need not to impress Him or make ourselves look good or not too bad- He knows.

So listen carefully, and go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who sees and hears in secret.

Do you pray?

On Jesus!

My dearest children,

Who do you turn when trouble comes?
Who can comfort when pain visits you?
Who do you turn to when heath, wealth and prosperity leave you?
Who do you seek for peace when there is pain all around you?
Who do you turn to when the world offers you no hope?
Who do you seek when you need to be satisfied?
Who do you run to for shelter when the storm come?
Who do you tell your most secret thoughts?
Who do you thank for all you have? (talents, shelter, food, ...)

        Jesus! It is Jesus and only Jesus you need to seek.

Jesus is strong when you are weak,
Jesus is safe and secure to stand on when you are standing on quicksand,
Jesus is a comforter when you see despair,
Jesus is the hope when the world shows you none,
Jesus is the satisfaction of every need,
Jesus is the joy when trouble comes,
Jesus is with you when your friends leave you,

But, not only in our need:

Jesus is better when the worlds looks the best,
Jesus is more loving when the world pretend to love,
Jesus redeems you, when the world tells you that you are fine,
Jesus changes you what the world tells you to love,
Jesus gives you perseverance when you want to follow your heart,
Jesus listens carefully to our prayers when the charmer tries to seduce you,
Jesus is with us when we are in no apparent need,
Jesus knows best when secular wisdom sounds pious,
Jesus gives more that the world could ever give,
Jesus is our provider when we live in abundance,
Jesus satisfies when the world fills with air,
Jesus creates when the world copies,
Jesus loves when the world lusts,
Jesus is the real treasure when the world seems to be filled with them,
Jesus conquered death, when sin brings you to it,
Jesus is the Lord of all creation, He owns it and it obeys Him.

                      Jesus, only Jesus !

On growing up

You are growing up... your body is bigger, your hands stronger, your character is maturing, your games are different, your habits are improving, your desires and interests are changing... and so your heart should be changing as well and maturing.

You are a child of God, and a child bears the image of the father. So you should bear the image of your Father. Ask Him, to help you recognize the sin in you, to notice when something is not good or pleasing even if it pleases you.

Ask Him to help you be devoted to prayer, obedient, childlike in your trust of Him; to love Him wit all your heart, soul and mind; to be saved from your temper, meaness, unkind manners; to master your tongue and grow in love towards others.

Your prayers should be stronger and deeper in love an need. Pray with humiliation, supplication and adoration. Pray considering your words, growing in holiness.

As your body gets bigger and more responsabilities are set before you, so it is with your soul. The more you grow in Him, the more is expected from you. You are to guard your heart for your own safety, you should know your temptations and run away from them. Kow your heart and search it often that you may not be proud or silence your concience.

Do not compare your self with other good men and think you are good because you are like them, or to others who are worst and think you are good because you are not like them. Always compare yourself with the Lord, make him your standard and your measurement, so that you will always have miles to walk until the day He gives you rest.

Grow in knowledge and understanding, grow in stature and in wisdom. Grow in a way that brings glory to your Father.