One Word by Louisa Guzman

Have you heard of the One Word project? Basically, instead of making a list of New Year's resolutions that you probably won't keep past January, you pick one word for the entire year. This will be a word that you can apply to all areas of your life. This word will guide you all year long in making changes and reaching goals. Your word choice is not to be taken lightly.

In 2016 my word was FORGIVE. What a difficult year that was! All year long I struggled with forgiving people whose words still stung, even after many years. All year long I sought to forgive people whose actions changed my life in very unpleasant ways (and that's putting it mildly) that subsequently caused a chain of further difficult events. All year long I looked to God for help with forgiveness because as Matthew 6:15 says, "if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive yours". 

In 2017 I chose the word CHANGE, or maybe it chose me. That year "change" just kept knocking at my door. I changed the way I ate, slept, spent. I made changes in the way I prayed and studied the Word. Change completely marked my life that year. 

This year my word was WISDOM. All year long I trusted the Lord with all my heart and did not lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

I attempted to apply wisdom to everything I did: I chose my words wisely, used wisdom in making decisions, and gained wisdom through immersing myself in God and his Word. Because I lacked wisdom, I asked God, and He gave it generously without finding fault (James 1:5). In my search for wisdom, 2018 became a treasure hunt, "for wisdom is more precious than rubies" (Proverbs 8:11). 

So as the new year approaches, I have applied the wisdom gained this year to select a word for 2019...and the word is (drum roll, please!)...CONNECT. 

My mission this year will be to connect with God deeply in every way. Connecting with God on a deeper level will lead me to forge and seek Godly connections with others. I will search for ways to connect more with the community and with those in need of connecting. 

This coming year I plan on researching connections that will bring in money (money to pay off debt, money to help others with).

1 Corinthians 6:19 says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, therefore, I vow to connect more with my body to achieve better health and have strength and energy to serve well.

In 2019 I will dis-connect (as much as possible) from social media so that I can connect with Jesus and set my mind on things above (Colossians 3:2).

Find your word in the Word and have a blessed and happy new year!

A Gift Fit for a King by Christina Calvache

My sister is known to throw extravagant, legendary parties. Her creativity and ingenuity are remarkable. Every year she plans her office Christmas Party, and I’m always eager to hear all about it. This year the Christmas party is the same day as the owner of the company’s 40th birthday. While discussing options for a gift, my sister stated, “What can you give someone who has everything? He’s rich, rich, rich and in need or want for nothing”. She decided upon a Marilyn Monroe impressionist singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President”. We believe her boss will be pleasantly surprised.

Now that the Gifting Season is upon us, I began thinking about gifts for my husband, Vinnie. We have been together for almost 20 years. We are long passed impressing each other with beautifully wrapped treasures. And we are comfortable enough with saying, “we don’t need to get each other anything this year.” But since he gave me such a beautiful Mother’s Day Present this year, I kinda want to get him something special, which made me ponder again. “What do you get someone who is in need or want for nothing?”

At the very moment I was brainstorming, I believe the Holy Spirit prompted me to think,

“What would I give Jesus for Christmas, if I could literally give him a gift?”

This was both strange to me and exciting. It was strange because I never thought of this before and exciting because it was an enigma (mystery). I had to come up with a really good answer!

Jesus has it all. 1 Chronicles 29:11 states “For everything in Heaven and Earth is Yours”. At this point, I knew the Holy Spirit was not only searching my heart, but giving me something to write about and share with you. (I have had Writer’s Block” for a while now)

What do you give a King who calls things into existence? (Ro 4:17).

You might say, “That’s easy, He wants you to give Him yourself”, after all, isn’t that what He always wants from us? But I believe for You and Me at House on the Rock Church, this year, Jesus is calling us to give something very specific.

When Eve ate the apple, she was deceived (Gen 3:13). She wasn’t blatantly defying God. She was doing something she thought would be good for her and Adam. She thought she was doing something for herself that she could justify. She probably knew there would be consequences. She probably didn’t see her actions as sinful. Yet, in God’s eyes, Eve sinned.

What deeply rooted piece of yourself do you harbor and say it is good for you? What is that “One Thing” you can justify and accept the consequences for because you may not see it as sin. Yet, in God’s eye’s, it Is sin. I believe we need to invite the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and reveal to us what we should give.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

When the Spirit reveals that "one thing" to you, don’t let your heart be hardened or dismayed. He will help you yield towards truth. The Refiner’s fire may burn and sting, but results in a lustrous silver and Gold. To give up a piece of yourself that you’ve concealed is a Gift Fit for a King, especially if He sees it as Sin.

Don't Be a "Give Up Christian" by Idalia Ortiz

God said to me, some of us are "give up Christians". We give up on people, we give up on our families, we give up on our marriage, we give up on opportunities that God provides to witness to people, we give up the right to speak what we believe in, and sometimes we give up on God because He is taking too long to answer our prayers. 

We Christians don’t take time to think about God's promises. “He will never leave us or for sake us "(Deuteronomy 31:6). God doesn’t give up on us even when we give up on Him

(II Timothy 2:13).

We need to stop giving up - and give it all to Him. God has given us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom, He gives us strength to continue, even when we feel we need to give up. 

The message bible states, (John 14:25-27) “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught”.

God is telling us not to give up on life and we especially must not give up on Him.  Jesus is right here with us, don’t let the things of this world overtake you.  1 John 4:4 NIV “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 

Now we know that the Lord is greater than all other gods. We have the victory! Let us be the man or woman that God wants us to be in Christ Jesus.

When you’re feeling defeated and want to give up, turn to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, The one who didn’t give up on you at the cross. Don’t be a give up Christian.