There Comes A Time

There comes a time in a Christian's, Minister's life when we have to take a stand. We always have to take a stand for God, but this is not what I am talking about. What I am talking about is, we have to take a stand for ourselves. We as Christians must be humble, patient, and kind. Too many times people take advantage of that. They see our humility, patience, and kindness as a weakness. I can assure you that it is not a weakness, and for those who try to take advantage of me will get another thing coming to you. There is only so much nonsense I will take before I just get up and leave. I have left before and I will leave again. I make no apologies, and I have no regrets. In ministry I am here to work, spread the gospel, and teach. I make no apologies for leaving because of the fact I left those who pushed me to the side, or have taken advantage of me. I have already lost too much in my life to allow anyone to take away my relationship with God. If in the end I only have my relationship with God and have been able to bring people to Christ so they can repent and have eternal life than it was all worth it. The world has nothing to offer me, and people have nothing to offer me. God is the only one who has anything to offer. Because of Jesus I have eternal life. I want that for everyone else just like God does. But just like Christ I will not force myself onto anyone. If you push Christ away He will leave. If you push me away I will leave. You make the choice.

Joshua 24:14-15

¹⁴ “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

 

 

Reflections

For those of you who are following my blog, that is if there is anyone following my blog, you know I try not to hold back. In my first blog ever I stated that wise men speak because they have something to say and foolish people speak because they just want to be heard. I stand by that statement 100%. People who really know me know that I am not an outspoken man. They know that I try to stay out of things unless it is necessary for me to really say something. I have found that as of late it has been more and more necessary for me to speak up. It is a shame that in a time where many profess to be Christians that not many speak out against the things against God. Satan has attacked me in more ways than I would like to count. It has been a rough patch for me but I know God will save and restore the things taken from me. I wish I didn't have to go through this. I wish that it was all over right now and everything was back to normal. While I doubt that it will be over and everything will be restored overnight I know that it will be restored. I just have to be patient and praise Him while I wait. Sometimes when I pray I tell God I have been patient enough. I scream to the sky demanding that everything be restored. The answer I get is "Wait and be patient, my grace is sufficient for you." But the question is, how much longer do I have to wait? I currently have God in a headlock and I refuse to let go until everything gets restored, and the blessings promised to me are released. I will be like Jacob holding on for dear life. God Bless you all. May God's Peace and Blessings Be Upon You All.

Our Journey

There is a journey that we are all on. There are two roads that you must choose from. To the left there is a wide open road. It is paved, well lit, and looks beautiful. It is straight, and there is a party on both sides of this road. To the right there is a smaller more narrow road. There is only one light source, it goes up hill, it is not paved, and there are more obstacles, and dangers on this road. Which road will you choose to go on? Well what if I told you that at the end of the road that is well lit leads to a dangerous place, and the more dangerous road leads to life and paradise. On the well lit road there are no rules, and the harder road has many rules but the benefits in the end are worth it. Which road will you choose? This is our journey in life. Today I see that many people have taken the easy road and are oblivious to the fact that they will end up in a dangerous place, or they know but choose to believe that the dangerous place does not exist. I chose the road that is dangerous. The one and only light on the road that I am on is Jesus Christ. While I have stumbled many times, my light has allowed me to get up and keep walking. While I have been attacked by many dangers, my light has allowed me to see those dangers and either fight, or flee to the safety of my light and the rock that is present on my journey. While many who said they were going to join me either abandoned me, turned back, or tried to drag me back, the road provided me with a rope to hold on to. The light and the rock provided me comfort in my loneliness, and the voice calling my name at the end of this road give me strength, a reason and purpose to continue moving forward. Are you on the same road with me? or are you on the first road? Have you decided to fight alongside me and continue on this road? or have you decided to run away and go to the first road because it looked so much better? What is your choice on this journey that we call life?

Joshua 24:15

¹⁵ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I Have A Dream Speech Video Click Here
I Have A Dream Speech File Click Here

So this coming Monday is MLK's birthday. Normally I stay away from speaking about him. Not because I don't agree with him, because I do. Not because I am racist because number one I am Hispanic and number two my wife is black. No I normally stay away from saying anything because a lot of people already do. Many times I do not know what to say that hasn't already been said. MLK was a great man of God who stood up and spoke up on what was wrong. He was a man of God that was committed to God's work.  He spoke up about the wrong things being done in America. He was speaking out against segregation. He had a righteous anger when he saw the wrong that was being done and he did something about it. As a minister I can only say he was Christ-like. When Jesus saw that they turned the temple into a marketplace. When He saw the disrespect that was being shown towards God's temple He took the tables and turned them over. He drove the sellers out of the temple. Sometimes as Christians we have to get mad and do something. Jesus at the time was thought of as a radical. MLK at the time was thought of as a radical, and when we speak up for God and show the world that we will defend the gospel we will be thought of as radicals. We are in good company. Jesus showed love and mercy to His followers and His enemies. MLK showed love and mercy to his supporters and enemies. We must do the same. People will say "But Jesus is God." true but He was also man. MLK was also a man who showed love and compassion while preaching the truth. Regardless of whether we agree or disagree on certain issues covering America today we must always remember to have love and compassion for one another. When I leave this earth I want people to see that I was a man after God's own heart and showed love and compassion towards mankind no matter if I agreed or disagreed with their view point. When I leave this earth I want to enter the gates of heaven and have the Father say unto me. "Job Well Done My Son." In order for us to do that we must first repent for we are all sinners. Once we repent we must remember Jesus said that we must love God with all our hearts and we must love our neighbors as we love ourselves. If we follow those two commandments all of the others will fall in to place. MLK lived his life according to how he felt God was leading him. He looked at the example God gave and tried to do the same. We must do the same, we must live Christlike. We must remember the example that Jesus set for us. I pray that the Holy Spirit of God continues to guide you and light your way. May God's Peace and Blessing be upon you.

Homosexuals and Their Agenda

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Above are links of articles that I copied (in cased it gets erased) that I recommend you read before reading my blog for the day.

Homosexuals and their agenda

big·ot

noun \ˈbi-gət\

: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group)

ho·mo·phobe

noun \-ˌfōb\

: a person who hates or is afraid of homosexuals or treats them badly

If you read the articles that means you also read the words and their definitions. You probably ask why did I put those words and definitions up? These are words that we as Christians have been and are being called by people in the homosexual community and their supporters. Why? Because we do not agree and approve their lifestyle or agree with what they are doing and trying to do to the God given gift of marriage. They throw those words around so much not knowing the meaning and how to use it correctly. In my search for complete truth I took advise from a TV pastor in my state. He said study everything. For me it was not hard because I love to research and study everything. In my life with God and being in His service I studied and continue to study everything. Why? do you ask, simple because in a war you must know your enemy and how he thinks. You must be able to know what his next move is and how to counter act it. We are in a spiritual war and it is the exact same thing. With the things of the spiritual we must study the Word of God, pray, fast, and be ready at a moments notice. We must also remember that we are fighting our fellow man, they have free will just like we do, and may not understand the spiritual war. They have been deceived by the enemy and will try to use any method to deceive us. Satan knows that when it comes to the spiritual things, he cannot succeed with many of us so he will use his deception on others, and have them use other methods to try and bring us down. With today's homosexually ran media the only people that get coverage are those like the KKK and Westboro Baptist church, who not only blaspheme the Word of God, but spread a message of hate. Satan uses these instances to promote hatred of True Christians. The homosexually ran media way say well since they are like that and they say they are Christians then all Christians are like them. Anyone who just says that they don't agree with homosexuality or they believe in a biblical marriage/family will be bullied and called all sorts of things. The Word of God teaches us to hate the sin and love the sinner. Just like a family member does not approve of our decisions does not mean that they do not love us and vise versa. In today's world it is a good thing to come out of the closet but it is a bad thing to declare Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Isaiah 5:20

King James Version (KJV)

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Just like we have hateful “Christians” who blaspheme the word of God, on the other side of the fence we have homosexuals who without any knowledge, and or common sense spread lies and slander. I know a few homosexuals who I would say are good people. They understand that there are those like me who care about them just not their ways. These are not the people you see on TV, and hear on the radio making the huge racket on “civil rights”. They want to be respected, and will give respect. As a matter of fact they hate the things that the outspoken homosexuals are doing. These are the homosexuals who I have the most hope for. With our actions we can win them over, and with the Word of God we can keep them. I am all for having a civil debate on anything. But I am picky on who I have a debate with. I will only have a debate with someone who is civil and willing to listen. Someone who is not a fanatic that will scream and yell at the moment I give them truth. Many of the people who I know who are homosexuals, atheist, so on and so forth asked me a question. The question was, could I prove without any doubt without using the bible that no one is born homosexual. The rules were, that I needed to use science and have nothing but science to support my case. I said yes and the challenge began. In the links above are 3 examples in which I used to prove my case. I showed them direct studies and results from homosexual scientist who they themselves said that no one is born homosexual. They go on further and say that anyone who is homosexual can change their ways. After I won the debate they asked me how come no one in the homosexual community knows about this? Or why isn't it being shared? One of the explanations I gave them was that if they shared this information they will not be seen as credible people. They will be the laughing stock. Plus there are monetary gains from all of this. Needless to say that I proved a point and pray for their continued change. All of this stuff with the homosexual agenda is one of Satan's ways of keeping us distracted. He is trying to keep us distracted so we don't see what he is really doing and that is bringing a one world government in which he controls. It is unfortunate for him that there are people like myself who are paying attention and fighting back. I am fighting on many fronts and I am not alone.

Another thing on the homosexual agenda here in the USA is marriage. They are trying to redefine it into their perverse lifestyle. As people of God we know that marriage is a God given gift/privilege of a holy sanctified union between man and woman. The homosexuals and their supporters are claiming that it is a civil right protected by the 14^th amendment. So lets break this down. If we do the history on the word marriage we will see that it goes back to Latin, as far as recorded history is concerned. Scientist do not know the origins before Latin. If you take the science of Anthropology, scientist will tell you that the first thing in every civilization to come first was some form of religious practice. Marriage was in the religious practice. So with that knowledge I give my counter argument (remember without using the bible) stating that Marriage is a traditional religious practice, in which a man and a woman become one union. A religious practice that is as old as time itself is protected by the 1^st amendment and because it is protected by the 1^st amendment is it also protected by the 14^th amendment. A civil union is a legal government recognized union between two people and therefore that is a civil right, and protected by the 14^th amendment. I remember sometime in the 90's when homosexuals wanted equal rights as a marriage. They were given civil unions but it was not equal to marriages as far as the legal things were concerned. Instead of trying to change the laws on civil unions they are trying to completely take over marriage. That is where I started to step in on this issue. I have no problems when they are trying to make certain things legal but as soon as they step on my religious freedom that is when I say enough is enough. As the old saying goes we gave them an inch and they took a mile. They ask the question how is legalizing homosexual marriage hindering our freedom of religion. It is simple marriage is a religious practice. If you own a business that deals in marriage and weddings and deny them service they will take you to court. A judge will say you have no right I say we do have a right because our religious freedoms are not just for our homes and churches. It is our belief that no matter where we are or what we do God comes first no matter what. Homosexual Marriage is an Oxymoron, meaning two things that are complete opposites trying to come together as one. I say all of this to encourage you to not just study the bible but study everything you can. Continue to get to know Jesus, continue to build that relationship, but also study your enemy. Know his tactics and strategies. This is a spiritual war and we are all soldiers in God's army. May God's Peace and Blessing Be Upon You.

Rev. Josue Mercado

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Keep Pushing Forward

So as I move forward into this new year, I find out that my situation is getting worse. The more I pray the worse it gets. At this point more people keep asking, why do you keep on praying? Why do you keep going? Why don't you just give up? Trust me there have been many times where I have been tempted to give up. There have been many times where I have been so angry that I just wanted to kick in some heads. So why do I keep going even though it seems like all is hopeless? I keep going because if I believe in a God that can do anything, if I believe that in the name of Jesus all is possible, if I believe that in the end Satan and his demonic beings are going to lose, then I must set the example, keep pushing forward, and even though I might get upset with God for taking too long haha, I have to believe that all will be restored and victory shall be mine. Do I wish I was better off financially? Yes of course I do. Do I wish that I was not going through what I have been going through? Again yes. But the fact is, is if I am going through all of this it is for a reason. In a previous message I stated about being transparent. I believe that as a minister in being transparent. For many years when it came down to it I have helped raise money for many causes and needs. From feeding the hungry to providing a home for the homeless. I have went out and spoke out. We all need a helping hand and all we have is God and each other. I do not just give money to everyone who calls themselves a ministry. The bible says that we will no them by their fruit. In all of the time I have never personally asked help for myself. If I have ever asked for help for myself it sure was not financially. Either help in looking for a job or leads in programs to help others but never financially for myself. I am currently in a bad spot financially and I ask that if you can help in any way to please do. Remember pennies make dollars so pray about it, ask the Lord to lead you. If He leads you to help great. If He doesn't great. Remember to pray first. It is hard for me to ever ask for help for myself. People who know me know that I will never admit that I am in need. But if I am gonna be transparent that I have to let you know. Remember to keep pushing forward, trust and have faith in God.

May God's Peace and Blessing Be Upon You

Josue
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Marriage

http://thechristianpundit.org/2012/08/15/it

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17653987/Marriage.pdf

http://www.quickmeme.com/p/3vqrsz

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17653987/MINFU.jpg

OK, before I get started, let me take care of some technical stuff. There are four links above. The first two are for the same thing. The second two are for the same thing. Why did I do this? Simple these are links to great blogs/articles written. The first and third are the original links. The second and fourth are copies I made in case the originals get deleted. Please read them before reading my blog because I will refer to them both.

Marriage

Marriage today has become such a hot button issue. A godly marriage has pretty much disappeared. Divorce rates have increased tremendously, and a few people are trying to take something that does not belong to them and make it their own, by trying to change the definition, so on and so forth. But in this blog I am not going to be talking about the politics going on in the USA. I am not going to be speaking about anything dealing with politics, I will save that for another time. Any definitions that I use is the original definitions and not today's corrupted definitions. Just to let you know that before I even post definitions I do extensive studies on the words and where it came from as well as the proper use of words. In one of my future blogs I will post where the information is located I will even add links so you can see them for yourself. No I will not talk about today's politics on marriage. I will be talking about a true godly marriage. Some of what I say may sound old fashioned, but I will explain not only why is it that way, but the importance of why it needs to be that way. A lot of old fashioned male ministers don't even know why they say what they say when it comes to the roles of husbands and wives. I will do my best to explain and will use scripture as well as reassure my female readers that just because I say things that are old fashioned does not mean that I say it for the same reasons as other male ministers. In fact I hope to give you a clear understanding in the power and blessings that you carry in your role as a wife. So lets begin!

What is marriage? Well the true clear definition of marriage is: A Holy Sanctified Union between Man and Woman, founded, and given to us by God. In other words a holy union between 1 man and 1 woman founded and given to us as a special gift a special blessing by God that is separate from the world. Whew!, that was a mouthful. Everything that God has given us is separate from the world. The world may try to emulate it, the world may try to insist that it is all the same, but I assure you that it is completely separate. Everything that God has founded and instituted on this earth is a reflection of what is in heaven or what God has in store for the church. Two great examples are the tabernacle. God told Moses that the tabernacle is a representation of what is in heaven. Marriage is a representation of the relationship that God has in store for the church which is why we, the church, are referred to as the bride of Christ. So for anyone who tries to take something that belongs to God and makes it worldly, is committing a great sin towards God. It is the same tactic that Satan uses to stray people away from God. Taking the true gifts and commandments of God, and perverting them to lead people astray. First example of that is when Satan deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. A godly marriage is a ministry in itself. When a husband and wife get intimate, and get physical, it is a form of praise and worship. Now right here is where I have to stop this part because I will be getting into the political stuff , which is not where I want to go right now.

In the 2 articles/blogs that are linked above they are correct. 100% correct. The only problem I have is that they are both one sided mainly concentrated on the man. One says that the man has to be this and the other says this is the way the man has to see it. I agree with both blogs/articles but I say that it goes both ways. Marriage is not about ourselves, it is about our spouses. The word love gets said and twisted a lot. It is used as a noun, a person, place, or thing. In actuality love is a verb. It is an action. The good feelings that we get after wards are the result of that action. Well people have asked me, what do I mean when I say love is an action and not a feeling. John 3:16 For God so loves the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. God loves us so much that He gave us Jesus so that in His name we are forgiven and redeemed. Jesus Himself talks about agape love. A love so great that you will sacrifice yourself for another. Those are actions. One of the reasons given as to why one spouse wants to leave another is, “I just don't love you anymore.” The truth is they never loved the person. They were infatuated. If a husband/wife truly loved their spouse they would not think about themselves. They would think about their spouse. Don't get me wrong if a husband or wife is truly abusive I know God doesn't want that for you. They need prayer and counseling. They are not thinking about their husband or wife they are thinking about themselves. Other than God we have to constantly put our spouses before us. God, your spouse, and kids if you have them. It is never about you.

In the other article/blog it talks about what a woman has to look for in a man. That he has to be this and he has to be that. I say again it goes both ways. Now in the order that God placed things, it is not a woman's job to look for a husband, it is man's job to look for a wife. God made Eve for Adam. Abraham sent Eliezer to find Isaac a wife. Jesus is constantly seeking His bride(church) and has paid the price for her with His life. In fact the bible says Proverbs 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord. The things listed in that article is everything that a man needs to look for when finding a wife. At the same time to my sisters that are reading while waiting on God to bring you or bring you to your husband, these are the things that he must be and have. One of the problems that we have in today's society is broken families or incomplete families. A father must show his son how to act towards his future wife, a mother shows her son how a real wife acts so he will know what to look for. A father shows his daughter how a husband acts so she knows what to look for, and a mother shows her daughter how to act towards her future husband. The bible says that the man is the head of the household and that wives must submit to their husbands. Both men and women have a problem with that. Men think that it gives them a reason to treat their wives like garbage and they are wrong. They used the excuse of because of Eve eating the forbidden fruit that we are all in sin. Correction, the bible says that we are born with the sins of Adam. Before the fall Eve was not called Eve, she was called Adam because they were both the same. They were each others missing half, and when they came together they become whole. Needless to say it was not until Adam ate the fruit that the fall of man happened. He spent more time with God and knew better. There is no excuse for a man to mistreat his wife. Being head of the household means it is a mans job to lead the house, teach the house, and protect the house. The man is the priest of the house under Christ. Wives have a problem submitting because they think of submission as slavery. Women are wrong in that thinking. Submission is recognizing and honoring the authority that God has placed on the man. There is a poem that I like and I am going to paraphrase it because I don't remember the whole thing correctly. It states:

The first woman was created from the rib of a man. She was

not made from his head to top him, nor his feet to be trampled
upon by him, but out of his side to be equal to him, under his
arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.
The Bible says that woman is the help mate. God placed man as head to lead, teach,protect, and love. 

Other than that a woman is a mans equal. The bible talks about the woman being the weaker of the two 

and more or less depending on who you ask it is emotionally and physically. If you take a look into the bible 

and history man and woman worked side by side in every aspect. They both looked for food, they both raised 

the kids, and even though the man was the head of the household, for the most part they both ran the house and 

kept it in order. One of my favorite movies is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In the movie the mother of the female 

lead says. The man is the head but the women, we are the neck. We move the head around. I love that saying 

because for the most part it is true. We as men see only one perspective and are ready to charge in head first. 

Women can see different perspectives and different options. When both husband and wife have God in the 

forefront in making all decisions, nothing can go wrong. Communication is the key. Communication with God and each other. 
One of my favorite sayings is:
Behind a good man is a good woman.
OK now to my sisters reading I know what you are saying. NO! BESIDE a good man is a good woman. OK 

yes in the physical sense that is true for the woman is equal and walks side by side. I am talking about spiritual. 

Marriage is a ministry, and we are in a spiritual battle. Think about an army. The husband is leading the charge. 

You are behind him providing cover fire and supporting him. You are his backup. If he gets hurt it is your job to 

take the lead while he recovers and provide you with support and cover fire. When he recovers he takes the lead 

again giving you time to recover. If you are both side by side heading into the front lines, you are both being fired 

upon, you will both get hurt and you lost the battle. It is a constant balance. In a physical battle, a physical war it 

is the same thing. The military does not send everyone all at once, no they have lines, one supporting the other 

when one falls the next one moves up to let the other recover. At all times in a war in a battle there is always 

someone on the front lines and always someone providing cover fire. 
One of the problems that we have is male chauvinism and feminism. Because of male chauvinism men think 

that they can treat their wives like garbage. Feminism takes the order that God placed for the marriage and 

family and turns it around. Both things are wrong. As far as feminism I am not talking about a strong godly 

woman who follows God's plan. I am talking about a woman who will not conform to God's plan. My wife 

is a strong woman. While we don't agree on a few things but that is normal, but I love the fact that she can 

express herself. A true godly marriage keeps God in the forefront and keeps it in the order that he placed. 

If we follow the basic principles of keeping a godly marriage, and putting our spouse ahead of us, than we 

wouldn't see as many of the problems that we see today. As soon as anyone husband or wife takes God 

out of the picture and starts thinking about themselves that is when the problems arise. The husband or wife 

will become selfish, will try to find ungodly friends to lie to that will agree with their decisions to act selfishly 

and ungodly. Always remember no matter what your spouse does, you must act according to the role God 

gave you, you must live godly and be the example even if the example is not wanted. We must remember that 

there are 3 people in a marriage. God, the husband, and the wife. Now I am sure that there is a lot more that 

can be discussed but I hope that this blog will at least help you get a better understanding. 

May God's peace and blessings be with you. 

Josue Mercado

2014 Already . . . . . . .

Hello my friends,

It has been quite a long time since I've posted any blogs. A lot has happened and I wish I knew where to begin. When I am on the pulpit and or when I write I try to be as transparent as I can. People have asked me why and my main answer is that, in all my years of being alive and also being in ministry, I have seen many people of the church put ministers on a pedestal. They forget that the man or woman on the pulpit is not God but an earthly representative. They forget that they are still fallible and are still sinners. That is very dangerous. I say that because if they have them on that pedestal, and the minister falls then they too will fall. They will fall because instead of putting God on that pedestal they put a sinner on that pedestal. When the minister falls they are so disappointed, and in disbelief that they don't know what to do next. It is if their whole world came crashing down, and they start to slide back into the fleshly habits. Instead of moving forward in Christ they start to fall down. I personally have seen many church ministries close it's doors because of it. They decided to join a local assembly based on the charisma of the pastor and not so much the Word of God that is being said. Now I am not saying that it is completely their fault, oh no I also put blame on the pastor. The pastor has not done their job in properly teaching that they too are sinners, that they too can fall, and that no matter what happens the congregation must push forward in the name of Christ, and not slide back into the flesh. A lot of ministers get upset at me because I am transparent. The ministers who get upset with me have told me, that there must be a separation between us and the congregation. We must be strong and unwavering, to never show emotion. These are ministers that I can never really get along with. I agree that we must be strong in faith, and unwavering in the Word, but I do not agree with not having emotion. When God was on earth in the flesh aka Jesus yes He was strong in faith, yes He was unwavering in the Word (He is the Word), but He was never without emotion. He laughed, He cried, He got angry, etc. So if we are to live as Christ lived we must not be afraid to show emotion. God came to this earth to tear the veil of separation, He sat, ate, laughed, cried, spoke with us (mankind), so who are we to put up that separation that God tore down.

      These are the last days, and there are many wolves in sheep clothing that are spreading the message of Satan. There are many false prophets that are snatching up souls left and right because of this. People that were once righteous in the eyes of God are now condemned if they do not turn back to the One True God and ask for forgiveness. Sometimes in my trials and tribulations I feel as if God has abandoned me. I feel alone, it is like I pray and it is not being heard. To be transparent with you, I am currently going through something. In my sadness, and in my grief I have yelled out many times, “Why aren't you listening to me? Why aren't you answering my prayers? Why is this happening to me?” I then remember Job, I remember Jesus Himself, I remember that I am not alone, that if I am going through a trial that Jesus is my peace in the storm. That in my trials there is a blessing at the end. I remember that no matter what to stay focused on Jesus. That His grace is sufficient for me. He is my strength when I am weak, He is my light when I am in darkness, He is my warmth when I am cold, and that He is with me and carrying me when I feel alone.

The hardest thing for me is waiting. Staying focused on God and what He wants me to do passes the time. It has been almost a year since this trial began and it went by so fast. God has blessed me with new friends and family who I can turn to for prayer. He has blessed me in many ways that if I were to just mope around all day I would never see those blessings and would push them away. When this trial began I needed to make a change. It was not a change in my attitude or a change in direction. It was a change in my surroundings. If I were to stay in the surroundings, then I probably would've been moping all day and not have seen the blessings that God was giving me. I decided that in order for me to push through this trial with God, I needed to change my surroundings. I asked God to lead me to where He wanted me to be for this trial. Yes in the beginning I was sad because of what was happening, and I still get angry at times after all I suffer just like anyone else, but I stayed focused on Jesus. Unlike Peter I stayed focused on Jesus and I am not drowning.

      All in all I reveal this and say this to you because even though I am a minister, I am still a sinner. I have emotions, dreams, and goals. I laugh, I cry, I get angry. My transparency is to show you that I am not different from you. We are created equal. Instead of putting me on a pedestal, lets focus on putting God and keeping God on that pedestal. Let us keep God sitting in the throne of our hearts. Let us pray, laugh, and cry together. If you laugh I laugh, if you cry I cry, if you succeed I celebrate, if you fail I am there to console you, and together we can pray for God's guidance, light, strength, and consolation. I am your brother in Christ. I am me. May God's peace and blessing be upon you.

Josue Mercado