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.

>A Solid Ground for Expecting Good Things to Come

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>Thursday of Borrowed words is here and this month we have been meditating on Heaven; today the borrowed words come from one of my favorite writers, J.C. Ryle. 

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”       John 14:3

“A solid ground for expecting good things to come.

The evil heart of unbelief within us is apt to rob us of our comfort about heaven. “We wish we could think it was all true.” – “We fear we shall never be admitted into heaven”- Let us hear what Jesus says to encourage us.

One cheering word is this -“I go and prepare a place for you”. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people: a place which we shall find Christ Himself has made ready for true Christians. He has prepared it by procuring a right for every sinner who believes to enter in. None can stop us, and say we have no business there. He has prepared it by going before us as our Head and Representative, and taking possession of it for all the members of his mystical body. As our Forerunner He has marched in, leading captivity captive, and has planted His banner in the land of glory. He has prepared it by carrying our names with Him as our High Priest into the Holy of Holies, and making angels ready to receive us. They that enter heaven will find they are neither unknown nor unexpected”

Day by Day with J.C.  Ryle
A New Daily Devotional  of Ryle’s Writings
 

>Octavius Winslow’s Book -Help Heavenward- Chapter 9- and few other links-

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>I am having a busy day here, but I encourage you to read Matthew Blair’s summary on chapter 9 of this excellent book by Octavius Winslow, Help Heavenward (read it here.)

Help Heavenward Chapter 9

And if you have time please read an excellent and very important post by Diane at Theology for Girls, entitled Discernment and the Elect Lady.

Theology for Girls

Lastly a quote from one of my dearest friends, Elizabeth,

“It’s common to want a quick fix, a cure for getting your troubled soul out of hock… But there’s no greater balm for sin than the cross of Christ, where does flow a bloody tide of forgiveness; removing wrath and pain, filling with peace and joy.”

Have a most blessed day dear friends,

>Gratitude Is Not the Way to God

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>I have thinking about gratitude and its place in the life of every Christian; and as I search the Scriptures, I find no place to support that having a grateful heart will lead us to God or will affirm our walking with the Lord. The only way to God the Father is Jesus Christ and this way is only open when we repent from our sins.

If we don’t repent from our sins, if we don’t see our desperate need for God every day, we can have the longest gratitude list ever, we could fill pages and pages on a journal and yet not be saved. Having a grateful heart is not even listed among the fruit of the Spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law”             Gal. 5:21- 23

Neither on the list of virtues listed on 1 Peter 1 which Paul gives to remind us that “if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”:

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

The 1st Epistle of John was written so that we could use it as a “guide” a “test” to examine if we are are truly walking in the Lord (2:2; 5:13), and nowhere, not even once in all the Epistle, having a grateful heart is listed among the marks of a true Christian.

The Bible doesn’t teach us that having a grateful heart is a sign of a true believer. There are many, many, many pagans walking with a grateful heart out there. (In fact, did you know that a “grateful attitude” is an absolute important part of the people who practice yoga?)

Gratefulness doesn’t draw us closer to God according to the word of God; instead, the Bible teaches us that being close to God will make us grateful.

Being grateful, dear sisters, is not what precedes the miracle. What precedes the miracle is the work of the Spirit in our hearts drawing us to Him. Convicting us from our sins. Breaking our pride and will. Gratitude in the life of a Christian woman is nothing else but the natural response of a person who knows that she does not deserve to eat at the Master’s table and yet she is invited to join the feast.

Gratitude is what follows the miracle.

We give thanks not because we expect a miracle, we give thanks for the miracles that surround us. For the graces that we have and for all those that will come because the greatest miracle has already occurred, we have been given a new heart, a heart of flesh that is willing to bow low and recognize that from God’s hand we receive everything that comes to our lives, whether we like it or not.

James Smith (1800’s) said it well,

“True Christian love is grateful love. We love him — because he first loved us. The loving Christian is always grateful. Where there is much love — there is much gratitude. When filled with love — we praise God for every drop, for every crumb. Our smallest mercies appear large, and God gets thanks then — for that which is scarcely acknowledged at another time.”

Gratitude to God just as our love to God, is a response to Him. We give our love and our thanks to God because He already performed the miracle in us. Because He changed us, because He opened our eyes to see we see clearly that He has given much and we don’t deserve any of it.

I keep a list, I count His mercies to train myself, to subdue my prideful heart, to remind my soul of its duty to praise God. I give thanks because I need to remind myself that I am a slave redeemed by Jesus’ blood to give glory to His name. I give thanks because when I see the life God has given me, I see nothing but mercies, endless mercies.

I bow low and give thanks today….

1226. Being a slave of Christ.

1227. Having eyes to see that all I have, all that I am is because of Him, the Author and Perfecter of my faith.

1228. I am grateful, Lord, for the Word, our sure hope.

1229. Thank you, Lord, for the birds, how you provide food for them and as I watch them, I am reminded of your faithfulness.

1230. A place to worship God with brothers and sisters in Christ who love your Word.

1231. Little hands holding mine.

1232. The life of Persis, a faithful woman, who trusts in God’s sovereignty and is has been an encouragement to me.

1233. A Kindle with many books to read.

1234. My husband’s wisdom.

1235. A call to persevere in prayer.

1236. Summer fruit.

1237. Beauty to hold, vibrant colors, the wonderful creation of God.

1238. Two new turtles and a happy girl.

1239. Dad and little one out in a date.

1240. Reading glasses.

1241. A camera to capture those moments that make our days. (even though this week, I didn’t use very much!)

1242. Planning a great idea with my blogging friends for you. Yes for you… (wait until April!)

1243. Having a son who loves to converse for hours with me.

1244. A homemade notebook. (sorry… no pics. yet)

1245. My memory Moleskine.

1246. This place.

What are you grateful for today?

May you find today joy in Him alone (not only in His gifts!)

>A Word of Forgiveness -On the Lord’s Day-

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This Lent season I am reading the book, The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross by Arthur W. Pink and on this Lord’s Day I would like to invite you consider with me what these words teach us.

“In praying for His enemies, not only did Christ set before us a perfect example of how we should treat those who wrong and hate us, but He also taught us never to regard any as beyond the reach of prayer. If Christ prayed for His murderers, then surely we have encouragement to pray now for the very chief of sinners! Christian reader, never lose hope… Learn, then, not to look on any as beyond the reach of prayer”

“That Christ should make intercession for His enemies was one of the items of the wonderful prophecy found in Isaiah 53. This chapter tells us at least ten things about the humiliation and suffering of the Redeemer. It declared that He should be despised and rejected of men; that He should be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; that He should be wounded, bruised, and chastised; that He should be led, unresistingly, to slaughter; that He should be dumb before His shearers; that He should not only suffer at the hands of man but also be bruised by the Lord; that He should pour out His soul unto death; that He should be buried in a rich man’s tomb; and then it was added, that He would be numbered with transgressors; and finally, that He should make intercession for the transgressors. Here then was the prophecy-“and made intercession for the transgressors”; there was the fulfillment of it-“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” He thought of His murderers; He pleaded for His crucifiers; He made intercession for their forgiveness.”

“Sin is always sin in the sight of God, whether we are conscious of it or not. Sins of ignorance need atonement just as truly as do conscious sins. God is Holy, and He will not lower His standard of righteousness to the level of our ignorance. Ignorance is not innocence. As a matter of fact, ignorance is more culpable now than it was in the days of Moses. We have no excuse for our ignorance. God has clearly and fully revealed His will. The Bible is in our hands, and we cannot plead ignorance of its contents except to condemn our laziness. God has spoken, and by His Word we shall be judged… And yet the fact remains that we are ignorant of many things, and the fault and blame are ours. And this does not minimize the enormity of our guilt. Sins of ignorance need the divine forgiveness as our Lord’s prayer here plainly shows. Learn, then, how high is God’s standard, how great is our need, and praise Him for an atonement of infinite sufficiency, which cleanseth from all sin.”

May God help us to forgive and pray and never lose hope.

Read over at my photography blog today about The Key to Bible Study

Over at Rebecca Writes, you will find every Sunday great hymns, sermon notes and prayers.

And some words worth reading today… Let Every Man be Slow to Tweet. (HT. Hiraeth)

>-P2R Week 11- Signs of a True Believer and Those Credentials that Don’t Impress God.

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Week 11 :: Philippians 3:1-6

1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.
To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers,
look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
3 For we are the circumcision,
who worship by the Spirit of God
and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also.
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;
as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

– Philippians 3:1-6

 We just finished week 11 of the P2R project! I am so excited, it has been a great blessing and a  challenge. It has been like finding a gem, one that for so long I heard that could be mine and I didn’t go get it. Working through the habit of memorizing a whole book of the Bible, has made a great impact in my life.

Studying this week’s I learned many things but one particular lesson, is that when we commit to study and memorize all of God’s Word, when we enter into the discipline of memorizing a whole book, we will find ourselves chewing, meditating on passages that we would never to choose to study in depth otherwise, and are full of wisdom from above.

Some of the things I learned while studying these verses (reading MacArthur’s commentary)  are these:
Signs of true believers:

1. True believers rejoice in the Lord (3:1)

“Joy persists in the face of weakness, pain, suffering, even death (cf. James 1:2). Biblical joy produces a deep confidence in the future that is based on trust in God’s purpose and power. It results in the absence of any ultimate fear, since the relationship on which it is based is eternal and unshakeable (cf. Ps.16:11; John 16:22). Nor is it a humanly produced emotion; that Paul commands it shows that rejoicing is an act of the will in choosing to obey God. The result is a supernaturally produced emotion, the fruit of walking in the Spirit (Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22). Thus, rejoicing marks true believers”

2. True believers exercise discernment. (v.3: 1b-2)

“His strong and direct warning implies another distinguishing mark of true believers: their ability to discern. No one can be saved who does not understand the fundamental truths of the gospel (Rom. 6:17; 10:14, 17). But since discernment, like faith, needs to grow and mature, pastors and elders must warn the church of false teachers (Eph. 4:11–14). Thus, for Paul to write the same things again was no trouble to him, because it was a necessary safeguard for the Philippians. False teachers, proclaiming salvation through ritual, ceremony, and legalism, posed a serious threat to them. Safeguard (asphals) literally means not to trip, stumble, or be overthrown.”

3. True believers worship in the Spirit. (3:3)

“The first quality of a genuine believer is a heart that overflows with worship. The origin of that worship is supernatural, since the Spirit of God generates it. It involves adoration and praise to God, and transcends outward rituals or ceremonies. Humans are inveterate worshipers. But worship prompted by culture, tradition, guilt, fear, desire for acceptance and popularity, or to gain blessings is unacceptable to God. The indwelling Holy Spirit prompts true and acceptable worship out of love for the Lord. Since He only indwells Christians (Rom. 8:9), only they can truly worship their Savior”

4. True worshipers glory in Christ Jesus (3:3b)

“True Christians give credit for all they are and have to the Lord Jesus Christ… In contrast false believers “boast according to the flesh” (2Cor. 11:18), believing that their good works and religious activities earn them favor with God.”

5. True Worshipers put no confidence in the flesh. (3:3c)

“The flesh represents man’s fallen, unredeemed humanness; it pictures human ability apart from God. Unlike the “many {who} boast according to the flesh” (2Cor. 11:18), true Christians put no confidence in it… Therefore, it is a distinguish characteristic of the redeemed that they “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit'”


Then Paul lists seven credentials, characteristics, achievements, privileges and rights that do not impress God:

1. Salvation is not by ritual (3:5a)

2. Salvation is not by race. (3:5b)

3. Salvation is not by rank (3:5c)

4. Salvation is not by tradition (3:5d)

5. Salvation is not by religion (3:5e)

6. Salvation is not by sincerity (3:6a)

“Paul was sincere, but wrong. The world is full of people who, like him, are sincere in their religious beliefs. They will make any effort, pay any price, and sacrifice anything in their attempts to please God. They may be devout, orthodox Jews, loyal Roman Catholics who attend mass regularly, or even Protestants who are involved in church services and ceremonies. They may pray, fast, or live in poverty, and seek to do human good. but religious zeal guarantees nothing. Those people can be absolutely wrong. When Paul faced the reality of Jesus christ, the zealous persecutor of the church realized that his misguided zeal was a spiritual killer and belonged in the spiritual loss column”

7. Salvation is not by legalistic righteousness. (3:6b)

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I encourage you today,  dear friend, choose one Epistle, get a commentary on that Epistle and start memorizing and studying it today. You will find a  precious gem that you will sure treasure forever in your heart.

>The Sovereignty of God in Our Marriages -and my sin-

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>I enjoy the long conversations my sister and I have on Skype. She is a godly woman and  a great teacher to me. I am so grateful for her life.

I want to invite you to be part of a recent conversation we had about God’s Sovereignty in our marriages and our sin. Yes, it is Friday, so get a cup of coffee and join us.

We know God is Sovereign, if we don’t believe that, then we are in big trouble; because the True God is Sovereign indeed!

Now, why is it so hard at times to live our lives under the sun trusting that HE IS INDEED SOVEREIGN? If we believe that God is sovereign (and He is indeed) then He is sovereign over our marriage life too.

What does this mean? It means, dear sister, that all the struggles you and I have to face in our marriages are allowed by God. He is the one who is permitting them to happen.  I am blessed to have a godly husband, but that doesn’t mean that we never have struggles. We (my sister and I) have talked lately on how we often miss the mark when struggles and differences in our marriage come to our lives. Instead of seeing them as instruments of God to sanctify us, we stop seeing Him all Sovereign and start to fight on our own flesh. At this point we are already sinning.

If we are mature Christians we should start dealing with the difficulties in our marriages from a different perspective.

First, let us recognize that God is Sovereign and that all these struggles are allowed by God only to deal with us, to sanctify us, and that at the end they will be good for us. Isn’t He, our Heavenly Father, the one who knows what’s best  for His children?

Secondly, just think how different things would be if in the very moment a struggle arises, we would take a second  before we say any word to see God’s hand allowing it.  What if we would recognize that this struggle is just another opportunity God is giving US to deal with a sin in our own heart?  What if we would stop seeing our husband’s sin and start seeing our own sin in the middle of the struggle?  I am sure we’ll start growing more in His grace.

Any thoughts of yours?