Are We Celebrating for Life or for Death?

The Christmas Season is known as the happiest one of all times to us, the believers, for it is the birth celebration of our Redeemer. The one we call The Son of God, or God Himself who came to pay, with His own blood, for our fault of non obedience, to reconcile us with the Father Who adopts us as children to enjoy the benefit of an eternal great life which starts right here and right now. And all we have to do is simply: BELIEVE.

I often think of the nonbelievers and feel sorry for them because they do not know nor have anything that gives them hope for a better life, for obeying the enemy who wants to destroy goodness. The Holy Scripture says it clearly: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3.16)  Of course if they do not believe in God, much less in the Bible and will make up excuses to justify their behavior. Others do believe, but not completely and are taught to recruit followers by giving the wrong excuses, to impose their belief. But the only One who has the light is the one we should praise:  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does NOT have the life. (I John 5.12)   I feel sad for them too because the course of life on earth has demonstrated the importance of Jesus as the Son of God.

I was once asked to write an essay on what I thought was the importance of Jesus. Personally, I see a lot of things, just the fact that He had to leave his kingdom surroundings to come into this world, deal with its arrogant inhabitants and die at the hands of the sinners He came to redeem to even ask for their forgiveness, is important enough.  Nevertheless, I started to think in everything else that points Him as the Divinity everyone should worship and asked myself why. Why if He is not “so” important, should then be chosen. First, the prophets announced his birth:  For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9.6) And that He would be born of a virgin: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (God with us). (Isaiah 7.14) The angels from heaven also appeared praising Him. A heavenly body illuminated the way to the foreign wise men who went to worship. And Simeon, a righteous and devout man, when seeing baby Jesus as He was being presented to the Lord, recognized him as it had been previously revealed to him and said: “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word for my eyes have seen your salvation.”    (Luke 2.29-30). And what about all the miracles He did later on in His life and still does today through the Holy Spirit? Like I wrote in my essay:

“What Jesus patented throughout His exceptional life, and all of what, as a result, the world enjoys today, is so great that it would be impossible to say in so many words. Have you thought in all the existing human charity organizations? And the hospitals and help centers that care for the needy? Who do you think motivated them? What of the missionaries who lost their lives for taking the good news of eternal life to the savages?  What about the division of the time in BC and AD? Why would the whole world establish a pattern on someone who is not ‘so’ important?”

He visited us and overcame death and like it or not, when He comes back every knee shall vow, for life and goodness.

So let’s celebrate His life which guarantees ours in the midst of our hardship. 

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.(Isaiah 9.2)

  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

                                 and HAPPY 2018

Does our world work justice for us?

This is an issue I come across every single day. When I listen to the radio and hear all the people complaining about the undeserved raise of expenses, the poor performances in the paid for programs, and the non compliance of the politician’s campaign promises together with the disappearance of large sums of money and/or goods collected for a specific problem, I know we are living in an unjust world.

When you have a large family or work with children you can hear them complaining when one or some get some kind of privilege that another one doesn’t  and you hear him/her whimper: “It’s not fair!” and they physically attempt against anything they have in front of them; or when you have to say to a little one: “No, you cannot do that, it’s not good for you” but he/she doesn’t understand yet and thinks you’re trying to punish him, says the same.

The world is simply NOT FAIR, no matter how you look at it. Yesterday I had a day in which I almost drowned in misery thinking there’s no justice for the ones who even try to do things right, when I heard of the devastating news about the results of a beloved couple’s dissolution of marriage.  I even started thinking about all of the bad things that have happened to me and remembered that I even wanted to take my life for I wasn’t ready for this world.  Why do bad things keep happening to my loved ones? I thought, there’s not enough money to bring justice to the justice that serves the money. But I thanked God, He set me straight and I felt ashamed to have even dared to challenge Him. When something is fair for one, it is not fair for the other. I’m pretty sure they both feel cheated by the ones who decided what was best under the world law. Everyone will not be happy with the results because they will always think it could have been better. If one is hurt the most, “Justice would’ve probably been served if that one got all the benefits” but what about the other? It’s not fair if we do not think of that one, no matter who provoked the fight. I think of the children fighting: “He started it.” “No, he hit me first.” And the parent doesn’t know who to blame for he loves them both.

Our Heavenly Father loves us ALL and does not want any of us to hurt but we have to understand that justice will come only when we learn that it only comes from Him, like Paul the apostle said: On the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Therefore there is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 7.25-8.4)  And that means that if we behave according to God’s way, justice will be served to whoever believes, not to whoever spends more money, or makes more money, or works more, or loves or hates more.  Everything we do in life will show our intentions to walk with Christ or not. And if we do, we’ll know that we’ll overwhelmingly conquer everything.

That does not mean that we’ll be exempt of all problems like some people think, but that we’ll have the ability of getting over them quick with wisdom and our success is eminent,

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8.18)

Are we being besieged by the future?

If I was going to talk like a thinking person, I would probably say YES.  Everything around us seems negative and bad. The news on TV could not be worse about deaths due to fires, killings, pandemic diseases, revolts in different countries, terrorist attacks, nuclear threats, mass destruction; and the newscasters do not calm the people down but fuel the fire instead to go against God chosen leaders as if they were our enemies. (He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 17.15) If we look closer we see fights among family and friends, struggles, divorces, and all kinds of quarrel. WHY? Are we in the lasts days?

If you think a little you realize that everything in this life is the result of a bad decision taken by a person, a group of persons, a government, a simple people, because we are the ones who are branded with the first bad decision of not obeying the only one rule God had set upon our ancestors: “but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden,” God said, “you shall not eat from it or touch it, or you shall die.”(Genesis 3.3) If they had listened . . . “another day would dawn”

It is very clear that for every bad decision we ever make there is a worse outcome. In the days of the first couple, besides their drive out of paradise there was a penalty given to man that we have all inherited: “Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life (they would not get its fruit freely as they had been doing). Both thorns and thistles it  shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you will eat bread till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”(Genesis 3.17b-19)

People keep getting born and making wrong choices and worsening the situation. The world is upside down and the people in authority who want to make things better are being betrayed for money which is really what makes our “world” go round. We do not have a single TV person that helps bring peace to the worried people like Winston Churchill said when in WWII: “Keep calm and carry on.” For those who always thought not to talk about the theme for considering it a bad word, we are being subjected to the real: CONSPIRATION which has been prophesized in the Bible, that if you read and study it, would realize everything has been perfectly mastered by the Prince of this world; The Liar in chief: Satan. But if you read and study it, everyday, you also realize that the same God, who sentenced man, loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to pay a price to cleanse us, and no matter how bad the world might be, if we only believe in Him, we are saved. That is GRACE

He is invincible and there’s NO WAY anyone can hurt us eternally, except not believing. A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. (Psalm 91.7) When we believe and ask for forgiveness for our bad choices, truly, we experience the peace that surpasses all comprehension. That is why I feel so good when I go to church or watch Christian TV, read Christian books and study the Bible. I do hear the news for I want to know what’s going on, but I know God’s in control despite the horrors I hear and I thank Him.

The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.    I Peter 3.10

Are we representing what we really believe or is it that we have changed beliefs?

 

Most of us act the way we believe we should no matter the opinion of other people. Of course, the people who like to be on the right side of the Law try to behave accordingly. Those who only think of themselves do what pleases them. There are those who live a double life because they do not want the other people to know their real feeling because it would be dangerous or harmful to their life like it happens in some countries where the “political” issue is the main theme and nobody can differ from the ones in power to not be considered a traitor to the “Common Cause” which I call tyranny. People who live under that stress might not be faithful to their own belief or have probably changed it. It could be they get tired of the double standard and start looking for justifications to what they try to portray, to not look so inconsistent; those, of course are believed to have a weak foundation and are capable of anything, especially if someone with a bad intention becomes their buddy and influences their behavior, greatly. Beware of them buddies, they’re only thinking on themselves. They will forsake you as soon as you get in trouble for listening to them.  You, then, will suffer the consequences of being betrayed by your new buddies who won’t be around anymore and then you’d wish had never listened to them. Is it too late?

For some it could be too late and will lose it all. If we have changed the true faith for a “fairy tale” and persist in it, will surely be too late, but if in our anguish we truly repent from any wrong doing, weakness or bad intentions to improperly gain any kind of advantages by damaging someone else, there could be surprises. The Scriptures says: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1.9)  That is why we cannot judge anyone due to his/her behavior because we do not know if he/she would truly repent and God forgives him/her. Those, then become related to the Lord and if we wish them bad is like wishing the Lord the same. Remember He said: Truly I say to you to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me. (Matthew 25.40) That is why we should love one another like Jesus asked us to.  Has someone hurt us that bad that we want to hurt them back? The solution is on the Scriptures: “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.”( Matthew 5.25,26 )

In this life we have many problems because we are NOT perfect due to the sinful nature we carry, but the way we choose to live our life will either help us live or drawn us forever. If we choose the right path, our obstacles will serve as lessons to be better, if not, they will make us go farther in depth until there’s no way out.

Think of it and if you’re smart you will follow Jesus’ teachings on the Sermon of the Mount  you will find it in the Scriptures first book of the New Testament, Matthew, from the 5^th chapter on and you’ll see why He’s the true and firm foundation anybody can build a good life  for his loved ones. He said:

          “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.”(Matthew 7. 24,25)

A wise man also said: “Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, but the descendants of the righteous WILL be delivered.”(Proverbs 11.21)

Seek the TRUTH and it shall make you free

            HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY

Is it All Right to be Different?

It is obvious that if everyone felt the same way there would not be any problem. There would not be protests or killings. We would all be the same, think and believe the same way and probably look alike too, therefore everything would be . . . boring. But God in His holy wisdom made us different; diverse looking and unlike in thinking and believing. That is why we are His masterpiece and everything works perfect. Of course many could argue of some existing imperfections, whether congenital or accidental. When Jesus came to our world he was frequently asked about those which were thought to be the cause of sin. In the case of a blind man, his own disciples asked Him: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents that he would be born blind?”(John 9.2)  To me that is a cautious question that could be interpreted according to whoever makes it. If it is someone with a naïve intention, as the disciples, and many of us too, Jesus’ answer would satisfy: “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 9.3), but some others might ask in a mocking way disrespecting the Creator’s sent. Yet, we know that even they have the benefit of His grace and Love if they wish. If there’s anything wrong with anyone, they can ask God and He could take it away. He sacrificed himself for everyone. The scripture says: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish. . . (John 3.16) He did not say that He loved this or that group. He loves everyone no matter how different we are, how good or bad, how proper or incorrect. God created us in His own image, He did not make us puppets of His ways but gave us free will to do as we wish, OF COURSE, if we are grateful and believe His Word that He provided us to study and obtain wisdom, we would do as it says and no matter how different we might be, our names will be written in the Book of Life and we will live with Him forever.

I read a Christian daily lecturer that was not mine, in Spanish, the other day, which name was “We are the same”. I do not know if the translator did not get the idea or if the writer could not express it in a better way or perhaps he meant it, but I did not like the title. I do not think we are the same. To me that is the trick theme of the ungodly where they are the only different ones and “better” and “worthy of praise.” They are only trying to get you to like them to force you to think like them thus making you a puppet. That’s why many flee from that. I am proof of it. God gave us free will but a brain to use and make choices that could make us better or worse. It is up to us and with His help we can conquer whatever comes our way and don’t have to give in to sin, but if we do, God is merciful enough to forgive us, if we ask Hin. On the other hand, if my condition is subject of ridicule or mockery, or non acceptance, it is not my problem but theirs. I should not get angry.  Jesus suffered more than I do in order to cleanse me and I am proud to feel like He did. I will NOT pay anyone with the same coin for he said: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (Romans 12.19.) And how sad it is to be in the non- forgiven sinner’s shoes.

Some people like some things, others do not. Perhaps that is the way God designed us so we could argue and find out the correct way to act. Some people do things that please God, others do not. We are all different but in our diverse forms we should find out what is good and what is bad and if we are wrong we can change if we ask and trust Him. Jesus disciple John said it: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. (I John 1.9)

I owe my Christian conviction to my late mother’s passion of teaching her children in the ways of the Lord.. I would like to congratulate all the mothers in their special celebration this month and reminding them to take counsel from the wisest man when He wrote: Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he’s old  he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22.6)

         HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

ARE WE HYPOCRITE OR ARE WE ACCUSERS?

The first is a very difficult question. If I was under oath I would probably hesitate because yes, sometimes we are hypocrite. . or we have to be. I think that is a form of lying, though, and I do not like to lie. I do not like it because I know that the results are chaotic and will always be worse in every sense. No matter how bad, the truth is always the best. Yet, in order to save our lives or good appearance we have to, sometimes, be a little hypocrite. I remember a radio program, a comedy when I was a child, about a lady who spoke to her next door neighbor in a friendly way, agreeing to everything she said until her daughter appeared saying the truth, innocently, about how much her mother really despised her for her behavior, thus embarrassing the mother. Sometimes we do not say the truth to not become offensive. What is worse? Is it one for not wanting to act as felt to not offend or the other for making one feel bad in front of an innocent child? We can’t be fighting with everyone who does not think or act like we do. So, on the name of “polite” we are a little hypocrite.

I also remember that my 10^th grade “history” teacher in the country I fled from was fully in favor of the repressive communist government which was completely opposed to my Christian family beliefs; so in order to get good grades I memorized her teachings and repeated them in the exams. I was being a hypocrite for we thought she was wrong, but that’s the way many good people live in that country, with a double standard except the brave ones who dare to oppose the tyranny.

In any case we can have a good justification to act defensively, but it’s still wrong. We should not use a bad conduct as an example to teach our children if we are not going to behave accordingly, and in the case of the school it might be better to say what we feel even though we get an F or get rejected as a good professional candidate by getting a bad “political” reputation which is the most important issue in those leftists governments. Honesty is a better quality. Of course, this I have learned with time and good falls on the way that have no return for me, but perhaps for others who can read me. It is bad to be a hypocrite, but sometimes, the one who accuses us of it, unless it is our own conscience, is trying to feel good by doing it. The good thing is that God knows it all and He will surely act accordingly. Would not God find this out?, for He knows the secrets of the heart. (Psalm 44.21).

Jesus was certainly NOT a hypocrite for He never sinned, but He did say what He must and that’s why they killed him. “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? (Matthew 23.33) He did criticize the ones who thought they were right but paid to make people lie so they could look good in front of the ones in power. Remember when they decided to lie about Jesus’ resurrection? They gave a large sum of money to the soldiers and said, “You are to say. . .” (Matthew 28. 12-15)

Some people accuse others in order to move away their responsibility and some others criticize them for doing it. Who’s right and who’s wrong? I’ve heard “Christians” criticize “accusers” of being wrong and don’t consider, for instance, the accusations of John the Baptist against the king who beheaded him; and the same Jesus criticized certain people: Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!, for you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. (Matthew 23.27) He was saying the truth. He had the authority, though people did not believe it. Others think they have it, given by a position, an organization, a robe, a party affiliation, but the only man appointed by God is Jesus. For there is one God and one mediator ONLY between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (I Timothy 2.5)

The Bible tells us we should look at the log in our eyes before we see the speck in our brother’s (Matthew 7. 1-5), but only God knows who has the speck and who has the log. I hope the log carrier realizes it and reconsiders before the King says: “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25.40)

 

Who are we working for? Are we happy with what we are doing?

 The first one is a tricky question because many times we do not know the answer. Sometimes we do not even care as long as we get paid. All we care about is to make money and do not consider the source of it; that is for somebody else to figure out, if it’s clean and sound, for instance. We are not policemen to judge the hand that pays, if we feel right with what we are doing. That is why there is much injustice done because people are in need of what they must have to live and go on, that they become unconcerned about the cost of their doings which many times is the dirty work of who needs to be in a place where can not be linked to the dirty servants who may pay with jail time. And if it’s only jail time is not so bad because it can serve as a lesson to not fall in the lies of the empowered by their dirty money or fame. Dirty, because it was won illegally, or for a cause that might be considered great for some and not all. If there’s transparency in what we do, we would be happy. If we know our real Boss, we can be assured to have a great reward that will benefit all, not only a few who will not regard the means to obtain their desired end, no matter what. That is the reason many sell their soul to the wrong one and listen to the lies of the puppets of the enemy.

If we want to be winners in all we do to go on in life, we have to listen and submit to the only ONE who paid for it; the ONE who took our place at the real punishment on the cross, so we could live and not suffer eternally. He did not leave us alone and went to have fun at a place where He would be recognized as “great” for attending the “gala” while his pawns are doing the dirty work, but He would do His job as The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1.29). He said: I go to prepare a place for you. . . I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14. 2, 18) He is the only One worth to work for.

I wrote before: If there’s transparency in what we do, we are happy. How do we know there is transparency? When people can clearly see that what we do is NOT against God’s will or His desire for us. We are all sinners, but if for that cause we go to jail, isn’t it smarter to clean ourselves to not have to be in jail for an eternity?  I know Jesus paid for my sins and every time I think about it which is most of the time, I thank Him for His mercy. I just can’t think living an eternity in contempt. Although there are many who rather ignore what they are doing as wrong and “cover” it with the grace of God, but keep on doing the wrong justifying it. It is very sad because people try to warn them and all they do is curse and accuse people of undesired bigots and racists, and the non believers, of madness. The ones they are listening to are driving them around as they wish. I cry because I love them and wish them eternal happiness. God loves everyone because he died for all of us and He gave us the tools to win because with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19.26 c). As Paul the apostle said: I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4.13)