Without Excuse

This Saturday we decided to go to Philly and do evangelism with our brothers from Grace Missionary Church at Center city Philly, at the Galleria Mall. There we met a group of young musicians, waiting at the train station in the mall. We had the opportunity to ask them if they believed that God exists, but they all answered that He did not.One girl said she knew God did not exist because she had never seen God. That it was all just a fairy tale.
This is what I would have said to her, had it not been for the circumstance of the encounter (they were annoyed by our presence and walked away).

"You say that you know God doesn't exist because you haven't seen Him. But we cannot say that just because we cannot see something therefore it doesn't exist. Take music for example, I cannot see a sound wave yet I know it exists because of it's effects and that it can be measured. But an uneducated person unaware that sound waves can be measured and who is deaf, could say that sound doesn't exist because he/she cannot experience it nor knows that it can be measured. But we know that just because this person cannot hear sound, and is unaware that it can be measured, sound doesn't exist.
see in the same way, you would have to know all that there is to know to say that you are certain that God doesn't exist. And we both know that you don't know all that there is to know. So in fact it is simply not possible for you to say with certainty that He does not exist. But I am here to tell you that He does exist and He has made himself known through His Creation(Romans 1:20), His revealed truth in Scripture (Heb 1:1-2) and His Son Jesus Christ(John 1:1-5), and now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.(Acts 17:30-31 ESV)"
Instead at the prayer meeting after the afternoon ended we prayed for her and the rest of the young musicians and we prayed for Philadelphia, that the gospel may go forth and God may bring salvation to many.

*Image by: David Castillo Dominici Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why do we sit still?: 180 Movie

Three years ago I was on my last year of medschool rotating through the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital for my internship. I wrote a blogpost about a beautiful baby girl who was born premature at 24 weeks. The baby survived, but because her little lungs were not mature enough, and we didn't have the respirators she needed to be on, the baby only lived for around 18hours. It was an amazing thing to see her crying and trying to breathe, at barely 24 weeks. It begs the question, when does the baby become a human being? When it is out of the womb? after 30 weeks as some would love to say to justify their sin, or calm their conscience? After he/she has a heart beat? Who knows? This movie parallels perfectly the holocaust that is abortion with the holocaust of Germany. The same excuses that can be given for one can be used for the other. "Well I don't think jews or blacks or down syndrome or mentally challenged people are human so I think I will kill them. Well poor people or aids infected people will have a bad quality of life so I think it's better to just kill them." Sounds far fetched right? well that is the same logic behind abortion.

Please do not sit still any longer while thousands of babies are being killed in the womb. Do something! Spread the word.

But I do think that we need to do more than just spread the word, but to provide actual solutions to the problem of abortion. We need more counseling clinics, some of these mother's are poor and cannot support their babies even if they did want to keep them, something should be done about that as well. Education is needed, liberalism teaches that promiscuity is fine because morality is just based on what feels good, or as long as it doesn't hurt anybody(anybody but the baby in the womb of course). Just handing out condoms doesn't do it, it doesn't slow down promiscuity, it just makes it easier and acceptable.

But more than social reform what the world needs is the gospel, and good works such as social justice should accompany the preaching of the gospel.

Seven Characteristics of Highly Evangelistic Christians

via: Challies.com

A convicting post that compels us to pray more and be bolder when it comes to proclaiming the gospel. I know quite a few of those highly evangelistic Christians, one particular young man at my church called Martin, his passion for the gospel and love for the lost is contagious and convicting at the same time. Let us pray the Lord will fill us with passion for His gospel and the expansion of His kingdom and a love for the lost.

The Great Omission

It is so obvious. Indeed it is so clear that I am surprised at my neglect of this factor. Stated simply, the evangelistic churches that I have researched for the past twenty years have one or more highly evangelistic Christians.

I know. The previous statement is no great revelation. It is almost stating the obvious. But, if it is reality, why are we not hearing more about these Christians who seem to have a passion for evangelism? Why are we not doing a better job of telling their stories?

In this short article I hope to address this great omission.

Seven Characteristics

It is inevitable that, when we do research on evangelistic churches, we learn about one or more members in the church who, to use the book title by Charles H. Spurgeon, embody the traits of "The Soul Winner." Oftentimes one of those members is the pastor. But we have also seen many laypersons who are themselves soul winners.

In our interviews with these people, or with those who tell us about the soul winners, we began to discern some clear patterns. We called those patterns “the seven characteristics of highly evangelistic Christians.”

1. They are people of prayer. They realize that only God can convict and convert, and they are totally dependent upon Him in prayer. Most of the highly evangelistic Christians spend at least an hour in prayer each day.

2. They have a theology that compels them to evangelize. They believe in the urgency of the gospel message. They believe that Christ is the only way of salvation. They believe that anyone without Christ is doomed for a literal hell.

3. They are people who spend time in the Word. The more time they spend in the Bible, the more likely they are to see the lostness of humanity and the love of God in Christ to save those who are lost.

4. They are compassionate people. Their hearts break for those who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They have learned to love the world by becoming more like Christ who has the greatest love for the world.

5. They love the communities where God has placed them. They are immersed in the culture because they desire for the light of Christ to shine through them in their communities.

6. They are intentional about evangelism. They pray for opportunities to share the gospel. They look for those opportunities. And they see many so-called casual encounters as appointments set by God.

7. They are accountable to someone for their evangelistic activities. They know that many good activities can replace Great Commission activities if they are not careful. Good can replace the best. So they make certain that someone holds them accountable each week, either formally or informally, for their evangelistic efforts.

Turning the World Upside Down

So it's apparent I haven't been blogging much lately but I haven't completely stopped blogging, I've just been doing it elsewhere. A few weeks ago I joined some dear brothers in Christ from my local church in an effort to begin a blog, in spanish, with the purpose to help other brothers and sisters out there learn to defend the faith. For the past weeks we've been writing on different subjects, I have focused on defending the faith from other false religions like the Jehovah Witnesses by dealing with the articles they've published in their well known magazine "The Watchtower" also known in spanish as "La Atalaya". Our blog is called Trastornando al Mundo (Disturbing the World), although the word trastornando doesn't quite catch our idea when translated to the English language, my friend Abraham sort of came up with the name from a verse in the book of acts, Acts 17:6

"And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,"

The context of the text takes place in Thessalonica when Paul and Silas went there to preach the gospel and reason with the jews in the synagogues. Some were persuaded, even the devout Greeks but soon the Jews became jealous and began to persecute them. So we get to verse 6 and read that they went into a man's house, Jason, dragged him and those who were there out and took them to the authorities saying that these men who were reasoning and preaching the gospel and have turned the world upside down by doing so, and have now arrived there.
So that is our idea with this blog, to help others do what Paul and Silas were doing by preaching the gospel and defending the faith, in hopes of turning the world upside down and leading people by God's grace to the foot of the cross.
Please pray for us in this great endeavor and also pray that we can take what we have written and use it everywhere we go, in our work place, in our homes, in our universities, on the streets, in airplanes and that we may do so for God's glory.

Evangelism: Why Bus Stops?

A really good post on evangelism:

"Why bus stops? Good question. Let me explain. Let me give you a brief history on how a stumbled across the idea. Two summers years ago I did my first internship at GFC. I was hired as a part-time summer evangelist (12 weeks long). How should I start? I had no idea. The elders suggested that I begin going door-to-door to invite people to church; this would give me a better feel for the dynamics of the community, and it would remind people that there is a church in the neighbourhood which they are welcome to. I was nervous, but by God’s grace I went. Indeed, going door-to-door certainly helped me get a much better grasp of the demographics of our church neigbourhood.

Going door-to-door was a very interesting experience to say the least. To this day I still have good relations with many people in the church neighbourhood, which came as a result of simply getting out there and introducing myself (and the church) in a friendly manner. Some people are genuinely interested in a church which is in their own neighbourhood. They are more likely to come to your Christmas and Easter services if you are that friendly person who stops in every now and then to say hello and to see how they are.

I would sometimes try to talk to people at their door (lawn/porch) if I sensed they had time to talk. Sometimes I would eventually try sharing the Gospel with them. I think I only had the door slammed in my face a few times. I recall being swore at only a few times (in English). Most people were polite, but not interested. Once in a while the Lord opened doors for the spread of the Gospel (which was great!), but the opportunities seemed far and few between....Continue reading the rest"

John Piper on Being Radical

“Find the hard stuff, get satisfied in Jesus, find him sufficiently motivating and enjoy the fellowship of his sufferings.”1

1: Radical Risk without Relocation at C.J. Mahaney's Blog

Evangelism: Living Water

World Water Day
by Rennae de Freitas

In 1992, the UN General Assembly designated 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water. The Dominican Republic, like the majority of developing world countries, has serious problems with water supply.

Many people live without running water and for those who do, they must deal with the reality of constant water shortages. Also, like other majority world countries the running water is not potable which results in sickness and disease.

Dealing with this water issues in the country is a part of daily life and our ministry as we work to serve the needs of this country. Yet the issue that is of greatest concern to me is solving the problem of spiritual thirst. Jesus is the real answer to the world’s water problems not digging a well (not to minimize well-digging BRING IT ON!!!) Yet even with contaminated water I have seen God’s people live joyful abundant lives! You see it everywhere in this country. So my passionate quest is to get to the ones in this country who have the least access to living water. And my compassionate actions i.e. well digging and grocery giving, are the tangible demonstration of the eternal, rescuing and thirst quenching message that I am compelled to PROCLAIM.

Friday night I stood in the rain on a street corner with a group of shivering, scantily dressed girls huddled under cardboard boxes. They were there to sell their bodies. We were there to offer them water.

I put my arm around my new friend Luzmely*, three months pregnant holding a saturated piece of cardboard over her head. I asked her if she would trade her piece of cardboard for my umbrella. She smiled at my absurdity, but gladly made the trade.

My friend Rita told the story of the Samaritan woman and her encounter with Jesus. I was amazed at how these girls were totally captivated by the story. As Rita shared, cars stopped at the corner waiting for a girl to come to the car in order to be whisked away into the night. Yet the girls would not move; they wanted to hear the story. Meanwhile, I noticed that one car circled around three times!

It was like Jesus was there with us Friday night just like he was with the Samaritan woman—offering water! As the rain fell on us, we did what Jesus would do, we offered them water, but not contaminated water, not water that is always in short supply. We offered living water. And with all the rain, we all went home drenched, both literally and spiritually!

“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” --Jesus Christ

As a side note I would like to say that I was terrified when Vivian asked me to prepare the message we'd be sharing, I prayed so much that the Lord would help me and would put the exact words in my mouth that He'd wanted me to share with these women. As we stood there with the first group I asked them if they ever wondered why we were there and had been there for the past 3 fridays. I honestly wondered what they thoughtbecause each Friday we have been seeing God's hand working mightily right on that street on both corners, especially working in each and every one of us. I cannot wait to see how this ends or perhaps what the outcome of this evangelism ministry might be. My utmost desire is that God will be glorified and that if it is His will that these women may be saved and finally delivered from their present slavery, and finally begin using their bodies to glorify the Lord.

The Reunion

I hurried back inside the temple and they were already praying so I stood, bowed my head and prayed, a few minutes later my phone began to vibrate. It was time to go. As soon as the prayer ended, little papers were handed out where we were to write down specific sins we wanted to repent of or prayer request I never really got to hear what they were for, I walked toward my chair picked up my purse and scurried out, the phone vibrated again. I walked downstairs toward the parking lot where he was waiting. I hopped on the car and off we went to the reunion.
We arrived at MacDonald's and her car was there, we parked and walked toward the door, went it and finally saw them sitting on a table by the window. My heart leaped with joy. With her back towards us was a blond, bluish eyed bubbly young woman with a cheerful spirit talking with a passion about her ministry to women in a place called Boca Chica. I sat next to her, finally, I thought, my prayer has been answered and it is taking form!
Our hearts rejoiced as we heard her stories of how she came to this country, of her vision about the minivan and the women, of her first sheep, the man who was reading John the night before, the gifts, the prayers.

But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher?
And how will there be preachers if they are not sent? As it is said, How beautiful are the feet of those who give the glad news of good things.
Romans 10:14-15

We ended our reunion with a set date, Friday the 27th when we would finally begin what we had been praying for , we prayed to end our reunion and left rejoicing and praising God for His providence, His guidance and His blessings. It is an evangelism ministry, it is to a group of women and all I can say is pray for us and for them. Thank You!

A Divine Appointment: Hell

See this divine appointment is the reason why either:
a. I need to memorize scripture more, or
b. I need an iPhone or need to install the Bible on my PDA

Last night in my prayers and since last week I've been asking God to grant me some divine appointments at the hospital. For those of you who don't know what a divine appointment is, at least according to my definition: divine appointments are encounters with unlikely people, at an unlikely place during an unlikely time for the purpose of being witnessed to obviously by God's providence, hence the term "divine". Like the Ethiopian eunuch reading a prophesy of Christ in the book of Isaiah and Philip showing up to witness to him as we learn in the book of Acts (Acts 8:26-40), that was a divine appointment and in this portion of scripture we get to see God's hand by sending and Angel to tell Philip to go out to where the eunuch was.
Now that you know, let us continue with this story. So I was minding my own business laying on a bed in one of the rooms at the hospital (there was nothing to do and I was sleepy) when along comes my friend Michelle to tell me there were two "americans" out in the hall looking for someone who'll translate for them, she hinted to me that they might be Jehovah Witnesses. So I get out of bed and head toward the hall, only to find a lovely couple with pamphlets in hand speaking to Ramon an internal medicine intern from my university. So I walk up to them and this very nice young woman with an english accent hands a pamphlet to me and begins explaining what the pamphlet was about. I read the words Watchtower at the end of the pamphlet as an endnote and knew they were Jehovah witnesses as my friend had told me.
So I began reading the pamphlet and immediately saw one of their doctrines displayed in the answer to a question, what happens after we die?. They believe the wicked will be dead for forever after they die, no punishment, not even a place called hell.
So I told the girl, Becky, that I disagreed with what they teach because the Bible teaches something else. I told her that the Bible says some are resurrected to eternal damnation or condemnation and some to eternal life, she said "Show me where it says that in Scripture and I'll believe you" so I went to Matthew 25:46 which says:

"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matt 25:46 (esv) [Read it in context I mistakenly did not read the whole thing to her just this and other verses]

Of course her Bible had a different term for punishment it says "cutting-off", later on when I pointed to that verse again she asked, but "isn't eternal death a punishment?" I say that's the easy way out, we've sinned against an infinite Holy God and we get a finite punishment?
Anyway, she began talking to me about God being a God of love and pointing me to 1 John where we're told that God is love. By this time the man who was with her joined us in our conversation, I told her I agreed completely but that we cannot forget that God is a just judge as well and he must punish sin. I then pointed her to Psalm 11 which I had read this very morning,

The Lord tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.

She began to rationalize her belief with a bad analogy, one I've even heard from atheists: "What if you had a child who was very bad, always misbehaving, always being bad would you enjoy punishing him forever?" It falls short because you're comparing the incomparable, its not just a child misbehaving it is a criminal breaking God's law, if you had a criminal always killing, stealing, raping would not want this criminal to be punished rightfully?
We continued pointing ourselves back and forth to scripture, she began to feel agitated and kept on repeating "no God is love, you're wrong, he would never do that." Every now and then the man who was with her had to tell her to not argue or to relax or something like that. He pointed me to Romans 6: 7:

"For one who has died has been set free from sin."

I told him they couldn't keep on picking out verses like that and we read all of Romans 6, and I showed him that what Paul was talking about was us Christians being dead to Sin and alive in Christ, nothing about people not existing after death.
He began to talk after that and told me that there were different words in the Greek used for hell, and I said that I knew very well that the Bible uses the word Gehenna, Hades, and Sheol (There is another word used only once but couldn't remember it refer to my post on Hell) I also explained what Gehenna was and how it symbolizes what will be going on in Hell.
Then he pointed me to 6:23 and I told him how he harmonized those verses that seem to talk about death being it with those that talk about the lake of fire, they couldn't answer that except with God is love and he would never do that, and that teaching is demonic. I said well I disagree, the Bible does teach about hell, we then shook hands and they both left.
I was in awe that God should answer my prayers, and in such a providential way, what were two people from England looking for in a hospital with tracts in english! precisely in the same area I was at? Unlikely people, at an unlikely place in an unlikely time, that was a divine appointment.
My prayer is that they will look through those verses again in context especially Matthew 25 and that God will open their eyes to the truths presented in His word.

Present Day Evangelism Part II

The evangelistic monstrosity of the day!
(Arthur Pink, "Present Day Evangelism")

Alas, alas, God's way of salvation is almost entirely unknown today, the nature of Christ's salvation is almost universally misunderstood, and the terms of His salvation misrepresented on every hand. The "Gospel" which is now being proclaimed is, in nine cases out of every ten--but a perversion of the Truth! Tens of thousands, assured they are bound for heaven--are now hastening to hell as fast as time can take them!

It is the bounden duty of every Christian, to have no dealings with the evangelistic monstrosity of the day, to withhold all moral and financial support of the same, to attend none of their meetings, to circulate none of their tracts. Those preachers who tell sinners that they may be saved without forsaking their idols, without repenting, without surrendering to the Lordship of Christ--are as erroneous and dangerous as others who insist that salvation is by works, and that heaven must be earned by our own efforts!

Present Day Evangelism

There are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire!

(Arthur Pink, "Present Day Evangelism")

The nature of Christ's salvation, is woefully misrepresented by the present-day "evangelist." He announces a Savior from hell--rather than a Savior from sin! And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire--who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness!

The very first thing said of Him in the New Testament is--"You shall call His name Jesus--for He shall save His people...[not "from the wrath to come," but] from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Christ is a Savior for those realizing something of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, who feel the awful burden of it on their conscience, who loathe themselves for it, and who long to be freed from its terrible dominion. He is a Savior for no others. Were He to "save from hell" those still in love with sin, He would be a minister of sin, condoning their wickedness and siding with them against God. What an unspeakably horrible and blasphemous thing, with which to charge the Holy One!

True, as the Christian grows in grace, he has a clearer realization of what sin is--rebellion against God; and a deeper hatred of and sorrow for it. But to think that one may be saved by Christ, whose conscience has never been smitten by the Spirit, and whose heart has not been made contrite before God--is to imagine something which has no existence in the realm of fact. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor--but the sick" (Matthew 9:12). The only ones who really seek relief from the great Physician, are those who are sick of sin--who long to be delivered from its God-dishonoring works, and its soul-defiling pollutions.

As Christ's salvation is a salvation from sin--from the love of it, from its dominion, from its guilt and penalty--then it necessarily follows, that the first great task and the chief work of the evangelist, is to preach upon SIN: to define what sin (as distinct from crime) really is, to show wherein its infinite enormity consists, to trace out its manifold workings in the heart, to indicate that nothing less than eternal punishment is its desert!

Ah, preaching upon sin will not make him popular nor draw the crowds, will it? No, it will not; and knowing this, those who love the praise of men more than the approbation of God, and who value their salary above immortal souls, trim their sales accordingly!

A Black Friday to Remember

I wrote this that day after spending a good 5 hours with my friend Jen Guerriero from Reformed Sheology at Dolphin Mall in Miami, FL passing out tracts and witnessing to people:
"Today's evangelism adventure was incredible. I met Jen in front of old Navy, we met in person for the first time. We stood not far from the old navy store and started by handing out Million Dollar Bill Tracts which Jen had brought with her, she had brought 6 packs which we started to hand out and people gladly took them and some even asked for more!
There were a lot of hispanics at the mall, no surprise to us since its Miami, I got to talk to one JW (Jehovah Witness), the lady made me take out my Bible. She was asking why we were doing what we were doing instead of preaching right from the Bible, then she agreed with herself that no one would listen if we did (yeah that and we'd get kicked out of the mall which did happen anyway). I tried to explain to her how we use the tract by asking the "Million dollar question" which is 'Will we get to heaven?' and explained that by looking into the mirror of God's perfect law, the 10 Commandments, we could know how we stand before the Lord. That explanation lead to her telling me that there is no literal hell, we discussed about that for a while, then we argued about people seeking God, I told her that no one sought after God and quoted her Romans 3:10-17, and said that it is God who chooses to save us, she obviously disagreed with me (yes even after I quoted her Romans) she said that God had to have seen something in us to have chosen us. Eventually the lady had to leave and I saw her off quoting Ephesians 2:8-9 right before she left.
Jen got to talk to someone working at the store behind us and also to another random guy who stopped to ask about the tracts we were handing out. After that my aunt, cousins and my cousin's mother in law, neither of whom are Christian, passed by us and Jen handed them some gospel tracts. After that a police officer came over to where we were and very politely asked us to stop handing out whatever we were handing out, Jen asked if we could do so outside and he said we could so. So as we walked to the nearest most populated entrance, the main entrance, to keep me from becoming discouraged Jen told me that she had learned to think tat whenever stuff like that happened she would say to herself "God wants us to be somewhere else" and indeed the Lord wanted us right where He sent us, the main entrance. There we had the opportunity to hand out over a thousand tracts and talk to different people both from the US and outside the US. In total we handed out over 1300 tracts including the ones we handed out inside the mall (All supplied by Jen God bless her!).
While outside we spoke to a man named Cesar from my country, 3 old men from Nicaragua (whom I desperately hope would get a bible or read the gospel of John as I exhorted them, Jen got to give them a spanish gospel tract), 3 young men 1 who is from Haiti and claimed to be a Christian, all the old hispanic ladies who couldn't read the gospel tracts cause they were in enligsh (I forgot to take my gospel of John tracts in spanish to the mall! but that too was for a reason).
But most assuredly the highlight of our day in the midst of it all was a girl who walked up to us and told us that she had felt the need to say that God was pleased with what we were doing and encouraged us to never stop. Jen and I got teary-eyed.
It was an amazing day, the Lord is so so good and my prayer is that those people we witnessed to will seriously consider the things we told them and repent and believe the gospel, who knwows perhaps today was the day the Lord chose to bring repentance to some of them.
The most important thing is the Gospel was faithfully proclaimed and the Lord was glorified and that is what matters most, that He gets all the Glory. What a privilege it always is to be used by Him so that He may be glorified.
On the other hand I was so glad to meet Jen, she's such a sweetheart and an encouragement. I could definitely go out witnessing with her again."


Funny Moment during the day: Jen had some gospel tracts that said in the front page All of What men have learned about women and when you open the little booklet the pages are empty, so we're handing those out only to men, we handed one to each of three guys who walked by us and so we stood at a distance from them and saw them open the booklet, we just started laughing about it and one of the guys said "Hey I'm offended!" Jen told him that its supposed to be an offense to us because we are supposedly so mysterious, and then we pointed them to the back of the booklet which has a gospel presentation, that opened the door for us to witness to them.

I always love getting these stories from GFA they are an encouragement to me and I'm posting this one in hopes it'll encourage others. If there is one thing I have learned as a Christian is to be patient, and to continue in my prayers for the salvation of those near and far. There are times when we witness to someone and pray for their salvation but the hardness of heart continues and this can be quite discouraging. There is a lesson that we need to learn first: that God is who saves and the Holy Spirit who regenerates the soul not us, our duty is to proclaim the Good News.

A Hurting Body and a Brother's Enduring Love

Through the persevering prayers of His people, God is transforming lives in India every day.

It took excruciating physical pain for Baskar to consider the Gospel. But when he did, it changed the course of his life.

The young man in his late 20s had grown up in a very poor family in Karnataka, India. His parents passed away when he was only a child. Baskar's family's financial condition did not allow him to continue school past the seventh grade.

Like others who lived in their village, Baskar, his brother and sister worshipped created elements: cows, trees, monkeys and snakes. They also believed in witchcraft.

Baskar's brother, Chinnam, later married a woman named Sarita and settled in neighboring Goa. One day, he brought Baskar to live there, too, so he could find a job. Baskar came reluctantly because he knew Chinnam and his family had become Christians. He made it very clear up front that he had no interest in leaving his ways and embracing the Christian faith.

During family prayer times, Baskar would get angry and walk out.

But strengthened in their faith by their times with the Lord and by attending their church, where Gospel for Asia missionary Emmanuel was pastor, Chinnam and Sarita reached out to Baskar and prayed fervently for his salvation.

They also invited Baskar to church with them, but he did not want to go. Baskar's heart seemed hard. But his brother and sister-in-law refused to let him go on without Jesus.

Then one day, Baskar suddenly experienced pain on one side of his body. The pain was especially severe in his leg. Baskar's condition only grew worse each day, and his brother spent a considerable amount of money on his treatment. Yet it did no good. The doctors were baffled: They had been able to help others with the same symptoms, but for some reason, the same treatment wasn't helping Baskar.

Baskar finally hit the point of desperation. He asked his brother to pray for him. Chimman had his pastor, Emmanuel, and some other Christians from the church over to pray for Baskar. He also encouraged his brother to believe in Jesus. After they prayed, Baskar discovered that his health was improving.

After a week, Baskar could sit up and stand. Slowly, he began to get better until he was completely healed!

Baskar's heart softened as he saw that God had done what none of his doctors could. He chose to trust in Jesus as Savior.

Baskar attends church regularly and thanks the Lord for His healing touch—both physical and spiritual. His life has taken on new meaning as he has found hope. He desires to complete studies at a GFA Bible college to be better equipped to serve the Lord.

Pray that Baskar will continue to grow in his faith and that God will use him to proclaim to many the hope he has found.

Grace Gems: The World's Theology

The world's theology

(by James Montgomery Boice)

The world's theology is easy to define.
It is the view . . .
that human beings are basically good,
that no one is really lost,
that belief in Jesus Christ is not necessary for salvation.

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
Romans 1:22

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This is so true I have asked quite a number of people if they would consider themselves to be good people and I'd say 98% consider themselves to be good. Ask one person today and take that chance to take the person through the ten commandments and in a gracious manner let them see the truth that God sees us as sinners and unless we repent and put our faith in Christ, if we die as sinners counting on our own righteousness hell is what awaits us.

Preaching the Gospel to: Believers

On my way home from the hospital, in the bus I usually take whenever I have a shift, I sat beside a woman whom I suspected to be a Christian. I waited quietly hoping she'd witness to me, but she remained silent staring out the window (which I have been guilty of doing as well many times before) I thought perhaps I should witness to her because a person might have the "evangelical" look and even lingo and probably not be saved. Jesus tells us in His word that many will come to Him and say "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" and the Lord will reply "depart from me...I never knew you"(Matthew 7:21-23, Luke 13:24-30), this tells us that there are people that will look and act like Christians yet there hearts will be very far from the Lord. For this reason, don't think that just because someone professes faith in Christ they're born again. So I asked, "are you a Christian?" she said yes, and then I thought I'd do what Todd and Ray and the rest of the gang do when encountering a professing Christian, I asked her what I needed to do to be saved. I got the standard "well just accept Jesus into your heart and do what the Bible says" I then explained to her repentance and faith in Christ, to which she agreed and said some things indicating she understood the concept. It was just another case of a Christian with bad Christianese. We had a great conversation over evangelism, Christ and some Bible verses. It was great meeting a fellow Christian, my hope and prayer is that the conversation will trigger her and me to get out of our comfort zones and preach the gospel to someone, even that person sitting next to us on the bus.

When witnessing let Romans 1:16 be our encouragement and verse:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Jesus Lived Among Sinners

It is not the first time I've heard the "Jesus lived among sinners" argument whenever someone tries to justify going to places Christians aren't supposed to be going to or at least should consider twice before going. I've heard it from both non-believers and Christians alike. So if you're ever invited to a place where you know God is not honored and you're invited not to preach the gospel and transform people's lives but just to enjoy it as much as the world does, here are some questions that should be answered along with a refutation of the use of the argument.

1. Why are you going to that bar/party/club/concert/R-rated Movie/etc? With what purpose?

2. How are you any different from those surrounding you in said place? Remember be are called to be different, to be in the world but not of it.

And now the refutation.
Yes Jesus dwelt among unbelievers, but if we read scriptures correctly this is what we see:

"While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. " Mat 4:19-22

"As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Mat 9:9-13

Mat 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

John 4:9-26 (The Samaritan Woman)

But then we read something important about these sinners Jesus hanged out with:

"What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him." - Matthew 21:28-32

Jesus didn't go their bars and parties to hang out with them and be their bestfriend and then hopefully get them to believe in Him, no he called them out from where they were unto Salvation. These sinners believed Him to be the Messiah they had heard of and knew the implications of it and why he had come. Jesus dwelt among them because they were diseased with sin and needed the cure of Salvation.

"And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." Matthew 9:11-12

The pharisees were sinners just like the publicans and prostitutes and just like you and me, but they didn't think they needed a Saviour they trusted in their own righteousness. But our righteousness will not hold in the day of judgment, because our best of "good" works are as filthy rags before the Lord. That is why we need an alien righteousness as John MacArthur once said, Christ's righteousness which is imputed unto us when we repent and put our faith in Christ, and thanks to said alien righteousness we are Justified before the Lord.

"Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Although I must confess that I have failed at inviting these old friends of mine out to lunch or coffee, in a neutral ground, with the purpose of preaching the gospel to them. Something to ponder on for when I finally get my driver's license.

Being a Bad Doctor, Being a Bad Christian

Evangelism Adventure of the Day, Wednesday 24th/08

If there is one tough thing doctors must do is tell their patient the bad news that he/she has cancer (of course the toughest yet is telling family members that their loved one has died). Well today while at the hospital in the pre-labour area, we received a patient who was diagnosed as a possible uterine cancer (we're still waiting for the biopsy results). She had been bleeding the day before and even fainted on her way to the 4th floor of the hospital.
She was placed in one of the beds outside the pre-labour area waiting for the doctors to finish writing some orders and things for the medical record before taking her to the 4th floor, where high risk pregnant women and gynecological case are placed.
I stayed by her bedside because we interns are usually the ones who take patients all around the hospital (and of course for my evangelistic agenda which I try to push when possible ;)) she began to cry and I tried to comfort her but what can you say in situations like these? But then I started thinking about my fear of man when trying to preach the gospel and how it relates to what I started writing in this post.
Imagine if I were too afraid to tell my patients that they have a disease or condition that will most definitely take their life, what kind of doctor would I be if I didn't warn them of their disease and the consequence of it, how would I even offer them the cure? Likewise what kind of a Christian would I be if I didn't warn people of the disease we all carry, called Sin, that will most definitely lead them unto destruction in hell for ever? and If I don't warn them of their disease how can I even offer them the cure, the Gospel of Jesus Christ that would save them from an eternity in Hell separated from God?
I'll tell you what kind of doctor I would be, hence what kind of Christian. A bad one and thus an unloving one. And just as patients have entrusted themselves unto us that we may be good doctors and practice good medicine, so has God entrusted unto us His precious Gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 Timothy 1:11, ) that we may be good disciples and practice obedience by fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). As Paul once said, woe unto me if I preach not the gospel. (1 Cor 9:16)
With that in mind I realized what a great opportunity to evangelize I had, a divine appointment indeed. So when the docs were done with her medical record, she got on the wheel chair and off we went to the elevator and finally to the fourth floor. I took her to her room, she was the only one there, she settled in and I began talking. I asked her if she was a Christian since I had overheard her say she wanted to glorify God in sickness and health (or something along those lines), she said she wasn't a Christian but she had a lot of faith in God, I asked her if she knew what happened after people died she said she knew very well that there was a judgment day and that there are two options either heaven or hell. I took advantage of what she already knew and explained to her that unless we repent and put our faith in Christ like she said we would all end up in hell. I told her that life is short like a vapor, we're alive today but we don't know if tomorrow may come. She agreed with me and then said that her entire family is catholic (I assumed it was her excuse to reject he gospel, it reminded me so much of my first response to the first time I was witnessed to) and I told her that it didn't matter, that my family is catholic too and I was catholic and went to church and yet lived like the world, but that it wasn't until 2 people, sent by the Lord, explained to me that If I didn't repent I would perish by explaining to me what Christ did on the cross or me and for her, that one that cross he bared all of our sins, died and rose again on the third day beating death and the power of sin so that one day people like her and I, sinners, would have a chance to say "wow Lord what a great Savior!" to apologize and repent and put our faith in Him and be saved; that I was truly saved. Her face began to change, her eyes started to well up in tears.
I kept talking, R (name will be disclosed) I said, you don't know if perhaps the Lord willed for you to be here in this hospital with this disease in this room with me so that you may hear his Gospel and be saved. "Please don't wait another day" I pleaded, at this point she started to cry, I kept insisting and told her she didn't need to go to church to be saved, I explained to her that she could pray right there on her bed, and told her that God's word says that those who call upon the name of the Lord would be saved. (Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, )
It was time for me to go back to my area so I finished our conversation with some last words "Think about what I said and don't wait another day", and a gospel of John tract.
Please pray for her, the Lord knows her name and who she is and her heart. Pray that she may be saved.

"For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"" Romans 10:13-15

Revolution in World Missions

So I've been reading K.P. Yohannan's book and let me just say that I am convicted, seriously. Here are some excerpts from the chapters I've read so far:

I Walked in a Daze

From the moment I touched foot on American soil, I walked in an unbelieving daze. How can two so different economies coexist simultaneously on the earth?... As the days passed into weeks, I began with alarm to understand how misplaced are the spiritual values of most Western believers. Sad to say, it appeared to me that for the most part they had absorbed the same humanistic and materialistic values that dominated the secular culture. Almost immediately I sensed an awesome judgment was hanging over the United States... (...)
What impresses visitors from the Two-Third World are the simple things Americans take for granted: fresh water available 24 hours a day, unlimited electrical power, telephones that work and a most remarkable network of paved roads." (P.41)

"At the time, we still had no television in India, but my American hosts seemed to have TV sets in every room--and they operated day and night. This ever-present blast of media disturbed me. For some reason, Americans seemed to have a need to surround themselves with noise all the time. Even in their cars, I noticed the radios were on even when no one was listening.
Why do they always have to be entertained or entertaining? I wondered. It was as if they were trying to escape from a guilt they had not yet defined or even identified." (pp. 41-42)

"There is such an emphasis on church buildings in the United States that we sometimes forget that the Church is the people no the place where the people meet." (P.46)

"A Nation Asleep in Bondage"

"Religion, I discovered, is a multi-billion dollar business in the United States. Entering churches, I was astonished at the carpeting, furnishings, air-conditioning and ornamentation. Many churches have gymnasiums and fellowships that cater to a busy schedule of activities having little or nothing to do with Christ. The orchestras, choirs, 'special' music--and sometimes even the preaching--seemed to me more like entertainment than worship." (p. 47)

"I found that believers are ready to get involved in almost any activity that looks spiritual but allows them to escape their responsibility to the Gospel" (p.47)

"The saddest observation I can make about most of the religious communication activity of the Western world is this: Little, if any, of this media is designed to reach unbelievers Almost all is entertainment for the saints." (P.47)

"What are you doing here"

Holding evangelistic crusades and bringing people to Christ are not enough: Someone has to stay behind and nurture the new believers into maturity. For the first time I began to understand the goal of all mission work: the "perfecting" of the saints into sanctified, committed disciples of Christ." (P.55)

"I remembered how one of my seminary professors solemnly instructed his class of young "preacher boys" to lay aside money every month for emergencies, purchase life insurance and build equity in home. But I could not find any of this in the New Testament commands of Christ. Why was it necessary to save our money in bank accounts when Jesus commanded us not to lay up treasures on this earth?" (P. 58)

"A New Day in Missions"

"Two reasons, it appeared to me, were the cause for the current malaise that has fastened like cancer on American Believers. The first is historical. The second is the unconfessed sins related to three basic iniquities: pride, unbelief and worldliness." (P.76)

"Most Christians in North America still conceive of missions in terms of blond-haired, blue-eyed white people going to the dark-skinned Two-Thirds World nations" (P.78)

"In India, which no longer permits Western missionary evangelists, more church growth and outreach are happening now than at any point in our history. China is another good example of the new realities." (P. 79)

"(...) over 500,000 underground churches reportedly have sprung up during the communist persecution. (...) all this happened under the spiritual direction of the indigenous church movement." (P 79)

Is Missions an Option?

"(...) the United States is the only nation in the world founded by believers in Christ who made a covenant with God-dedicating a new nation to God.
Born into affluence, freedom and divine blessings, Americans should be the most thankful people on earth." (P.85)

"(...) the single most important hindrance to world evangelization right now is the lack of total involvement by the Body of Christ" (emphasis mine) (P. 87)

"(...)Only when we are emptied of our own self-sufficiency ca God use us. When a church or a mission board spends more time in consultation,planning and committee meetings than in prayer, it is a clear indication the members have lost touch with the supernatural and have ended up, in Watchman Nee's words, "serving the house of God and forgot the Lord Himself."" (P.90)

God is Withholding Judgment

"(...)many evangelical Christians do not really believe the Word of God, especially when it talks about hell and judgment. Instead, they selectively accept only the portions that allow them to continue living in their current lifestyles." (P. 93)

"(...)The grace and love of God are pleasant subjects, and no one more beautifully demonstrated them than our Lord Jesus. Yet in His earthly ministry, He made more references to hell and judgment than He did to heaven. Jesus lived with the reality of hell, and He died on Calvary because He knew it was real and coming to everyone who doesn't turn to God in this life." (P. 93)

"Very few seem to believe that those who die without Christ are going to a place where they will be tormented forever and ever in a bottomless pit where the fire is not quenched and they are separated from God and His love for all eternity without any chance of return.(...)Why aren't Christians living in obedience to God? Because of their unbelief." (P.94)

There is so much more to read and take in from this book, please get it! Better yet don't get it for free, buy it its only 5.95 I believe, don't eat that Wendy's or Burger King or King Lobster this weekend, it'll be worth the meal and more.

The Dominican Restoration War

Throughout all of history different peoples from different nations have fought for a common cause, freedom. From the Israelites and their freedom from Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar, to the Indians of the new world and their freedom from colonialism, to the English and their freedom from religious oppression, to the Africans from their freedom from slavery, and so on and so forth. Many a people have fought for personal freedom, for freedom of speech and freedom of thought, for independence as a nation.

Today in my country we celebrate a special day, not our independence day (which is celebrated on February 27th) but our restoration day. One hundred and forty five years to this day a group of people

"under the leadership of one Gregorio Luperón made a daring raid on the capital Santo Domingo raised the Dominican flag on the Capotillo hill. This action, known as El grito de Capotillo, was the beginning of a war lasting until 1865." (1)

Why a restoration?

In 1861 general Pedro Santana asked Spain to retake control of the country, after a period of only 17 years of independence. Spain, which had not come to terms with the loss of its American colonies 30 years earlier, accepted his proposal and made the country a colony again. (1)

After 17 years of independence we were colonized once more by the Spanish people, whom we had already been freed from once one 27th of February, in 1844. This resulting in the degradation of our country and a monetary crisis. So the dominicans backed by the Haitian territory armed themselves with courage and fire arms and began a war with a shout that lasted 3 years, and while many died they died to gain freedom and return once more the country's independence.

But Dominican history lesson aside, there is one freedom in particular which a great deal of people give little thought to. If only they knew that slavery to this particular tyrant is the root of all their sufferings. And the reason why, once they leave this world, they will be led to a prison where there is no freedom, no rest, no joy and certainly no second chances. If they knew and understood, if their understanding was not darkened and their hearts not hardened, all of them would give up their constant fight for physical/individual/national/collective freedom and seek instead spiritual freedom, freedom from the power of Sin.

Here's a little summary on human history: "sin came into the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned"
God says in His Word that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is everlasting life. Freedom from sin is only found in the One who gave up his life for a Truth he deemed worth dying for. The One who, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8)

This one Saviour is Jesus Christ, who lived a righteous life being tempted in all but never falling into sin(Luke 4:2), whom on that cross paid the penalty for OUR sins, died and rose again on the third day according to Scriptures(1 Cor 15:4), beating DEATH, the Power of Sin and Satan. So that all who believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life(John 3:16).

How can one be freed from sin? The Lord says that: "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

You do that by repenting of your sins and recognizing that Christ alone can save you because of what he accomplished on the cross, and setting your trust(faith) in Him alone.

As we celebrate this day, please meditate on these things, there is nothing more important than your eternal salvation which is worth so much more than freedom from anything else in this world. Do not wait another day!

Religious Affections - Part II

I know it's a tad early, actually I still haven't finished reading the 2nd part of part II, I'm currently on point VIII, but something caught my attention from what I was reading:

"...terror and a conviction of conscience are different things. For though convictions of conscience do often cause terror; yet they do not consist in it; and terrors do often arise from other causes. Convictions of conscience, through the influences of God's Spirit, consist in conviction of sinfulness of heart and practices and of the dreadfulness of sins as committed against a God of terrible majesty, infinite holiness and hatred of sin, and strict justice in punishing of it."

This is the reason why I don't stress that much on hell but do stress a lot more on our sins and God's Holiness when witnessing to someone.

There is a Paul Washer video on Evangelism and he gives some pointers on how to witness to people and examples of how he has witnessed to people. In it, he explained that one should always begin with God's Holiness. I agree wholeheartedly, while hell is a terrible place and people should fear it, it should never be the reason why we run to Christ.
Jonathan Edwards explains:

"...there are some persons that have frightful apprehensions of hell, a dreadful pit ready to swallow them up, and flames just ready to lay hold of them, and devils around them, ready to seize them; who at the same time seem to have very little proper enlightenings of conscience really convincing them of their sinfulness of heart and life."
"The devil, if permitted, can terrify men as well as the Spirit of God, it is a work natural to him, and he has many ways of doing it, in a manner tending to no good."

Satan can instill such fears in a person and if a person runs to Christ because of fear of hell and not conviction over their sin, the person may be deceived into thinking he/she is saved and not be saved at all.

Edwards explains that Satan can instill such fears in a person, "not to convince persons of things that are true, and revealed in the word of God, but to lead them to vain and groundless determinations;"

There should always be a balance, but above all we should stay as true to scripture as possible, reading and rereading those valuable examples left for us by the early Christians on how to witness to unbelievers. Below are some of them from the book of acts:
Acts 8:9-24, 8:26-40, chpt 10, 13:4-48, 17:1-4, 24:24-27, chpt 26, 28:16-31

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Religious Affections