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.

Praying the Sermon on the Mount – On Lust and Oaths-

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©Katie Lloyd Photography. Used with permission.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Matthew 5: 27-37

Father of All Graces, I come to you in Jesus’ name with a grateful heart for all your goodness, and all the benefits with whom you have crowned our days.

Lord, forgive me when I lust after the things that this world offers me, and when in my foolishness I even try to pursue them leaving aside the path of holiness. Right hands and right eyes are no longer right if they lead us wrong, and how many times I have gone wrong!

You are King over all, please, I pray, stretch your scepter over the realm of my inward lusts. Help me to guard my mind with your Word, so that I will not allow any sinful thought to remain there, and grow and be made manifest in the flesh. Help me to battle against all sin the moment it starts playing in mind. Help me, Lord! Make me pure.

Help me to put away those things, those friends, those books, that music, that __________ which I know always leads me into sin. Help me to love you more than the sin within in me. Help me remember that to be cast into hell is too great a risk to run, merely to indulge the evil eye of lust or curiosity.

Father, let you Word be always my law. No matter how much our civil laws change, no matter how many Scriptures people twist, let me always be faithful to to your Word.  Your laws are perfect from the beginning; help me as I meditate on your Word to love it more than life. More than my own “wants.”

Lord, let my words be always true, let my words be whole, complete, truthful, always in agreement with your Word and my conduct -among the saints and those around me that still don’t know you- Help me, O Father, to speak the truth in every utterance of my lips.  I pray that character and conduct  be such that all acquainted with me will have the assurance that my word is my bond. I pray that my communications will be all  “yea” in the promise and “yea” in the performance, so that there will be no need for me to appeal to God in witness of my veracity. Let my ordinary speech, my day-to-day conversation be pleasant to you and to those who hear me.

And in this age of technology in which we write our profiles, we define who we are, let us be whole, always true to You. Help us be the same person, ruled by the same God, behind the screen and in the kitchen. May our lives, all of them, be pleasant to you, Oh Father.

I pray this in the name of Jesus, my Savior and King,

Amen.

Becky

 Note: All the phrases in italics are not mine, I took them from C.H. Spurgeon’s commentary on Matthew and from Arthur W. Pink’s commentary on the Sermon on the Mount.

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What I Will Be Listening During December

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These are my favorite Christmas albums, and I will be listening to them all day, every day during December.

Behold the Lamb of God, by Andrew Peterson

Joy: An Irish Christmas by The Gettys

Three traditional Christmas songs that Sandra McCracken recorded in her kitchen.

The Word Became Flesh, “a musical interpretation and celebration of the incarnation of the Son of God. The biblical narrative from creation through the fall to redemption is retold as familiar hymns, Christmas carols, and new choral pieces are performed, resulting in an epic presentation of salvation that resonates in mind and heart.”

Veni Emmanuel:  Ancient & Traditional Latin Christmas Carols (Classical Academic Press).

O Come, Emmanuel by David Nevue

I also love to listen to Kenny G. He has recorded many great Christmas songs, hymns, and carols.

Mary Selby recorded a beautiful song for the season, Out of Heaven, and I am loving it!

What will you be listening this season? Any song/ album you think I am absolutely missing? Please, share!

Happy Advent, friends!

Let the world rejoice, our Savior has come!

Becky

As For Me, I Will Meditate on Your Precepts.

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If you need encouragement to purposely meditate on God’s Word, please read Psalm 119 -today-.

I have been reading it and the more I read it and the more I consider it, I keep seeing that there really is no other way to meditate on God’s Word all day if we are not purposely doing something about it. It has to happen in real time. And how do we do it?

We could carry verses in our purses, inn our car, put them on the fridge, or hang them on our walls, and then we should not forget that they are there, but instead it would be good if we could make halts during the day to read and consider them, and pray them and then, live them while driving through the busy streets, or the moment we cook breakfast, or when we explain Math to our children or talk with them about their future, or when we are at Starbucks having coffee with our friends, or the times when we are with our husband in our room with the door closed.

Or we could also start (or continue) memorizing the Scriptures. This is a perfect way to meditate on the Scriptures all day; and yes, it is challenging, but so rewarding!

Consider what the Psalmist says, and after reading each verse ask yourself, “What am I purposely doing to -keep, seek, meditate, etc… ?”

 

“Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with his whole heart…” (v.2)
“I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.” (v.7)
“With my whole heart I seek you,
let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I may not sin against you.”  (v.10-11)
“With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.” (v.13)
“I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your Word” (v.15-16)
“Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.” (v.24)
” [I] find my delight in your commandments,
which I love.
I will lift up my hands toward your
commandments, which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.” (v.47-48)
“When I think of your rules from old,
I take comfort, O LORD.” (v.52)
“When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies.” (v.59)
“…as for me, I will meditate on your
precepts.” (v.78b)
“I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have given me life.” (v.93)
“Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.” (v.97)
“Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.” (v.105)
“You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word.” (v.114)
“I open my mouyh and pant,
because I long for your commandments.” (v.131)
“I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.
My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.” (v.147-148)
“Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.” (v.165)

Let us encourage one another to abide in the Word.

Under His sun and by His grace,

Becky

*Please, feel free to download the image on this post for your personal usage (including your blog). I just ask that you don’t modify it and link to this blog. Thanks.

Ripped Jeans and Pearls

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“The White Tablecloth” oil on Canvas, by Henri Eugene Augustin Le Sidaner

White long tablecloth,
Men wearing ties and jackets.
Women with high-heels and black dresses
And all looking at the door…

He is wearing ripped jeans,
A baseball cap,
A colorful t-shirt.
She is wearing a grey dress,
And pearls around her neck.

His frame is flimsy,
So is hers.
He is in his late twenties,
She is in her seventies.
He has an iPhone in his hand,
She has a cane.

We all gawk in disbelief.
He takes his seat first,
She is trying to manage
Her cane, her purse, the chair.
He doesn’t bother to help,
He is lost in his phone.

She asks for a glass of water, “No ice, please.”
He asks for a glass of wine, red. “Cabernet.”
She orders a salad, “No salt, please.”
He orders a steak, “With extra blue-cheese.”

She is bended.
So is he.
She tries to show herself strong,
He doesn’t care to be weak.

She grew up chanting,
“I am a woman,
I am strong,
I can conquer,
I need no man,
Not even my son.”

He grew up believing her.

He drinks his wine,
And puts in his mouth the last bite of her salad.
She drinks her water.
He asks for the bill.
She pays it in full.

Becky

Praying the Sermon on the Mount -On Anger and Reconciliation-

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A Grace that All Can Understand

 

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”
Jesus

Father, thank you for your word, for the wonderful gift that it is to have it, to be able to open it and read it, and meditate on it and be transformed by its power. Thank you, Lord.

These words that you said for us to take heed, are hard words in deed. Sometimes we live a relaxed life full of grace, without paying attention to words like these, words that call us to live in grace a more demanding life of love.

I ask you forgiveness for the words that have come out from my mouth and have hurt others.
Forgive me for the times in which I have been so angry at my children, at my husband, at my brothers and sisters that I reacted in a sinful way against them.
Forgive me, Father, for those times when I have left people hurting without asking for their forgiveness.
Forgive me for the lie that many times I have believed, the lie that says that “it is not my place to seek for a way to make a reconciliation happen.”
Forgive me when I forget that it is blessed to be a peace-maker,
and remind me that peace making is not passive,
that it always moves towards making every effort to live peaceably with others.

Father, remind me that the best offering, the best gift I can bring to you is a heart that knows how to ask for forgiveness, and how to forgive.

Don’t ever let me forget, O Lord, how much you have forgiven me.
How it was you seeking out to me.
How Jesus, on the cross, reconciled to Himself all things whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Help me live a live full of grace, Lord.

To you be the glory forever and ever,

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Becky