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.

Wrecked by Jeff Goins – My Review-

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I listened to the audio version of Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into your Comfortable Life by Jeff Goins, and I have to say that this was a hard book for me to review because I expected to be confronted with the gospel calling me to do the hard things that sometimes I dismiss because of my comfortable life. Instead, I found a good book that motivates the reader to help others, to go out and do the hard things for others that can only be done when we come out from our comfort zone but without pointing to the gospel (even though some verses are quoted and some missionary stories are told).

Jeff Goins, is a very good author and I appreciate that he is the one that recorded the audio version. His style is engaging and his passion to make us come out from our comfort zone to help others with compassion is clearly there. However, he says over and over again (in many different ways) that “we can find the satisfaction we have been searching for…”  by living a generous life. He says that it is “generosity that gives our life meaning.” The problem with this line of thought through this book, is that the author leads the reader into living a life that finds meaning, satisfaction, and fulfillment not in Jesus, not in the gospel, but in doing this and that for others. And please, don’t think that I am denying works (I firmly believe that faith without works is vain), I am just saying that I disagree with the author in that our meaning in life, our satisfaction, our fulfillment should come from how much we help others or not. We will always be short of “good works.”

If you are like me, drawn to this book by its title, and know that you have to move out from your comfort zone without ignoring the fact that sin is the cause of the needs in this world as well as of the lack of help we offer to those in need, then I would, sadly to say, not recommend you this book. I recommend you instead Aaron Armstrong’s book, Awaiting a Savior: A Christian Response to Poverty. If you just want to “help others to find yourself” (a phrase the author uses), to find meaning and fulfillment in your life, then this book is for you.

Becky

Disclosure: I received an copy of this audio book from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

 

Salt, Light, and the Fulfillment of the Law

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@Shiloh Photography

Yesterday was a long traveling day for us which was rewarded with lots of hugs at the airport, and a delicious dinner with our friends in NC. I am sure we’ll be flooded with many opportunities to give thanks to God this week as we enjoy the fellowship with our brothers and sisters here.

Yesterday I also learned how long traveling days, and long lines at the immigration post in Miami (2hrs of line) are perfect to catch up with your memorization project. So no complaints here.

Meditating on what it means to be salt of the world and light of the world has been good and challenging. Leslie has shared on her blog some thoughts that are important to consider on how salt can lose its taste and what it means to be trampled under people’s feet.

“[W]e Christians lose our saltiness when we bind ourselves to sin, when we sacrifice our purity and potency on the altar of pleasure and worldly pursuits.”

 

“I suppose the good news is that we are not trampled under God’s feet. Though worthless salt, we are still salt. But we are trampled under people’s feet when they see us caught in sin.”

The verses 17-18 of Matthew 5 are wonderful. As I repeat them and learn them, I am drawn, every time, to give thanks to Jesus for fulfilling the law. It is so powerful to understand all that is encompassed there! You can read a few articles from the Table Talk magazine to help you understand
this: here and here and here.

My friends, may God be glorified in us as we salt the earth and give light to those around us (starting at home) this week as we’ll have lots of opportunities to interact with our extended family and friends.  And let us be drawn to give thanks for the work of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.

Becky

Light Cannot Be Hidden

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©Katie Lloyd Photography

Light cannot be hidden
Unless we purposely hide it.
Unless we fool ourselves
Lighting a lamp,
And when no one is seeing
Finding a basket
To hide it under.

We fool ourselves,
Pretending that no one sees,
We sin in the dark
Trying to hide our light
Under our very own baskets.
Behind and under…
Screens
Words
Silence
Lies
Fears
Self-Esteem
Our own rights
Self-Righteousness
Masks

The weak flame in our lamp
Desperately searches for oxygen
To keep burning the oil,
To keep giving light.

Our sin suffocates it
But if God has kindled it
Not one,
Not me,
Not my sin,
Not my stubbornness,
Not my hidding,
Not my fears,
Nothing can put it out.

God is light
And His light
pierces all darkness.
My darkness.
And darkness cannot prevail
Against the Light.
And sin faces Light
And Light overcomes.

Light cannot be hidden.
The Light that has shone on me
That has pierced my darkness
Is real
Is true.
Is forever.

I don’t want to hide
My lamp.
I want to shine forth.
To live my life in the Light.
Like a city set on a hill,
Like a lamp in a house.
Shining brightly before men,
Piercing the pitch-dark night.

I don’t want to hide
My lamp.
I want to shine forth.
To do good works,
Those that the Father
Prepared for me to do,
Before the world began.
That all may see
His light shining on me
Through me,
And give glory to the Father of Lights,
In whom there are no shadows,
No darkness.
No sin.

 

****************************

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

 

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

 

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” James 1:16-18

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Eph. 2:8-10

Becky

Praying the Scriptures -Praying The Beatitudes-

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Gustave Doré, The Sermon on the Mount

Father in Heaven, I come to you in Jesus name, to thank you for calling me and making a way for me to come before you to hear you speak to me through your Word. Thank you, for opening your mouth to teach us how to live the Christian life and thank you for the grace you give us to live it out. Thank you because you did not leave us without a map, without clear instructions, without knowing where to go. Thank you because you has sent your Holy Spirit to be our Helper, our Counselor, our Teacher. Thank you, Lord.

Father, I pray that I will not forget how desolate is the condition of my heart without You. Help me to see, my need of you every day. Help me see, O Lord, my emptiness, my sin, how poor I am without your forgiveness, without your mercy. Lord, remind me always that it is not a good self-esteem what I need, but You mending my brokenness. I need you, Lord, to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

Father, we mourn for our losses. We have cried many times until we couldn’t cry anymore, we cried and our tears became our prayers because we could not utter any words. But God, how many times have I cried over my sin? Not many. O God, give me a repentant heart! Give me a heart that grieves when I sin. Give me a tender conscience that will not be OK, with the little sins in my daily life. Comfort me with your forgiveness, with the assurance of your salvation. And for our losses, and the pain, and the many tears, I thank you because we can also hope knowing that one day they will be no more. Oh, to know that one day you will wipe away all our tears!

Blessed are the meek… Lord, without you in my life it is impossible for me to be meek. For to be meek is to be humble, to be teachable, to be slow to anger and slow to speak. To be meek is to be willing to see and confess that I have wronged You and my beloved ones. To be meek is to wait on you without complaining, Lord, I cannot be meek apart from You. I need you so much, Lord!

Father, how easily we are deceived into thinking that we can satisfy our soul with many other things rather than your righteousness. When I don’t pray, when I don’t read your Word and then go off to live my daily life, I am making, without even noticing, a wider and deeper cistern that can hold no water. Help me, Lord, to seek you and you alone to provide for my deepest needs. Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love, Father. Draw me to you, every day, all day. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me first and foremost to you, my Rock. Draw me to your presence, to your Word where I can find Living Water so that I will thirst no more. O God, fill my cup, fill it until it overflows.  Father, I want to eat your Word, to taste and see how it is sweeter than the honey comb. I want to eat from the Bread of Life every day and be satisfied, and be truly blessed. Thank you for setting the table and for calling me to sit at your table not as a stranger, but as your dear child.

When I mutter, “Blessed are the merciful, because they shall receive mercy…” I think of how much mercy I have received from your hand. Every morning your mercies are new towards your people; every single morning you bless me with new mercies that flow from your Throne of Grace. Every morning I open my eyes and the first thing I taste is your mercy, your goodness. If I could only remember this as I live my life! Help me live a life of mercy. To be at all times merciful to my husband, my children, my friends, my neighbors, my enemies. Help me to give mercy to those whom I find hard to love. Help me, to give mercy in the same way that you have given it to me: endlessly and freely.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” I love to meditate on this beatitude, Lord. What an amazing promise you have given us!  And it is amazing because you have provided a way for us to have a pure heart so that we can see you. Thank you for giving us Jesus, who gave his own life for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify us for himself. Thank you because you cleanse us, because you give us new hearts. Thank you because you clothe us with robes of righteousness. Thank you because you no longer see our filthy sin, but Jesus in us. Thank you because we can live this life knowing that we shall indeed see you. Lord, I don’t want to forget this promise, not for a second: I shall see you and not perish, it is because of your grace that I have a pure heart, cleansed by the blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

You have cleansed my heart and make it pure so that I may have peace with you.While I was still a sinner, Lord, when I was still your enemy, you sent Jesus to pay the price for my sins, to carry my guilt and shame, to save me. Lord, when I did not love you, you loved me and drew me to you. Your call was irresistible, your grace amazing. You even made me your child! And now you call me to be a peacemaker, just like you. To love the unlovable, to forgive the unforgivable. To reach out and and as far as it depends on me, live peaceably with all, always overcoming evil with good, always giving acts of mercy and never revenge. Father, that the world may know us, your children, because of our efforts to live peaceably with one another. That the world may know that we are your children because of the love we have among ourselves, and the acts of mercy that we show to those who are in need.

Lord, when I consider that persecution for righteousness’ sake is a blessedness, I have to admit that I have many, many times neglected praying for my brothers and sisters that are being terribly persecuted around the world. In your Providence you have set my feet in a place, in a time, in a situation where fierce persecution is almost null, but let me never forget that it might come. It is my prayer that if it comes to my life, or to the life of my beloved ones, you will give us the strength, the endurance, that eternal vision of the reward that awaits for those you have chosen to suffer, so that we may never deny your Name.

I give you thanks, Father, because you hear the prayers of your own because of Jesus’ sake. Thank you, because you have shown us the way we should go. Thank you for your Word is your own breath and it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness the righteousness in my life I need to be blessed. Make me, O God, a complete woman, equipped for every good work.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Becky

The Time It Takes to Recite The Beatitudes

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This is how long it took me to recite The Beatitudes (including a few bumps!).  I guess I have no excuses not to keep on going.  I now know that I cannot say, “I have no time to memorize God’s Word.” or “It takes too much time, and I just don’t have it.”

I have discovered that what it really takes to memorize God’s Word, more than lots of extra time, is being intentional about it.


“It is my hope that you will discipline your mind to trade your thoughts for God’s. As you give your attention to His Word, He will meet you in unexpected places—amidst the laundry pile and the dish pile, in the car pool line and in the drive-through line. Your relationship with God will grow deeper and richer than you could ever have imagined. He will be your constant companion, your most intimate confidant.”

“Train your mind to run to God’s Word, daydreaming with His thoughts. Practice these verses throughout your day, whenever you can squeeze in forty seconds.”

Janet Pope, His Word in My Heart

If you wish to do so, please share with us how you did this first week by leaving a comment in the section below.

Blessings on your weekend, sisters.

Becky

The Sermon on the Mount -One Blessing After Another-

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“Memorizing entire books or passages will keep intact God’s succession of ideas, without interruption. Many individual verses, memorized out of context, can give a false meaning…”

“Memorizing entire books or passages will keep intact God’s succession of ideas, without interruption. Many individual verses, memorized out of context, can give a false meaning”

Janet Pope, His Word in my Heart


“When the Lord Jesus preached His famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, He began with the Beatitudes. Too many people read these as though they were a set of impossible hurdles. But Jesus was beginning His message as God loves to begin all His gospel work—with promises.

We are told in Scripture that the one who begins a good work in us will also be faithful to fulfill it. But we may also reason backwards—the one who will fulfill the good work is the one who began it. If He gives us the gift of seeing Himself, He also gives the gift of enabling us to be peacemakers. If He gives us the filling, He also gave us the hunger and thirst for righteousness to begin with.

This is the work that God gives us to do—that we believe in the one He has sent. The beginning, middle and end of all our duties is to trust in Him, to believe in Him, to rest in Him. Why? Because the just shall live by faith.”         Douglas Wilson

Becky

*Please feel free to download today’s image for your personal use.

More on this series:

A Project for the Busiest Months of the Year: Memorizing the Sermon on the Mount
Memorizing the Sermon on the Mount: A Printable Schedule