Reporting from Atlanta, GA

So i'm finally on vacation thank the Lord and yesterday December 20th I hopped on a plane with my uncle and his son in-law flew to miami to meet the rest of my uncle's family and drove from miami to orlando and from orlando to Atlanta, so if i haven't posted any comments on any of the blogs I usually visit it is because i'm enjoying my Christmas vacations here in Atlanta...
God bless everyone and a Merry Christmas!!
Rita

In Christ Alone

Wow Stumbled across this video/song...just beautiful!

In Christ Alone by Keith Getty (From the New Irish Hymns)

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Thunderstorm Noel

I'm taking the time to write about this thunderstorm because of 2 things, the first reason is because of the desvastations it left behind and the second reason because of an analogy I heard from a friend today. This little thunderstorm which then became a hurricane, came to my country unnanounced (due to irresponsable communication) unexpected and caused tremendous amount of harm and death. Roads were completely destroyed due to floods, overflowed rivers smashed newly built bridges, homes and entire towns were wiped away. It has been terrible for so many people. As we spoke of this today at one my friend's house someone comented on an analogy a man made at their church this morning, the man said that God allowed this thunderstorm because of the recent battle against depenalizing abortion this country is having. He said, it is amazing how something unanounced, unexpected and so simple caused such a terrible disgrace, the death of many...like abortion, to the babe it is unanounced, unexpected and with something so simple as a vacuum or some technique. one of the girls said but why harm the lesser ones, the poor people, our friend said, because thats exactly how it is with abortion, the babe is the one being harmed and killed, the weak one.
The problem is, the population having the highest amount of abortions right now is the low class because of they're lifestyles and the conditions they live in. After so many years now they're trying to make abortions legal. I believe that this storm could probably be some sort of judgement on behalf of God, and we must be thankful always in all situations during the joys and during the tempests. Situations like these bring people closer, and bring them closer to God and we should use these oportunities to witness and spread the Gospel. Get people thinking, if it were your home being washed away and you were in it would you go to heaven? or hell? how is your relationship with God?

Please pray for my country! We are in greatly need of help!!
God bless,
Rita M.

The Abortion Issue

El debate sobre el aborto en República Dominicana (The debate on abortion in the Dominican Republic)

Octubre 02, 2007/October 02, 2007

by Manuel Jiménez (translated by me/Rita M.)

SANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) - The Catholic and Evangelic churches, as well as conservative groups, warned wednesday that in case of depenalizing abortion, Dominican Republic would become "the human slaughterhouse of the Caribbean."

The postition is contained in an official notice made known by the religious institutions and civic movements that reject a project of law that the Congress is discussing to legally authorize the abortion due to health reasons.

"The massive murder of children in the uterus is a terrible way of terrorism," they said in the official notice, in which they insisted that upon lifting the prohibition it would turn the country into the "human slaughterhouse of the Caribbean."

Within the framework of the debate on the subject, feminist groups and the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations (ONG/NGO), as well as some legislators, they have been pronounced in favor of the legalization of abortion, especially the cases in which the mother's life is in danger. [PLEASE! this is just an excuse, this would be the first step to completely legalize abortion in any situation]

Actually, the dominican law establishes that "all woman, adult, young or girl, is forced to carry to term a pregnancy even though it is the outcome of a rape or incest," something which feminist groups and legislators of diverse parties condemn.

The reform proposes "the penal nonimputability to the interruption of the pregnancy, within the first 90 days of gestation, when it is the result of a sexual violation, puts in danger the life of the woman, when it demonstrates genetic malformations or serious congenital malformations in the product of the pregnancy or when the pregnancy is the result of fertilization, " according to the project.

Around 59 countries in all of the world, among which can be found Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, "asume this comprehensive activity toward abortion in sight of these specific causes," the defenders of the reform argue.

But the churches and opposing groups, maintained in the official notice that "The Dominican Republic should not have to foment the genocide against its own population by means of the legalization of the murder of its children."[1] (emphasis mine)

Please pray for my country and that the legalization of abortion will not take place!!

God Bless!

[1]: Read the Spanish version written by Manuel Jiménez at http://latino.msn.com/noticias/articles/ArticlePage.aspx?cp-documentid=5453012

Exactly What I've been thinking!!! and some other things...

So I've been listening to Way of The Master Radio Podcast and today Todd Friel was talking about philosophy and how Christians have been mashing it with their beliefs and he said something about the whole "bringing the world into the church" thing, that is exactly what i've been saying/thinking.

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." - 1 Corinthians 1:17

"If you try to get somebody into the church through a postmodern adaptation, through a felt need type of approach well then what you've done is you've not preached the cross and you've emptied it of its power, because they could atribute something else besides the preaching of the word and the cross of Jesus Christ and that robs Him of His glory." - Todd Friel

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - 1st Corinthians 1:18.

"When we understand what salvation is, that we don't change the Gospel and remove its hard parts and instead make it palatable, when its lost its power, people don't get saved. When we understand soteriology, what salvation is, then we just go back to preaching the cross." - Todd Friel

"...I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching [the cross] to save them that believe." 1 Corinthians 1:19-21 (emphasis Friel's)
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." 1 Corinthians 1:25

He was talking also about Deconstruction and how people have deconstructed the bible to fit it to their own beliefs, and in Dr. Gary Gilley's Article "The Kingdom of Emergent Theology – Part 1" I think there is a good example of deconstruction:

"N. T. Wright, the primary link between the “New Perspective on Paul” (which claims we have misunderstood Paul and, in turn, the gospel, since the foundation of the church) and evangelicalism, has the same eschatological underpinnings, “[Paul] was to declare to the pagan world that YHWH, the God of Israel, was the one true God of the whole world, and that in Jesus of Nazareth he had overcome evil and was creating a new world in which justice and peace would reign supreme."1 (emphasis mine)

Please read the rest of the article it is amazing the distorted views of scripture the "emergent" movement has, I just couldn't believe it! Lord Jesus Please COME!!

God Bless!


1: http://svchapel.org/Resources/Articles/read_articles.asp?ID=139

Second Life (Very old Post saved for a future time, which is now)

12/08/07
I had been thinking about writing something God has brought up to my attention concerning Sin and why people love it so much. But this morning as I skimmed the pages of the magazine Estilos, I found an article on a new software called "Second Life", something about the article called my attention. They wrote the following: "Why do people use this? Basically, to escape a reality that does not FILL them. A lesser job, a better physique, curiosity for other ways to face life..." vanity of vanities my brother Solomon once said. Let me tell you what this "software" is all about:
-First of all their Catch-Phrase is: "Your World. Your Imagination"

"Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 8,795,365 Residents from around the globe.

* From the moment you enter the World you'll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity. Once you've explored a bit, perhaps you'll find a perfect parcel of land to build your house or business.

* You'll also be surrounded by the Creations of your fellow Residents. Because Residents retain the rights to their digital creations, they can buy, sell and trade with other Residents.

* The Marketplace currently supports millions of US dollars in monthly transactions. This commerce is handled with the in-world unit-of-trade, the Linden dollar, which can be converted to US dollars at several thriving online Linden Dollar exchanges.

Welcome to Second Life. We look forward to seeing you in-world. "[1] (emphasis mine)

So basically its a world within the world. Only its virtual and you can reinvent they way you look, you can have your own country and your own presidents, your own laws, your own definition of what is Sin, heck I bet you can probably have your own god. Oh wait since its YOUR world, and YOUR creation you are probably YOUR OWN god.
And because it is a game its open to ALL public. Lets raise our kids with this "new" line of thinking (a way of thinking over 6 thousand years old).

Which brings me back to my original reason for this post. Why people LOVE sin.

Througout this entire semester I have been mocked, laughed at, humiliated, called foolish, hypocrite, among other things, and all because I refuse to do what I know is not right, all for being Christian. Now this doesn't bother me, what bothered me was not knowing exactly why they did this. And I have found out why, I've already discussed this in the last blog but i will say it again, facing up to God comes with a responsability, guilt and repentance which they refuse to accept. And that is why people turn to images, software, music, people, statues, strange fires, among other things before they admit to God that they need repentance and a Savior.

People wake up! There is one World, the one we are living in. One Creator, the Lord our God. And One way, One Truth and One Life and that is Jesus Christ.

God Bless you all
Rita M.

Note: This was a very old Post.

[1]: http://secondlife.com/whatis/

Using the Scientific Method

"If God is real then why doesn't He show up or something and show the world He truly exists??" Oh How many times have I heard this before, even from my own lips such a long time ago.

Our Pediatrics teacher said the following this afternoon as an introduction to I can only assume, an investigative project he has assigned all of us:

"Science doesn't define truth, it defines a way of thinking. It is a process in which experiments are used to answer questions. This process is called the Scientific Method and it comprises various steps. Observation, Hypothesis, Experimentation."

He then proceeded to ask, "Can we prove the existence of God through the Scientific Method?", a classmate well known for being an "atheist" said no, another classmate said that she has proven God's existence through the scientific method using logic but did not explain how she came to her conclusion.
As the class continued the discussion wether or not God's existance can be proven through the Scientific Method, the following text came to mind.

Human beings don't believe in God because their hearts have been hardened and their eyes blinded by Sin. In 1st of Kings 18:16-46 Elijah was sent by God to the worshippers of baal and conducted an experiment. (Note: Obviously he wasn't sent to conduct an experiment he was sent to rebuke the people of God for their idolatry, but I will describe what happened viewing the event through objective, cientific eyes.)

1. Observation:
The people of God, Israel, worships images and statues. Is it possible that these images and statues are the real God?

2. Hypothesis
Prove that Baal is not God, and is not even a real god.

3. Experiment:
A. Calling Baal
An altar is built using wood and on top of the wood a bull chopped into pieces is placed, all of this to be consumed with fire by calling baal to do so.

B. Calling God
The altar of the Lord is repaired. Twelve stones are placed on the ground, a trench around it is dug, the wood is arranged on top, and finally the chopped bull is placed on top. Then 4 large jars of water are poured over the altar three times, filling entirely the trench and soaking the altar. All of this to be consumed with fire by calling God to do so.

Results
Experiment A. Baal worshippers called on the name of baal from morning till noon, baal never showed.

Experiment B. Elijah prayed to God the following prayer: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." The following ocurred "Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench."

Conclusion
Through this experiment Elijah proved to all of them that a. God does exist, b. Abraham's God, the Creator of the universe and everything in it is the one True God. c. Baal doesn't exist, meaning: isn't a real god.

The Point:
This was only one of the many times God's existence was proved in the old and new, His power was manifested and His glory shined. We're in the year 2007, no matter how many times God manifests Himself to human beings in "physical" form, it will not change the humans' stubborn mind and heart. Humans are aware of the existence of God because it has been manifested to all of us at some point “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The problem is the following:

"People claim to not believe in God because it is “not scientific” or “because there is no proof.” The true reason is that once people admit that there is a God, they also must realize that they are responsible to God and in need of forgiveness from God (Romans 3:23; 6:23). If God exists, then we are accountable for our actions to Him. If God does not exist, then we can do whatever we want without having to worry about God judging us. I believe that is why evolution is so strongly clung to by many in our society - to give people an alternative to believing in a Creator God. God exists and ultimately everyone knows that He exists. The very fact that some attempt so aggressively to disprove His existence is in fact an argument for His existence."(1)

So folks what will it be? Another 2000 years of ignorantly denying God's obvious existence, or finally accepting today and now that God does exist. But accepting that He does exists then you must face the fact that because the first man, Adam, disobeyed God sin entered through him and has been passed on to all of us, the problem is no sinner will go to heaven. (Think you're good enough to go to heaven? click this link: http://www.livingwaters.com/good/) But don't worry God provided a payment for all of our sins so that we could be allowed through some way to be saved, go to heaven and have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."(2)

May the Lord bless each and everyone of you!

Rita M.



(1) Quote taken from: "http://www.gotquestions.org/Does-God-exist.html"
(2) Quote taken from: "http://www.Biblegateway.com" [NIV]

8 Reasons Why

I found this funny video on Youtube, and they're so right. These aren't reasons these are excuses, and I confess I am guilty of a few of them. But thanks to Way of the Master those "excuses" are about to change! :D
God Bless!!

Link: http://www.godtube.com/flvideo/a79e78aaeda80516ae2a/1374.flv

My babies

So I have started my 12th (out of 15) semester in Medschool, we have 2 rotations this semester. Pediatrics and Ob-gyn, my favorites...or so I thought. So yesterday (Thur Sept/06/07) was my first "service" (is that even the correct name/expression?) every 5 days, i think, we have to do a 6 hour service in different areas of the Pediatric Hospital "Robert Reid Cabral". We have class at the hospital from 8-12, then various classes at the university from 1 till 3, 4, 5, or 8pm. Yesterday our last class was from 6-8pm, we got off early and went over to the Hospital got into our Pediatric Scrubs (just like any other scrub only with little drawings and baby colors). I was so excited at first, I was sent to the Third Floor and was given 7 patients and was in charge of taking their vital signs at 8pm and at 12mid night. So I started taking vital signs of each of my little patients at 8:30 and finished like at 10:45. Why? why spend so many hours on 7 patients? because babies cry. Oh my word!!! one has to have SO much patience. You have to convice them that the stethoscope is not a syringe and will not in any way harm them, you have to baby talk them into cooperating with you, i spent like 15 minutes per patient. There was one little baby who would not stop crying I had to wait until like 1am when he was fast asleep to be able to get the stethoscope near him. I left the hospital at 2 am, in 6 hours I only sat down like 2 times and was sent looking for lab results like 5 times!! Ah and to think that during weekends the services are from 8am till 12 at midnight. How fun!

God Bless!!
Rita M.

UPDATE :: Thinking straighter and looking back, its so sad to see so many babies sick in a roach-infested hospital and not so clean, it makes ya wonder...But we all do our best to give these children the best attention they can get with their resources and sometimes more. One of the positive things of that night was that I was not alone, one of the doctors there is a christian and before I began my rounds we had quite a chat making my first "service" not as awkard or strange as I thought it would be.

Yoga for Christians?

In moments when we feel stressed, empty, tired, alone, sad, discouraged, you name it; as Christians we are supposed to turn to God and God alone is enough. When we start bringing in stuff like yoga, "comfort food", meditation+candles+incense these things become our god. Here's a nice video on Yoga and wether christians should practice it or not.

Dating non-Christians

When I began my walk with the Lord I was still in a relationship with a non-christian. We had been together for over 2 years, me becoming a Christian was an obstacle in the relationship for him, and the relationship became an obstacle for me in my new life since he had asked me to 'wait' for him to 'catch up'. But God always provides wether it is spiritually or physically, and He did so spiritually when during that time at the youth group I went to on saturdays at my church, our youth leader began a series on relationships. I realized why it was so wrong for a Christian to date a non-Christian, and I learned what God had to say about it in His word. After much prayer the relationship ended, and it was no longer an obstacle in my walk and finally I was able to continue growing in my walk with the Lord. The following excerpt+link makes an excellent point explaining the reasons why christians and non-christians cannot join together in a relationship.

Dating: When Words and Choices Clash
by Dan Phillips

"Coarse but pointed joke-that-you've-all-heard-anyway alert in 3... 2... 1....

So this iconic guy's talking with an iconic girl, and asks whether she'd be willing to engage in carnal acts for $1 million.

She considers, shrugs, says, "For a million dollars? I guess."

"Would you do it for $5?" he follows up.

She is shocked, and deeply offended. "What do you think I am?" she rages.

His classic retort: "Oh, we've already established what you are. Now we're haggling about price."

And now, a moment's pause while Pyro readers wonder where this could possibly be going. Play the overture from Handel's Messiah in your head. Daaaa.... da-daaaa....

Now, why is that joke funny to most folks? It's funny because of the surprising clash. In the punch-line, the woman is deeply offended, because she wants to say that her virtue is precious, and he's cheapening it with his $5 suggestion. But the man counters that he already knows her virtue not to be beyond price to her. She can be bought. What she says now is one thing; what she has already said, another.

So you, unmarried Christian reader, start dating an unbeliever. What are you saying?"

A "Modern" day Job.

Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!! it is amazing the story of this man!! Watch the vid.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."
Psalm 98:4

This verse describes exactly what my sister, her church friends and I were doing this morning at the home for children "Life and Hope". Wow! what an experience!! This home is at walking distance from my house, I've gone past it probably over a thousand times and more never knowing how many wonderful kids that place houses. But these aren't your regular children nor your regular home for children, these are special children who are mentally ill, and some are physically impaired as well. Some of them can actually understand when they are spoken to but cannot talk back or don't know how to respond verbally if not with a noise, like Ellis and Soledad. Others don't understand at all. But as soon as we started singing and clapping and praising these children began to move and shake and to make noise, the ones who understood joyfully clapped along and made joyful noises to accompany our singing, others actually danced!!
What a wonderful moment as God's children even in whatever condition they are, joyful sang and praised Him. God is amazing!!

May the Lord Bless you all and fill you all with His spirit and His love so that you can Praise Him and Glorify Him always! In everything you do and in every condition you are to be!!!

In Christ,
Rita M.

False Teachers and Their Destruction

Looking for something else in the bible I stumbled across this, very fitting to our situation these days.

2 Peter 2

False Teachers and Their Destruction

1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,^[a] putting them into gloomy dungeons^[b] to be held for judgment; 5if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.^[c] 10This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature^[d] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.

13They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.^[e] 14With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit,"^[f]and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

May the Lord Bless you all!!

Rita M.

How do I love her

How do I love her?
by Steven Curtis Chapman

Well you know it's not the first time
And it will not be the last
When you find me here on my knees
Praying for the storm to pass
But what I am really needing
Is much more than just relief
I am crying out for wisdom
Only you can give to me
'Cause it's such a mystery
I'm a clueless man when it comes
To knowing how to love a woman

How do I love her
How do I let her know she means more than anything to me
How do I love her

Out of all the gifts you've given
Besides the very gift of life
There is none as precious to me
As the treasure of my wife
And still all the love in my heart
Is like a raindrop to the sea
When compared to your love for her
And that's why I'm asking please
Will you teach me what she needs
I'm an earnest man when it comes
To learning how to love this woman

How do I love her
How do I let her know she means more than anything to me
How do I love her

Well I know it's gonna take a lifetime
To answer this prayer I pray
But that okay
'Cause I've given you and her my lifetime anyway

How do I love her
How do I let her know she means more than anything to me
How do I love her

How do I love her, love her
Tell me please
How do I love her
How do I love her
Won't you tell me, tell me please
How do I love her
Tell me please
Tell me, tell me, tell me
How do I love her
How do I love her

This is by far one of the most romantic songs I have ever heard :) Just beautiful! I pray to God for a husband who will feel this way for me :)

Jeremiah 23:16-32

In light of my bumping into a series of websites and finding out about the degree of Idolatry and Apostasy of this day and age, here is a little something from Jeremiah...they were going through that time when lots of "prophets" were misleading the people of God with false prophecies and dream interpretation and the like.

16This is what the LORD Almighty says:
"Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the LORD.

17 They keep saying to those who despise me,
'The LORD says: You will have peace.'
And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts
they say, 'No harm will come to you.'

18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD
to see or to hear his word?
Who has listened and heard his word?

19See, the storm of the LORD
will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.

20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand it clearly.

21 I did not send these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my council,
they would have proclaimed my words to my people
and would have turned them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.

23 "Am I only a God nearby,"
declares the LORD,
"and not a God far away?

24 Can anyone hide in secret places
so that I cannot see him?"
declares the LORD.
"Do not I fill heaven and earth?"
declares the LORD.

25 "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal worship. 28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. 29 "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

30 "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.

I think this wonderful passage from Jeremiah reflects a lot the situation we are living in this world this day and age. But lets remember what our brother Paul warned us in Timothy:

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."

I always wondered as a young child, how is it that people are going to actually fall for the AntiChrist?? I mean with the bible telling us how everything is going to happen and what kind of person the AntiChrist is going to be, its impossible!! Well my question was answered, the way things are going and the Bible illiteracy rate increasing by the second no wonder people will not be able to indentify the antichrist.

May God have Mercy on us all.
In Christ,
Rita M.

Some Words of Encouragement from our Lord and Savior:
"Lo, I am with you alway, EVEN TO THE END OF THE WORLD" (Matthew 28:20)

Frustration

You know, sometimes I feel like Jeremiah. There are so many hopeful stories of people who spoke to one of their friends one day and that day met the Lord (like me) but it seems like I'm the one that has to tell everyone the "horrible news"(for them apparently) that without Jesus they are lost. That the only way to Heaven is through Christ. And instead of seeing some lifechanging reaction when they hear/read that Christ came to die for our sins so that we could have eternal life in heaven, all I hear/read is "WHAT??? are you crazy??? yeah right!!! Stop trying to convert me!!!" and then all sorts of insults: how i'm narrow minded, how i'm such an insensitive person for saying that "innocent and good" people are going to go to hell because of my God, how God is mean/evil for killing so many people, etc...Its so frustrating to know what we know and get that kind of reaction, I mean I know thats what I should expect but still it saddens me :( Everytime I get that reaction I feel like I wanna throw ash over my head and tear my clothes and wear the sackcloth!

Insensatez de la Idolatria (The Lord, Not Idols)

My heart is saddened, I realized just today that I have been living in a haven not aware of the horrible things going on in the world, no wonder I couldn't understand why my friend from South Dakota said to me that he only knows wolves and not sheep where he lives. I found today some links to webpages which opened my eyes to the reality of "christianity" in one side of the planet (The US) and it reminded me of that passage in Isaiah 44. I'm amazed not because we don't have idolatry here in this small island, we do have idolatry, but not to that degree.
Here are the links to these sites:
http://www.alittleleaven.com/
http://www.extremetheology.com/

Below the Isaiah 44 excerpt from verse 9-20

"All who make idols are nothing,
and the things they treasure are worthless.
Those who would speak up for them are blind;
they are ignorant, to their own shame.

10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,
which can profit him nothing?

11 He and his kind will be put to shame;
craftsmen are nothing but men.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
they will be brought down to terror and infamy.

12 The blacksmith takes a tool
and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
he forges it with the might of his arm.
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint.

13 The carpenter measures with a line
and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in the form of man,
of man in all his glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.

14 He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.

15 It is man's fuel for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.

16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
"Ah! I am warm; I see the fire."

17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
"Save me; you are my god."

18 They know nothing, they understand nothing;
their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.

19 No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
"Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"

20 He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
"Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?" "

A few Medical Facts and God

Beta Cells, are a type of cell in the pancreas in areas called the islets of Langerhans. They make up 65-80% of the cells in the islets.
Function
Beta cells make and release insulin, a hormone that controls the level of glucose in the blood.
Sulfonylurea derivatives are a class of antidiabetic drugs that are used in the management of diabetes mellitus type 2 ("adult-onset"). They act by increasing insulin release from the beta cells in the pancreas.
For this antidiabetic drug to work it needs a receptor in our bodies, now in the beta cells there is a receptor called Sulfonylurea receptor or SUR1 which allows the antiadiabetic drug to work.
The question is why would our beta cells have these receptors if the body does not produce this substance/drug?
I wonder how is it possible that there are doctors who still don't believe in God. This is just one fact out of umpteenhundredths awesome facts about the wonderful creation of God that is the human body.

I found out today and I was just amazed, God is so incredible!! He never ceases to amaze me!

May your day be blessed richly with God's presence!!

Rita M.

Molotov

I've been listening to the new Proyect 86 album and as I read the lyrics to Molotov and discussed its meaning with a friend, it reminded me of the girl I once was lying on the floor out on the hallway outside the classroom, after a night of heavy drinking and silly conversations there I was lying on the floor feeling completely weak, my stomach churning and nausea abounding. I thank God everyday for putting a question in my heart, the question that would change me forever, is there really more to life than this? And Guess what, I found out that there was and there is more to life than what I was living. But it hurts me so much that the people I used to hang out with were not so lucky to look for the answer to that question. And even though I spoke to them of what happened to me and even though they saw how my life changed, they still chose the life style that they themselves find unedifying, destructive and abusive.

Molotov
by Proyect 86

They dance all night
And sleep all day
They live for nothing
But this escape

Too bad they can't say at the break of the dawn that the night was a dream
Yet nobody can say at the rise of the sun that it was what it seemed

I know I've swallowed it all
But I could never be full
And now they call me a fool for leaving

Home with you
Alone with you

They drink all night
And ache all day

Too bad they can't say at the break of the dawn that the night was a dream
Yet nobody can say at the rise of the sun that it was what it seemed

I know they've swallowed it all and they could never be full
And now they call me a fool for leaving?

And I could never be sure...

Now I'm leaving
Now I'm leaving

So when all those who are convinced there's nothing but this

May God bless whoever is reading this! and may this serve as a life changing message to you!

Daniel anyone?

Iran "predicting" the destruction of Israel?? People asking for a mediator of peace?? You know all that information should be stressful to anyone, but to me it only reminds me of a ticking clock behind the curtains tied to a time bomb ready to explode in any minute. According to our wonderful bible, there are things that are supposed to happen before the end finally comes. And this is one of them. Israel is under so much pressure with the whole Iran wanting to destroy them that of course they'll sign a peace agreement with whomever comes across them with one, i'm just dying to know who this very important "Peacemaker" will be.
Something that has been happening lately, is this false profet, something Miranda or Miranda de Jesus i think his name is. Well he's a man going around the world saying he is Jesus Christ recluting his own followers, he claims that sin doesn't exists and that he himself is the antichrist...sure whatever he is obviously not the antichrist, but I also hear he was doing miracles or something of the sort..I think he is a sham, a sham with followers no indeed. And just as people were criticizing the man and this country for letting him in, I on the other hand am glad that this too is happening.
My point is that to all of those who believe the word of God to be false, well here are a couple of facts that confirm a few prophesies of many to come that have fulfilled.

God Bless Everyone!!
Rita M.

No Time

I seriously have no time. But I do have time to say this one thing: I'm loving this life more than ever, and each day my love for the Lord grows. Through the hardships and through the joys. One thing I must advice, whenever you are going through a storm or a desert, have patience. By experience, I can tell you that the exit way could be either a year away, 4 years away, or 2 weeks away, only God knows when the time for the hardships to be over is. Pray incessantly!! REALLY!! NEVER EVER EVER stop praying it it'll be your oasis through the desert and the rainbow through the storm. Have faith in God and trust His will in whatever you are going through because He truly is in control of EVERYTHING. Nothing escapes our awesome God!! He truly is amazing!!! And Worthy of all worship and praise!!

God bless you all!!
Rita M.

Blogging

I have returned to the stone age, in other words, I've been writing in a notebook since this semester leaves little time for me to really sit in front of the computer and meditate on my daily "adventures"...but vacation is right around the corner (in 2 months..lol! :P) and i will take a good advantage of it :D This year began wonderfully! The Lord has set out a few trials for me...and well i'm still oasis-hopping...which is something i'll explain later... One thing this year has done is make me thank God inmensly for everything I have...we don't realize it sometimes, but we have to sit down and think of the blessings God has rained on us and thank Him for them...not just with our lips, but with out actions. The phrase "The good thing is we have Good health and that is what is important, if our health was bad our life would be bad" or something along those lines, ringed in my ear a lot this past month. And I always felt the urge of saying what about our Spiritual Health?? but alas, I'm still a tad shy and I apologize constantly for it. There's a lot of things I have to blogg about but for now I must go off to study land, for I have a big test tomorrow...oh dear me...Pray for me and my classmates!!
May The Lord Bless each and everyone!
Rita M.