Living One Day at a Time

There is a song that goes, “I’m only human, I’m just a man. Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am. Show me the stairway I have to climb. Lord for my sake help me to take one day at a time. One day at a time, sweet Jesus. One day at a time.” Do you live your life one day at a time?

Living our lives one day at a time entails three things: Freedom from your past, hope for tomorrow, and joy for today.

           1.    Don't worry about your past

I recently met a funny-energetic mother of five who was abandoned by the man of the house a few years ago. Her oldest son literally pushed her down the stairs at one point. Her husband, at another occasion, hit her on the head with a coffee cup while she was pregnant, and her 16-year-old son watched and did not do a thing. She constantly cries because she wishes she could go back in time and do things differently –raise her son as he should have been raised. Unfortunately the mistakes we have committed in our past are done, and crying or worrying about it will not fix anything. I looked at her straight in the eyes and told her, “You now have the opportunity to do things differently with your other 4 kids –the oldest is only thirteen!

Statistics show that 30% of the things people worry about belong in the past. It seems to me that most of us have not yet understood the importance to forgive, forget, and learn from our mistakes. Seriously, live your life one day at a time and forget about your past because Christ has nailed it on the cross!

           2.    Tomorrow is not here yet

The song continues saying, “Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus. And tomorrow may never be mine. Lord, help me today, show me the way One day at a time”

The American dream is what most of us have come for, traveled thousands of miles, and sacrificed even our own families. I have met friends who have loved ones on the other side of the border, working 12-14 hours a day, and looking forward for that big fat check at the end of the week. Interesting thing is that decades have gone by and the “American Dream” for many has not yet been seized.

What are you looking forward to? Is it keeping you from living your today?

           3.    Today: A gift from the Lord

I remember that I would have an extremely hard time going to sleep every night of each December 16. The adrenaline in my body and excitement would constantly keep me thinking about the birthday presents I would get from my family and friend’s the next day. Would I get a bike? Another game for my Super Nintendo? Would my aunt give me underwear again this year?

In the same manner we ought to live our lives as if everyday was our birthday, and enjoy the gifts from up above. Our God is a God of miracles, and He desires to lead your life a miracle a day. Yes, the air we breath is a miracle, the fact we get up in the morning is a miracle, that we have shelter and food on the table is a miracle, but I’m talking about seeing God’s power working, witnessing, and experiencing a real miracle in your life.

The word “Yesterday” only appears 9 times in the entire Bible, the word “Tomorrow” 55, and “Today” 189 instances. Wow!!!!

Certainly, Christ doesn’t want you to dwell on the past for He has nailed it on the cross, but do look forward for tomorrow for hope gives us life and the blessed hope will gift us eternal life, and most importantly He wants you to live your today because “Today is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

Therefore, today, pray so you may not only live your day one day at a time but also one miracle a day.

Blessings!

#2 Reaching the unreached - Witnessing 101

Knocking on door-to-door around the city has taught me several things these last couple of weeks. I have met all kinds of people: Catholics, Pentecostals, Baptists, Methodists, atheists, drunks, lunatics, Caucasian, Mexicans, Central-Americans, Samoans, young, old, big and small families, and some rude and others nice. Some welcome you back and others ask you not to return to their door. I have prayed with some that are in despair, and the Lord has been faithful to fulfill His promises. At times I’ve jumped up and down of joy for meeting some of them, and at others the enemy had me on the downside.

Therefore, the Lord reminds us Light bearers: “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act” (Psalm 37:5, RSV).

1)   Commit your way to the Lord

My brothers Japhet and Pedro Garcia in their album sing their lungs out saying“ Lo mio es orar y lo de Dios es obrar” which translates, “my job is to pray and His job is to act.” Such thing in ministry is so true. We cannot reach the unreached if we ourselves do not commit our way to the Lord in continual prayer. Commit your way to the Lord and grow into a deeper intimate relationship with your Lord by praying without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17).

2)   Trust in Him

Everyday for the past week and half I have gotten on my car having no idea where I was going to go and who I was going to see. With the tank full of gas, GPS ready to go, and the Holy Spirit ready to guide, I simply set the transmission in gear and step on the gas remembering that at one point Abraham, not knowing where he was going to go, was also commanded to “Go!” Trust in Him! He knows where he’ll take you!

3)   He will act

I met a gentleman named Antonio last week. He was drinking and working on his patio, and when he found out who I was and what I was doing, the man pretty much preached to himself. He started talking about Christ, how he has been misbehaving, and that He needed to surrender once again at His feet. Honestly, my presence and the presence of the Holy Spirit was all it took for this man recognize His sin; I barely spoke on the hour conversation we had. HE DOES ACT!!!!

Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act says the word of God. Get out of your comfort zone and ministry to someone TODAY! Then you will taste and see that the Lord is truly GOOD.

Reaching the unreached -Witnessing 101

I got on my little 1995 Suzuki Swift that afternoon, and had no idea where I was going to go and who I was going to go see, so I prayed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. After doing some driving around, I arrived at a house where there were three youngsters hanging around and drinking some beer on their patio. I prayed one more time, and I walked up to them with my Bible on my hand. Two “cholos” with their Dickies, short-leave shirt, and tres puntos tattooed on their hand claiming to be pocos pero locos. Smoking a cig and holding a 40 once with the other hand, the third guy offered me some – “This is going to go well” I thought…

                 1.    SHARE YOUR STORY

“So wazup, you sell AT&T phones or something? Jajajajaja” was the opening welcome line from one of them –This taught me not to wear my church clothes next time I do outreach (so I joined them in laughter).

“Naw, bro. I came here to share my story with you, and talk to you about how there is One that has changed my life forever, and wants to do the same with yours. Because He came to give us life, not any kind of life, but abundant life!”

So I told him my testimony based on Colossians 1:16, and while one of them was talking smack while speaking, the other one seemed not interested, and the last one kept quiet and listening.

                2.    INVITE TO STUDY SCRIPTURE

We never know what people are going through in their lives, so we must always make an appeal to pray and open God’s word with them. Out of the three youngsters who I was speaking to, two of them left, and I stayed with the one who always kept quiet and silent.

Me: “I would like to come visit you and shared God’s word with you”
Him: “I don’t know… I’m very busy all the time”

Me: “You let me know, and I’ll be there”

Him: “Well… How about right now?

Me: Awesome!!!!!!!!

               3.    SPEND TIME PRAYING FOR THAT SOUL

As we were flipping through the pages of Scripture, from time to time he would take a drink from his 40 once Budweiser – I didn’t mind, for I knew that my job was only to share my story, share my Bible, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest for “He convicts the world in respect of sin” (John 16:8).

At the end of our Bible study he expressed, “I really liked this.” So we agreed that we would meet the following day so I can meet his daughter, rest of family, and continue with a second Bible study.

However, we have not been able to meet again, because the truth is that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. So these forces will do everything in their power to prevent a second meeting between this young man and I. Nevertheless, if our God is with us, who is against us?

So… Pray for that soul! Whoever that is that the Lord wants you to meet. Pray! Pray! Pray! Because there are people out there hungry and thirsty of the word of God, and Jesus wants to make you a divine instrument of His.

P.S. pray for this young man that I met; his name is Daniel.

Friday night at the casino

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men… For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth… I desire therefore that the men pray EVERYWHERE, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:1,3,4,8).

The sun is looking for a place to spend the night at the horizon of the Western skies, and his rays of light paints them with several colors; it is his way to say goodnight. The holy hours of the Sabbath are approaching, and due to certain circumstances (don’t judge) I find my self at the parking lot of the River Casino in Redding, CA. So ironic… While thousands and millions of Adventists prepare themselves to go to church and receive the Sabbath, here I am at this place ready to welcome it as well.

The parking lot is full, the name of the business is attractive, and the darker the night gets the more people walk into this place. I walk through the aisles, a security guard approaches me, and I’m asked to please open my backpack for a security check. I don’t resist. He wants to know if I have marijuana and alcohol in the backpack, and I reply with a “no.” After seeing what I have in it, he suggests to take good care of the bag. As I walk away he gets on the radio and says, “Code four on the bag-check request. Male, twenties, black shirt, and brown backpack. At this point I realize that even though there are hundreds of people in this place, each and everyone here is being carefully monitored.

The ladies on the corner eat, the men with hats run in search of caffeine, some rush to the ATM, and others wait in line to cash their tickets. Neyo’s voice over the speaker sings, “Let’s do it tonight… Give me everything tonight… For all we know we might not get tomorrow…” This song hypnotizes and encourages them to give it all and fight for what they have come to get: a promise. The Red Hot Jackpots promises $5522.00, Aladdin offers $50,333.91, and Sun Queen $1,000.

For some it’s entertainment, for others the need for money, and some simply want to forget about their problems at home. An 80 year-old man sits at my table and asks me if I’m counting my losses or my winnings; I laugh with him. I ask him what is he doing here tonight, and he responds, “I came to see if I win the brand new vehicle they are giving away…” Unfortunately, someone already won it 41 minutes ago. At any rate, all have come here in search of a promise.

Everyone here tonight is marked: Some with tattoos and others with scars on their heart. What is their story? By carefully observing each and every one of them, I am struck by another man sitting at my table. I have to admit that I recognize him, but this time he is not smiling. I feel a pain in my chest, and I realize that my heart is feeling the same thing his heart is. He looks at me and says, “You are right, Sergio. Each of them is after a promise, and in the same way they have scars I do too but mine are on the palms of my hands. You have no idea how much I love them! His eyes become shiny by the abundance of liquid flooding his eyes.

As I ponder this morning on the words of 1 Timothy 2, I cannot stop thinking about all those people who I saw last night. God is so interested in them. He monitors each of their steps and follows every move they make. Him too has promises for His children; better promises than the Red Hot Jackpots, Aladdin, and Sun Queen could ever offer. And certainly He wants to mark their lives with the seal of salvation. The question is, what are we doing about it?

I live my life five months at a time; from January to May and from August to December. These are the months that I’m in school, in my Adventist bubble, with my Christian friends, preaching and giving Bible studies to the same folks we preach week after week. Therefore I wonder, “Who are preaching to those people in the Casinos? At the bar? At the nightclub? To prostitutes? To addicts? To the rich? To those who are outside of our bubble? To those who live in the real world?

The fact is that many of us do not know how to approach people in these types of situations. But the reality is that someone has to do so, and very few are willing to break the routine of evangelism and get involved with radical discipleship. Our supplications, prayers, and requests should not be, “Lord, please save them.” But instead, “Lord, please give me the tools, faith, love, desire, courage, words, and your Holy Spirit and USE ME as a divine instrument in order for them to reach salvation!

The Lord is looking for radical disciples. Actually, He is looking for people who He can work with and equip so they can become His radicals. Remember that God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies and equips the called. Therefore, let’s get out of our bubble, comfortable zone, and routine because this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires ALL MEN to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Blessings!