30. March 2010 by Annette Colon-Alvarenga.

So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you? Joshua 18:3.

In the prior chapter (Ch. 17) we read how the house of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, went to Joshua stating that they were a “great people” and therefore had not been provided enough land. God had promised victory to them to possess all of the land promised to them, which in reality would have been enough, had they followed through in driving out all of the Canaanites. Instead of proclaiming their victory and doing what needed to be done – they did not drive out the Canaanites – they went to Joshua to complain: the land we have just isn’t enough; we need two lots instead of the one you gave us; the Canaanites are just too tough to drive out of the land; they have chariots of iron. Complain, complain, complain.

I peeked into my journal late last night. The scripture cited above was the last entry I made – in January. Yes, it’s been a little while since the last time I wrote in my journal. Which would mean that it’s been a little while since I’ve followed my Bible-in-a-year reading plan. Of course that would also mean that I haven’t been reading God’s Word on a daily basis. The consequence of which is that I have been struggling a bit more spiritually. Which has resulted in my inability to deal “wisely” with certain matters that have come up recently. My reactions and emotional responses have been a little . . . how should I put it . . . all over the map. And, yes, I have gone to God grumbling and complaining about not being where I should be spiritually, emotionally, financially, physically, etc.: Why this? Why that? It’s just not enough! When are things going to change?

I’ve read through the Old Testament time and again and thought to myself, “these are God’s chosen people; He tells them exactly what to do and what not to do; why can’t they get it right?” They were given every incredible promise for living a victorious life. God didn’t only have their backs, He always went ahead of them. Their victories were determined before they ever stepped foot on the battle ground. But there was always that condition: that they actually step onto the battle field and fight. Otherwise, like the people of Ephraim and Manasseh in the book of Joshua, they could not enter into God’s promises.

It is no different for us as Christians. We proclaim to be God’s children (”a great people”). We proclaim to have every spiritual blessing as His children. We say “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Yet, when things start to get a little out of hand for (some of) us, when matters require that we armor up and step onto the battle field and fight, it’s easier (for some of us) to step back and make excuses for not doing what we need to do. C’mon now. I know I’m not the only one.

Matthew Henry states in his commentary in regard to the predicament of the tribesmen in Chapter 17: “Most people’s poverty is the effect of their idleness; would they dig, they need not beg.” God calls us to grab hold of the promises contained is His Word for us. Our victory is assured through Christ Jesus. But that requires that we take action; that we be diligent. God gives us the perfect recipe for possessing the promises: We are instructed not to depart from His Word; we are told to put on the whole armor; we are to pray without ceasing; we are to renew our minds continuously; we are to hold onto to our faith and trust in God in all circumstances; we are to be holy. Yes, there is much more, but I think this is enough to make my point. In whatever area of our lives we may be feeling seemingly impoverished, we need to do what He has instructed us to do. I earnestly believe . . . no, I know, that God will fulfill each and every one of His promises, but I must step onto the battle field and fight. I cannot continue to step back and make excuses for what’s lacking; I have to dig and dig deep, especially when I don’t feel it or when it gets uncomfortable. For me personally, that starts with getting back into His Word daily and journaling. How long will you wait?

⁴³ So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. ⁴⁴ The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. ⁴⁵ Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. Joshua 21:43-45.

Posted in Personal Notes | Print | No Comments »

28. March 2010 by Annette Colon-Alvarenga.

¹When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ²Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”  ⁴But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ⁶“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ “  Mark 16:1-8

I started a study on the resurrection and I will tell you that even though I am not even half way through my study, there are some things that are laying heavy on my heart today.

In my study I read the story of the renowned Methodist preacher named W.E. Sangster. On Easter Sunday 1960 he lay unable to speak and helpless. His daughter was with him that day and because he could not speak, he wrote her a note:  Margaret: ‘It is terrible to wake up on Easter morning and have no voice with which to shout, “He is risen!”  But it would be still more terrible to have a voice and not want to shout.’  A little convicting.

While the message of the resurrection is heard throughout every Christian church throughout the world on Easter Sunday, it should not be limited to that day. Rather the message of our risen Lord is a message that cannot be left out of our witness to others. Think about this for a minute. If the Easter story ended with the cross, what would have happened to Jesus disciples? Would there even be a church today? The answer to the second question is “no.”  The Easter story is the gospel, the good news because it proclaims Jesus lives! Without the resurrection there is no gospel.  The resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of our Christian faith.

Of course we already know this, but it seems to be missing from our witness, from our message. When we tell others about salvation through Christ Jesus, about the forgiveness of our sins through His sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary and our restored relationship with God, we generally stop there. However, the resurrection is the climax of the gospel message. We must not leave it out. Peter tells us that me must “[a]lways be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15).  The resurrection of Jesus, the fact that He is risen, that He lives today, is the reason for the hope.

Everything from Jesus being arrested through His being placed in the tomb had his disciples believing that all had finished.The passage above in Mark of the women going to anoint Jesus’ body at the tomb shows that they also believed all was done. There was no hope until the angel proclaimed, “He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ This is the reason for the hope in each and every Christian, that He lives and that He goes before us.  Jesus’ victory over death means that death need not be the end of those who follow Jesus. The resurrection completes the work of Christ on the cross. Only through the resurrection of Jesus are we able to become “a new creation.”

What have I learned from this? I must be intentional to be a witness of the whole gospel. When we preach Christ crucified we must also shout, “He is risen!” The Easter story is not to be preached one day each year. We need to tell the Easter story everyday because all of our hope is in that He lives!

Lyrics from the song Because He Lives:

God sent his son, they called him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon;
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives All fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives All fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives!

And then one day I’ll cross the river;
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain.
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives All fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives!

(Song by Bill Gaither)

Posted in Personal Notes | Print | No Comments »

6. March 2010 by Annette Colon-Alvarenga.

¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. Exodus 17:11-12.

As Israel battled the Amalekites, Moses held up the staff of God and interceded on behalf of Israel. As long as his hands remained up, Israel had success. But when Moses grew weary and tired and his arms lowered, the Amalekites would gain an advantage. It was then that Aaron and Hur came alongside Moses, one on each side of Moses’ holding up his arms until the Amalekites were defeated that day.

I have always been more of a “lone ranger” type; fairly introverted, self-sufficient, believing I can handle things on my own and certainly never asking for help from anyone even in the most difficult of circumstances. For the most part, I can say I faired okay in the past. But this personality trait is something that is not pleasing to God (it does have an air of pride to it) and He has called me out on this over and over again. Unfortunately, I have not come willingly and He has allowed for some difficult trials, I believe, in an attempt to bring me to the place I need to be (and I will admit that I still find myself fighting it.)

God never intended us to do life alone or on our own. He created us specifically for fellowship with Him and with others (1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 John 1:3; Genesis 2:18). God calls us to living life in common. That is what the Greek word kionōnia means – sharing a common experience of God’s grace in Christ. God calls us to serve one another (Galatians 5:13); to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2); to comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18). As if that were not enough to encourage us to seek each other out in a time of need, Jesus advises us, ¹⁹“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20).

The fact of the matter is that we all need an Aaron and a Hur in our lives to hold our arms up when we become weary and tired and feel like we are in defeat. I personally have come to recognize this week that I cannot continue to go it alone. Now, I am blessed to have my own versions of Aaron and Hur in my life. And although I generally won’t call until I am at my wit’s end, I did call on them this week (okay I didn’t call them, but I did email for help – I am working on this). Amazingly, after setting out my case, my heartache began to diminish. Once I was able to release a little of what I was going through, I could breathe easy again. After receiving a word of encouragement, hearing “I found myself asking that same question when . . .,” the tightness in my chest went away and the physical symptoms that accompanied the overwhelming stress created by keeping things to myself, vanished.  I thank God for the patience and mercy He continues to show me. And I especially thank Him for those two persons He has placed in my life that I can count on to lift my arms when I grow weary.

Posted in Personal Notes | Print | No Comments »