HIS PLANS ARE TO…

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope-JER 29:11-NKJV

The Message Translation breaks it down like this “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for-Jer 29:11″ This portion of Scripture is one of my favorites. I certainly brings me HOPE in those areas that bring DOUBT & CONFUSION.

As a dad  I try my very hardest to teach out of example to my daughter Aliya that God always has better plans for us, but better yet God is very much mindful of HER. That God’s plans are to prosper her, plans that will give her hope and a better future.

I don’t know about you, but life, MY LIFE sometimes makes this awesome FACT very difficult to BELIEVE! It feels as if sometimes, the storm clouds look so darkin life, that it’s very hard to even see beyond the moment in which we see ourselves in. But God certainly sees beyond these moments and sees us as he created us. He sees us as His sons and daughters-heirs of His Kingdom.

Attached is a video of my “prophetess” breaking it down for Jesus. It is a song that speaks about God and His limitless power. As well as His desire to watch His children increase in ALL areas of life! I do tell you one thing you must have faith, faith like a 5 year old.

I PRAY THAT YOU TAKE OFF YOUR LIMITS, SO THAT YOU CAN THEN EXPERIANCE GOD AND HIS AWESOME PROVISION!

THE POWER OF LOVE…

NLM SOUTH/NORTH HOMELESS OUTREACH

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NLM SOUTH/NORTH HOMELESS OUTREACH

We gathered as a church this Saturday to go feed and clothe the homeless people in the streets of Miami, at the same time, I had soccer with my daughter Aliya, so I did what every normal parent would do, which is just ask her. I asked her, “ALIYA WE HAVE SOCCER THIS SATURDAY AND THE CHURCH IS GOING OUT AND WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO FEED AND CLOTHE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE, SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO?” SHE REPLIED, “DADDY LET’S GO FEED AND CLOTHE THE POOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE STREETS AND HAVE NO HOME.”

BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE …1 CORINTHIANS 13:13

We the church are guilty of making Christianity at times look so hard, a lifestyle that is humanly impossible! A lifestyle that is only for a selected and superior group and can only be accomplished by the “ELITE”! In this blog, I will try to clear up some of that nonsense in which some people might have taught you or even told you in the past.

CHRISTIANITY IS ALL ABOUT LOVE AND THE POWER IT HAS! It really is that simple. Unless you love God you will never have the power to obey him. The Bible teaches us that if we love God we will obey him (John 14:15). One of the most over looked lessons in the Bible about LOVE is, that without the POWER OF LOVE to MOTIVATE, a person can’t and will not be able to obey God. Human effort will never be enough to help a person obey God.

YOU MUST HAVE A LOVE FOR GOD THAT COMES OUT OF A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE FOR WHO GOD IS AND WHAT GOD HAS DONE. When love is ROOTED in gratitude for all God has done, there is no falling out of love. The Bible says that this type of love spills over into our human relationships. As Jesus states “LOVE God with your heart, soul, and mind, and to also love your neighbor as yourself”. (Matthew 22:37)

IT’S NEVER WRONG TO LOVE! DO NOT SHORT CHANGE LOVE… IT’S PRECIOUS AND THE MOST POWERFUL GIFT!

IF YOU WANT TO GROW THE RIGHT “STUFF”…

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap

Galatians 6:7

Hey quick question, “search your fields (HEART) and examine what you have sown (ACTIONS) lately?  Is it purity, righteousness, love or the desire to walk in the narrow path in which the Bible describes as the way that leads to life? I tell you do not be fooled by the temporal pleasure of sowing sin because it’s very short lived.  Do not allow yourself not to be led astray by your flesh.  Nor think that by being in the broad way, which is full of short lived moments that it has no consequences!  When you  sow in darkness  do you think that no one can see you? Sometimes even this thought can bring you some sort of comfort and confidence in your style of living.  Yet, God can’t be mocked and out of His many names, which represent different characteristic of God there is one, which is “EL ROI.” This term means “the God who sees!”

Do you think, you can sow wickedness and get away from the judgment and wrath that is to come because of your actions?   Ask Achan that question!  He was sowing wickedness in secret and thought he could get away with it, but it brought death not only to him but to his family.  So, I ask you, “what’s under your secret tent?”  Is your tent full of the world as the Bible describes this to be an enemy to God?  Is it full of praise and worship or SPIRITUAL ADULTERY?  What are you sowing? Because seeds always produce life and as you sow be sure to know that something is in the works RIGHT NOW and soon it will spring forth life?

Will you LIVE righteously or unrighteously?

Will you WALK in the narrow path or the broad way?

Will you SERVE God or Satan?

Will you LIVE in the Spirit or in the flesh?

Will you ABIDE in the truth or in lies?

Will you FOLLOW the light or be LOST in darkness?

Make a wise decision and chose this day who you will serve. Be sure to know this that you can only choose one.“He who is not for me is against me (Matt. 12:30),” were the words of our Lord Jesus . “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (Gal. 6:8). So, let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart-Chris Pichardo-

Sacrifice, Compassion and Love it’s all ACTION so…

W.I.S.H. WALKS

At New Life Miami we believe in the church going outside the four walls and showing in action Jesus’ heart. By doing this we are going out into the community this saturday and joining the community and showing them that we the church do care.

W.I.S.H. (Women Intimately Serving Him) is a ministry with in our church where Women can come together and talk, laugh, cry and most importantly, grow in the Lord. This ministry believes that they have a High Calling as Women. In their daily lives they fill many roles and they understand the responsibilities that this role entails. This is a ministry where God has allowed them to come together and share their burdens, pray for each other and lift each other up in times of trials and to rejoice together as God answers their prayers.

New Life Miami…

This past Saturday we had a church baptism. It was done at Crandon Park and by far it was the largest group that we have ever baptized (26). Then Sunday we presented a total of 34 church members. WHAT A WEEKEND IT WAS! Each of these individuals are so precious and I thank God for their lives as they have surrendered to God. We as a church are so grateful for them and we pray that the lord continues to multiply New Life in ways, which we cant even explain!

“RECKLESS FAITH”

DEEP LOVE…

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: LOVE

Galatians 5:22, NLT

We are now at the very beginning of football season and I remember hearing about a story that is just to funny to leave out of this blog. It goes like this, “a wife came to the husband and said, and “you are always watching football games you must LOVE football more than you LOVE me.” He said, well, to be honest with you, I do LOVE football more than you, but I LOVE you more than baseball.”

It’s challenging to LOVE other people but the Bible says that when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He helps us to LOVE more deeply. I want you to play the video of your life back about five maybe ten years and do a little comparison to your life today. Do we LOVE more today than yesterday? Do we have bigger hearts filled with a greater measure of compassion for others? Is your capacity to LOVE expanding or contracting, enlarging or shrinking?

Now, why is this so important? The Bible teaches us that the greatest quality that you can possess in all of life is LOVE.  What held Jesus to that grueling cross? Why was he willing to endure the pain of the cross, to endure scourging, public humiliation, intense pain and to die for us? LOVE

Dear YOU..

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:2

Wednesday, my wife and I were brought to tears as we saw an episode on “The Oprah Show” that really blessed us! You might say, “but Pastor on “The Oprah Show,” I say YES! Here is a young individual singing a song that is called “NOTE TO GOD.”  I started to think about this and I said to myself. “I want to write a letter to YOU,” so here I go, my heart and my soul will be poured out to you.

IN THE MIGHTY AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST I PRAY YOU BE MOVED TO LOVE GOD MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF THROUGH THIS LETTER!

Dear YOU,

We live in a world that brings hatred, weakness, bitterness, unforgiveness, anxiety, confusion, hopelessness, and a lot more other things, that are considered evil. I ask YOU a question, so what are YOU going to do about it? YOU cannot allow these things to overtake YOU. Have a consciousness of the reality of the evil that is in this world. Paul tells YOU to respond to evil in a radically different way than the fallen human nature would prescribe. Instead, YOU are to work to overcome evil with good. The first eleven chapters of Romans teach YOU about a new kind of person. It is a person that has been transformed by the grace and mercy of God. Chapter twelve is the application in which YOU the new person should react as YOU encounter evil. As a person, if YOU feel YOU cannot do this, than give yourself completely to God. When YOU do this YOU give Him the ability to then respond in a manner only the Holy Spirit can do through you.

Your friend & brother,

Pastor Leo

P.S. If you were to write a note to God how would it read?

JUST GO HOME…

I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son-Luke 15:18-19.

If you are a Christian and far from God, then you know the longing of the son Jesus spoke about of in this powerful parable. You are discovering the depth of disappointment worldly pursuit brings. You know the pain of finding certain friendships to be superficial and loveless. You are even learning of the darkness that resides within you. Being far from God always brings a painful truth.

The young man Christ spoke of was in deep trouble. He turned His back on his dad to live a life on his own terms and found life to be much harsher than he envisioned it to be. Ultimately he became alone and without love.

IN REBELLION WE RATIONALIZE AND BELIEVE THE WORST ABOUT THE ONE WHO LOVES US MOST BUT THE GOSPEL PROMISES THAT NOT EVEN OUR OWN WICKEDNESS CAN OVERCOME THE POWER OF GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE!

MOMENTARY SENSUAL PLEASURES…

“For my life is consumed with anguish, And my years by groaning; My strength fails because of my iniquities, And my bones grow weak”

Psalms 31:10

David, the great King of Israel, had come face -to-face with his dark side. David surrendered to the temptation of “momentary sensual pleasure” with another man’s wife and now discovered how destructive this dark side could be to his joy and happiness. What a mess he had made of his life in exchange for a moment of excitement and self-gratification.

Have you ever felt like David? Maybe you are feeling exactly as David felt as he wrote this Psalm. You too have fallen victim to your own sensuality, or greed, or anger, or bitterness. Now you too feel consumed with anguish. David found a way out of his anguish and grief, and so can you. The key to dealing with your dark side is simply put by David, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5

You might feel as you can’t go back because you have gone to far, but you can! Just stop at that road in which you have been traveling in and simply turn from your darkest ways. Make a “SPIRITUAL U-TURN” God loves you and sent Jesus so that you may be free!

DAVID REMEMBERED THAT ONLY GOD COULD REMOVE THE ANGUISH OF SIN AND RESTORE HIM TO THE JOY HE LOST IN HIS ACTION OF SELF-GRATIFICATION

HE IS AS CLOSE AS THE MENTION OF HIS NAME!

SO IT LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE

“Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God’” Luke 18:27

God has made us in such a way that we are filled with many limitations. Be assured, you will arrive at situations where you say this is going to take more than I have to give. Maybe you have found yourself in one of those situations this week. If you are like me, the impossible comes along just about every day.

God uses impossible situations to transform our lives and bring Him glory (Romans 8:29). As you face the impossible, your faith becomes tested. As your faith becomes tested it starts producing character in your life. Not all individuals get a renewed hope as they experience what to them is impossible. Sometimes we never get our eyes off the circumstances. By doing this, our unbelief will permit us from the benefits for which the entire circumstance was put together for.

GOD SPECIALIZES IN THE IMPOSSIBLE! KNOW THAT JUST ABOUT THE TIME THINGS ARE LOOKING TOUGH, GOD IS NOT SURPRISED BUT PREPARED TO DO THE SUPERNATURAL!