Love That’s Different

Let brotherly love continue. {Hebrews 13:1}  Essential practical ethics of Christian living help portray the true gospel to the world, and encourages others to believe in Christ, when they see the love of Christians towards each other. And this brings glory to God.

Having announced His departure and insisting that His disciples could not come, Jesus began to lay out what He expected of them after His leaving.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another. {John 13:34-35}

The commandment to love was not new. O.T. commands were to love God, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. In this request however, Jesus command regarding love presented a distinctly new standard for two reasons:

1). It was to be a sacrificial love modeled after His love (“as I have loved you”).  2nd). It is produced through the New Covenant by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Christian, Be filled with Lord’s Spirit of love, and Let brotherly love continue wherever you are, and where ever you go!

May God bless your walk today!

Paternal Care

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. {1 Corinthians 4:14-16

Despite their carnal, even sometimes hateful immaturity, Paul always looked on the Corithian believers with affection. Only Paul was their spiritual father, no one else cared like him. Spiritual leaders must set the example of Christlikeness to follow.

How about you today Christian? Is there anyone in your life who is waiting for you to lead them? Are you still making excuses that you’ve tried, but because of circumstances beyond your control . . .etc.

Now in this New Year is your chance. To make a fresh start at being all that God has intended you be!

God bless your walk!

Who’s Running With You?

Then Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. {Acts 14:21-22}

Is your walk of faith getting tired?Before you drop out, make sure you have the right running partners. The Christian marathon can be long and hard pressed. You need positive people to keep you on pace. Who is the Paul in your life? Who is your Barnabas?

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. {1 Peter 5:6-7}

“Casting” means ” to throw something on something “{Luke 19:35} Christians are to cast all their discontent, discouragement, despair, and suffering on the Lord, and trust Him for knowing what He’s doing with their lives.

And often its when were allowed to go through life with someone of like minded faith, refreshing encouragement is the key  to crossing the finish line.

God bless your walk today!

The Family

From Tuesday January 10.

As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man {Proverbs 27:19}.

If anyone wants to know the definition of a man who follows his faith with his whole heart, Dad, they just need to know you. Happy Birthday!

This is my birthday card from my two teenage daughters Kaitlyn, and Kayla. How proud I am to be their father. Behind it all is the most wonderful wife a man could ever ask for.

The Bible says Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord {Psalm 128:3-4}.

The fruitful vine in our home is my wife Julie, who makes my 50th Birthday today so much more special.

Father, Continue to bless our marriage and family with Your love. Amen

Kindness of God

The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh {Proverbs 11:17}.

A kind man benefits himself. Kindness, as it is used in the Bible, means to be kind-hearted. The kindness of love seeks only the best for others, regardless of their response, and is indifferent to all walks of life. Shows no favortism. It discards all bitterness and thoughts of revenge and lives at peace with everyone. Before we get too discouraged because we seldom resemble this kindness in our lives, let’s remember that this is a characteristic of Christ. And He has empowered us by His Holy Spirit to bear fruit of His own divine nature. Love that is kind must be the distinctive characteristic of Christ’s followers. Our kindness must evident to all people, then we will succeed in being His witnesses. When your asked about the source of your kindness, and its distinctiveness, so may they find Jesus in you!

Love suffers long, and is kind {1 Cor. 13:4}   May God bless your walk today!

The Lord Will Give

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly {Psalm 84:11}.

This pictures God’s overall provision and protection. For God is the glory of His people! Let me explain. “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory {Isaiah 60:19}. Isaiah, looking beyond the millenial kingdom, sees a view of the new Jerusalem following the millennium {Revelation 21:23;22:5}.His prophetic perspective did not allow him to distinguish the eternal phase of the future kingdom from the temporal one. Through God’s grace and His glory, He provides all that we will ever need to have a victorious Christian walk, now, during this temporal life. But more importantly, for all of eternity which is what is not seen, and is received by faith in Him and His written Word.

God bless your walk!

If The Lord Wills

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is Your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” {James 4:13-15}.

It was apart of recent past that many people used to begin their statement of plans with “Lord willing”. The phrase may have become trite, or unpopular in the modern church that is so preoccupied with material blessings; but the acknowledgement of God’s overruling and sovereign hand is not. As we look ahead into this New Year, we can face the future with confidence with God firmly in view, because our walk in Christ is a walk of faith. And is rooted and grounded in His Word resulting in our willingness to submit to His authority and His will being manifested in our lives.

May God bless your walk!

Joy in Your Walk

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! {Philippians 4:4}

The mark of  a Christians walk should be the joy with which he/she approaches each new day. No matter how difficult the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we carry in our hearts the presence of God. And in the presence of God there is fullness of joy {Psalm 16:11}. This joy is based on the knowledge that God is good and God  is in control, and in all things will work out for our good, as we love Him and walk in His purpose and plan for our lives. It is a joy that the world finds difficult to understand, because their joy is circumstancial. Having said that, As we grow in Christ, we find that the fruit of the Holy Spirit {Galatians 5:22-23} increases in us. Our perspective on events changes, and we are able to see in each circumstance a glimpse of the joy that comes from the presence of God.  God Bless your walk today!

New Years Day!

My New Years day begins with the Bible, God’s Word. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season. Whose leaf also shall not whither; And whatever he does shall prosper {Psalm 1:1-3}.

Insight: This wisdom psalm basically functions as an introduction to the entire book of psalms. Its theme tells of people, paths, and ultimate destinations by two cycles of contrast. Psalm 1 separates all people into their respective spiritual catergories: By observation, By outcome.

Lord, give me a heart that will meditate on Your Word, that will feed my soul Your truths, Your precepts, that will govern my life through out this new year. In Jesus Name, Amen.

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up {Psalm 5:3}

The Christian Walk, My Journal for the 2012 New Year By Ron Trujillo

Ive decided to take the bold step of faith and share pages from my journal as I’ve begun the New Year. I’ve had knee surgery on January 3rd, so I figured I might as well write about my experience. My faith is in Christ as my Savior and Lord, so I write from a Scripture based devotional, that over the years has helped many others in their Christian walk. So here it goes, I will write or rewrite what i’ve written down since January 1st, Lord willing and the Lord leading me. God Bless You!