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February 18th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
The discipline I chose in this unit was the witness. I chose this spiritual discipline because this is where my passion is, to share to people what Jesus has done for me, and how he can ultimately do the same for you. There are allot of people that are just tired of what is going on in there life and are trying to find answers. I have to be a willing vessel for the Holy spirit to use so that he can draw people to Him(John 6:44). I know this because I too was lost and now I am found. I have compassion for the lost and they need to know the truth about Jesus and what he has done for them, we are commanded to go out and tell the good news the gospel of Jesus Christ, all that He has taught us and baptizing and making disciples(matt28:19,20). There is a war going on and we cannot stop being used by God to be His mouthpiece. So this is truly part of the body of Christ and it shows love towards other people. This is something that I have not done in a while, but will be getting out there as soon as possible. I have to continue to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
February 18th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
The two spiritual disciplines I chose were the temple of God and discernment. 1 cor 6: 19,20 Paul talks about how our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and how He lives in us and was given to us by God. He goes on to say that we have been bought with a price and we are to honor God with our body. What I learned from this is we have to be on guard from everything that is immoral because this is the temple of the living God and he requires holiness. We have to physically take care of ourselves as well so that we can continue the work the Lord has us to do. We have to be fit for battle. We have been bought with a price is something that we should think about and thank God about daily. The price of His only begotten Son. So it is also meaningful to remember that we are the property of God. So I now know to present my whole self as a living sacrifice, Holy and acceptable to God which is our reasonable service (Rom 12:10) and the greatest of all to Love the Lord our God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength for this is the 1st commandment(mark 12:30) bottom line there is no compromising or exceptions this what God is asking and commanding than I want to be totally obedient.
The second one I chose was discernment. Discernment to me is being able to separate truth from deception or error. I notice that discernment has to be used in our life as a follower of Christ. We need it when we make decisions in what we watch on t.v. People who are false teachers that are out and about trying to sabotage God’s plan for man, reading books and just about every basic decision in life. We don’t always know or have understanding of everything and our culture is always changing. The way I found that helps me from what is right from wrong, moral or immoral is from the Word of God. I have to continue to apply his word to my life and meditate on it so it becomes a part of me. The Holy spirit will bring it back to my memory. Discernment is definitaly what I want.
February 4th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
The two I felt drawn to and picked were celebration and worship for the Worship segment. These two I really enjoy doing and experience grattitude and amazement, as well as coming together as a body and worship our creator who skillfully constructed everthing. When I am on my way to work and see the sun rising and the beautiful sky that is filled with awesome colors and glory I just think about how God’s handiwork is all part of the process. To me it is his way of saying good morning. It doesn’t matter if there is no sunrise, and the sky is gray. The clouds speak of God’s magnificence. At night when the stars are out and the moon is full. He provides the light for the night. I take all this into consideration, and Thankful that God is in control. He is not just in control of the landscapes but also our situations when I give them to Him. He knows better than I do and always astounds me I love God and celebrate everything he has done for humanity and for me He truly is God.
I really enjoy coming together as a body and worship God. To really get close and personal. When the music is playing I really put 100% of my focus on God and just praise Him. To hear the entire assembly come together and sing songs in unison is exciting. I know God dwells among the praises of His people. I want to worship Him in spirit and truth. I just open my heart and allow God to just come inside. It is true we were created to worship God. I always feel this sense of belonging when I worship during service or alone. Sometimes they will play a specific song I like and I am really drawn to it. Thank God I can make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
In the Open myself to God segment, I chose contemplation and unplugging as my disciplines I felt drawn to. Lately I have been awoke to the presence of God in all things. I have noticed that He is in the big things and He is in the small things. Obviously there is nothing impossible for God. He is there living inside of me. When I wake up in the morning to Going to bed he is there. I include God in everthing. When I read his word He is there to help me understand and when I pray I now listen just to be obedient to his voice. I noticed that if you believe hard enough and call on his name He will be there. Those times and situations that I know He is there just increases my faith even more.
The unplugging one is something I have started to as of summer of 09. There were alot of things I got rid of in my life that would have been a distraction or a hinderance. T.V., was the first to Go, my playstation was the second thing. As for phone nobody hardly calls me but a select few, and music has been dwindling to worship and praise. I like to get a break from these time to time. But I really don’t become bombarded with alot of these. I try not to let none of these things become a hassel with my relationship with God.
January 25th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
When I think of Grace, what comes to my mind is something pleasing and movement. I also think of the prayer you say before eating. The Grace I think of God is that abounding love and mercy, forgiving, showing underserved kindness. I know that grace is why we are saved. We have the favour of God directed towards us. God is full of grace. Effort on the other hand is pretty much directing our time and energy to accomplishing something. You sacrifice time to build on a goal or to get ahead. I put a lot of effort in reading his word and studying. I put a lot of effort in memorizing scripture. Prayer as well. I should put more effort in trying to listening to him. I am guilty of trying to do something on myself on my own power, instead of relying on God to work through me. I really have to submit myself to him in every part of my life. I am really trying to grow intimate with him so that I know that his grace is sufficient, and that nothing I do on my own will suffice. I know that his grace is a gift and I cannot work for it even though my efforts can cause friction with his grace. I also feel that I have to do certain things and act certain ways just to get God’s attention and that will not keep me saved or my ticket to heaven. So whatever I do I have to know that whatever I do whether it be reading His word or praying or witnessing or just trying to be a christian that we are saved by grace through faith and that it is a gift from God and it is nothing we earn or do but because of his love and favor that He gave me. I have to allow him to work in me in everything I do so I can grow in his Amazing grace.
January 19th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
Well, My spiritual disciplines are what I try to maintain on a daily basis. It involves me giving God the glory and honor and praise when I wake up. Then I pray, I just need God to hear me when I wake up to get started. I need his guidance for this walk, and to just get to know him more. Then I read his word and meditate on what I read and just ask God to help me with what I read and for Him to speak to me through His word. I desire to become more like Him. There are still some things that I need to know, and be consistent on. I love reading the word and have made it my business to read before I eat. I pray all the time, and I have to give God that time to respond back. I have to do this now, whether I want to or not. At one time I let God down and I know that he forgives me and I have to know that. But since then I do not want to let him down no more. I know I am human and are prone to mistakes, but as long as I have strength from Him and His spirit He will help me. So want use to be trying I have now turned to training to be the soldier of God he wants me to be. No matter how hard it is or how it seems I have to put my trust and faith in him and believe that this training will pay off. Praise God!
December 7th, 2009 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
Webster’s New world dictionary defines love as “strong affection or liking for someone or something.” But to me the Bible’s definition of love is actually a person. His name is Jesus. He is at the center of my streams of life. The love that pours out of Him is indescribable. You feel it, and it makes you cry. The love that is from God the Holy Spirit has given me insurmountable compassion for the lost. It has generated energy to do good works. It has certainly showed me how to be a friend. When I was without Jesus I thought I knew what love was, I had some rendition of it. But I believe the love that is from God is definitely causing growth in these streams. I know it is a process and the more I put my faith and trust in the Savior along with reading His word and praying to Him, day by day it will become a literal part of me and everyone else I come in contact with. Who would ever think a four letter word could derive so much energy. If you have never felt love or have no absolute clue of an example of it, just think of the cross and our Savior on it and the complete nonrecognition, to pay a penalty that we could not pay. That is the Love powering my streams daily. Praise the Living God forever!
November 4th, 2009 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
In my spiritual wheel, I feel that I am doing good in these areas: Contemplative, Evangelical, Incarnational. The reason I feel I am doing good in these areas is first I always spend time meditation and in prayer, I have been blessed to have lots of time at work and home so I pray all the time and meditate on his word. Secondly, evangelizing is what I do. From Handing out tracts to one on one witnessing I want to start doing some open air preaching. Again I have been blessed to have lots of time to read the Word of God, study it and memorize 58 scriptures and counting. I love reading. I will read the word to feed my spirit first before I eat and feed my natural self. So what I do at home I do at work I have some spiritual brothers at work and we do our best to let our light shine. Holiness is what I am definitely getting a hand on this is something I am getting better at and really owe it to my devotion of reading the word and prayer. I really struggled in this area at one time when I could not read my word. Charismatic would be something I really have not figured out but need to know so I can be beneficial in the Body of Christ. I do exercise in faith, and speak tongues and maybe discernment. But I really need to know for sure. I am starting to get involved in social justice as far as helping those less fortunate. But I have compassion for the lost that is why I am heavy on evangelism. So my wheel is definitely becoming the wheel it needs to be with some touches by the Almighty God.
September 30th, 2009 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
On this journey I am looking forward to a greater knowledge of Christ and a growth in my salvation to be a benefit to the kingdom of God. I want to discover exactly what it is that God has called me to do. I believe God’s vision for me is to draw closer to Him and fulfill His will in my life. To continually deny myself and be obedient to the Holy word he has given, to be productive in a fallen world
November 24th, 2009 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
I chose to memorize a verse of scripture that would coincide with the other exercise of removing the barrier that keeps God outside. The scripture I chose was Proverbs 3:5,6(NIV). The one thing I believe would keep God outside would be the lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Well sometimes, how about most of the time my own understanding will override and take me on a crooked path rather the straight one he intends me to be on. It is amazing how I can trust in Him when I most need Him. I should trust in Him in every decision regardless the importance of it. This is definitely something that will be broke down. I desire to give God all of me, well that will include my decisions, all the way to my knees until God speaks to me through His word. To be totally Sold out for Righteousness requires a unwavering trust in The Maker of Heaven and Earth. To be led by the Holy Spirit. “O’ Father forgive me for making hastily decisions that you would not approve of , instead of waiting and trusting on you for your counsel. In Jesus name Amen.”
November 17th, 2009 in Uncategorized by Gil Vargas Jr
I chose to read with the Holy Spirit and it was astounding and a wonderful experience that I will continue to do. The scripture that stood that the Holy Spirit Highlighted was( Joshua 1:9nkjv). Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. I go out witnessing and sometimes the enemy will bombard me with fear and excuses not to witness or go out. But what stood out was the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Now that is encouraging and very uplifting. There is nothing to worry about I have the creator with me AWESOME!
I have good relationship with my supervisor and Me and a couple other brothers in Christ have been there longer than him and everyone else. He is not saved yet, but God’s love is unstoppable. He likes to pick on the last person hired giving him a hard time, like he has forgotten how he was when he started. I guess this was a group effort on Me and the other brothers we told him to be easy on him and stopping saying those negative things about him, reminding him when he first started. We told him to find something positive to say to him, not to destroy his character. We pray that everything will be taken care of by showing both of them the Love of God.
