Norma used to come to church some Sundays, along with her six children. Most of the time, however, someone from church went to visit her. Norma lived in a "villa miseria," one of the shantytowns in Argentina where the poorest of the poor live. This villa was situated on a dirt road that bordered an irrigation canal on the edge of town. The further you got from the asphalt road, the poorer the houses. Norma's house was the last house, basically some tin and some cardboard boxes stacked together the way you would a house of cards.

Norma's husband, Fernando, was a barrel-chested farm worker who drank away most of the family's income. After drinking himself into oblivion, he would come home and beat Norma and the children.

Finally, the men of the church decided that this could not go on. We called an emergency meeting to discuss how we could best help Norma, how to help her leave Fernando and escape to a safe place.

At some point in the evening, someone suggested that maybe we were looking at things from the wrong perspective. We were talking about Fernando as if he were the enemy, when, in fact, he was himself being abused by our enemy, Satan. We spent time that Saturday evening praying for Fernando, praying that God would touch his heart.

The next day, Sunday, when one of the Christians went to visit Norma, Fernando came out to greet him. Tears were streaming down his face as he begged to know what he needed to do to change his life. Soon Fernando gave his life to Jesus, being baptized to begin a new life. Change wasn't immediate, but Fernando began trying to live the way he should.

Sometimes we talk better than we believe, we pray beyond what we actually think God is going to do

I'm sad to say that we were a bit shocked at first. I'm not really sure why. Wasn't that what we had asked God to do? I'm afraid that sometimes we talk better than we believe, we pray beyond what we actually think God is going to do. But the fact of the matter is, God still touches lives, He still helps people change if they will only let Him do it.

Not all stories are as dramatic as Fernando's, yet the power is the same. God wants to begin a work in your life and continue it until the end. He still changes lives. He still touches people. He wants to work in your life and the lives of those you love.

I'd like to tell you more about what God can do for you and for everyone. Contact me at tim@hopeforlife.org to find out more.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)

Are you presently experiencing a new life? God's word says, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" This new life is a free gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ. If you want to know more about this life that only Jesus can give you, sign up for one of our Bible courses. Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. You may also contact us at info@hopeforlife.org if you have questions about becoming a new creation.

 

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© 2007 Herald of Truth

Title: "Power to Change"
Author: Tim Archer
Publication Date: June 06, 2007

Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot by Max Lucado In Cure for the Common Life, Max Lucado offers practical tools for exploring and identifying your own uniqueness, putting your strengths to work, and living in your "sweet spot" for the rest of your life.

Tim coordinates the Spanish-Speaking Ministries of Herald of Truth and writes for HopeForLife. You can reach him at (866) 814-4673 or (866) 814-HOPE or by writing to tarcher@heraldoftruth.org.

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