DO WE HAVE A REASON TO CELEBRATE?

“This is the happiest time of the Year!”  I have heard people say on the radio, in person, in songs; all the stores put on their ornaments and decorations. People too, their houses light up in colors. There is music all around. In different organizations people make representations and choirs sing songs of hope, peace, joy, love. Everybody seems happy and congratulate one another. Everything is beautiful. DO YOU KNOW WHY?

Is it something customary or due to a real feeling?

There are many answers to this question. It all depends on WHO answers it. A child could celebrate because “Santa” is coming and he/she will get a toy that is being longed for, or that by the quantity and quality of his presents  can demonstrate how good he/she behaved. An older child could celebrate his school time off too, or his vacation trip. The adults have, perhaps, other reasons according to their way of life and beliefs. If you are from one religion or another, or none, for that matter, you have different reasons to celebrate the season.  It so happens that some religions have different celebrations during this time of the year and that is why those who want or need to be in good terms with everyone have adopted the HAPPY HOLLYDAYS to include all of them in the same wish. That is OK if you do not want to make a difference between one group, or another. Jesus asked us to love one another and to love others as we would like to be loved. Many of us who like to be proper or well behaved, respect the ones who think different, although if they are part of our “sensibility circle” we hurt when we see they insist in riding on a crooked road on an invisible cycle some one sold them for their eternal soul. How sad to see them insist in going astray and do not want to listen to reason for not making a time to find out. If they only knew the GOOD NEWS, they’d celebrate, for the correct reason.

Some do not feel like celebrating because they let other obstacles interfere with the GOOD NEWS, like anger, jealousy, envy, impurities and all the deeds of the flesh. (Galatians 5.19-21) Sadness, justified or not, is the Devil’s most effective weapon, because if you're sad you are "down".

DO WE HAVE A REASON TO CELEBRATE?

YES, if we let the Holy Spirit guide us into accepting the GOOD NEWS the angel once announced:

“Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you Good News of great Joy which will be for ALL the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is CHRIST the Lord.”  (Luke 2.10-11)

Hope you can have a reason to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Savior, always.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Is HELL for real?

A friend who is fairly new in the faith asked that at my church the other day.  Also about the hypothesis of “other lives”  The pastor was not present and the brethren who had taken over the class did not want to be drifted away from the main theme due to the timely program and so he said to wait until the pastor was back to get an honest answer. I am not an expert in the subject, but I do know what I have read in the Bible and I also say like Paul in his second letter to Timothy: “For I know whom I have believed” and that is Jesus, the living Word, through whom “all things came into being” (John 1.3) and I belong to His family, therefore I know Him well enough to testify about Him.

Some pastors seem to dislike the subject of what does not build up. I imagine because they might think it’s something bad for people to think in the punishment and that they might end up there, and it’s better to “ignore” it until someone brings it up, like it happened to us. Perhaps it is much better to teach about the Grace of God available to all sinners. This person concluded, then, he declared, that there is no hell. It is unpleasant to think that a God of love can hate anyone enough to let him dwell in agony for an eternity.

I used to think that when I was a child because I was so naïve I thought everybody was good. But as I have lived, I’ve seen the horrors many people put others through in the name of evil temptation. The results I do not even wish for the devil himself, but he brought it upon himself and is making many fall on his trap to go with him “wherever” to keep tormenting them.

Hell is for real because it is in the Bible, and I believe in it “cover to cover” even though many make their own interpretations. If I do not believe in it I make Jesus a liar because He spoke of it when he told us the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16. 19-25) which is fiction, but if Jesus told it is because it does exist and he is warning us so we do not have to go there. The rich man, even in torment, wanted to keep on being in supremacy and wanted Lazarus, who was in the bosom of Abraham, to come and pamper him to feel better. But Abraham told him: “Child, remember that during your life you received your good things and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he’s being comforted here, and you are in agony” (verse 25) Does that mean that if we live well now we would go to agony?  Of course, not, but if we live well here due to making others miserable, like the rich man did, we’ll end up like him. And so will the poor who want to imitate him. (Read Mathew 18. 23-35)

Ever since I decided to write about this I read, studied, heard many pastors in the matter, even from different denominations and they all agree in the same thing: we are immortal for good or for bad. We live only once. The author of Hebrews said: “. . . it is appointed for men to die ONCE and after this comes judgment . . .” (Hebrews 9.27)   The kingdom of heaven is among us with our love for others but so is hell with its many different names: Hades, Sheol, Lake or Furnace of Fire, and with our hatred for others. If we learn to love and forgive one another no mater if they are “right or wrong”, we are doing great because love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4. 8b) If we accept the Grace of God that is a gift for believing in Jesus, no matter how much we have sinned, we will end up in the comfort of our Lord. For God so loved the world that He gave (sacrificed) his only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall NOT perish. . . (John 3.16)

Some people have mentioned their dislike of going to heaven to give praises to a God they do not know or are not interested in. What I recommend those people is: Start to look and learn to love Him because hell is for real and there’s no end to the torment. Only the faith in Jesus can deliver us from it.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5.1-2)

Isn’t that a good enough reason to be thankful for?    Have a happy thanksgiving!

Are we authentic or fake?

A boy found a gem that shone a lot ,and took it home. He went to see an expert jeweler to get the price’s worth and found out it was fake. The shine was only cheap glitter, so he ended throwing it away.  That is how some of us will end up when Christ comes for His church. We can belong to the “right” church, do the “right” things, speak the “right” language, behave the “right” way, but will not be fit for the kingdom of heaven. The Lord says: Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will off my father who is in heaven will enter. (Mathew 7.21)  Do you know what the will of God is?

In the book of John, chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that in order to see the kingdom of God; a man must be born again. That means to change completely from our evil ways to do things.  Also in Mathew 25 the Lord speaks to the righteous ones (represented by the sheep and says: “Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. ( verses 34-36) They didn’t know when did they do that and He answered: “Truly I say to you, in the extent you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Verse 40) So we would think that the will of God is to do all of that, even though the Scriptures also say that it is not by works that we are saved, but by our faith. Yet, in the book of James, he says What use is it my brethren if someone says he has faith but he has no works, can that faith save him? (James 2.14)

Faith saved the crook in the cross without any good works (that we know of) because of God’s sovereignty and also, for it, Jesus is doing all the work, not us, so anyone who believes can be saved by His Love and Mercy. But James keeps on: Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2.17) So we could say that if we can not show any work, we are simply fake. To be authentic we have to not only say it, but represent what we say. (the crook showed it, at the last minute, but he did). The best way is to do what the Scriptures say. As you can see that is always update. We should read and study His word so we know what to do; who and what to believe; who’s authentic or not; what is His will and how to accomplish it.

 As I say, we have to dialogue and not only monologue with God. Praying is great, but studying His word is listening to Him talk to us. When we obey His commandments and preach with our doing, we become trust worthy.

The Scriptures are not fake like some may think. Many promises have already been fulfilled. Jesus said

“Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will NOT pass away.”

(Mathew 24.35)

By chance or by will?

I have heard many people say “You were lucky” when they hear something good happened to you. Or when something goes bad, they think you are in need of it because you probably have some kind of a bad influence that doesn’t allow you to get ahead in your life, or that sets you back. Like I said before, in Christ’s times people used to think that, but Jesus set them straight saying that it all happens so the glory of God is demonstrated. That is how we know that things do not happen due to sin or by Chance.

 When I was young I remember seeing those movies of the Greek gods who treated the people like players of some kind of table game and gave special power to the principal figure, sending help from above, like a giant bird to rescue him from trouble. I used to think if the gods played like that with our lives when they got together to put order in them, we had to be likeable to them. Well, I have realized, studying the Bible, that God created us to His image (Genesis 1.27) and gave us free will (Genesis 3.6) to do as we please, but if we love Him, (and if we really do we can not deceive Him) everything will work for our good, no matter how bad it may look. (Romans 8.28) So he will not play with us as if we were Chess pawns. He loved us so that He became one of us to get to interact with us, to know us well and help us get saved. That is if we so desire.

Everything happens for a reason that obeys the will of God which is great for us who believe in Him. That has been proven time after time. Many Christians could testify of it. I can tell you what recently happened to us: My husband and I were holding plane tickets we had to use before September. We had been postponing the trip due to the health of my mother in law and other reasons of her care. The day before we had finally planned to leave, she passed away, releasing the caring family member to deal alone with the problem, releasing us from losing time and money, releasing her from anymore suffering. We called our "birth" country and ALL of her relatives had gathered for a vacation reunion so they all found out at once to comfort each other. Do you really believe that was luck, taking into consideration we belong to God’s family? And for a person who could NOT move at all, how could she reach up to hold whoever came for her soul? Was that a coincidence too?

We believe that nothing happens by luck but by the will of God. Though there is a great deal of verses to prove this, there is one that says exactly the truth of it all as we know it, for He is sovereign to do as He pleases because of his grace: The Lord said: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on GOD who has mercy. (Romans 9.15-16)

And His mercy endures forever.

Am I in Distress? Is God afflicting me; to make me weak?

Many may think God punishes people. Some even reproach Him for whatever wrong happens to them that hurts much. Is it God’s doing or simply a random consequence of a bad choice?  If God is a loving God and His mercy endures forever, why would he punish anyone? It says in the Bible, though, that: A jealous and avenging God is the Lord; the Lord is avenging and wrathful. (Nahum 1.2a) so we may think He is like that with everyone. But if we keep on reading it says The Lord takes vengeance of His adversaries. And He reserves wrath for His enemies.(Nahum 1.2b). So, who are the Lord’s enemies? They are Satan, and his followers. So I do not have to worry for I love the Lord with all my heart and understanding, and I know that He loves me. I am not one of His enemies, so, why do I suffer sometimes? Have I hurt someone unknowingly and paying for it? Some might think that. I, myself, have thought that sometimes, because I have known of conflicts that have come to people, for instance, who have done something wrong like making fun of others in their bad moments. And some might say “good for them!” I just cry because I know how much an affliction hurts, to anybody. But blaming God could hurt more because it was our fault that we sinned, but His love was so great that in spite of ourselves He paid for our debt at Calvary’s cross; and to blame Him of any wrong doing would be a blasphemy in our part. God does not punish the ones who love Him. He permits things to happen to discipline his children; and to make them shine like a precious metal to shame His adversaries, after. He will give us the strength to overcome and carry us. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou are with me. (Psalm 23.4 a).

In Jesus’s time the people believed that sin was the main reason a person was severely afflicted. In the case of the blind man Jesus cured, the disciples even asked Him: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered: It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9.2,3) Also, when Jesus was on a trip and found out that his friend Lazarus was sick, dying, he stayed a little longer on purpose and said: “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so the son of God may be glorified by it.” (John 11.4) So, what can I think about this? That God has a purpose for everything that happens to his children and whether it afflicts us or not, it is surely for the Glory of God, and thank Him we can serve his purpose, because at the end we will succeed.

Whatever the nature of our affliction, whether it’s caused by us or not, do not think of it as a defeat, being angry at God for not stopping it, or feeling sorry for yourself and giving up on it. Think of it as an opportunity to show the world that you are not alone and the One that is with you is mightier than the one that is in the world.

When Paul, apostle was afflicted by pain the Lord told him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for POWER is perfected in weakness.” (II Corinthians 12.9) So he decided: Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distress with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s Sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (II Corinthians 12.10)

Is it wise to be politically incorrect?

    I have been thinking about it for a time, now, and realized that many times I must be if I do not want to be in conflict with my principles or Christian beliefs. Giving it a lot of thought it came to my mind something that I learned in High School in the English Lit. class which our teacher made us memorize, the famous monologue of  William Shakespeare’s Hamlet:

“To be or not to be, that is the question, whether is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.”

That is how I feel with the anti Christian facts which are going on and are predicted in the Scriptures for the “last times”. Given I am a respectful person, I do not want to hurt anybody, though it may feel a little hypocritical sometimes, but Jesus asked us to love one another, and I am not going to attack, nor offend anyone who thinks different than I do; yet, I am not going to deny my faith or its principles whether or not I was to vote or be under oath.

I have known people who have denied what they said to believe at one time on account of being politically correct. Of course, if I think they are wrong, I will let them know, somehow, but I will not stop loving them and will keep praying for them so they see their error. Eliminating them is NOT the answer either. I assure you that life itself will take care of them, and if they are among the chosen ones, they will reform.

In this life we are surrounded by people who are running the devil’s agenda. You only have to perceive the messages in some children cartoons. Jesus described those people in the parable of the weed that was planted, by an enemy, among the wheat (Matthew 13.24-30) The man who sowed the good seed said to his servants: Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in time of the harvest I will tell the reapers: collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned (verse 30) So do not worry about the ones who serve evil. Simply love them and pray for them so they use their God given talent for the Creator’s agenda instead.

I came to this God blessed country for its Christian roots and because I was politically incorrect in mine. I am not ashamed of it, on the contrary I am proud to be of the family of God; and no matter how much weed an enemy sows here or there, I know the last victory will be ours. The Word of God assures me that as it says:

                      

Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers, for they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit you way to the Lord, trust also in him and he will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noon day. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out  wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it only leads to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off,  but those who wait on the Lord will inherit the earth. (Psalm 37.1-9)

Happy Fourth of July to the Brave and the Free!

Are we ashamed of our Roots?

 Of our parents or ancestors? . . . of our traditions?. . .of our friends and family of the land that witnessed our first cry?  I guess we all were in one moment or another for myriad of reasons; especially at that age when we think we know it all, and later we wished we had never done what we did to any of them, and treat our children the same way our parents did, which seemed embarrassing in front of our friends at the time, but we end up doing the same thing we criticized then. And why is that?, because we grow wise. That’s the way life was designed by our Creator, to be able to comply with His wish for us, which is to love one another; to love God first, our parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends and our neighbors as our selves.  And why was it that we were ashamed of them?  Could it be that the “friends” we hung around with could not tolerate to see our old fashion family loving us, or that they were so “smart” they wanted to take their place to step all over us? When we hang around with that type of friends who simply agree with us when we talk bad of our roots, they are probably looking to destroy us. The smart people are the ones who realize that on time and return to the way they used to be for they see that to hate their roots is a weakness; a lack of knowledge. The common sense people that hear anyone talking bad about his/her roots do not think one is wise rejecting his/her own on account of “whatever”, but that one is a fool for leaving the only ones who really love him/her and that would do anything, or pay any price for him. If your people leave you, who will take care of you? Will the enemy? That is the “friends” you hate your people for.

The same thing happens with God. Many people reject Him when they feel ashamed to be followers because they hate to be considered “crazy- fanatics”. But when they realize what The Father did in order to save His children from eternal condemnation, not only do they want to become crazy-fanatics, but want all their loved ones to be that too. He is the only ONE who paid the price to save us from eternal nightmare, because if dying means that there’s no more living, like many people think, our souls rest for good, but we are eternal because we were created in God’s likeness: Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;

 (Genesis 1.26 a) so we will not Rest in Peace. We will resuscitate to peace if we believed in Jesus or to eternal agony if we did not. That is why we, Christians insist, because we do not want anyone to perish. That is why we cry when people do not understand and fail to study the Word of God. That is why we suffer when someone who once believed, does not resist the enemy’s attack and gets corrupted. That is why we, parents, suffer when our children who are so vulnerable go after the worthlessness of this world, because they are not prepared. That is why God told Eve and Adam they would die if they were disobedient. They did not die immediately, but eventually, they and their descendants would.

But God in his great Love provided a way in Jesus, so that whoever believes in Him does not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that it might be saved through Him. (John 3.16, 17) That is why it is wise to become one of His family to be loved and cared for by Him. He provides a way to make us feel good and be proud of Him. Jesus said:  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8.38)

To whom are we giving our trust, honor, life?

The other day I saw an interview in one of the Spanish Christian Channels on TV, to a member of a Satanist church; the ones who worship Satan. The Christian interviewer was asking him how they approached people for their group. I was a little overwhelmed that anyone should like to be a follower of a mean mind. I guess there are all kinds of people, and the way the interviewed one spoke about Jesus and Christian people in general told me, precisely, he was simply jealous. I felt that he wished the members of his particular church could be as happy and grateful as we, Christians, singing praises to our Lord and Savior who spared us from eternal damnation. That makes many people mad.

Of course, one does not have to belong to such an organization to be one of Satan’s followers. The devil has well infiltrated our air so that we might fall in his trap easily. He is always ready to welcome a new supporter. Peter says in his first letter that “your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (I Peter 5.8b) But who in his right mind wants to be a prey of Satan? I think people fall easy when something goes wrong and their hatred for what they think is God’s responsibility is so big, that they make an alliance with His enemy to annoy Him, and do not realize they are really hurting themselves instead. Others, perhaps, feel they are so engaged with an enemy’s deal that can not get out. Others join Satan out of ignorance, which is the majority of cases, and think there’s no way out either or simply do not believe in the enemy. The “adversary” is always setting decorated in “justice” traps in which many of us might fall, and what it might have seemed implausible, even some “Christian” institutions have adapted to them, proclaiming all kinds of out of contest theological excuses to bend rules to their favor and so hurting many believers who might fall for it: Christian institutions working for the enemy? Unbelievable! That is why we have to be very careful and hold on to the truth to not fall. God may permit that we fall into some traps so our faith strengthens (or to be altogether rejected) and like Peter keeps saying of the devil: But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominium forever and ever. Amen.  (I Peter5.9-11)

We have to be certain who we give our trust to, because Satan does exist and he wants to do away with the Church of God as Jesus established it when He came. Maybe this is the way God is separating “the sheep from the goats” (Read Mathew 25)

I, myself have been hurting and the devil has been trying me to fall, but I will not, because  I know in whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

 (II Timothy 1.12) In my pain I have suffered much, which only my closed ones know about. I have cried and I have prayed and God has answered me by making me study more His Word. And to my peace, because I know all of this must happen, He gave me this portion of the Scriptures which Jesus Himself said: See that you are not frightened for all those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,  and  in various places there will be famine and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation . . . At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. (Matthew 24.6b-13)

What shall we do in the meanwhile? : Believe (Acts 16.31), study the Bible (John 5.39), pray for guidance (I Thess. 5.17), try not to practice any of the deeds of the flesh (Gal.5.16-21) and wait for His reward:

Behold I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me to render to every man according to what he has done. (Revelation 22.12)

Is “Crying” for Losers?

                                     

 Many people think so. I have heard many say something like: “Let others be the ones who cry, not me,” meaning they do not want to be the ones who lose and wishing the defeat for the others.

It is good to cry because we can do away with any bad feeling any unfortunate circumstance brings us. But as soon as we can stop, we should cover up the hole in our soul so it cannot get filled up again with garbage emotions which will harm us and will not make us get ahead. After the “storm” the “Sun” always shines again, so, Who is the loser here?

I have had the opportunity of meeting a lot of people who think different than I do. I am Christian and I find that rewarding because of the HOPE I enjoy knowing that someday, not too distant from now, Christ is coming back for me and all who have believed in Him and committed to the goodness of His will. Some might say: “What if your ‘hope’ never arrives? You spend a whole life waiting for something that will never be. You are a loser, then” Actually when we have the faith on the only ONE who suffered much and was killed for ANYONE who wants to live eternally, and at the third day He rose from the dead, we know in out hearts we have won. No matter how bad the pain may be in the incident we need to cry about, we know God causes all; things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8.28)  So we end up smiling. Who loses here?

Yesterday I attended a celebration of Victory. At the dawn of April 8^th 1965, the Baptist Church in Cuba suffered a big tragedy that caused many tears when the atheist Communist regime which still operates there took prisoner some of the Church’s most important officers: three missionaries (women), forty six pastors and three laics. Now, 50 years later, we remembered the tears shed and sang glories to God. We heard a few testimonies and learned from some eyewitnesses who were then children in their parent’s home where the arrests took place, how the government officers busted in, with bayonets and all their hatred for anyone who preached anything that wasn’t their “revolution”, into non-armed pacific law abiding homes. Some of the pastors wives offered the officers coffee, even when they had to suffer insolent comments, looks and bad attitudes from them. The prisoners were taken to a common jail until their false cause of conspiring against the “revolution” would take place in a court of law, where different from here (U.S.,) you are guilty until proven innocent which is never going to happen if the government has the last word. (It usually does, so you know who we will be dealing with there) The pastors embraced each other when they could (I know these things because I happen to have read the diary of some of them) and knowing about the imprisonment of the early Christian, they rejoiced for the opportunities of giving their testimony there and sang, praising God. The atheist guards protested enraged but the pastors treated them nicely. Some even shared their goodies with them when their family brought them, later on, on visiting days. Some pastors did not accept the humiliating treatment of being considered like common delinquent, but some others did for the love to the Church of God. The results were that many people had to work hard in those churches to substitute the absent ones, and the ones disguising their true identity, left; new faces appeared and learned about the Good News of Christ; and the closest ones to the prisoners followed their example and are now successful Pastors. After having been predicted the death of the church in Cuba in 50 more years, the Baptists churches grew from 89 to 445 plus 508 Missions and 1,932 Worship Homes. From 6,754 members, it is now 25, 450 (not counting the people who left the country, of course)

The 136 baptisms a year, grew to 1,767 and the seminars doubled. It was confirmed, then, that the Victory was The Lord’s. Can you please tell me, who is the loser here?

We can cry for justice but God will restore us. The Holy Scripture says:

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joyful shouting (Psalm 126.5)

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. (Romans 8.37)

Our only cry will be of VICTORY in CHRIST!

Are we Truly Christian? What are we supposed to do about it?

 A relative who was born in the faith (but seems agnostic now) asked me if it was right for a “Christian” to act with prejudice.  I argued about the veracity of that Christian’s faith and answered: “I do not think a true Christian should have a questionable behavior. Maybe he’s not a true Christian.”

Many people have made comments about “Christians’ behavior” in a critical offensive manner. Others, even Christian pastors, have pointed out how unfortunate it is for someone who calls him or herself a Christian to act in such a way that is very far from the fact, when they desire or even predict eternal condemnation for anyone they think deserve it. (Are they going to be the judges?)  It is sad that a so called Christian should act in such a demeaning way because if we are Christian is because we believe in the way Jesus, the Christ, taught us when He lived among us and it is testified in the Holy Scriptures that He said: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5.44) . . . If your enemy is hungry, feed him (Romans 12.20a) . . . If someone slaps you on you right cheek, turn the other to him also. (Matthew 5. 39 b) and when He was asked about forgiving seven times He said: “I do not say up to seven, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18.22). He also said: The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20.28a). And when He washed his disciples’ feet he said “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” (John 13.15)   The Christian doctrine is one of LOVE, forgiveness, and service, even to the enemies, and whoever does not behave in that manner should not be called a Christian, I think.

Of Course, we know about the Grace of God which embraces ALL. Yet, not everyone is perfect as to deserve any goodness, whatsoever.  We are all sinners. Contrary to what other non-Christian religions believe, we are born that way due to the insubordination of our predecessors: Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God by eating the fruit from the only tree they were told not to. We inherited their sin, as everything else.. As it is written: There is NONE righteous; not even one (Romans 3.10) . . . for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3.23)  So, no matter what we do about it, we can not take away that “stain” off, except with blood. And without shedding of blood there’s no forgiveness (Hebrews 9.22b). . . But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (Romans 5.8-9). So what can we do about it? BELIEVE! And SEEK Him. We will be part of his family, and as so we shall enjoy life with Him, forever.

Be gracious to me, o God, according to your loving kindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51.1)

I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

 (Psalm 34.4)

Do you think I could convince you?

Would my arguments be strong enough to convince anyone of an error? They are if they are approved by the Perfect One for his purpose, which is that all his creatures be saved and live forever with the heir of everything there is, that is Jesus Christ our Savior. Of course, to convince anyone is not easy. Not even Jesus with his consent from heaven had it easy with his opponents whose arguments are still causing division and misinterpretation of the truth as we have believed it. When Jesus met with an officer of the organization that feared him, Nicodemus who came to question him, he said: “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3.12)

The Scriptures, or The Bible, is the Word of God which many, may use on their behalf perhaps to defend anything they might feel engaged to.  They even use it to contradict its teachings which only serve God’s purpose in the world, reason why it is usually said: “A text out of context is a pretext.” But many verses are rich in their meanings to be completely explicit on their own, and serve their objective. That is why we believe in The Bible from cover to cover. No matter how many try to discredit it by saying it is a book of “fiction” or that it contradicts itself. I dare them to read it and discover its might. Many who have done it to attack it have convinced themselves of the opposite. That is why we, believers know as the prophet Isaiah said: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will my WORD be, which goes forth from my mouth: It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55.10-11)

When I write, it is not I who speaks, but God himself. That is why, sometimes, after having prayed, when I start writing and get out of the main idea, something goes wrong and I start erasing and re-writing until I get into the right track again. Thank God for it! So actions speak louder, thus convincing the people it is wise to believe in He who left his throne of glory to become one of us to pay for our sins. Having lived a blameless life He became responsible of our guilt and suffered in our place so whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3.16b)

If you let Him, He will convince you to live in victory from this moment on, and He will give you the desire to do as He commanded when the Holy Spirit starts living within us.  The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.(I John 3.24)

Let’s celebrate His triumph on the cross by singing

 THE LORD HAS RISEN, HALLELUIA!!!

Happy Easter!

Are you planning to give someone a great gift this year?

 What is “great” to you? Many people could say: “A car”, “A house”, “A paid vacation”, or anything that is big or expensive, but actually, something “great” is something that makes you feel the best. Like the dictionary defines it “something remarkable in magnitude, degree or effectiveness. And what could that be for you?

I once asked someone what he was going to give to his girlfriend on Valentine's and he answered “Myself”. I argued, “No, no, it’s Valentine’s, you give that everyday, you must give something special” but he maintained “Can you find something more special for her than myself?  I am the one who solves any problem she might have, I’m always there when she needs me, I make her laugh when she is sad, and also when she’s not.  I offer my shoulder for her to cry on, and wipe off her tears. I love her and she loves me. We have a wonderful time together. Don’t you think that’s great enough?”

I got to thinking and after a few seconds I said: “You know, you are right; there’s no better gift than a great time together with who you appreciate, laugh together and have a blast.”  Later, I learned he was putting me on because he was fixing to give her the wedding ring that day,  by coming out of a huge gift box at her door step. Isn’t that remarkable in magnitude, degree and effectiveness? In other word: GRRREAT!!!

A good time we could give someone is a great gift, and that is what God has asked us to do in “loving one another” as Jesus said. Any good thing that makes you smile shows LOVE and the Scriptures say: Above all keep fervent in your LOVE for one another, because LOVE covers a multitude of sins. (I Peter 4.8)

Hope someone gives you a great gift this year. Happy Valentine!!!

Showing teeth or Frowning?

We reflect what we feel. Many times, we have to make an effort to show what we do not feel, because it might have a permanent effect which may affect us negatively afterwards, like for instance, when someone takes a picture and we have to smile, even if  we are angry or sad. Sometimes we can not help it and show the real feeling which is what we normally would do, thus making the picture obtain an enduring tag. Some might laugh about it, later on, but the “whatever” feeling that caused the “frown,” or the mean look, could result in something painful through the years, although we may not feel it right away.

Life also makes us frown if things do not go as we plan. It’s happened to me, and many times I walked around in a long face for more than I wished, even though I was always pleading I could smile again. There were many people praying for me and many who loved me were always giving me good advice from the book of wisdom:(the Word of God). Sometimes that was not good at all, because it made me feel ungrateful; like I was not doing what I was supposed to feel good; and I did not know what was so unpleasing to God of what I was doing. I felt horrible about myself and thought He did not like me, which was the reason why I felt so bitter and mad for all "He had let me go through". Why me? I would ask myself. No matter how much I tried to do the things correctly:, be nice to everyone or be proper, the feeling of being a loser in life did not go away and it all started to wound my self esteem Every time someone said «Smile, Jesus Loves you» I felt like "yeah, right, I was going fine and He took it all away. How could you say that’s love?" There was no way anybody could convince me of the opposite.

I had little people who depended on me, though, and I got to thinking I was not setting a very good example if I wanted them not to turn like me in the future, because one thinks that bad things happen when one does not act correctly, but, you know what? I started to read the Scriptures every day and asked God to give me the wisdom He wanted me to have in order to carry on with a nice life. Not only did I learn that God really loved me in spite of my behavior, and if I let Him, He would become my father, my protector, my savior from any grief, for He would be by my side at every moment to cry with me and give me courage to go on till His plan in my life is fulfilled and I graduate with honors.

I am happy for it and I have decided to start the year showing my teeth, smiling for all knowing that:

. . .God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. . . (Romans8.28)

. . .we too all formerly lived in the lust of our flesh indulging the desires of the flesh, and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath. . .But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (E[hesians 2.3-7)