Author Archives: Becky Pliego

About Becky Pliego

I am grateful because God, in His grace, called me out of darkness and into his admirable light. When I did not look for Him, He found me. When I was in a pit of sin, He rescued me. I am not walking this road alone, my family is always with me, and we love Him, because He loved us first.

Daniel’s Prayer

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The Prophet Daniel, Michelangelo Buonarroti

Daniel was reading Jeremiah and the inspired words he read brought him to his knees in prayer.

Now I read what Daniel, under the inspiration of God wrote, and I am brought to my knees in prayer.

God speaks through His Word, and I respond in prayer; and yet, some times, like Daniel, my response should be accompanied with fasting.

I read and I pray, I read and I see my sin and repent, I read and I find promises and I find rest.

We kept on reading at the family table the book of Daniel, my son knew I love this chapter and asked Dad if I could read it. I did, and I found in his prayer, my prayer.

“Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” (Ch 9:16-20 ESV)

Jesus had not come yet, however, Daniel, through the Holy Spirit knew why he could present himself  before the Almighty God in prayer. It was not because of his own righteousness; he knew this would be impossible, but because of God’s  great mercy, because he had been called by God’s name. This was the ground on which he stood firmly before a Just and Righteous God.

We can come to God, to our Father, because of Jesus’ name; if He has called you by your name, if you have heard his voice, do not delay your coming to Him in prayer; find His voice in the Scriptures, pray, see your heart in the light of the Word of God, and repent of your sins. His mercies are new today, His grace never ends, He is delighted in hear us calling on His name.

While Daniel was still praying, the Lord sent an angel to assure him that his prayer had been answered, that he was greatly loved!

An angel will not come to us anymore. We have  now a greater assurance that our prayer has been heard, we have Jesus’ precious words:

“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”         John 16: 23.24 ESV

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”     Matthew 7:7-10 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”     Mark 11:24 ESV

  “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”     John 14: 13- 14 ESV

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 ESV 

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”      John 15:16 ESV

May you hear his voice today through the reading of His Word and fall on your knees in prayer, to find His grace and never ending mercy.

Take God’s Word with you, Praying God’s Promises @ Challies
Read it Very Much, a great article by George Müller, find it at Penned Pebbles.

Keeping up Family Worship

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It is the husband’s responsibility to lead the family worship, however, we, wives,  are called to be his perfect helpmate.

How can I help my Beloved with this task?

I can help him by preparing our home, our children, the room, the table. Just as the Shunamite prepared her home to receive the servant of the Lord, Elisha, with a bed and a table, a stool and a candlestick. (2 Kings 4:10), so we need to prepare our home for our family worship.

While our husband is away toiling and fighting against thorns and thistles, what are we doing to receive him and have everything ready for our family worship? Is our home in peace or our husband walks through the door only to find out complaints and bitterness? As he walks through the door, what are the first words he hears from me, sweet words of life or words that taste bitter and are hard to swallow?

We ought to prepare the heart of our home, as well as the table and candlestick.

Let us have all the Bibles ready; let us make sure that all the children have whatever our husband wants them to have at hand. We want to avoid all the unnecessary running around the house to find the one missing Bible or book. We should also have our little ones ready; I like to give my little one her night shower before our family worship, just because I do not want to feel “the pressure” of having to give her a shower when it is late! (You know how we, moms, choose to worry about simple things like this one!).

Some families like to make every reunion around the family table  memorable and special by lighting up some candles (nothing superstitious here, I am just talking about creating a beautiful ambiance); I love this idea, but it might not be the best option if you have little ones who would fall asleep! Ask your husband what would he prefer. My husband likes to turn on the lights after dinner so we can follow our Bible reading better.

Take a closer look at what you can do to prepare your home to receive your husband after a long day of toiling, and how you can help him direct a peaceful and joyous family worship.

Pictures taken at my friend’s home as she prepared her home for her family and guests. Thank you, my dear friend, for your kind hospitality. I love you!

I am Craving…

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The Skating Minister by Sir Henry Raeburn

After visiting the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, my husband and I ate lunch at their café. I have this saying “Your visit to the museum isn’t over until you have visited the shop and the café”

In the cafe, after a long morning walking and walking we were hungry and tired; I ordered the best baked  Mac and Cheese ever. It was prepared with an aged white Cheddar and I could taste in it some white wine. As you can imagine, I am craving it right now, so I am looking for the best recipe, I already found this one , but then it occur to me that maybe it is YOU  who have the best recipe… if so, would you share it with us here?

Have a joyous dinner.

Desires and Prosperity

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You have read your Bible over and over again, day after day and suddenly one verse pops out as if it had never been there, have you experienced this? Well, this I read in Proverbs for the “first time” yesterday…

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied”.
Proverbs 13: 4 (ESV)

We know how Proverbs teaches us to be diligent in all work, but here it is talking about the matters of our soul.

I read biographies of godly women, I see the life of many others in our day, and they inspire me to grow in my sanctification, but there is ONE thing all these women have in common, they desired, they longed to grow in the Lord and were not sluggards regarding their spiritual state, they were diligent in pursuing their sanctification.

I have forgotten to work on a new Bible verse to memorize, I have not always been diligent in guarding the words of my mouth. I must again go to my Master’s feet and find his forgiveness and strength to walk diligently in the matters of my soul.

I found this at Grace Gems this morning and the author says what I have been meditating, but his words are better than mine:

“The points of contrast are many and striking. The “sluggard” has his religious “desires,” and nothing more. He would sincerely be saved, but makes no effort to get salvation. He would be religious, without real religion; pious, without true piety; claiming the fruit of godliness apart from the root of godliness; looking for the reward of labor, without the labor that secures the reward; expecting the conquest of sinful habits without the battle that ensures the victory: in a word, looking for heaven without taking one real step heavenward!”

 And please, do not misunderstand me, I am not thinking that one must do something in order to achieve salvation. God forbid. I believe salvation is only by grace through the faith, which is a gift from God. I am saying that many Christians, long and desire to be more holy, more like Jesus, many desire to swim in the ocean of His grace yet are sluggards. It is easier to sit and contemplate others in their journey,  longing to have their soul richly supplied and yet, they just sit back. No diligence, no gain, no victories, no satisfaction. No crown.

Regarding the soul of the diligent man, the author says,

“It is, too, the lesson of daily life and of our whole life. Each day should find us growing in an acquaintance with Christ; augmenting our stock of grace; strengthening the graces of our Christian character; and “increasing in the knowledge of God.” Nor is this diligence to terminate but with the termination of our Christian course. “We desire,” says the Apostle, “that every one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.” The necessity of watchfulness, earnestness, and perseverance in the things relating to our eternal future will exist until that future is reached.

The race we run, admits of no pause; the pilgrimage we travel, of no halting; the battle we fight, of no truce; the prize for which we compete, of no compromise. There is an end before us, and that end we must keep full in view. The Savior has said, “He that endures to the end shall be saved.” “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life that fades not away.”

This is what is in my heart today, what I am meditating upon, and so I start today a new day on my journey.

Please, if you have time, read the whole article on Spiritual Diligence here, and be encouraged.



Monday, a Time to Give Thanks.

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Today is gratitude Monday here at my blog. I like to write these posts on Sundays, I sit with my journal, I recall my week, I pray, I praise my King. I am grateful.

One of the favorite books I have as a prayer companion is A Method of Prayer, by Matthew Henry. He says concerning thanksgiving,

“Our errand at the throne of grace is not only to seek the favour of God, but to give unto Him the glory due unto His name, and that not only by an awful adoration of his infinite perfections, but by a grateful acknowledgment of his goodness to us…” (p.79)

I join the creation in praise and worship the Giver, my God.

712. Being back

713. Being able to homeschool my children. It is an undeserved calling.

714. Being able to read and teach.

715. School supplies, pens and pencils, notebooks and books, geometry sets and erasers, and the excitement of all of us.

716. New books to read and discover.

717. A Church.

718. Hymns.

719. Friends who teach me how to live by faith and not by sight.

720. God’s provision.

721.  Using Matthew Henry’s words here, I give thanks to my God because “he has made us reasonable creatures, capable of knowing, loving, serving, and enjoying him, and that He hath not made us like beasts that perish”  (ibid p. 82)

722. I thank my Heavenly Father because He has us hidden under His shadow. I thank Him for keeping us safe.

723. My sister’s endurance.

724. My parents’ health.

725. The  Word of God which is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

726. VHS cassettes, my family all tugged in my bed and hours of laughing and crying watching my children when they were little (13 years ago!)

757. Planning anther session of memories for the next weekend!

758. Having a full fridge.

759. Windows.

760. Running water.

761. Compassion.

762. Flowers and vibrant colors.

I pray that I won’t go this day without praising God in all I do. I pray that the Holy Spirit will help me live giving thanks in all things, at all times through Christ Jesus, Savior of my soul.

What are you grateful for today?

Churches are For Worshiping God

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It was here, Edinburgh, Scotland, where my heart broke in pieces to see this; a church turned into a cafe and arts center.

I walked in. My heart broke in pieces, I could not contain the tears, the fear, the anger, the sadness. It  seemed as if I was walking in one of those futurist novels, like those written by Bradbury or Orwell, yet it was real.

We are living, no doubt, in the Postmodern era.  This Reformed church like many others in the area (as we learned later), had not enough members any more, so there was not enough money  to maintain the beautiful building, and it had to be sold. The modern architects are turning them into cafes and very expensive apartments which young people find fascinating.

My heart cries and I pray for the members of the true Church of Christ, may His grace abound over us as we worship God together every Sunday.

May our bodies which are temples of the Holy Spirit, be holy and not defiled with sinful habits that corrupt our lives. May we not “sell” our bodies to the vanities of the world. May the Lord help us not to live with an outward appearance of a beautiful church building, but with a heart undefiled, that is not inclined to the idols of our world. Let us examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith.

Let us glorify God in our body today, and worship God with our whole being. Let us rejoice with our brothers and sisters as we worship together today our God and Father.

Under His shadow,