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

What if?

After we left occupy Philly Friday night, my husband asked "can you imagine if these people ruled our country?" And this not in a positive light. Here's an article that explains very well the sentiments of my husband's question: http://gostandspeak.com/OccupyWallStreetArticle.pdf
Us Christians have been so distracted with the entertainment of this world, being numbed by the entertainment that even the church brings us, and we have forgotten how the early Christians were "turning the world upside down" (Acts 17:6) with the gospel and NOT conforming to it or even imitating it. We admire missionaries for the work they do in foreign countries yet, completely ignore or forget how we can transform the world around us with the gospel right here at home without having to travel thousands of miles to a foreign country.
While I disagree with the underlying motives and worldviews of many of the protestors, I applaud their desire to go out and try to make a difference, to stand up for what they believe is wrong. Christian have the gospel, the power of God unto salvation(Romans 1:16). The Gospel is what transforms wicked hearts, and we should be out there proclaiming the goodnews of the gospel and pray that God will save and transform many. Always doing it for God's glory and not hoping in this world but in the next. And having full confidence that God will make all wrongs right, the wicked will be punished and Christ will reign(Rev 11:15).

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.

October Unprocessed 2011

I have signed up for a challenge for the month of october to eat unprocessed foods. I thought it might spur me to write more on my once-cherished-but-now-abandoned blog, and to help me make wise, conscious decisions about what I eat and cook for my husband. While I try to lean towards healthy foods and home cooked meals, it is very easy to go for sweet treats and processed foods to cut my cooking time in half and whip up a delicious dinner or breakfast or dessert. So with this challenge I will be sticking to healthy, whole foods recipes and a little creativity, while trying to stick to our monthly budget. I also want to think about doing things more for the Glory of God than for my superficial and physical benefits. Which brings me to the question, how can I during this month glorify God through eating unprocessed foods? Soon you will find out as I blog about my experience.

Asaph's Cry in light of Injustice

Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.
Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.
And they say, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
Psalm 73: 1-13

How many of us have felt like Asaph? Like there is no justice in the world? the wicked prosper, you see them get rich or get away with murder, you see how they have all they want in life and never seem to struggle. They never seem to deal with disease and, unless they have some sort of accident for drunk driving or overdosing on some drug, they usually live long. And yet those who trust God and are faithful to Him by His grace suffer persecution, sometimes live in poverty, are accused unjustly, are afflicted with disease, are scoffed and scorned, and it seems as though the more we trust and live for God the harder it gets.
See, Asaph saw how those who scorned God, those who were wicked and did many wicked things boasting in their wickedness and proud of it, were prospering. They were getting away with their wickedness, oppressing the poor and God's people, and spoke haughtily saying there is no knowledge in God and thinking God does not know the things they do . And so naturally the people saw how the wicked prospered and they turned to follow them thinking surely this is the right way.

"All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed the generation of your children." Psalm 73: 13:15

And Asaph envied the wicked, he thought surely all he had done to honor God was in vain, how can the righteous be afflicted and the wicked prosper? How many of us have felt this way? But oh my friends it is foolish to think like this, just like Asaph says a few lines later, it is Brutish to think this way. Because when we realize their end, when we know what will happen to the wicked, to those who die without Christ, we are humbled just as Asaph was. It is no good thing that awaits the wicked. People may get away with murder or adultery, or lying, or stealing, or any wicked thing in this world, but when we all stand before God in the day of judgement ALL things will be laid bare.

"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." Revelations 20:12


"But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Psalms 73:16-22

So what should our response be when we see things like this? First of all we need to realize that we don't honor God because of the good things we will receive in this world that is soon to perish, we honor God because of what Christ did on the cross for us. We love and honor God because HE loved us first. Because HE redeemed us. Because HE died for us while we were yet sinners. Let us not forget, EVER forget, that:

"we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:3-67

Asaph knew this as well, even back then in the old testament times, this is his response:

"Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.Psalm 73:24-26

And finally what of them? the wicked? shall we leave them to their wickedness and let them perish? I know if someone hadn't prayed for me or witnessed to me I should have been as one of the wicked, I would've perished and gone to hell rightfully. But my friends whom God had delivered from their sin prayed for my soul and witnessed to me and God was merciful to save me, so according to what God teaches us in scripture I say we do what Christ has commanded us, "we should love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those who abuse us"(Luke 6:27-28). And while a specific person might not be OUR enemy, they are God's enemy, and we should pray that God will deliver them from their wickedness just as He delivered us. And if we are given the opportunity we should witness to those who hate God. We should proclaim the loving gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for the wicked and rose again defeating the power of sin and hell so that we may have the hope of eternal life and forgiveness of sins in Him.

"For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works." Psalms 73:27-28

You are in Danger!

On the eve of my departure

[54] And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” [55] Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” [56] But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” [57] They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.”
(Genesis 24:54-57; Genesis 24:58-59 ESV) [58] And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” [59] So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men.
(Genesis 24:54-57; Genesis 24:58-59 ESV)

All day today I could only think of Rebekah. Rebekah, unlike me, never knew her husband before she married him, but there was one thing she did know: it was the Lord's will for her to go with Abraham's servant to be wed with Abraham's son Isaac.

"Rebekah must leave her family and country in an act of faith in order to journey to Canaan and marry Isaac, whom she has never met."1

Her family was not yet ready to part with their daughter, but Rebekah was, and she left her family and homeland to a land she did not know trusting in God and knowing she was to fulfill the purpose for which she was created, to be a wife and bear children, children through which God's promise of a Messiah would continue.

The reason I thought of Rebekah and Isaac's love story is because, just as we can see from the Biblical account how God orchestrated their story, I have seen how God has orchestrated Penn and mine's love story from the beginning, and like Rebekah I too must now leave my family, and country in an act of faith to the man whom I have met and have loved for the past 2 years and a half. Like Rebekah I too am leaving to fulfill the purpose for which I was created.

[20] The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. [21] So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. [22] And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. [23] Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”



[24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

And because it is in Christ that I am trusting, i'm leaving everything behind with joy in my heart and peace of mind. Now by this I'm not saying I will not miss my family, because I will, I'm not saying I will not miss my church family, because I will, I'm not saying I will not miss my friends, the food, the culture, the ministry to the women, because I will most definitely miss it all; but I am saying that when that moment comes, I will turn to Christ for strength and lean on Him and my (future) husband for comfort.

Meyer: The Devotional Use of Scripture

Our Daily Walk by F.B. Meyer is by far one of my favorite devotionals and today's devotional is about using Scripture as a devotional. What he says about Psalm 119 is so true and it's my desire and hope that each day the word of God may become more and more a delight to me. So here I share with you today's devotional

September 8

THE DEVOTIONAL USE OF SCRIPTURE

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." -- Psa_119:105.

IN EACH verse of Ps. 119, the Psalmist mentions the Scriptures, with one exception, and the constant quotation of the Old Testament by our Lord and His Apostles yields abundant evidence of loving and reverent fellowship with the holy men of past ages, who wrote and spoke as moved by the Holy Spirit. It is specially remarkable that the Lord Jesus in His Temptation, in all His teaching, and in the agony of the Cross bore constant witness to the unique authority of the Word of God spoken through the Old Testament saints.

We may know God, says the Psalmist, through a threefold revelation. Though they have no audible voice or language, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament of space, studded with myriads of stars, shows His handiwork. Though speechless, their words witness for Him to the uttermost parts of the earth.

The closing stanza of this great Psalm unfolds God's handiwork in the construction and direction of our moral nature. Between these golden clasps the Psalmist extols the Scriptures under ten striking similitudes, and that disposition must be indeed extraordinary that does not come within the scope of one of them. The soul that needs restoring; the simple who would become wise; the sad heart who would rejoice; the eyes that would be enlightened; the soul that longs for the gold of truth; the desire for sincerity and reality; the search for understanding and righteousness--all such needs and many more are met from a devout reading of Holy Scripture.

All great ministries which have remained fresh and fragrant through long courses of years have proved the wealth of inexhaustible teaching and inspiration which lies hidden in the Bible. Let us each one resolve to soak ourselves in the Scripture before turning to prayer, as water poured in to moisten the sucker will help to draw water up.

PRAYER

Teach us, O Blessed Spirit of Inspiration, so to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest Thy words, that we may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works, and be enabled to lead others into a true understanding of and love for its hidden treasures. AMEN.

The New Abortion Strategy

Albert Mohler writes an article about the new abortion strategy, and their plans of wanting to turn abortion into a mainstream industry. But in light of an article I had read many months ago, on how pro-abortion feminists, more especifically Nancy Keenan, are worried about the next generation not being passionate enough about the pro-choice movement, I say let them try. Soon enough the supporters of murdering babies in the womb will soon die off, finding that they have killed those that would've continued with their pro-abortion legacy.
Like Mohler commented on Nancy Keenan's concern:

"In other words, the pro-abortion movement has weakened itself by the very fact that its core members tend to have fewer children and to have abortions in larger numbers than the general population. That math does not work to their advantage."1

AlbertMohler.com – Coming to a Doctor’s Office Near You? The New Abortion Strategy

www.albertmohler.com

The tragedy of abortion remains one of this nation’s greatest reasons for shame, and the fact that over a million abortions are performed each year is nothing less than horrifying. In light of this tragedy, it is at least encouraging to know that abortion, though an industry of death, is not a growt...

Grace Gems: Carry all your concerns to Him--in the arms of faith!

Carry all your concerns to Him--in the arms of faith!
(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")

"Casting all your care upon Him--because He cares for you!" 1 Peter 5:7

The Lord knows all His people--all their needs, and all their trials.

He thinks upon them--to bless, deliver and supply them.

He keeps His eye upon them--in all places, at all times, and under all circumstances.

He has them in His hand--and will not loosen His hold.

He looks upon them always as His own 'treasured possession' . . .
the objects of His eternal love,
the purchase of His Son's blood,
the temples of His Holy Spirit.

They are precious in His sight!

He knows they are weak and fearful--and that they have many enemies. He teaches them to cast themselves and all their cares into His hands! And He has given them His promise--that He will care for them.

It is a Father's care which He exercises. It is a wise, holy, tender, and constant care. Therefore all will be well with you--only trust Him.

Believe that He cares for you this day. Carry all your concerns to Him--in the arms of faith! Leave all with Him, persuaded that He will manage all by His infinite wisdom, and bring all to a good outcome by His omnipotent power.

Cast all your cares upon Him--as fast as they come in.

Do not worry about anything.

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will support you! He will never allow the righteous to be shaken!" Psalm 55:22

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Satan: "Did God say.."?

The subtleties of Satan's deceptions portrayed in this video made for the song "In the words of Satan" by The Arrows

I've been here since the beginning
Know exactly how you work
I know all of your cravings
Know what makes you go berserk
Been lying from the start just to make you play a part in my infinite rebellion against the Father God

Hate
Everything he is
And I make you hate him too
Make you hate him with your actions it's so easy for me to do
'Cause you like it...
Sin feels good for the ego...
You love it...
Oh, come on baby let your head fall in

And all the time, I'm winding you up
Like my perfect little puppet, you're my favorite robot, welcome to the show but I'm watching you and all of hell is with me too, helping me make my lies look true

Oh and there is a lie that works for everyone, everyone
A lie that opens your hearts so I can get me some more of your free will
I'm winding you
Winding you
Give me the control that's why I'm telling you
Selling you
Anything
Everything
Appealing to your human way of being and I use it all against you to just keep your eyes from seeing past the life you're living
Past the moment you're in
Past the pleasure of your sin

Or the cigarette you're smoking
Choking on your lust
I'll make you drunk with pride
So deeply spun into my system that you won't see the light
Never mind that I'm drowning you
I keep deceiving you...

'Cuz I don't tell you
That there's a God in heaven
Who loves you
Who yearns for you
No, I don't tell you
About the freedom of forgiveness and truth
Why would I tell you?
Why would I tell you the truth?

But I'll say that millions of years ago an accident exploded
And you're the result of this cosmic unknown with no real purpose
Created for no real intent
The reason for your living is just coincidence
So all the remains is what you can gain
Whatever meaning you attach to your days you decide
Mmm, but I help you recognize the important things in life
Introducing money, it's the root of all, evil they say so
I attach your self-worth to the salary you're paid, be a slave to your property
Your jewelry
Your cars and things
Advertise that lie up on the TV so you'll want that bling
Selling bit by bit the little pieces of your soul
Climbing up the ladder of economic control
Oh, the greed of man makes it so easy to pervert the Father's plan

Or I'll tell you...
There is a heaven but there's many ways to get in
Keep you so confused that you stay bound to your sin
Tell you there are many ways to the same God
Keep you distracted with your methods so your heart stays hard,
I'll make you think you've got spirituality, but it's really just emotional alchemy
Oh, the vanity of self-idoltary I never let you see that it breeds
Hedonism! Whoo!
And it's the answer of this generation
Come on, drink it, snort it, smoke it, swallow it
Chew on my illusion of freedom till you vomit it

And still I don't tell you
That there's a God in heaven
Who loves you
Who yearns for you
I don't tell you
About the freedom of forgiveness and truth
Why would I tell you?
Why would I tell you the truth?

Gospel in Life: Three Ways to Live

Yesterday I finally got my awaited book Gospel in Life Study Guide, I starting flipping through the pages right away and stopped at the first Home Study, on page sixteen, titled Three ways to live.
In this first home study Timothy Keller begins by talking about the ways people think we can relate to God, he says people tend to think there are only two ways but he comes to the conclusion that in fact there are three: religion, irreligion and the gospel. He describes all three ways, one falls in the range of legalism/moralism, another in the range of secular/irreligious relativism and the last one through Christ.
Keller states that most Christians have been through their share of each of these ways and that while the differences between irreligion and the gopsel are evident, it is harder to discern the difference between religion and the gospel. And so on the next page we find a table stating the differences between the Gospel and Religion:

Taken from Gospel in Life Study Guide: Grace Changes Everything by Timothy Keller. Copyright © 2010 by Reedemer City to City and Reedemer Presbyterian Church. Used by permission of Zondervan, http://www.zondervan.com/.

The Gospel In Life Study Guide

I just got in the mail The Gospel in Life Study Guide by Tim Keller, and currently am awaiting the DVD of said Study Guide. Here's the trailer:

Trailer for Gospel in Life from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

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.

Become a Friend!

Grace Gems: Affliction prepared for and improved

Affliction prepared for and improved
(Thomas Sherman, "Aids to the Divine Life--A Series of Practical Christian Contemplations" 1680)

"It was good for me to be afflicted--so that I might learn your decrees." Psalm 119:71

As it is the duty of God's children to prepare for affliction before it comes; so it is also their duty to improve affliction when it does come.

If we do not prepare for affliction--we shall be surprised by it;
and, if we do not improve it--we are likely to increase it.

He who would prepare for affliction, must beforehand:
(1.) resign all to God,
(2.) strengthen his graces,
(3.) store up divine promises,
(4.) and search out secret sins.

And he who would improve affliction when it does come, must labor to see:
sin more and more in its filthiness--so as to mortify it;
his heart in its deceitfulness--so as to watch over it;
the world in its emptiness--so as to be crucified to it;
grace in its amiableness--so as to prize it;
God in His holiness--so as to revere Him; and
heaven in its desirableness--so as to long after it.

He who takes more care to avoid afflictions--than to be fitted for them; or is more solicitous to be delivered from them--than to be bettered by them; is likely to come soonest into them--and to live longest under them!

"God disciplines us for our good--that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:10-11

Friendship

"Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."

In my 24 years of life on this earth I have come to know about myself that I'm not good at making and keeping friends. And as if having had some sort of epiphany, I realized today where the problem began and perhaps even the reason why, but I know that only the Lord truly knows why. Over 7 years ago I was writing a goodbye letter to one of my favorite group of teachers in high school, Mr. H, Mr. Nunn and Mr. Fischer, my U.S. History, Journalism and U.S Lit professors respectively. In my letter I wrote about a song, if I remember correctly, by Carole King titled So Far Away, a song about long distance relationships. In my letter I described how hard it was for me to accept that everyone I ever cared for, as far as family and friends goes, either moved away to another country or changed schools or moved to another, farther, part of town. I thought perhaps, during that time, God was trying to teach me a lesson of some sort, now I know He was, but I couldn't understand what at the time.
Well during my epiphany-esc experience on my way home in a cab tonight, i recurred to a season in my life and it all made sense. My best friend since I was born, who was my next door neighbor, whom I was extremely close to, moved away to another part of town far far away from where I live and have lived my whole life. My godmother moved to Miami, my godfather to New York and I never heard from him again. My favorite teachers in middle school and high school all went back to their homeland in the US. My best friend in middle school changed to another school, my second best friend in high school moved to Miami; and finally my best friends in high school all went to NY for college and left me behind. I was left alone in this city when all my life I had longed to move away to another country, the friends I loved most left me and that left a scar.
Ever since then through college and even now after having been a Christian for over 4 years, making and keeping friends has been hard. At first I thought it was the other person's fault but then I realized I was the one at fault, it seemed as though I would push people away when we became too close, perhaps in fear that once again I would be left behind or abandoned. But the Lord did not make humans to roam the earth alone(Genesis 2:18), like the famous phrase says: "no man is an island", the Bible even gives us great advice on making(Proverbs 22:4, 28:7, 1Corinthians 15:33, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12), loving(Job 6:14, John 15:13, Proverbs 17:17, 18:24, 27:6; Romans 12:19-21) and keeping (Proverbs 16:28, 17:9, 29:5; Proverbs 27:10) friends and more importantly it teaches us about the ultimate friendship, with God(James 2:23, James 4:4, John 15:14-15).
My prayer is that the Lord will heal my wounds and through His word and the Holy Spirit teach me to love the friends and family He has given me.

The Love of God!

The Love of God, this is one of my favorite hymns, it just fills me up with joy and conviction at the same time, knowing that God the Creator of all the universe, the thrice Holy Yaweh would love a sinner like me!

Oh Amor De Dios!

¡Oh amor de Dios! Su inmensidad,

el hombre no podría contar

Ni comprender la gran verdad,

que Dios al hombre pudo amar.

Cuando el pecado entró al hogar

de Adán y Eva en Edén;

Dios les sacó, mas prometió

un Salvador también.

Coro:

¡Oh amor de Dios! Brotando está,

Inmensurable eternal;

Por las edades durará,

Inagotable raudal.

Si fuera tinta todo el mar, y todo el cielo un gran papel,

Y cada hombre un escritor, y cada hoja un pincel.

Nunca podrían describir el gran amor de Dios;

Que al hombre pudo redimir de su pecado atroz.

Y cuando el tiempo pasará con cada reino mundanal,

Y cada reino caerá con cada trama y plan carnal.

El gran amor del Redentor por siempre durará;

La gran canción de salvación su pueblo cantará.

Grace Gems: Our Conception of Christian Living

This Grace Gem reminded me a lot of one of today's sermons:

Our conception of Christian living
(J. R. Miller, "Being Christians on Weekdays" 1888)

True religion is intensely practical. Only so far as it dominates one's life--is it real. We must get the commandments out of God's Word--and give them a place in the hard, dusty paths of our earthly toil and struggle. We must get them off the tables of stone--and have them written on the walls of our own hearts! We must bring the Golden Rule--into our daily, actual life.

We are too apt to imagine, that holiness consists in mere good feeling toward God. It does not! It consists in obedience in heart and life to the divine requirements. To be holy is, first, to be set apart for God and devoted to God's service, and it necessarily follows that we must live for God.

Our hands are God's--and can fitly be used only in doing His work; our feet are God's--and may be employed only in walking in His ways and running His errands; our lips are God's--and should speak words only that honor Him and bless others; our hearts are God's--and must not be profaned by thoughts and affections that are not pure.

True holiness is no vague sentiment--it is intensely practical. It is nothing less than the bringing of every thought and feeling and act--into obedience to Christ! We are quite in danger of leaving out the element of obedience, in our conception of Christian living. If we do this, our religion loses its strength and grandeur--and becomes weak, nerveless and forceless.

Our religion must touch every part of our life--and transform it all into the beauty of holiness.