Notas. Inglés y Español ⬇️

December 12: Don't be a stumbling block.

Psalm 106:28-48:
They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices made to the dead. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, and the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness to all generations forevermore. They angered Him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses on account of them;
because they rebelled against His Spirit, so that he spoke rashly with his lips. They did not destroy the peoples, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works; they served their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood. Thus they were defiled by their own works, and played the harlot by their own deeds. Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people, so that He abhorred His own inheritance. And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles, and those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times He delivered them; but they rebelled in their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry; and for their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the multitude of His mercies. He also made them to be pitied by all those who carried them away captive. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord!


This psalm is similar to yesterday's, the 105. This psalm continues the story of Israel's journey through the wilderness and shows us the occasions when God blessed them, gave them protection, and also shows the ways they were disobedient and rebellious before the Lord. They were weak in character, allowing themselves to be carried away by the false attractions of idols and the customs of other peoples.
The verse that leaves us with a teaching, to apply it to our lives and with our families, is the verse where it says: “So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; because they rebelled against His Spirit, so that he spoke rashly with his lips.”
It is important that we evaluate the way in which we treat each other among the members of our families. One of those ways is when we mistreat our partner or our children a lot with degrading words, which demean the person and devalue them constantly. Words such as: "Get out of here, you're useless, why are you so useless?, you're just as annoying as mother, you're just as lazy as your father, I don't like you, no one is going to love you, etc." are words that hurt continuously, until it reaches the point where your partner or your child fill their heart with despair and they begin to feel exasperated every time they interact with you. The harmful effect and the result of so many offensive words will cause the victim to become a bitter, harsh person. Their pain is reflected in their personality with drastic changes, they are no longer happy, they are not fun, and they will no longer want or want to be with you, they will distance themselves and they will no longer care what you think about him or her.
Indifference is worse than having a misunderstanding or an argument. Indifference will make the person begin to do improper things, challenging the authority imposed in the home, will practice things contrary to those established in the family and will even leave the ways of God.

Notas. Inglés y Español ⬇️

December 11: Anointed and Prophets.

Psalms 105:1-15:
Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance,” when they were few in number, indeed very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no one to do them wrong; yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.”


This is a very special psalm because it is a narrative of the history of the people of Israel, and it gives us a summary from Abraham to the deliverance from Egypt.
This psalm is like a testament to how God formed a great people from the offspring of an old man who had no children and who believed the Lord and, based on those promises that God made to Abraham to bless and multiply him, we see a people who came out of slavery with a strong hand and saw the palpable hand of God both on their oppressors and in the life of them when they walked in the desert.

In the first verses a phrase is mentioned that says that God protected them, instructing the nations not to touch His anointed or His prophets. Powerful statement for a people who still had the heart of a slave and struggled with idolatry. Still, God was choosing them to separate them as a nation consecrated to God, He was going to use them as messengers of the Lord to the nations.
I hope you read this entire chapter because it will give you a lot of information about how the nation of Israel was formed; you are going to look at the details of their formation and their creation, even the way in which God protected and corrected them by being patient with them.

I hope you can see the love of God that is the same yesterday and today and forever, that just as He chose Israel long ago, in the same way He chose you so that you can start a new life in Christ Jesus and be with your family part of this heavenly nation that God has chosen. We are part of the great family of God.
Like the people of Israel, you and your family are anointed and prophets to carry the message of salvation; so cheer up! Keep going, and don't forget that we continue to see God's hand in both this year and the year to come. Just keep making yourself available to the Lord along with your family.

Consider this:
Are you aware that the same God of Israel is the same God we worship?
Are you aware that God has not finished with us and will continue to work in our lives and in that of our families?

I am your brother and friend Eduardo Rodríguez. May the Lord Jesus hear your prayer and bless you and your family in the coming year.

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Diciembre 11: Ungidos y Profetas.

Salmos 105:1‭-‬15 RVA2015:
¡Den gracias al SEÑOR! ¡Invoquen su nombre! Den a conocer entre los pueblos sus hazañas. Cántenle, cántenle salmos; hablen de todas sus maravillas. Gloríense en su santo nombre; alégrese el corazón de los que buscan al SEÑOR. Busquen al SEÑOR y su poder; busquen continuamente su rostro. Acuérdense de las maravillas que ha hecho, de sus prodigios y de los juicios...

Parte 5. La Biblia dice que David propuso darle lo mejor al Señor, David tenía un corazón agradecido, sabía que su Señor no era cualquier Señor y que dándole lo mejor, él lo exaltaba sobre todos los dioses.
Existe gente que le da al Señor lo que le sobra, o lo que ya no le sirve, o lo que le estorba en su casa; a David no le costaba nada aceptar el regalo que le hacía Arauna, pero él no se fue por lo más fácil. "No ofreceré a Jehová, mi Dios, holocaustos que no me cuesten nada".
"Y el rey dijo a Arauna: No, sino por precio te lo compraré; porque no ofreceré a Jehová mi Dios holocaustos que no me cuesten nada." 2 Sam. 24

¿Qué pasaría en cada iglesia si cada pastor, miembro del personal, voluntario o diácono, y el ministerio infantil dijera: "Estoy comprometido a dar mi mejor ofrenda, cada día.
• ¿Qué pasaría con nuestro liderazgo?
• ¿Qué pasaría con nuestra predicación?
• ¿Qué pasaría con nuestro grupo de jóvenes, damas y caballeros?
• ¿Qué pasaría con nuestros servidores?
• ¿Qué pasaría con nuestra música?
• ¿Qué pasaría si todos en la Iglesia tomáramos la decisión de honrar a Dios con lo mejor que se tiene, en cada ocasión?

#atreveteaDar #DandoLoMejor #dones #servicio #sacrificio #ReyDavid
#SemillasDeFeDevocional #RandyArreaza #IPUHPortArthur #IPUHPuertoArturo #SemillasDeFePodcast #IPUH #EduardoRodriguez

Notas. Inglés y Español ⬇️
December 10: The greatness of God in the creation.

Psalms 104:10-35:
He sends the springs into the valleys; they flow among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. By them the birds of the heavens have their home; they sing among the branches. He waters the hills from His upper chambers; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works. He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man’s heart. The trees of the Lord are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted, where the birds make their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. The high hills are for the wild goats; the cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers. He appointed the moon for seasons; the sun knows its going down. You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God. When the sun rises, they gather together and lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— this great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great. There the ships sail about; there is that Leviathan which You have made to play there. These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season. What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good. You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works. He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the hills, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord. May sinners be consumed from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

This is one of those psalms eloquently written exalting the Creator. If you read the entire psalm in detail, you will notice how the psalmist was looking at the way creation is connected to one another. He detailed how everything that has been formed has a specific purpose for living things to subsist on earth.
It is wonderful to read the way the psalmist saw the heaven and earth established. How everything has its specific and perfect place: the springs, the mountains, the sea, etc. Also how animals are satiated and cared for by the Almighty.
On the contrary, when God moves His hand to punish the earth, the creatures easily vanish.

This is a very beautiful read, especially for those who like the subject of Natural Sciences or Biology. With this psalm we can see that the sciences were very advanced in ancient times. Many kings used their position to bring scientists of the time to their court and thus they too learned a lot about nature. For example, Solomon was one of them.
And science, instead of denying God as some think, rather confirms that the ancestors were not wrong in declaring that only one Creator could have made all these things and they were not made from nothing.

I hope this psalm has filled you with faith and trust in the One who made all these wonderful creations, and who is the same One who called you, chose you and your family to be in His presence.

Consider this:
Have you received any revelation from God while admiring His creation?

I am your brother and friend Eduardo Rodríguez. May the Lord hear your prayer today.

1. Dando lo mejor de mi alabanza.

1 Crónicas 16:25 Porque grande es Jehová, y digno de suprema alabanza

Hebreos 13:15
Así que, ofrezcamos siempre a Dios, por medio de él, sacrificio de alabanza, es decir, fruto de labios que confiesan su nombre.

2. Apartando tiempo para las Reuniones

(Hebreos 10:25) - No dejemos de congregarnos, como acostumbran hacerlo algunos, sino animémonos unos a otros, y con mayor razón ahora que vemos que aquel día se acerca.

Salmos 27:4 Una cosa he demandado a Jehová, ésta buscaré; Que esté yo en la casa de Jehová todos los días de mi vida, Para contemplar la hermosura de Jehová, y para inquirir en su templo.

Salmos 84:10 Porque mejor es un día en tus atrios que mil fuera de ellos. Escogería antes estar a la puerta de la casa de mi Dios, que habitar en las moradas de maldad.

Preguntese hoy:
¿Le estoy dando a Dios las "primicias" o las "sobras"?
#atreveteaDar #DandoLoMejor #dones #servicio #sacrificio
#SemillasDeFeDevocional #RandyArreaza #IPUHPortArthur #IPUHPuertoArturo #SemillasDeFePodcast #IPUH #EduardoRodriguez

Notas. Inglés y Español ⬇️
December 9: List of blessings to strengthen faith.
Psalm 103:1-22:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!"


Today's psalm is one of the psalms I have heard since I was little and a favorite to memorize. I recommend you study it and learn it, especially the first verses where the psalmist encouraged himself, encouraging his soul, his inner being to praise the Lord, thinking of all the wonderful works that God has done with him, the miracles that God has granted him.
There are times when we must encourage ourselves, when the people around you are not, in the moment, a great spiritual support or do not understand what you are going through.
If you are interested in this topic of encouraging yourself, you can review the psalm 43 devotional that we studied on October 28.

It is important not to forget God's blessings because those memories will strengthen us in times of adversity. The psalmist made a list of blessings that you and I can also make and write in a notebook for you to review and exercise your faith in God.

God forgives our wrongdoings, for we continually fail in one thing or another, with words or actions, on purpose or unintentionally. He heals our ailments, both physical and emotional. He is the One who rescues us when we fall into any hole of problems and difficulties; and He is also the One who crowns us, rewards us with favors and mercies.
In addition to all these great things and wonders, God grants us all the petitions of our hearts. He knows what our heart longs for and surprises us by creating the moment and the circumstance for us to receive what we want, and thus producing in us joy, peace and security.
The temporary pleasure that sin produces is different from the divine pleasure when we feel that we are rescued, loved and when we receive undeserved gifts and blessings from God, wrapped in the mantle called grace, mercy and truth.
Consider this:
Have you taken the time to evaluate the blessings God has done with you?
Have you been encouraged in difficult times when you think about the favors and blessings that God gave you?

I am your brother...

Haciéndolo todo de corazón.
1. Colosenses 3:23 Y todo lo que hagáis, hacedlo de corazón, como para el Señor y no para los hombres;
2. Efesios 6:7 Sirviendo de buena voluntad, como al Señor y no a los hombres,
3. Romanos 12:11 En lo que require diligencia, no perezosos; fervientes en espíritu, sirviendo al Señor;
4. Sal. 100:2 Servid a Jehová con alegría; Venid ante su presencia con regocijo.
#atreveteaDar #DandoLoMejor #dones #servicio #sacrificio
#SemillasDeFeDevocional #RandyArreaza #IPUHPortArthur #IPUHPuertoArturo #SemillasDeFePodcast #IPUH #EduardoRodriguez

Notas. Inglés y Español ⬇️
December 8: Integrity as praise to God.
Psalms 100:1-5:
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Psalms 101:1-8:
I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.

Psalm 102:13-18:
You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, and show favor to her dust. So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory. For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory. He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer. This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.


These are 3 short psalms. I read the first two completely and the last one should be read later so you don't miss the full context.
On a curious note, Psalm 100 is the shortest chapter in the Bible. It is also one of the most beautiful because it is an invitation to worship God and recognize His sovereignty over all things, especially over our lives. This is a psalm where dependence on the Lord is recognized as a sheep depends on its shepherd. And it also invites us to enter the presence of God with the correct attitude, which is an attitude of gratitude. I encourage you to learn this psalm.

The next psalm, 101, is a covenant psalm. The psalmist made a commitment before God to live a life of integrity because he knew that only people who walk in integrity will be blessed by God and will be worthy to serve before His presence in ministry.
That is why the psalmist took care of what he spoke, what he thought, what he felt, and even what he saw; because the bad things are those that contaminate man and he wanted to be clean before God. That is why in these two verses in the God's Word Translation version we read the word integrity: “My eyes will be watching the faithful people in the land so that they may live with me. The person who lives with integrity will serve me.” And "I will live in my own home with integrity. I will not put anything wicked in front of my eyes. I hate what unfaithful people do. I want no part of it."
I hope you can also memorize these verses and that it is also the covenant that you make with the Lord for this new year that is coming: to live in integrity.

And finally, Psalm 102 is a psalm of the cry of someone for God to intercede and save his life, but not only his but that of everyone in general, to the life of the city of Zion, which represents all the people of Israel and Judah.
The psalmist was confident that the Lord would free them and give them a new opportunity to reestablish the city of God. To the point...

Tenemos que aprender a darle a Dios lo mejor. No cualquier cosa, no lo que no vale, no lo que no sirve, no lo que nos sobra, sino lo que Él merece, y es lo mejor.
Lo mejor de lo que tenemos es siempre lo primero, lo que más cuidamos y valoramos.
Por eso Dios pedía las PRIMICIAS. Lo primero de las cosechas, ganado, etc. Que representa en tu vida lo mejor? De tu tiempo, tus talentos, tus dones, tus ofrendas, etc

Proverbios 3
9 Honra a Jehová con tus bienes,
Y con las primicias de todos tus frutos;

#atreveteaDar #DandoLoMejor #dones #servicio #sacrificio
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Notas. Inglés y Español ⬇️

December 7: Burst with joy for our God and His justice.

Psalms 98:1-9:
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn; shout joyfully before the Lord, the King. Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it; let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity.

Psalms 99:1-9:
The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy. The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool— He is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His name; they called upon the Lord, and He answered them. He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; they kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. You answered them, O Lord our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.


These two psalms of today are very similar to those of yesterday because they are exclamations of joy about God as a King and just Judge, also as the One who cares and blesses His people.
Psalm 98 encouraged the people, and it also encourages us today to express our adoration to God without shyness and without limits.
Declarations like "sing, burst with joy" show us that God is pleased when the people express themselves freely, when it comes to worshiping God.
The psalm also concludes by prophetically announcing the day that the Lord came to the earth, to judge by bringing the truth to light through His work here on earth and when He rose again on the third day, taking away all authority and power from the adversary, sin and death to save us. The Lord also has prepared the day when He will come the second time, where every eye will see Him and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Psalm 99 joins in this invitation, encouraging the people to glorify the righteous King. In addition, from all that we have already learned about these psalms, this psalm testifies of how God spoke through His prophets and priests, God supernaturally spoke with them as in a pillar of cloud and fire or through direct revelations speaking with an audible voice. This manifestation so close between God and humanity was a great privilege, but it also had a great responsibility, and it still is. When the people of Israel did well, God blessed them but when they were disobedient, God corrected them. Remember the devotional on Psalm 95 where we learned the importance of recognizing that God corrects those whom He loves, and that God punished His people so that they would straighten out their path.

I hope that we can value all the virtues of God to protect, provide and bless His people, and also when He rises up as Father to show us His love by correcting our actions.

I am your brother and friend Eduardo Rodríguez. May the Lord hear your prayer today.
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Diciembre 7: Estallen de alegría por...