All posts tagged: Love

Unexpected

October 10, 2015 Merlin Gonzales blog, KIOM

There many things in life that do not make sense.

The ministry that I founded, Faith Hope and Love Community celebrated it’s 11th “Mission Trip in Your Own Backyard” during the last full week of July through a week of community services with churches and ministries. Through food pantries, block party and other outreaches, hundreds of people were blessed.

A day after the week of missions, my wife and I were at a restaurant overlooking a lake to celebrate what God had done. Suddenly, we saw the dark heavy clouds moving in our direction. Just a few hours before this happened, my wife and I checked the forecast and there was no trace of rain for the day! The wind picked its speed and the waves got higher. Within a few minutes, we saw an incredible amount of rain poured like waterfall from the sky. It was amazing to see that kind of rain over the lake.

As we were mesmerized by the nature, we remembered that our office is in a flood zone and my 2 vehicles were parked near a creek. We rushed to our office while battling the downpour. By the time we reached our office complex, the parking lot looked like a rushing river. I saw both my vehicles in the flood path and decided to rescue them.

An unexpected downpour

I was able to start my truck and moved it to a higher ground. My van started but stalled after driving several feet. After letting it dry for a week, my friend and I changed the engine oil which was mixed with water. We tried several ways to start it but finally gave up. The van had high mileage and it has only third party insurance coverage which means that we lost a good running vehicle from a flood.

I asked God why He allowed it to happen, we just blessed hundreds of people and cannot afford to buy a replacement vehicle. We checked the forecast and we blessed the vehicles before this unfortunate incident happened! So many things ran through my mind. Maybe I should have just left it in the flood and let it dry later or I should have not left my vehicles in that parking lot! Maybe God will replace it and He is about to bless us with a nicer and newer vehicle.

It took me a few weeks to let it go and to stop asking why. I finally accepted that it happened and there’s nothing else I can do to bring back my van.

I was now looking forward to perform the marriage of one of our friends!

My wife had been busy for several months in the preparation of the wedding since she was the wedding planner. The bride and groom got us a nice hotel room for 2 nights so we could be close to the venue. Since the wedding started at 6pm, I had time to visit the town and to exercise at a gym. I stopped by Walmart to purchase weight lifting gloves.

I had a great time at the gym; I felt stronger and had more endurance. I went back to my hotel room, took a shower and had lunch at a fast food. Afterwards, I went back to the hotel and worked on my message for the wedding and reviewed the flow of the ceremony. I felt good!

It was now time to get dressed and go to the wedding venue. After putting on my clothes, I noticed that I was not wearing my wedding ring and my cross ring. I looked around the room and checked with the front desk! I called the gym and checked the room again but no one had seen my rings!

I was devastated to find out that I lost my rings – they represent my commitment to my wife and to the Lord! This loss was more than my van, not financially but emotionally! How could God allow this happen especially just before I officiate the wedding of my friends!

God gave me the grace to temporarily forget the lost rings during the wedding and the reception. It was a beautiful wedding and a magical night.

There are unexpected things and events that happen to us. Things that are good and things that are bad. We live in the tension between light and darkness, good and evil, choices and decisions. It is through those events that our faith is tested. Whether we think what’s happening to us is good or we perceive it as bad, our faith should be unwavering.

Think about Abraham, the father of faith. He left his home town to go to an unknown place. Joseph who had good intentions was sold as a slave by his own brothers and was put in a dungeon for doing what the right things. John the Baptist who proclaimed the coming of Jesus and was beheaded.

Hebrews 11:1-2, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for.“

Please be encouraged that no matter what your situation is, God is still Sovereign, He is in control and He is God! Unexpected things happen to all of us and we do not have the answers to all of them, however, God does NOT cause bad things to happen. He is for us, not against us. Perhaps He would give us answers to all the unanswered questions we had here on earth when we see Him in the fullness of time.

PS. I will be doing a Book Signing on Saturday, October 17th from 11am to 2pm at The Living Truth bookstore located at 17665 Cumberland Rd, Noblesville, IN 46060. If you are in town, please come and visit me; I’d like to meet you in person and sign my book for you.

PPS. Let me know if you are interested in participating to “Living in God’s Dominion Here on Earth” class based on my book, “The Kingdom In Our Midst“; I will keep you posted as the class develops.

God bless,

Merlin

Lord, what have I got myself into Part II

July 10, 2015 Merlin Gonzales blog

Similar to the sign, the girl's experience a backstage.

Similar to the sign, the girl’s experience was a backstage.

As I took the picture above, I wondered how many people are taken advantage of on the side of the highway. The Backstage billboard on the road reminded me of behind the scene activities that are happening just around the corner.

Let’s continue with the young woman’s story:

“I’m so tired“, she said. “I have a little baby. She’s with a friend right now“, the young woman muttered. I continued to drive so I could drop her off as soon as possible because I was on my way to meet my son who was helping me move my daughter. The road was clear but it was a cloudy day.

The young woman told me that her fiancee kicked her and her baby out of their apartment to make room for his boyfriend. She continued, “That’s why my baby is with my friend and I am homeless right now! My daughter and I stayed at a place for a few nights and caught bed bugs there.”

I asked her if she asked for help from churches in the area. I was startled when she said, “So many people think I am dumb! I have been to every church in the area and they would not help me except for food for me and diapers for my daughter! There was a church here that threatened to call the police if I did not leave their property! They would not give me any money that I could use to go to Tennessee to start a new life with my aunt. I don’t know what to do!” Then suddenly she said, “Turn right here and then left to the next street.”

As I followed her direction, my mind was processing different thoughts. What if she’s taking me to a crack house or if this trip is a set up of some kind? While arguing silently with myself, I heard her say to turn right in what seemed like an office complex. There were no cars around since it was Saturday. My eyes started to search the surrounding area and then I saw behind the office complex was an established subdivision or housing addition. At that time I was able to breath normally.

At the entrance of the subdivision, she pointed to her right and said, “That’s where I am going to sleep.” Across a small man-made lake (similar to many lakes in Indiana) was a small gazebo. It had beautiful flowers surrounding it and behind it was thick bushes and small trees. I looked around thinking that some people may see me drop her off and may think that I was her customer, especially since I was driving my truck with ministry logos all over it!

I asked her, “May I pray for you, Miss…” “Kristine. My name is Kristine and my daughter’s name is Leila”, she answered with no hesitation. She held my hand and I prayed for her and her daughter. I asked that the Lord would bless her and guide her. I asked for protection and grace over her life.

After we prayed, she asked if I had some money so she could buy some food for herself. I slipped my hand in my pocket and found out that I did not have any money but a few coins. “I am very sorry but I do not have money with me“, I replied. “I heard you have some coins in your pocket; anything will help me right now“, Kristine said. I gave her all the coins I had in my pocket.

Kristine, got out of my truck, picked up her purse and her old Bible and proceeded to walk to the gazebo. I turned my truck around. As I was passing by her, I saw her reading her Bible while walking towards the gazebo. She looked to me and waved her hand with her face sending a message of a big Thank You!

I thank God that He used me to minister to her even for just a few minutes. This experience has given me many things to ponder. As I continued to drive to my daughter’s apartment, I was still in a state of shock. It was hard for me to believe that I was just ministering to a broken person, abused and in an extreme state of disaster.

I thought of going back there to bring her food or help her get connected with community resources. But after 3 hours of loading my truck with my daughter’s household items I never made it back. My truck was full to the brim and my son was right behind me with his car also full of clothes and kitchen stuff.

Please pray for with me for Kristine and Leila that they would find people who will help them. Also, that they will receive God’s grace and protection.

God Bless,

Merlin

Lord, what have I got myself into

June 17, 2015 Merlin Gonzales Backyard Missions, blog

Last Saturday, June 13th, 2015 I woke up around 7:30am and remembered that I was to help my daughter move out from her apartment. I rushed to get ready because I wanted to finish her move before the expected rain around 3pm.

Expecting that I would be doing some physical work during a 90-degree weather day, I ate a good healthy breakfast. With a tank full of gas, I proceeded to drive my F150 from Noblesville to Greenwood.

I needed to catch up with my devotional, so I plugged in my iPhone to my truck’s radio to listen to my audio Bible while driving. My attention was focused on the verses of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles as I was exiting from the freeway, trying to absorb whatever I could while driving safely to my destination.

While looping through the exit and listening intently to the verses, I saw a woman walking on the side of the road with her hand waving to catch a ride. I have never stopped to pick up riders before, but before I knew it I suddenly found myself pulling over to give her a ride. She opened the truck door and flicked her cigarette butt before hopping in my truck.

Since it was my first time to pick up a rider, I was very cautious in her every move. I noticed that she immediately put her purse on the floor, placed a large black-covered book on the seat and realized it was a Bible. She proceeded to buckle the seat belt. I turned off my audiobook. After a few seconds, I asked her what happened to her vehicle. She said that she does not have a vehicle and she walks everywhere.

I asked her where she’s going and she told me that she needs to go to a place which is about 5 miles away from where I picked her up. “I have not slept for a few days“, she said, “so I am going to that place to sleep“. I told her that I will not be able to bring her there since it is out of my way and I have to be somewhere immediately. She said that it would just take me 2 minutes to bring her to her destination. I complied silently.

Suddenly, she told me that she was raped just a few days ago. “I asked the guy to pay me $25 for sex since most of them do not want to pay more than $25 but this guy just does not want to pay me; so he raped me“, she said. I thought to myself “Lord, what have I got myself into” and prayed as soon as she finished her sentence.

Stay tuned for the next segment of the story…

God bless,

Merlin

Paying Taxes

April 15, 2015 Merlin Gonzales blog

During this tax day, I thought I should challenge you to put some thoughts about taxes.

²⁴After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

²⁵“Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

²⁶“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” – Matthew 17:24-27

Although Temple tax is different than the tax that we pay our government, would the Christians be also exempt from tax? I heard from a leader of a ministry that Christians are tax-exempt because they are children of the King of kings. All authorities in heaven and on earth and all creation is under God. This means that the government is under God. Therefore, Christians are tax-exempt. Right?

Here’s what Apostle Paul said about the government tax. ⁶This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. – Romans 13:6-7

In Romans 13:1-5, Paul expressed that God established the government but not the sins and abuses of those in power. Verses 6 and 7 specifically point our attention to paying taxes to government. Notice the word pay as a debt. By paying taxes, we give our support to the power, however, we also receive the blessings of the authority. So by paying taxes, we share the power and the blessings of our government.

Now that I probably confuse you, it is still the deadline to file our taxes.

God bless,

Merlin

Liberty in Christ

April 8, 2015 Merlin Gonzales blog, Message

The ass who was never satisfied

The Ass and His Masters

An Ass, belonging to an herb-seller (gardener) who gave him too little food and too much work made a petition to Jupiter (a pagan god) to be released from his present service and provided with another master. Jupiter, after warning him that he would repent his request, caused him to be sold to a tile-maker. Shortly afterwards, finding that he had heavier loads to carry and harder work in the brick-field, he petitioned for another change of master. Jupiter, telling him that it would be the last time that he could grant his request, ordained that he be sold to a tanner. The Ass found that he had fallen into worse hands, and noting his master’s occupation, said, groaning: “It would have been better for me to have been either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the other of my former masters, than to have been bought by my present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to him.” He that finds discontentment in one place is not likely to find happiness in another.

The Bible tells us that the Israelites were never content and have been ungrateful to God. Time and time again, they easily forget what God has done for them and against their oppressors.

Let’s look at the Book of Judges Chapter 10:6 – 11:3

Someone wrote, “Most people mess up something good by looking for something better just to end up with something worse.” Have you find yourself looking for greener pastures?

The Israelites has a history of always looking for greener pasture even though God has told them to stay away from the idols and beliefs of the nations surrounding them. In verse 6, “Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines.”

We see here the word “again” which means that the Israelites have been serving idols (or the pagan gods) over and over again! What’s an idol?

An idol is anything that we think is more important than God. What are they?
It could be a person, money or any kinds of activity.
Look back in your life now, what are the things that value over God. Have you glorify the creation over the Creator?

Regret and Repentance

In verse 10, “Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, ‘We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.’”

Because of the pain and suffering that the Israelites have experienced, they prayed to God once again. They regretted what they had done. They are now in agony!

They felt bad about abandoning God and they experienced the consequences of their sin.
Similar to the Ass or the donkey on the fable, regret happens when you suffer and you want to get out of it.

In your current situation, what are the things that you regret, the things that give you anguish or dissatisfaction?

The differences:

Regret
- Regret is a negative emotion that brings a person into downward spiral because of dwelling in it. You get drown into self-contemplation.
- Regret is when a person continuously thinks about his/her mistakes.
- Regret leaves a person in a state of anxiety, anger, hatred and depression.
- It is a negative emotion and the donkey, a person who regrets would normally do the same mistakes over and over again.
Repent
- It is a positive emotion that compels a person to change the direction of his/her life. It’s a complete turn around. Like this morning, I my wife and I went north and after this service, we will go south.
- Repentance is when a person who made a mistake and realizes what he has done and then seeks forgiveness for his actions.
- Repentance is when a person takes a stand and resolve that he would never do it again.
- Repentance affects our entire being and in the context of the Bible, affects our eternal life.

So, regret will never give us solution but would bring us dissolution, while repentance transforms our lives and gives us entrance to a new life.

God’s mercy and grace

Judges 10:10 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”

11 The Lord replied, “When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites[c] oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? 13 But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!”

15 But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” 16 Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.

The Israelites regretted what they had done and prayed to God. The latter part of verse 16 described what God felt, And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer – God could Not bear the misery of the people – Then and Now.

Easter is a season to remember that God saw our misery against the evil one. He saw that we cannot attain our freedom on our own and that’s why He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to bear our sins on the cross so that whoever believe in Him and confess that He is our Lord and Savior will have an everlasting life with Him.

Instead of repenting, the Israelites regretted what they have done. However, because of God’s mercy and grace, He provided the Israelites a Judge and for us, a deliverer – Jesus, who released us from our captivity.

Judges 11:1-3, “Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. 2 Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him.”

Jephthah’s mother was a prostitute. The mother of Jesus was accused of being unfaithful to her fiancé when she got pregnant before marriage.
Jepthah was driven away from his family, Jesus left heaven and came to earth.
Jephthah surrounded himself with scoundrels, Jesus disciples were considered uneducated.
God sent a judge, Jephthah to save the Israelites; God sent His one and only Son to save the world.
The world says you are not worthy; the Word of God says you are worthy through Jesus Christ.
The world says regret but the Word of God says repent.
The world says you’re not a child of God; the Bible says, we become children of God.

The Bible says that the devil use and abuse people on this earth and afterwards, the people who do not repent and receive Jesus Christ in their hearts, would experience the eternal punishment. Similar to the fable where the ass said, “who even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to him.”

The Israelites regretted for their ongoing prostitutions to other gods or idols but did not repent. They were sorrowful for their past actions but did not make a complete change in their faith and trust in God.

Christ suffered and died on the cross and later rose again and is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Those who put their faith in Him and make Him their Lord and Savior would live forever with Him.

Holy Friday is a reminder of the saving grace, the crucifixion, burial and on Easter Sunday – the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He left heaven and came to earth to save all of us from the eternal punishment. He is now offering you the eternal life.

Romans 3:22-24, This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

You can choose to regret or to repent. Do not fall into negative and destructive effects of regret but choose the victorious life through repentance and accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you regretted in the past, now is the time to repent to receive liberty and receive the free gift that God has for you. I invite to come and receive the liberty and a victorious life in Christ.

Contact me by Responding or Commenting to this Blog to find out more about the Saving Grace that God is extending to humanity.

God bless,

Merlin