hidden stars

Deuteronomy, 8. And we are just going to read a text simply, and reflect for a few moments. It is something that I felt that the Lord put in my heart, right now in fact, that I felt that God wanted us to read together, right? I said before that the best school of the Lord is not a classroom, it is, and we talked about it before, the desert.

I don't know if anyone has lived in a desert, I haven't, but I imagine it's not such a beautiful place. God calls his servants there, it is a place where you do not know where the next meal is coming from, it is a place where there is no shade to protect you from the sun, it is a place where you do not look at anyone, you feel completely alone sometimes. It is a place that seems to be eternal, that you do not see the end because there are horizons everywhere and you only see sand and everything dry. And our Lord says, 'there, my perfect school of faith' And he called Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Joseph, Moses and all his people, Jesus himself into the desert to be formed.

But there we see that God is not cruel, when God passes us through the desert it is because He has a plan for us and this is not only for us individually, it is for our church. God has called us to be daring in the desert and see if we are going to be faithful to him in this time, so that we can see his glory manifested.

Deuteronomy, 8, beginning in verse 1. It says, "You shall be careful to do every commandment that I command you today so that you may live and multiply and enter and possess the lands that Jehovah swore to your fathers. And you will remember everything the way by which the Lord your God has brought you, these forty years in the desert to afflict you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments and he afflicted you and made you hungry and He sustained himself with manna, food that you did not know, nor did your fathers know it. To make you know that man will not live on bread alone, but man will live on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your garment has never grown old on you nor your foot has swollen in these 40 years, also recognize in your heart that as God punishes a man his son, that as a man punishes his son so Jehovah, your God, punishes you."

Father, in the name of Jesus we know that you are a Father who punishes with purpose, that you have your plan for us, I ask you to speak to us today in Jesus name, amen.

Punish... that's not a word I want to hear. Who wants punishment? Someone? Punishment in the Bible, in this use it is not a smack, because you have behaved badly. In this case, punishment is training, it is discipline, it is the punishment of the sergeant. How many have seen those boot camp movies? No? Or, how many perhaps have served in the military? And he knows that the sergeant stands in your face, and yells at you... he treats you badly, not to humiliate you, even if he humiliates you at the moment, but so that you are tough and strong so that when the moment of battle comes, you are prepared to fight and to be successful and to survive.

And our God is a father who knows very well how to raise his children and He uses everything in life, especially times of scarcity and trials to form us. The best gold, where is it purified? In the fire. The coal is pressed to make the diamond that God has for us, that we be these diamonds. God made Israel go through the desert, not because he was cruel, not because he was bad, but to teach them something.

I want you to know that 'man shall not live by bread alone, but man shall live by everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord.' I want you to know very well where your livelihood comes from, so that when you enter the promised land and you already have the job and the money and the house, and you are already prosperous, don't forget where you came from, don't forget where the provision came from in your life, right?

We have seen prosperity in this church, we have seen people arrive with nothing, their lives in a mess, in rubble. They know the Lord, they come to the front and cry here and they are prayed for and the demons fly away, they are released, they receive anointing from the Holy Spirit and they begin to say to themselves, I am no longer a victim, I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. I am a new creature in Christ and they begin to feel, I don't know… strengthened, not proud, but they feel good about themselves. They walk steadier, have a more confident smile because they know they are new in the Lord. And they start to think who says that I can't take a discipleship class, yes you can, I'm going to try to do it. And it is done and graduated. Who says I can't learn English? … and starts learning English. Who says that I have to settle for the educational level I have? …and they start studying and get their GED, their bachelor's and their master's degrees. And they buy houses and their life improves in every aspect, because the spiritual results in material transformation as well.

But after all that transformation, what is the danger? What is forgotten

And that we began to think, 'wow look what I did,' and we as a church are in diapers, brothers, well, I wouldn't say diapers, I would say we are pre-adolescent, you know, maybe pre-teen. We are 25 years old but we are, we are not babies but we are not yet young adults either, we are like teenagers, but God wants to bring us to maturity, he wants to prosper us, he wants to bless us. But, for that, he wants to test us.

And we are part of a special generation in the life of Congregación León de Judah. We are part of a generation that in the desert God is going to test us and see if we trust that He can draw water from the rock. That He can put a column of fire to guide us at night and a cloud in the day to give us shade. If the clothes are not going to age, if there is going to be manna every morning, without us saving for tomorrow. God is going to test us and when we enter into the greatness of what God has for us we will know that it is not because of our strength, it is because our God is faithful and that it is He who gives us sustenance, it is He who takes small people and makes you walk great in Him.

God calls us, God tests us and brothers, if you are living a personal desert and I believe that everyone lives it at one time or another, it can be something in terms of finances and financial provision. It could be a relationship in life that is dry and you don't see the solution of where the resolution is going to come in your family or emotional life. It may be a personal problem that you have and you don't know how you are going to get out of it. You've tried a thousand times to quit smoking or I don't know what and it's hard. Did you know? God wants to tell you something.

The desert seems to be eternal but it is not. It is a prelude as this life is a prelude, the desert is a prelude to the promised land. What happens in the desert stays with us for the rest of our lives. It is there that we see that our God is great and strong and powerful and there are testimonies to share. And there we entered conquering the promised land knowing my God has been faithful to me.

You know that last night, leaving an event, I saw in the sky, I don't know if you have seen this star that has been in the sky since December, I am stupid with astronomy, so I don't know. I guess it's not a star, it's a planet or something like that, I don't know. But how beautiful, my son says "Star! Moon! Star!" He looks at it, it is there, it is a beautiful star, an impressive star and I felt the Lord tell me, there are hidden stars in this congregation that are going to begin to rise at this time, they are still perhaps overshadowed by some clouds, but they are not going to To continue like this the skies will clear up and there are some stars that you don't see now, perhaps they passed through here but you don't know them, they are going to begin to shine in Christ. But now they are overshadowed, they are going through the desert, but you know what, our God looks at them and knows them by name. He looks not only at what they are but at the potential they have for the future.

And there we go, there we go brothers. Stars guiding many to justice as Daniel says, like stars shining in the firmament. Brothers, God calls you to shine like this. He calls you, but we have to say yes. Sir, I am willing to go through your training, which is much more than a class, it is all the desert that you want for me and I am going to come out of it a marine, a sailor with a well-dressed uniform with those medals and I am going to walk with healthy pride because I will have gone through the fire and I will come out on the other side. Brothers, this is for you. God calls you, knows you by name, knows what you are experiencing and you will reach the other side because our God walks with us. Amen.

Let's stand up, let's pray. I invite Pastor Omar, or others will administer the prayer so go ahead.

I present before you all this people, Lord. I thank you for each of the men and women, Lord Jesus, who we celebrate as you have passed from one level to another in your discipleship, Lord, and thank you for all those who will come even more. And also, Lord Jesus, in a special way we thank you for the deserts of our life, Lord. Father, because although we know that these are difficult times, we can declare with faith and certainty that you do not abandon us, Lord Jesus, but that you are there as a cloud by day guiding us, and with a pillar of fire also at night, in the dark nights of our lives.

You are there to mark the step that we must follow, you are the one who makes water sprout from the rock, you are the one who sends manna from heaven, Lord, in the moments that we least expect it, Lord Jesus, when we think that we are most alone we are, in some way or another you let us know and let us understand that you are there, that you are in control, that you are guiding each of our steps, Lord. That if there are two footprints that we see left in the sand, they are yours because you carry us loaded in your arms, Lord Jesus.

So my God, I pray that none of us forget the way in which your work is ministered in the midst of our lives. Do not allow that when we reach wealth, when we reach power, when we can reach the jobs, the education, the degrees that we can have, Lord, deliver us from thinking that we have been able to achieve it by our own strength. Rather, with all humility we can recognize that we have done it because of the strength that you give us, because of the wisdom that you give us, because of the resources that you have brought into our hands so that we can achieve it like this.

So, Lord, I declare your blessing on each one of your sons and daughters at this moment, Lord, this afternoon. Whatever their desert, whatever their situation, Lord, I declare your blessing on each one of them, on their families, on their jobs, on their schools, my God, on their universities, on their homes, my God, wherever they may be. They go. Wherever they are, I declare your blessing, your blessing as Father, that of your son Jesus, that of your Holy Spirit, our comforter who guides us into all truth. I declare your blessing on your sons and daughters this afternoon.

Take us well, Lord Jesus, wherever we go after leaving this place, take us well, with your blessing, Lord Jesus, and that we can continue meditating on these words so that we can continue growing to the height that you call us to be able to reach. I thank you for this people, Lord, and upon them give them your peace, your Shalom, your blessing. In the name of your son Jesus. Amen. And Amen. Greet each other my brothers, extend the peace of God, go ahead the Lord, to the brothers who see us on the Internet, many blessings, go ahead all in the name of Jesus.