Test the Spirits...Not all Come From God

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1

I think after last Sunday this would be the perfect verse which to preach on. Now that we've learned that one must be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18) by dying to self daily and letting the Holy Spirit Guide us AND that we need to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, teaching and admonishing each other in all wisdom (Col 3:16) now we need to learn or at least be taught if we haven't learned already to test the spirits. This is so important, its so frustrating to know of friends and or families who have been mislead by spirits of error and when you show them from scripture where lies their error they tell you, yes but you need to listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling you/where He is guiding you, and its like huh!? So we need to be very careful, if you're listening to "voices" coming from books and/or "preachers" TEST them!! FILTER what they are telling you through Scripture. Don't take isolated verses, practice some hermeneutics! Some people build entire "theologies" from one verse, i.e. God is Love. Yes God IS love but His Love is never separated from His Truth! He is love, but He is HOLY. He is Love but NOT according to YOUR standard of what love is. He is Righteous, Just, Wrathfilled againts ALL iniquity, He is Sovereign. Lets not forget this.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already."

There are nowadays some "spiritual guides" out there authors of certain "spiritual books" who are operating under this very spirit of error. Because they deny that Christ is the Son of God, to them Christ was merely a prophet or wise man. They deny Him as Lord and Saviour, so why read these books for "spiritual enhancement"? When we have got THE BIBLE when we have got the Holy Spirit! Remember Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Co 11:14)

"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error."

I'll tell you something, when Jesus Christ came down here to earth He was very popular for a while because He cured people, resurrected some and fed people, but whenever He started preaching people wanted to stone Him to death, kill Him, people fled from Him, and very few (apart from the 12) actually took heed of what he preached the ones who were most convicted by their sin and believed Him to be the Saviour the Messiah they had been told would come countless times before. Oh how many received Him with glory crying out Hosanna and yet when He was taken to be crucified all, except for 4 or 5, fled and left Him alone to die.
So it is that these "spiritual guides" are well known and loved by "Christian" and non-Christians alike while the Bible is hated by the world, and yet they would rather read/listen to/take in what these worldly "spiritual guides" have to say in their books or on their T.V. shows or Podcast as opposed to what God has to say through His Word, the Bible.
One thing I like about 1 John is that if there were any doubts in your mind that you were truly Saved you can read this book and know for sure if you're on the straight and narrow or if you're walking gladly on the broad path that leads to destruction.

So test the spirits and do not let yourself be mislead by the deceitful schemes of Satan, if you're truly saved. If not, don't let this day pass before you repent and put your trust in Him! There is no other name under by which you can be saved!! Those "spiritual guides" won't save you or wash you clean from your sins only Jesus Christ can!

Grace Gems: Undeserving, ill-deserving, hell-deserving!

Undeserving, ill-deserving, hell-deserving!

(Thomas Vincent, "Love to the Unseen Christ")

How may I attain great degrees of love to Christ?

Be much in holy contemplation of Christ. Spend time in secret retirement, and there think and think again—of the superlative excellencies and perfections which are in Christ. Think how wonderful and matchless His love is: what heights of His love—which cannot be reached; what depths of His love—which cannot be fathomed; what dimensions of His love—which cannot be comprehended!

O the ravishments of love! O the transports of soul, which some believers have found in their retired thoughts and views of Christ!

"O dear Jesus, how lovely are You in Yourself—the darling of heaven! The delight of the Father! The admiration of angels! O what brightness of glory, what shining luster are You arrayed with! You are clothed with most excellent majesty and honor! You are girded with infinite might and power! The beauty of Your face is most wonderful! The smiles of Your countenance are most sweet and delightful!"

"And does this beauteous One, this fairest of ten thousand, this most excellent and altogether lovely One—bear a special love to me? To such a vile worm as me! To such a dead dog as me! To such an undeserving, ill-deserving, hell-deserving sinner as me! O what marvelous kindness in this! What infinite riches of free grace! Has He given Himself for me, and given Himself to me—and shall not I give Him my heart! Am I written in His book, redeemed with His blood, clothed with His righteousness, beautified with His image! Has He made me His child, and prepared a place in the Father's house for me! O how wonderful! O how astonishing!"

"What shall I render unto Him? What returns shall I make? Had I a thousand tongues—should I not employ them all in speaking His praise? Had I a thousand hearts—should I not present them all, as too poor for a thank-offering unto Him? And yet am I slow—slow of heart, to love this dear and sweet Jesus! Awake, O my soul! Awake from your dullness and stupidity! Shake out the dust of the earth which has gotten into your eyes—and keeps you from the view of your matchless Beloved! Arise, O my soul, unfetter yourself, take the wing, and mount up above the sky and visible heavens—to the place where my lovely and dear Jesus is! Bid farewell to the flattering honors, the deceitful riches, the glancing pleasures—which are here below! Bid adieu to them, and leave them to those who place their chief happiness in them!"

"Why do you hang downwards, O my soul? Why do you bend so much to the earth and earthly things? Everything here below—is altogether unworthy of your love. How empty and vain and thorny—are these worldly things! Do not waste your time—and weary yourself for every vanity! Do not sting and wound yourself with these things anymore!"

"Come, O my soul! Ascend, and soar aloft—with your thoughts, and desires, and loves, and hopes, and joys—unto the heavens! There you may see, and view, and admire, and embrace your dearest Lord Jesus!"

Such retired contemplations of Christ, and soliloquies, and pleadings with your own souls, when alone by yourselves—will tend exceedingly to the promotion of your love unto Christ.

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Be filled with the Spirit

Wow talk about a prayer answered! Thank you Lord!!
"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." Eph 5:18-21

- Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. v.22
- Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, v.25
- Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Eph 6 v.1
- Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ ch.6 v.5
- Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him ch.6 v.9


"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Col 3:16-17

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. v.18
- Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. v.19
- Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. v.20
- Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. v.21
- Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. v.22
-Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. ch.4 v.1

Yes absolutely be filled with the Holy Spirit that He may guide you always, but remember there are all sorts of spirits out there wanting to lead us into death so let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly!! Thats our weapon and tool to test all spirits!

Remember everything you do, do it for the Glory of God!
Soli Deo Gloria

The Tongue is a Fire

James 3:6-12

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?
Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water."

I find it interesting how people consider themselves to be generally Good People, and when you take them through the 10 commandments a great deal of them justify their acts and still end up thinking they are good people. But the moment they see you act a certain way, for example you hate lying and by the Holy Spirit try to tell the truth at all moments and generally do not purposely lie. One of these "Good People" find out that you do that, they get altered immediately become hostile and then comes the name calling. Now you are a pharisee, a legalist.
My question or questions is/are:
1. If you are a good person, why does it bother you when someone (a Christian for this example's sake) tries to do the right thing in a given situation?
2. If you truly are a good person, why then is it necessary for you to lie, steal, cheat, lust, etc?

I'm going to have to conduct a survey on this, it would be interesting to see how people respond. I think the term is Double Standard. In any case, its interesting.

Modern Parables: Hidden Treasure

Check out their website! See the trailers! Buy the videos! These are great, and help really visualize the parables.

Jeff Noblit: Make Disciples, Not Get Decisions

Nothing like some good ol' preaching by Jeff Noblit! And the southern accent!! love it!

Isaiah 33:10-24

"Now I will arise," says the LORD, "now I will lift myself up; now I will be exalted.
You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble; your breath is a fire that will consume you.
And the peoples will be as if burned to lime, like thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire."
Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge my might.
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: "Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?"
He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.
Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar.
Your heart will muse on the terror: "Where is he who counted, where is he who weighed the tribute? Where is he who counted the towers?"
You will see no more the insolent people, the people of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend, stammering in a tongue that you cannot understand.
Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
But there the LORD in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass.
For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.
Your cords hang loose; they cannot hold the mast firm in its place or keep the sail spread out. Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided; even the lame will take the prey.
And no inhabitant will say, "I am sick"; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.

Hell

Hell is mentioned 14 times in the ESV

Mat 5:22:
["You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.] (in Context 21-22)

Mat 5:29
["You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.] (in Context 27-29)

Mat 5:30
[And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.]

Mat 10:28
[What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.] (in Context 27-28)

Mat 16:18
[And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.]

Mat 18:9
["Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.] (in Context 7-9)

Mat 23:15
[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.]

Mat 23:33
[You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?]

Mar 9:43
[Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.]

Mar 9:45
[And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.]

Mar 9:47
[And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.']

Luk 12:5
[But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!]

Jas 3:6
[And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.] **Here its not used to describe the place of punishment but to pin point who's behind the unrighteousness of the fire that is the tongue, that is the devil.

2 Pe 2:4
[For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority]
(in Context 4-10)

12 of these 14 times were mentioned by Jesus

**in the KJV, its mentioned in these other verses:

Mat 11:23
[And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.]

Luk 10:15
[And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.]

Luk 16:23
[The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'] (in context 23-26)

Act 2:27
[For David says concerning him, "'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.]
(in Context 25-27)

Act 2:31
[ Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.]

Rev 1:17-18
["Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.]

Rev 6:8
[And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.]

Rev 20:13
[And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.]

Rev 20:14
[Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.] (14-15)

Also mentioned as Eternal Fire in 3 occasions.
[Mat 18:8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.]

[Mat 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.]

[Jud 1:7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.]

Eternal meaning:
αἰώνιος
aiōnios
ahee-o'-nee-os
***From G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well): - eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

And also mentioned as Unquenchable fire in 3 occasions.

[Mat 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."]** Here describing that Jesus is the one who will gather His wheat (the elect or the redeemed if you will) but the tares he will burn with unquenchable fire.

[Mar 9:43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.]

[Luk 3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." ] **same as Mat 3:12

unquenchable meaning:
ἄσβεστος
asbestos
as'-bes-tos
***From G1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G4570; not extinguished, that is, (by implication) perpetual: - not to be quenched, unquenchable.

There are three words used for hell in the Bible.
Gehenna - 13
***gheh'-en-nah
Of Hebrew origin ([H1516] and [H2011]); valley of (the son of) Hinnom; gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment: - hell.

Hades - 10
***hadēs
hah'-dace
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.

Tartaros - 1
***From Τάρταρος Tartaros̄ (the deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment: - cast down to hell. [2 Pe 4]

Should we leave hell out of the picture of Salvation? How can we, if there is no punishment then why did Jesus Christ shed His precious blood? Why was God's wrath poured out on Him? The bible describes Hell VERY CLEARLY as a physical place where the ungodly/unrighteous/unsaved will be sent, it is described as a place of torment where God will consume with fire the ungodly FOR FOREVER. Hell cannot be left out of the equation. But it SHOULDN'T be the reason why we turn to God.
THIS is why there is sooo much urgency in the gospel message as well! I don't want anyone to go tel Hell! But I cannot deny what God has so clearly stated in His word, and that is that hell truly exists and lasts for forever.


UPDATE:
It is also mentioned as the Lake of Fire in four occasions in both the ESV and the KJV

Rev 19:20
[And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ]

Rev 20:10
[and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.]

Rev 20:14
[Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.]

Rev 20:15
[And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.]

UPDATE:
Yet another reference to a place of torment:
Rev 14:9 "...If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
Rev 14:10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."



*** Definitions taken from Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.

©Rita Martinez

Learner's Permit

YAY! Took the exam today! passed it with flying colors!! :D
And right away took my second driving lesson, it was less scary...
Thank you Lord!! :D

Driver's Ed!

I took my very first Driving class yesterday!!!! :D It was so exciting and scary!
Tomorrow I take the exam so I can get my driver's permit and then I'll begin the driving practice until I'm ready to take the practical exam! Hopefully that will be soon! I just hope the fear goes away soon too...I think my last accident, driving the quad bike, really got to me and now i'm just scared i might do something like that driving a car! God forbid!
Something else happened...the peeps(the driving instructor and his wife) at the Drivers Ed Institution, which is basically a small room with a desk and plenty of chairs, I think are christians (i'll ask tomorrow) well the instructors wife was telling me about these kids they've been helping out because both their parents died of aids, and how they took care of one of the little ones that was dying because of AIDS until she finally did die..and it really made me think. Sometimes we are so drowned with theology this, and theology that, and who's right and who's wrong, and sound doctrine this and sound doctrine that...and all of that is important, it really is. But it made me think that I'm just not doing enough. I wanna be out there in the real world, doing stuff, building houses and feeding people, and preaching the Gospel while I'm at it. Maybe this semester is just God's way of preparing me for the upcoming 40 years in the desert, i say that because I've really grown these past 2 months in many ways and have learned of many things about me that needed changing and have grown by God's grace more bolder to speak His Truth. Next semester God willingly I will going to one of the hardest(?)/toughest hospital to be in. Everybody is sent there, even if they live 5 hours away, there you'll see all kinds of diseases, all kinds of traumas.Services (? dunno if they're called that in the US) are every 4 days, they last 24hours and after the service which ends probably at 8am we have to stay in the hospital like a normal day of class (at other hospitals after the service you usually get the day off). There i will meet ALL kinds of people, going through ALL kinds of situations, needing ALL the help they can get both physically and spiritually. I pray to God that I will be of service in all areas, that I'll learn to deal with patients diligently and correctly and that I'll bring Him glory in anything and everything I will do.
Thats all for today...

Loofah

Loofah is a climbing vine related to gourds and cucumbers, and sometimes called the “dishrag vine,” a reference to the sponge-like qualities of the dried fruit. Six species are in the Luffa genus, and they are widely cultivated for food and sponge uses. The loofah is the only plant source of sponge, and it has been used in bathhouses and kitchens for centuries. Traditionally cultivated in India and the Middle East, where the name originates, loofah is also grown in other warm, dry regions.

In appearance, a loofah looks like a cucumber. The attractive trailing vines of the plant will take over any available surface, yielding drooping green fruit in the summer. Loofah vines are often used to cover decaying fences or as privacy foliage, because they are dense and fast growing. Loofah prefers warm, dry climates, and is very sensitive to frost, generally not thriving outside of USDA Zone 10 unless gardeners sprout indoors and keep a close eye on their young loofah plants. The plants need to be watered regularly, but should not be allowed to become waterlogged.

Loofah is harvested for food in many parts of Asia. All species of loofah are edible, but they must be consumed before they mature, or they will be too woody and fibrous to eat. Loofah is cooked before eating, and is sometimes seen on menus as “Chinese okra.” When allowed to mature and dry on the vine, loofah can be harvested as a sponge. The woody exterior skin is peeled away, and the seeds shaken out for reseeding. The loofah sponge can be sold whole, or chopped into smaller and more manageable portions. Loofah can also be compressed for shipping. The net of straw colored fibers will puff up again if the loofah is moistened.

Like other sponges, loofah will collect bacteria if it is kept moist and warm, an environment common to bathrooms. For this reason, many people incorporating loofah into their beauty regimen prefer to use it as a dry exfoliating brush before bathing, or to grind it and use it in exfoliating scrubs. As a dry brush, loofah will gently remove the surface layer of dead skin, leaving the skin smooth and conditioned. Loofah can be used as a body sponge in the shower, but it should be allowed to dry out between uses. In the kitchen, loofah makes a great abrasive sponge for removing stubborn food particles from dishes and counter tops. Loofah is also gentle enough to use on delicate things like coated cookware which cannot withstand normal abrasives.1

This is yet another fruit used very much in the old days and probably still today in some places for hygiene purposes and in the kitchen sink. Yet another wonderful creation of God.

Calabash Tree

The arbol de las calabazas, higuera, or calabash tree (Crescentia cujete Linnaeus) is found growing throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Native Americans disseminated the calabash for centuries; now, it is uncertain where the tree originated.

The calabash tree grows to 10 meters (30 feet) often with multiple trunks. The rangy twisting branches have simple elliptical leaves clustered at the nodes. The greenish-yellow flowers are marked with purple veins. The flowers arise from the trunk or main branches and appear from May through January. The woody fruit, botanically a capsule, is elliptic, ovate, or spherical and may grow to 25 centimeters (10 inches) in diameter. The fruit takes up to seven months to ripen.

Fibers from the calabash tree were twisted into twine and ropes. The hard wood made tools and tool handles. The split wood was woven for sturdy baskets. But it was the calabash's gourd-like fruit that made the plant truly useful.

Large calabashes were used as bowls and, peculiarly, to disguise the heads of hunters. The Taíno of the Caribbean cut eye holes in the 'gourds' and fitted them over their heads. The hunters then waded out into lakes or the ocean. The apparently floating gourd did not frighten birds. Thus disguised, hunters could grab birds by their legs. Smaller calabashes made storage containers, dippers, and drinking cups.

The Taíno gave the musical world two rhythm instruments, maracas and the güiro. Maracas were made with small oval 'gourds' with pebbles or hard seeds like rosary peas inside. The güiro was made with an elongated 'gourd'. Parallel grooves were carved onto one side with a sound hole on opposite. The sound was created with a pua or scraper.

Considering though how the Natives spread the calabash tree from tribe to tribe, the instruments were probably not unique to just the islands where the Taíno lived. Few Natives survived the incursion of the Europeans, but their unique instruments were adopted by the slaves and the poor brought over to work the sugar plantations.1

My dad was telling me how back in the day his family used these things as bowls and then after that as cups, i guess when the calabash was smaller. Its amazing to see how God created all of these things in nature useful to man like the calabash tree. The calabash is a fruit not good for consumption, one would consider this to be a waste of a tree or so I thought, but look at everything the entire tree can be used for and was used for. What a wonderful God we have!

Fishers of Men!

"Fishers of men...

Many Christians think it's unimportant; some are just uncomfortable; more often then not, some plain don't care. We are called by God to be like Him, love like Him, die like Him. 

One of the greatest tools out there for witnessing, next to the Bible itself, is thegospel tract. Maybe you do not know how to start a conversation or don't want to start one. Tracts make great conversation pieces or great for handing out. Here in this lens I will cover some of the best companies out there.

Witnessing: it is a task for the faint of heart, yes: for; as in our weakness He shows brightest. He makes us a bright light on a hill for others to know our All Loving God. We must be witnesses. Otherwise the point to God's human birth, life, death, and resurrection are pointless. "

Found this neat website...all about sharing your faith :D

Church Discipline

A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a sermon by Jeff Noblit on Church discipline(Part 1 and Part 2) and he gave a few reasons why it is necessary and important and what is the biblical outcome of practicing discipline in the church. Here's an outline I did of the sermon:

I. The Reason for Church Discipline

a. The Principle of Ownership (It’s [the church] His, bought with His own Blood Acts 20:28, It’s His body, He’s the Body Col 1:18, It’s His Bride, It’s His Church [Building] Matt 16:18)

b. The Principle of Stewardship (We have been entrusted a stewardship, Shepherding God’s Flock according to His will 1 Peter 5:2 )

................................... i. To Glorify God by Obedience to His Instructions (Matthew 18:15-20, Acts 5:1-14, 1Corinthian 5, 2 Corinthians 2:9)

...................................ii. To Sanctify the Lord’s Supper (Church is for repentant Sinners not for Sinners who live in continual sin without repentance)

...................................iii. To Purify the Spirit and Message of the Church (1 Corinthians 5 or 6, A Little Leaven will leaven up the dough)

...................................iv. To deny Satan any advantage in the church (2 Corinthians 2:11)

...................................v. To Prove that Leaders Love and Care (2 Corinthians 7:1-13)

...................................vi. To Deter Others From Sin (1 Timothy 5:12)

...................................vii. To Destroy Fleshly Lust in a Believer (1 Corinthians 5:5)

...................................viii. To Cut Emotional Ties with Unrepentant Christians (1 Corinthians 5:11)

...................................ix. To Protect Scripture From Perversion and Error (Silence False Teachers Titus 1:10-13)

...................................x. To Shame a Brother to Repentance (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

...................................xi. To Restore Repentant Believers (Galatians 6:1)

...................................xii. To Expose and Remove the Unregenerate (1 John 2:19)

II. The Range of Church Discipline

a. Private Sin Receives Private Rebuke (Matthew 18:15)

b. Public Sin Receives Public Rebuke

c. A Factious Spirit, after a first and 2^nd warning

III. The Result of Church Discipline

a. The Purification of the Church (Acts 5 v.11, 1 Timothy 5:20) [Deut 13:1-6]

b. The Unification of the Church (They were all with one accord Acts 5:12, UNITY in the NT: John 17:23[Perfection in individual holiness, produces unity in a community], Ephesians 4:3[Unity created by an extending forth from the Spirit, focus on being Spirit-filled], Ephesians 4:13[When you are growing in the knowledge of Christ, unity is the by-product], Colossians 3:14 [Love is the perfect bond of Unity, Romans 5:5])

c. The Sanctification of the Church (Acts 5:13, None of the Rest, who were not truly saved or serious about Christ, dared to associate with them; 1 Thessalonians 4:3)

d. The Multiplication of the Church (Acts 5:14, A New Surge of Evangelism Takes Off)

e. The Admiration for the Church (Acts 5:13, However, the people held them in high esteem)

After such a great sermon and especially learning what the results of Church discipline are I began to wonder, well I've never heard of anything being done like that at our church, not that there is anything joyful in having to consistently rebuke someone for their sin and eventually if necessary expel them from the church, but it still made me wonder.
Then during the Shepherds Conference I tuned in on Sunday to listen to the sermon and what they would be preaching on that day. They also had the Lords supper and Pastor John MacArthur did something quite shocking. Church discipline during that same day was practiced and a member of the church (not present that day) was exposed publicly of his sin and Pastor MacArthur pleaded with the church members to seek this man and to lovingly speak to him and pray for him that he may come to repentance.
I immediately thought of Jeff Noblit's sermon on church discipline. The impact this has on people, I know it impacted me and one of the Pastor's of my church who went to the Shepherd's Conference shared with us after he came back that it impacted him as well.
Well the point of all this is that today it happened at our church. They explained everything that was done, the amount of time that they spent dealing with the problem, the amount of witnesses used to rebuke in various occasions the person in question, the chances she was given to repent, how they followed all the biblical steps. Sadly the person did not repent and has not repented, even today they told us that person kept on with her disobedience and insubordination and so finally they had to expel her from the church. Our prayer is that with guidance from some people from the church she might repent. And while it is a sad thing when a professing brother or sister fall and stay in sin, God's Holiness must be exalted above everything else and it must be defended and proclaimed.

A Powerful Lesson From ER

Psalm 97

Psalm 97

The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.
His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!
Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD.
For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy name!

I'm Rich!!!

YAY! I finally got the 1,000,000 dollar tracts!! And the Optical Illusions tracts too...I can0t wait till I finally pass them all out!!

The Power of the Cross

Just beautiful!


"The Power of the Cross"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Amazing!

Wow!! awesome awesome video/cartoon!

Q & A: The Song Every Christian should know by Heart

SHAI LINNE ATONEMENT Q+A LYRICS
Verse 1

Who is God? God is the universe’s Creator
And Sustainer plus the only Savior, there is no one greater
He triune, holy, omnipotent, omniscient, absolute
Loving, sovereign and righteous are a few of His attributes
How do we know this? Well, we know this from the Bible
Where God has revealed Himself- anything else is just an idol
What’s the Bible about? Man’s complete ruin in sin
And what God has done in Christ to bring us to Him again
What is sin? Sin is the breaking of God’s law
Plus our condition, which means from birth we all got flaws
What’s the result? The result is by nature we’re God’s enemies
And must pay the penalty unless God provides the remedy
What the remedy? The remedy is the cross of Christ
Where He suffered all the strikes for the lawless type
I’ve been rescued by the Lamb, I’m convinced that He’s risen
And blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven!

(Chorus)

Just fall back, and with the eyes of faith
Behold the beauty of surprising grace
Because the Lamb has died, third day He had to rise
He’s magnified- God’s wrath is satisfied

Just fall back- there’s an atonement now
The cross of Christ is holy ground
Because the Lamb has died, third day He had to rise
He’s magnified- God’s wrath is satisfied


Verse 2

Regeneration- the Holy Spirit’s true work in His love
To the elect, who receive new birth from above
Expiation- expiation means God’s removed my filthiness
The old testament type was the goat into the wilderness
Redemption- we’ve been freed from slavery to sin
And His very own blood is the price He paid, my friend
Propitiation- Propitiation means since the Lamb has died
His work is finished- God’s wrath is satisfied
Adoption- adoption means God is now my Father
I got the hottest Poppa and by the Spirit holler Abba
Reconciliation means there’s no more enmity
God is now a friend to me, we’re no longer enemies
Justification- God declares us righteous
Sanctification- we’re being made into His likeness
Glorification- that’s what happens at the finish
When God conforms believers perfectly to Christ’s image!

(Chorus)

Verse 3

God’s grace is magnificent, He slayed His innocent
Son- through faith and repentance we get the benefits
What is faith? Faith is a gift from God- when we receive this
We trust and treasure the person and finished work of Jesus
Repentance? Repentance is turning from your sin
And trusting Christ as the Spirit cleanses you within
What is grace? Oh, grace is unmerited favor
Our inheritance major ‘cause we cherish the Savior
Right, and if I may quote again, we were doomed with Satan
But believers get Jesus’ righteousness through imputation
Imputation? God takes Jesus’ righteousness amount
Through faith He credits it into the Christian’s account
Anything else? Well, I guess this overview must suffice
But none of this is possible apart from union with Christ
And finally, once you know the ways of the Lord than the
only thing that you can say is Soli Deo Gloria!

(Chorus)

The Road to Heaven

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone would
come after Me, he must deny himself and take up
his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

The road to Heaven is not so pleasant, and comfortable,
and easy, and flowery—as many dream. It is not a bright,
sunny, flowery path. It is not paved with triumph—though
it is to end in victory. The termination is glory, honor, and
immortality; but on the way—there is the thorn in the flesh,
the sackcloth, and the cross. Recompense yonder—but labor
here! Rest yonder—but weariness here! Joy and security
yonder—but here endurance and watchfulness, the race,
the battle, the burden, and ofttimes the heavy heart.

♦(Horatius Bonar, "The Surety's Cross")

Taken from today's Grace Gems

Depravity of Man: Romans 1:18-32

For the Wise
(Who are foolish)

I. We have been revealed God's eternal power and divine nature ---> His Existence

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the:
1. Godlessness
2. Wickedness
Of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness/unrighteousness.(Rom 1:18)

*How are they suppressing the truth? or What have they've done?

The have suppressed the plain knowledge of God's existence revealed unto us.
What may be known about God is OBVIOUS [plain] to them, because God has made it plain. (Rom 1:20)

*And what makes God's existence SO obvious? or How has he made it plain/obvious?
God tells us that His creation is plain evidence of His existence, power and Glory.
His eternal power and divine nature [what may be known, which are His invisible qualities] have been clearly seen (mind you these are invisible qualities), being understood from what has been made (the creation) so that men are without excuse. [Note: the greek word used for Creation, ktisis means original formation (properly the act; by implication the thing, literally or figuratively): - building, creation, creature, ordinance.] (Rom 1:20)

So that come judgment day, no one can stand in God's presence and claim ignorance.

II. Knowing God Exists we choose NOT to believe in Him or thank Him for creating us.
*What did man do instead?
We became futile in our thinking and our foolish hearts were darkened. (Like when Christ came, the Light came into the world but man chose the Darkness, the darkness of sin.) (Rom 1:21)

III. We Choose Idols over God
*What are the implications?
We became fools. (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, thus the rejection of the Lord is the beginning of Foolishness.)
We exchanged God's glory for Idolatry of images resembling man, birds, animals and creeping things. (Rom 1:22-23)

IV. Because of this God has given us over to
a. Sexual Impurities
Since humans exchanged the Truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served created beings, God has given/granted us the desires of our iniquity-filled hearts and gave us over to sexual impurities for the degrading of our bodies (Promiscuity perhaps? which can lead to STDs?)
Just in case you still haven't gotten why He does this: "because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen." (Rom1:25, ESV, emphasis mine)

b. Shameful Lusts
Because of our Idolatry, which leads to sexual impurities and these lead to shameful lusts, shameful sexual desires which include homosexuality (both in men and in women, v.26-27) and they received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion (the men who committed indecent acts because of their homosexuality)

c. Depravity of mind
Since us humans didn't think it was important to retain the knowledge of God, in other words we rejected the plain knowledge of God's existence, He gave us over to a depraved mind. (v. 28)
You see the thing is that apart from God, sin (Transgression of the law) takes a hold of us, invades our feelings, our desires, our actions and our thoughts and everything acting through sin is depraved, evil, shameful and an insult to God. That is why we need Jesus sooo much! because apart from God, under the reign/slavery of sin we die both physically and spiritually(Eph 2:1).

*The Result of our depraved mind?
We became filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. Filled with envy (covetousness), murder, strife, deceit and malice. We became gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (v.29-31)

5. The Conscience?
Even though in our heart of hearts we know that what we do, that is so evil and unrighteous, deserves the death penalty we continue to do these things and also approve of those who practice them. (v.32)

Yikes!!
Horrible Stuff! Is there anything Good we should look forward to, say hmm some Good news? Some HOPE???

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
For by works of the law(good deeds, trying to keep the 10 commandments) no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (because sin is transgression of the Law)
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it--
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom 3:19-26)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3.16

SO, now that you know you're sinner...what can you do? or better yet, what does God commands us to do?
REPENT, turn away from your sins, and Put your FAITH in Christ Jesus the Lord and Saviour who died on a cross bearing your sins and resurrected beating death and sin, so that there could be a way to be JUSTIFIED before God and be forgiven of our sins. And so what after that? One is Born Again, by the Holy Spirit and as a born again you can finally have a relationship with the Unchanging Creator of this universe the Lord, Almighty, Amen! (Mark 1:15, Luke 13.3, 13:15)

Book Shopping

Something really sad happened today. After being dropped off at the place where my nutritionist's office is located, I decided to walk to the building across from it, where I knew there is a Christian bookstore, since I had about an hour and a half free before my appointment.
I went in started looking at the books they had, found the Truth War book by John MacArthur, grabbed it right away to buy it but before doing so I kept on looking at what other books they had. It then occurred to me since I was there, to ask around for some Puritan books so I'd save myself the trouble of having to order them online even if they were in spanish (I know I'm weird, I just don't like translated books). To my surprise the very nice lady who was helping me did not even know who the Puritans were. I kept on looking at the many different books they had while apparently she went to ask another nice lady who did not know either, again to my amazement. After that she asked a man who was there explaining something about a book to a customer, he looked at me and chuckled, obviously he knew what Puritans I was talking about, sadly they had no puritan books.
The sad part? They have all the Osteen books, all the Warren books, all the books on Dr. Don Colbert, and a lot of them weird emergent books!! *sigh*
On the plus side, I found a Hebrew bible, which I'm so going back there to get AND the Septuagint :D which I'm going to get as well.

Update on my Diet: I've lost 8 pounds so far, and my BMI is in 21% yay praise the Lord!! :D

What about the people who've never heard of Christ?

You know people always come up with this question, I have a small comment, if you're really THAT concerned for these people why don't YOU go and make 100% sure that these people hear the gospel. Oh but a few disclosures and warnings first:
1. Make sure you're saved first so you wont be the hypocrite telling them they need to repent and trust in the Saviour Christ Jesus, when you yourself haven't done so.
2. Beware of the well expected hostility toward the gospel, if Jesus Christ was killed for offering Salvation to the lost world and claiming He is the Son of God and God himself, what can you expect will happen to you for preaching the Gospel?
3. Take heed, you may be imprisoned, beat to death, abducted, tortured, humiliated, insulted, spitted on, ridiculed, oh and yes be rejected. Christ was, why should you expect less?
But you know what, Christ came over 2000 thousand years ago knowing all of this would happen to Him and yet that didn't stop Him from calling all to repentance, teaching the Heavenly things His Father sent Him to teach, serving all those who were considered unrighteous, rebuking the Hypocrite Scribes and Pharisees, dining and fishing with sinners, and ultimately carrying a cross to calvary where He beared ALL of our Sins, where He took in the Father's wrath, died. And on the Third day resurrected beating death, Sin and Satan. So that one day, you my friend who don't believe in God or the Bible because, among other things, you think its unfair that people who haven't heard the Gospel are going to hell; could be saved.
You see, we have ALL sinned (broken God's law, The Ten Commandments: Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods before the Lord your God, Thou Shalt not make yourself a Graven Image, Thou Shalt Not Use the Name of the Lord your God in Vain, Thou shalt Thou Shalt keep the Sabbath Holy, Thou Shalt Honor Your Mother and Your Father, Thou Shalt not Kill, Thou Shalt not Commit Adultery, Thou Shalt Not Steal, Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness [a.k.a. Don't Lie], Thou Shalt Not Covet your neighbor's anything. ) even the the indiginous people, those hidden tribes that are who knows where. ALL have sinned, and have fallen short of the Glory, or Standard, of God. The Bible says that the wages of Sin is death, and only a person who has NEVER sinned could pay that wage, this is why Jesus Christ had to die, He was the only one who could bear the sins of the world and who could take in the Father's wrath.
Isaiah tells us that He was pierced for our Iniquities (sins) so that by His blood shed on the cross we could be Saved from eternity in Hell, which where ALL sinners go.
You see when you realize that you are a Sinner, bound to go to Hell because of sin, the bible says if you repent of your sins and turn to the Only Saviour, Jesus Christ, He will save you. You will be Justified before God, because Christ has taken YOUR place on the Cross and has payed the price for YOUR Sin. God promises that all who repent and trust in Christ, will then receive the Holy Spirit who will change your heart of stone for a heart of flesh, and will give you a new nature (This is called regeneration) that will desire to do that which pleases God and will hate sin.

So what are you waiting for??

En Tiempo Real/ In Real Time

Something amazing happened today!!
Finally the day had come for the Musical, En Tiempo Real. So I decided that I would read today's devotion from the one I have in e-sword, where its got some scripture, a message, and then a prayer at the end. The scripture of the day was from the book of Isaiah, it what something about strength coming from the Lord. I thought wow such wonderful truth, and wrote the following prayer:

"Oh blessed Father, such great Truth! Lord you know today is the day of the Musical! Father renew our strengths after each remaining rehearsals Lord! and especially after each function so that we not grow weary but in joyful strength give our best to the last mile! Glory and Praises to you oh Lord who have made this possible, may we glory in You Lord and you alone through this. In Jesus Christ's name, Amen."

Let me tell you we were still not ready, there were details that we knew only the Lord could fix. There were dance moves that were still not perfectly coordinated, scenes that were not correctly propped due to lack of time and then there was the time issue. The last rehearsal we had, the musical lasted 2 hours and 8 minutes with all the glitches and mistakes. We prayed once before we began officially the Musical. The First function, was GREAT!! absolutely wonderful!! I'm absolutely 150% positive it was the Lord who made it all possible.
Everyone was tired though, we had arrived at the place at 11 am and began rehearsal at 2pm, by the end of the first function it was 9pm. But I remembered the devotional I had read this morning but forgot the chapter!! I knew it was Isaiah 40 something but I couldn't remember I searched for it in the bible and couldn't find it.
We prayed again for the second function, that our pride might not get in the way and that we may stay focused on what is the important part and that is Glorifying God through everything we do. The 2nd Function was absolutely wonderful. It was now over and everyone rejoiced in the Lord and hoped the message in the musical had reached who the Lord wanted it to reach and that the gospel may have gotten through to families and teens.
Now the awesome part!
I was waiting for my brother to pick me up I was still inside and I hear the girls talking about a portion of scripture they had read today that had given them strength and courage, how it was all one of the girls could think of as she danced and her legs trembled. And she mention Isaiah 40 something. I couldn't believe it! What did you say!? I asked her, and she repeated the Isaiah 40:31, excited I told them how that was the portion of scripture for my devotional this morning!!

Isa 40:31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

The Lord is good! He had been taking care of everything from day one! He is our strength, He is our Joy, He is our Portion!!!

All the Glory and Praises to His name!!! AMEN!!!!

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

ISAIAH 40:28-31

That's MY KING!!

Of Life and Death: My Accident

Two days ago something happened. I didn't make a fuss about it because I wanted to be nice and protect someone from being scolded, Perhaps I shouldn't have. My family, some friends and I went away this weekend to Constanza, as always, it is our annual trip to feel the chilly weather we can only find in places like that here in our country. We stayed at a different place this year and it seemed so great. There were so many things to be done, among them was riding four-wheelers. My mom detests them, and I remember her always telling me all these tragic stories about people dying in horrific accidents while riding these things. This weekend her feelings about the idea were the same, but I had learned to ride one while in Atlanta so I was fixated with the idea of driving one this time. I was being disobedient, I confess, and I repented afterwards too. You see God puts authorities over us and whether they are Christian or not, as long as we are under their authority and as long it does not compromise us as Christians we must obey and/or submit to them.
While me and my sister's boyfriend, who was supposed to be supervising all of us (my sister, my cousin and I) because he's the expert using these things, were riding the wretched four-wheeler (I was driving it) we passed through an unsteady slightly narrow dirt road the four-wheeler began to behave strangely it would steer to the right on its own, and at one point while we were going really fast it began to steer right and instead of me turning to the left i turned to the right, the four-wheeler jumped the roadside ditch (don't ask me how, it shouldn't have done that even at the speed we were going) it landed on a piece of land that was being cultivated, we were thrown off of the ratty old thing and landed on the ground. I scraped my face, hurt my left hand somewhat badly, and got some nasty bruises on my leg. My sister's boyfriend had some minor cuts on his left hand and left ankle.
"My mother is going to kill me" is all I could think of, all he could think of was what my parents were going to tell him. I assured him not to worry I would take all the blame after all I was driving the thing. I told my parents what had happened in the most calmed voice I could and in the most "no-big-deal" tone I could. I realize now I shouldn't have. I wasted a perfect opportunity to preach the gospel to a boy that does not fear death, my sister's boyfriend, and to myparents.
Not only that but it made me realize that it could've been my sister or my cousin in that four-wheeler, what then? What if something worse had happened? I already know where I'm going but they don't.
Situations like these should make you ask yourself, if I were to die today where would I go? There is nothing more important than your eternal salvation. And i've got news for you, God's word says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
And also: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelations 21:8
Have you ever lied? stolen something regardless of its value? Lusted after someone? Disobeyed your parents? coveted? used God's name in vain/as a cuss word. Then by God's standard you are guilty of breaking His law, the Ten Commandments. You are guilty. And all who break God's law deserves the righteous punishment of eternity in hell. Like a criminal who has murdered someone or stolen something his/her righteous punishment is time in jail.
But God, infinitely Holy as He is also Loving, He came down to earth as a man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and at 33 years of age He died on a Cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He rose from the grave on the third day beating death. He died so that through His blood shed on the cross we might be washed clean of our sins and be forgiven, how are we saved? by recognizing that you have sinned against God, repenting of your sins, asking God in prayer to forgive you for what you have done and then putting your trust in Him. His word says that God will give you a new heart, and a new nature, you will no longer love sin but hate it and you'll desire to live a life that pleases Him and not the world.

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." John 3:16-19

So ask yourselves this question if you were to die tonight/today where would you go? Have YOU been forgiven yet?

A Second Chance

So today I was sitting outside the OR area?, in spanish its Pre-Parto (Pre-Labour?) waiting for surgeries to start at the hospital. While I waited I was looking for something I was writing on James and ways people have misquoted him so I opened my bible and began reading James. A young man sat beside me and asked me If I was a Christian, I looked up really quick and said yes and then continued reading, when I realized that this was a perfect opportunity to witness the young man stood up and left. I know, I know terrible...but I got a 2nd chance today to fish! I was at the beauty salon today because we're going to recording a scene, tonight after church, for the musical we're [a group of people from church, including youth and adults, its gonna be great God willing!] gonna present February 9th (Please pray for us and that this Musical will be honoring to God and hopefully reach families and specially the youth) anyways, I was on the hairdryer(?) and like always I opened my bible and started reading on genesis and while I was reading a lady sat beside me and asked me the same question the young man had asked me, only this time I seized the opportunity! She's catholic, like most people in my country. I shared the gospel with her, talked to her about my testimony and exposed some of the false teachings of the RCC which she oddly agreed were wrong. All in all, she promsied to read the book of John.

God bless!!
Rita Martinez

It has arrived

I went to pick up my way of the Master calendar today, it is just wonderful! I love the witnessing ideas and notes!! The quotes are great, the quality of the calender is super nice! It was well worth the money! Its actually mighty cheap!! So go get one if they still have left! :D

And now on to the Spanish tracts...Yay!! :D

De Tapa a Tapa

De Tapa a Tapa is the spanish expression for "from Cover to Cover", which is what i've begun doing this year with the Bible. I've started reading it once more and hopefully will finish reading it without any interruptions or delays God willing. From Genesis to Revelation. What a journey, just now I was remembering the first time I began to read the OT, wow I don't know about other people but It was such a delight for me to read about the begining of times, about God's character and nature and trying to understand Him each day. I felt like I was right beside Moses when he was leading the people out of Egypt, I felt like I was right there in the desert with them, going through Moses' frustrations and delighting in God's blessings toward His people, His discipline, His PATIENCE. People say that "oh the God of the OT is mean and vicious" etc, but as I read through the OT and as I tried to know God better I just couldn't see that, it just made me grow in my love toward God, and respect and reverence, toward the Great I am, El-Shaddai, the God who even though I did not deserve saving because wow what a wretch of a little girl I was, hung on a cross bore my sins faced God the Father's wrath, died and resurrected on the third day so that I could be justified before God and be declared righteous, all this by God's GRACE. What a Loving and Merciful and Just and Sovereign God He is!
Only this time I have not only been reading it (I use the bible Daily Walk Bible:"With 365 devotional helps that will guide you through the readding of the Bible in one year") I have been studying it using the following online bible comentaries: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible Unabridged and God Speaks to Abraham: An Easy English Bible version and Commentaryon Genesis chapters 12-24

God Bless,
Rita M.

PS: Thanks to my brother in Christ SouldeSaenz I can finally write all the notes I want on my bible now with the knowledge that it wont damage it because I bought me some pigment liners while in Miami, FL after my trip to Atlanta, GA.

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