EL CAMINO A CASA Lession 10

The Way Home, a biblical study for inmates, written by Pastor Leroy Johnson and produced by Christ for all nations. All Rights Reserved, 2024. Let's listen to the introduction of Lesson 10, How to Live Successfully One Day at a Time. Welcome! The key is to live one day at a time, and to live it in Jesus Christ. In the previous lessons, we saw how the lost son lost everything he had by living imprudently and making some terrible mistakes, like many of us. But in the end, he changed, and he turned his life around. Notice that I said he changed. He touched the bottom and came home because he couldn't stand up for himself anymore. And as a result of his actions, his life took a turn. In this lesson, we will see some biblical principles that you can use to change your life. Regardless of your current state, God can and wants to help you do it. Remember that in Mark 9.23 Jesus said, Everything is possible if you believe. In this lesson, we will share some steps for a successful Christian life. To have a successful life, it is important to build a solid and firm foundation. If you talk to any builder, he will tell you that a building is as strong as its foundations. If it is built cheaply and carelessly, it will not resist the forces of nature. This principle also applies to our lives. In Luke 6.48 Jesus tells us, It is like a person who, to build a house, digs deep and throws the foundations on solid rock. When the waters of the flood rise and hit that house, it remains intact because it is well built. The rock on which you want to build is Jesus Christ. The storms of life come to all of us, but not all of us manage to survive them. Have you ever noticed how people handle adverse situations? Let's take two people who face similar situations as an example. Perhaps it is a death in the family, the loss of a job, divorce, illness, abuse or financial loss. One person is devastated, while the other overcomes the situation reasonably well. Often, the person who overcomes it well has a more solid foundation in their life. In John 16.33 Jesus says, I have told you everything before so that you may have peace in me. Here in the world you will have many tests and sorrows, but be encouraged because I have overcome the world. Next we are going to deal with some key issues that will help you build your life on a solid foundation. This is just the beginning because you will not learn everything you need to know about Christian life from a lesson. But on this basis you can continue building your life. Learning is an experience that lasts a lifetime. Isaiah 28.10 tells us that we do it line by line, line by line, a little here and a little there.

We are all learning, growing and ministering as we walk with the Lord. It is a lifelong process. The first step has to do with salvation. Living life successfully begins by having a relationship with Jesus Christ. In John 3.3 Jesus said to Nicodemus, Te digo la verdad, a menos que nazcas de nuevo, no puedes ver el reino de Dios." ¿Qué quiso decir con eso? Estaba hablando de la obra de Dios en el bautismo, donde Dios cambia nuestra naturaleza interior, borra todo nuestro pasado, y nos hace nuevas criaturas, como dice 2 Corintios 5, 17 y Gálatas 6, 15. Todos nacemos pecadores. Cuando Adán desobedeció a Dios y obedeció al diablo, asumió la naturaleza del diablo. Pero Dios es amoroso y bondadoso, y no dejó a la humanidad en ese estado caído, sino que envió a Jesús a rescatarnos. Jesús vino al mundo y sacrificó su vida por toda la humanidad. Nuestra parte es recibirlo a Él y lo que Él hizo por nosotros, como se declara en Romanos 10, 9. Si declaras abiertamente que Jesús es el Señor y crees en tu corazón que Dios lo levantó de los muertos, serás salvo. Si has completado las lecciones 1 a 9, recordarás que en la lección 6 te dimos las buenas noticias del perdón y la salvación de Dios a través de la vida, muerte y resurrección de su Hijo Jesucristo. A través de esa buena noticia, el Espíritu Santo te ha salvado. En el bautismo, el Espíritu Santo te hace nacer de nuevo y te adopta como Hijo de Dios. En esa lección también incluimos una oración agradeciendo a Dios por su salvación. Si eres nuevo en este estudio y no hiciste esa oración, puedes encontrarla al final de esta sección. Si ya la has hecho, pero no estás seguro de ser salvo, te animamos a leer 1 Juan 5 11-13. Jesucristo ha cumplido todas las condiciones para tu salvación.

Tu salvación no depende de cuán perfectamente cambies, sino de su perfecta vida, muerte y resurrección. Cuando Jesús estaba muriendo en la cruz, estaba flanqueado por dos criminales convictos que iban a ser ejecutados por sus crímenes. Uno de ellos reconoció sus errores y admitió que su castigo era justo. También dijo con razón que Jesús no merecía ser castigado porque no había hecho nada malo. Luego le pidió a Jesús que lo recordara y lo llevara a su reino. Jesús le respondió, te aseguro que hoy estarás conmigo en el paraíso. El criminal murió ese mismo día. No tuvo tiempo para enmendarse, pero fue completamente perdonado y se le prometió un lugar en el cielo porque Jesús había hecho todo lo necesario para reconciliarlo con Dios. Él hizo lo mismo por ti, por mí y por todos. De la misma manera, tú también puedes estar seguro de que eres completamente salvo gracias a lo que Jesús ha hecho por ti. Puedes confiar en lo que dice la Biblia, cree y ten fe en ello, y no confíes en tus sentimientos ni en nada más. Jesús te hizo justo. Es un regalo gratuito que no puedes ganar, solo puede ser justificado ante Dios a través de lo que Jesús hizo. El siguiente paso de una vida exitosa es leer la Biblia. Antes de seguir, te pido que ores conmigo y digas en tu corazón, querido Dios que estás en el cielo, vengo a ti en el nombre de Jesús. Tu palabra dice, los que el Padre me ha dado vendrán a mí y jamás los rechazaré. Creo que no me echarás fuera sino que, como dice tu palabra, me acogerás y te agradezco que me aceptes. Tu palabra también dice, si declaras abiertamente que Jesús es el Señor y crees en tu corazón que Dios lo levantó de los muertos, serás salvo, pues es por creer en tu corazón que eres hecho justo a los ojos de Dios y es por declarar abiertamente tu fe que eres salvo. Como nos dicen las Escrituras, todo el que confíe en él jamás será avergonzado.

No hay diferencia entre los judíos y los gentiles en ese sentido. Ambos tienen al mismo Señor quien da con generosidad. to all who invoke him, for as Romans 10 says, all who invoke the name of the Lord shall be saved. Remember me daily my need for a true repentance and the blessings of baptism, as the apostle Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost. Each one of you must repent of your sins and return to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that he rose from the dead for my justification. I am invoking his name, the name of Jesus, so I know, Father, that you will save me. I believe with all my heart and I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Amen. Welcome to the family of God. Your next step is to grow spiritually. To continue building your foundations and advance towards a successful life, it is important to read and study the Bible, where God reveals his will and his character and transmits his plan to us. In the Bible we find instruction and wisdom to live the Christian life. Reading and studying the Bible is of vital importance, because through it God speaks to you. He also corrects you when you are wrong, guiding you and helping you to make good decisions and to keep you on the right path. It is important to do it in a quiet and free place of distractions and to pray before starting, asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand what God is telling you. Ask God the questions you have and wait for an answer. Take notes. You are reading words that are alive and will work in your heart. You can believe that what God says in his word is true, because he does not lie, he does not deceive us. Pay close attention to biblical characters like Abraham, Moses, David, Peter and more. Look at how their lives were.

When they were successful, imitate them. If they failed at some point, find out what made them fail and learn from their mistakes. What Bible should you use? Good question. We are lucky to have many versions. We recommend one that is easy to read and clear in terms of meaning. The New Living Bible, the New International Version, the God Speaks Today Version are some good options. You will also find numerous biblical dictionaries, concordances and other study aids that can expand your understanding. The third step is this. Learn who you are in Christ. Who are you really? Many people struggle because they do not know who they are or why they are in the world. Not knowing who we are in Christ can cause frustration and lead us to seek the truth in the wrong places. Genesis 1.26 says that we are made in the image and likeness of God. Knowing this will help you want to be more like Him, adopting more and more the features of His character. By faith you are a Christian, and that makes God your Father. Since Jesus made you just by faith, you are free of guilt, condemnation, fear and inferiority. Do you have it with you? In our guide to this biblical study, there are some biblical passages that could help you battle guilt, condemnation, fear or inferiority. Make sure to take some time to read, study and meditate on these scriptures about justice. Remember that God makes us just in His eyes when we put our faith in Jesus Christ. And that is true for everyone who believes, whoever they are. Because we have all sinned, no one can reach the glorious goal established by God. However, in His grace, God makes us fair to His eyes for free through Christ Jesus, who set us free from the punishment of our sins, Romans 3, verses 22 to 24. Later, in this same epistle, St. Paul tells us, For it is by believing in your heart that you are made just in the eyes of God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved, Romans 10, verse 10. Knowing who we are in Christ Jesus gives us confidence and courage, because with His sacrifice, Jesus makes us truly free. When we make a mistake, we ask God for forgiveness, and that brings us back to communion with Him. This, in turn, helps us in our life of prayer.

To continue strengthening yourself in your identity as a son of God, take note of all the verses of the Bible that you find contained in Him or in Christ, and personalize them. Here is an example. In 2 Corinthians 5.17 we are told, This means that everything that belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life has passed, a new life has begun. We can personalize it by saying, I am a new being created in Christ Jesus. I have the life, the nature, and the capacity of God in me now. Remember to look for other scriptures like the previous ones and personalize them as well. By doing so, you make them yours, you appropriate them. Then, start confessing them daily until they are rooted in your heart. Then you will truly know who you are in Christ Jesus. The fourth step for a successful Christian life is to know that the Holy Spirit is our guide and teacher. Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity of God. His desire and purpose is to help us, but first we must ask Him and invite Him into our lives. Whatever your struggle, He can help you. Just ask for His help. The Holy Spirit is a counselor, helper, intercessor, lawyer, and strengthener. There is nothing that He cannot do. When Jesus completed His work here on earth, He said that He would ask God the Father to send the Holy Spirit. John 14, verses 16-18 say, And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another defender, who will be with you forever. I am referring to the Holy Spirit, who guides all truth. The world cannot receive Him because it does not seek Him or recognize Him. But you do know Him, because now He lives with you, and then He will be in you. I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you. John 16, verse 7 says, It is better for you that I go, because if I did not go, the defender would not come. But if I go, then I will send him to you. John 15, verse 26 says,

I will send you the defender, the true Spirit. He will come from the Father and give testimony about me. The Holy Spirit helps us in our prayer life, as we read in Romans 8, verse 26. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we do not know what God wants us to ask Him in prayer, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with moans that cannot be expressed with words. The Holy Spirit guides us in every aspect of our life. This is what Paul says in Romans 8, verse 14, For all who are guided by the Spirit of God, Son hijos de Dios. El Espíritu Santo también nos enseña. En Juan 14, 26, Jesús dijo, Cuando el Padre envíe el abogado defensor como mi representante, es decir, al Espíritu Santo, Él les enseñará todo. ¿Quieres ser un buen padre, cónyuge, estudiante o empleado? En lo que sea que necesites ayuda, Él está pronto para ayudarte a hacer mejores elecciones. El Espíritu Santo nos recuerda la palabra de Dios. Juan 14, 26, Jesús dijo, Espíritu Santo les recordará cada cosa que les he dicho. Juan 14, 26, Jesús dijo aquí, Espíritu Santo les recordará cada cosa que les he dicho. El Espíritu Santo nos dirá las cosas que vendrán. Juan 16, 13, Jesús dijo aquí, Cuando venga el Espíritu de verdad, Él los guiará a toda la verdad. Él no hablará por su propia cuenta, sino que les dirá lo que ha oído y les contará lo que sucederá en el futuro. Asimismo, el Espíritu Santo nos proclamará las cosas de Jesús. Juan 16, 12, 15, Jesús dijo, Me queda aún mucho más que quisiera decirles, pero en este momento no pueden soportarlo.

Cuando venga el Espíritu de verdad, Él los guiará a toda la verdad. Él no hablará por su propia cuenta, sino que les dirá lo que ha oído y les contará lo que sucederá en el futuro. Me glorificará porque les contará todo lo que reciba de mí. Todo lo que pertenece al Padre es mío. Por eso dije, el Espíritu les dirá todo lo que reciba de mí. Entonces, al igual que la salvación y la justicia, el Espíritu Santo es un don gratuito de Dios que recibimos por fe. Hay una experiencia más profunda con el Espíritu Santo que Jesús les dijo a los discípulos que recibirían una vez que Él se fuera. Ahora, hablemos de la fe, de cómo utilizarla, y cómo es también parte importante en una vida cristiana de éxito. ¿Qué es la fe? La fe demuestra la realidad de lo que esperamos. Es la evidencia de las cosas que no podemos ver. Hebreos 11.1 La fe cree que Dios nunca nos mentirá, ni romperá una promesa que nos haya hecho, sino que hará exactamente lo que dice su palabra. Nuestra fe aumenta cuando oímos la palabra de Dios. Actuamos según nuestra fe cuando confesamos y hablamos la palabra de Dios. Confesar significa que decimos lo mismo que Dios dice de nosotros, que estamos de acuerdo con Él. Una vez que hemos escuchado la palabra, la ponemos en práctica actuando en consecuencia. Dios nos ha dado a cada uno de nosotros una medida de fe, pero es nuestra responsabilidad usarla. Nunca podremos agradar a Dios sin fe. Sobre esto pudieras ver Hebreo 11.6 Por eso es importante que la tengamos y la ejercitemos de acuerdo con la palabra de Dios.

¿Cómo usas tu fe? Hemos aprendido que la fe viene del oír la palabra de Dios. Entonces, usas tu fe al meditar en la palabra de Dios. Cuando tengas necesidades en tu vida, busca las promesas de Dios que se apliquen a tu necesidad. Esto construirá la fe que necesitas recibir de Dios. También es importante la oración. ¿Qué es la oración? En términos simples, orar es hablar con Dios. Gracias a nuestra relación con Dios, tenemos derecho a hablar con Él. Quizás quieras leer Hebreos 10, 19 al 22 para entender esto mejor. ¿Me escucha Dios cuando oro? En primera de Juan, capítulo 5, versos 14 y 15, se nos dice Y estamos seguros de que Él nos oye cada vez que le pedimos algo que le agrada. Y como sabemos que Él nos oye cuando le hacemos nuestras peticiones, también sabemos que nos dará lo que le pedimos. This is good news for Christians. It gives us confidence to approach Him, not only knowing that He listens to us, but that He responds to our prayers. However, a requirement is that we ask according to His Word. In John 14, 13-14, Jesus says, Pueden pedir cualquier cosa en mi nombre, y yo la haré, para que el Hijo le dé gloria al Padre. Es cierto, pídanme cualquier cosa en mi nombre, y yo la haré. Tal como leemos en Santiago capítulo 5, la oración ferviente de una persona justa tiene mucho poder y da resultados maravillosos. Hay 7 tipos diferentes de oración. 1. Oración de petición y súplica, 2. Oración de alabanza y acción de gracias, 3. Oración de acuerdo, 4. Oración de intercesión, 5. Oración de prohibir y permitir, 6. Oración de dedicación, 7. Oración de fe. En la guía, dejamos algunos pasajes bíblicos que te explican en qué consiste cada tipo de oración. A continuación, hay algunas oraciones por liberación y victoria. Personalizadas en confesiones, son especialmente útiles para quienes se encuentran en circunstancias difíciles e incluso para quienes están en la cárcel.

Isaías 43, 26. Padre, te recuerdo lo que dices en tu palabra cerca de mí. Traigo mis argumentos para poder salir inocente. Isaías 55, 11. Hablo tu palabra sabiendo que ella siempre produce fruto y logrará todo lo que tú quieres y prosperará en todos los lugares donde tú la envíes. Salmo 35, 9. Me alegraré en el Señor, estaré feliz porque Él me rescata. Zacarías 9, 11 y 12. Padre, te doy gracias por la promesa de tu pacto de librarme y de bendecirme doblemente por cada cosa que he perdido. Salmo 107, 19 y 20. Clamo a ti, Señor, en mis dificultades, y tú me libras de mis aflicciones. Has enviado tu palabra y me has sanado y rescatado de la destrucción. Salmo 32, 7. Tú eres mi refugio, tú, Señor, me proteges de las dificultades y me rodeas con canciones de victoria. Efesios 1, 7-9. A través de la sangre de tu Hijo tengo redención, liberación, salvación y el perdón de mis pecados. De acuerdo a la bondad que has desbordado sobre mí, junto con toda la sabiduría y el entendimiento, dándome a conocer tu misteriosa voluntad. Salmo 34, 19. La persona íntegra enfrenta muchas dificultades, pero el Señor llega a mi rescate en cada ocasión. Salmo 41, 11. Sé que soy de tu agrado porque no permitiste que mis enemigos triunfaran sobre mí. Ahora, hablemos de cómo superar las tentaciones. Tentación, sí, es cierto. Satanás no te dejará en paz ahora que eres salvo y vives para el Señor Jesucristo. Intentará tentarte con las mismas cosas que usó antes. Si eso no funciona, buscará otras áreas para lograrlo. Cuidado con sus trucos. Las Escrituras dicen que como león rugiente anda buscando a quien devorar. Satanás va a intentar recuperarte. Te va a atentar en la carne y te va a atentar poniendo dudas, preocupaciones y miedo en la mente. Va a usar trucos pequeños y sutiles. Recuerda, para poder vivir para Dios un día a la vez, aléjate de las cosas o áreas en las que eres débil. Por ejemplo, si tu debilidad son las drogas o el alcohol, no te metas en ese ambiente. Si lo haces, fácilmente puedes volver a caer en la trampa de la tentación. Choose wisely your friends. If you know that a person is a bad influence, keep the distance. The scriptures say in 1 Corinthians 15, 33, Do not let yourself be deceived by those who say such things, because bad companies corrupt good character. Learn to resist the devil and start spending time with other Christians. Learn from those Christians how it is to live differently from those who are from the world. We are not saying that you should never interact with non-Christians, but that you should be selective,

because this is an area in which you could feel tempted. Finally, a successful Christian life also implies that we participate in a community of faith. Finding a good church is of vital importance for your spiritual growth. God established the church and tells us not to give up meeting other believers. Acts 4, verse 23 says, As soon as they were free, Peter and John returned to where the other believers were. After having been in prison, these men wanted to be with their brothers in faith. We need a church where we can have communion with other believers, where we can encourage each other and where we can receive a good biblical teaching. If you need help, you can contact Christ for all nations to obtain recommendations about a church in your area. Keep in mind that up to 90% of people who find a church with these characteristics and remain connected to it, do not return to prison. Your first step then is to ask God to direct you to the church that he has prepared for you. Questions to apply what you have learned This section of questions that we have in each lesson is an invitation to remember and reflect on what we have studied so far. I invite you to review the notes of this lesson and answer the following questions. If you want your life to change, should you make the decision to change it, yes or no? Living successfully begins by having a relationship with Jesus Christ. We also know this as being saved, being born again in God, trusting Jesus as Lord and Savior, or all the above. When Adam disobeyed God and obeyed the devil, he caused sin to fall upon all humanity, yes or no? Read Romans 3.22 and think about who we have to put our faith to be just before God. By being justified, we are freed from condemnation, guilt, fear, inferiority, or all the above. John 14.26 tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach us what? What is to pray? Who is lurking like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour? Here you can see 1 Peter 5.8 and answer, Satan, the devil, or both?

Participating in a good church is very important for my spiritual growth, yes or no? To find a good church, should I pray, ask another believer, contact Christ for all nations, or all the above? Life is just that, life. It can be successful for a minute, an hour, a week, a year, or a decade. Each person is successful one moment at a time. In the book of Ecclesiastes, we read that there is a time and a season for all things. As you continue your life in God, you will continue to acquire more biblical knowledge that will help you make the right decisions. But it will not always be like that. When you do not succeed, when you sin, as we all do every day, confess your error to the Father, repent of it and ask forgiveness, as 1 John 1.9 says. Then move on with your life. In Christ Jesus you are more than a winner. Now you have a base to be successful. In the next lesson we will delve a little more, learning how to renew our mind, how to grow spiritually, how to listen to the voice of God and much more. Go ahead. All Rights Reserved. 2024