Our Pragmatic Age

Our Pragmatic Age

We live in a very pragmatic age.  This is to say that a lot of what we say and do comes down to the question, “Is it practical?”  This means what we judge to be right or wrong is measured in practical terms such as money, time, or usefulness.  Don’t get me wrong, being practical certainly has its benefits.  I’m a fan of saving some money for a rainy day.  I also like it when my automobile operates effectively.  However, is it possible to take the principle of practicality too far?

Are your choices driven by pragmaticism?

Are your choices driven by pragmaticism?

We take the principle of practicality too far when it comes to preferring things above people.  Have you ever noticed that there is a point where, due to concerns for time, money, or usefulness, we will end relationships?  What are we saying when we do this?  Have we said that our friends and/or family are only worth so much?  Are we saying that we really don’t want to spend time with them?  Are we saying that if someone isn’t useful to me then he/she can’t be my friend?  What are we really saying?

Pragmatism is a false philosophy that places utility above everything else.  It defines truth in terms of whether something works.  It defines the good by whatever produces results.  Our culture has bought into pragmatism hook, line, and sinker, and that is one of the reasons why we don’t value other people as highly as we should.  Jesus did not subscribe to this false philosophy.  He valued people for their true and eternal worth.  He refused to define them in terms of temporal/earthly value.  Jesus loved people so much that He shed His blood for them (1 Peter 1:18-19).  Do we see people like Jesus saw them?  God bless you, and I love you.

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Stubborn as a Mule?

Stubborn as a Mule?

All of us have heard the phrase, “stubborn as a mule.” This term was probably coined by frustrated farmers after they observed how difficult it was to get their donkeys to pull their assigned loads in the field…although a case could be made that the phrase was thought up as an observation made by frustrated spouses about their significant others.  (I say that because I know what my wife’s answer to the above question would be!)  Regardless, I think there’s a lesson we can learn about our relationship with Christ when we examine exactly why a mule is stubborn.

Are you stubborn?

Are you stubborn?

The reason a mule balks at pulling a load is not because he doesn’t hear the command “giddy up.” Rather, he would simply not hear it. He has more than enough strength and ability to pull that load, but he would rather graze in the green grass of the pasture or bask in the noonday sun than work for his owner. Our human minds are several levels above that of a mule, but we sometimes manifest the same characteristics. How many times have we heard a clear command from God as revealed in his Word, but we, like the mule, try to evade obedience because the biblical command does not coincide with our mind’s individual prejudices and desires?

When I was a child, I was reluctant to hear my mother’s call because I knew that if I listened and obeyed her it would result in some unpleasant chore that would encroach upon my playtime. That’s why I chose not to see my dirty hands and ignore her command to wash them, because I would have rather been eating. This kind of evasive thinking is found in the minds of mules and children, but it should never be found in the thinking of mature, responsible adults (1 Cor. 13:11).

Yet, while the eternal destiny of souls are at stake, there are professed Christians who exhibit indifference and intolerance toward the true teachings of God as revealed in the totality of the Bible. They do so because such teachings are contrary to their personal desires or disrupt their convenient, worldly way of life. Jesus talked about such people when he quoted Isaiah by saying, “Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says, ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them’” (Matt. 13:14-15).

What a pity it is for people who could (and should) know God’s truth which is his Word (John 17:17), but reject it because it does not suit their evil lifestyles or tastes. For example, God commanded that men have faith (John 3:16; Rom. 10:9-10), repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19), and be baptized – literally in the Greek, immersed – in water in order to obtain salvation and forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21; Acts 2:38), and to be put into Christ and his body, the church of Christ, by the Holy Spirit through baptism (1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27; cf. Eph. 1:22-23). How sad it is for such commands to be rejected simply because it violates the wishes of family (Matt. 10:34-37) or the traditions and doctrine of religious groups (Matt. 15:1-9) who are seeking after the god of convenience rather than the God which demands obedience (1 Sam. 15:22; Acts 5:29; Heb. 5:8-9).

Other examples could be given.  The news media continually both reports and in many cases sadly supports those in our country and elsewhere who selfishly and stubbornly promote the sinful cause of homosexual “marriage” and the murder of innocent children through abortion, despite what God wishes (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Prov. 6:16-19).  Spring Break is here and summer is not far away, and many people are choosing to stubbornly flaunt their bodies through immodest apparel and actions, fornication, and the partaking of alcohol and other hallucinogens regardless of the will of their Creator in such matters (1 Tim. 2:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Thess. 5:6-8).

Closer to home, let’s examine ourselves and our own attitudes (2 Cor. 13:5).  Does our stubbornness keep us from treating others as we would be treated (Matt. 7:12)?  Husbands and wives, are we so determined to have our own way that we end up treating our spouses in ways contrary to the will of the One who united us in marriage (Eph. 5:22- 33; 1 Cor. 7:1-5; 1 Pet. 3:1-7; cf. Matt. 19:1-9)?  Children, you know as well as I that the primary reason you disobey your parents and thus disobey God is due to stubbornness (Eph. 6:1-3).  Parents, is your adamant refusal to put the spiritual raising of your children before unneeded work, TV time,  your golf game and favorite book due to stubbornness (Eph. 6:4; Deut. 6:6-9)?  Brother and sister in Christ, does your constant criticism and backbiting against the bishops of your local congregation come from being stubbornly adamant to have your own way above all (Heb. 13:17)?

Let’s ask ourselves whether we have the mind of a mule or the mind of Christ. Read God’s will below, and think about it…

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 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 2:1-8

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Deaf Apostles in the Upper Room

Deaf Apostles in the Upper Room

In the upper room, His hour had finally come. Immediately after His baptism, He spent those forty days in the wilderness. Luke 4:2 shows that every one of those forty days He had been tempted by the Devil. There were those three great temptations at the end of that period; and victorious Jesus won and the Devil departed from Him. Satan had returned and before Him lay the greatest trial—Gethsemane and Golgotha. His hour had finally come. His greatest hour of temptation lay before Him.

Where is your attention?

Where is your attention?

The Passover was at hand and He gathered the apostles for that last supper. He ate it with them. As they sat around that table He instituted His Supper and promised He would eat it with them when His kingdom was established. Immediately after making this promise, He startled them by saying, “Behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table” (Luke 22:21). We know the apostles’ response with each of them asking, “Is it I?” None of them thought it might be Judas. Before they left that upper room, He said something even more remarkable which we many have overlooked. At least it was something that each of the disciples failed to hear. “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night” (Matt. 26:30).

It seems they heard only His words about the betrayer. Read their conversation carefully. They did not spend much time on Judas. Instead they focused on who would be the greatest in the kingdom. Their pride and arrogance stand in marked contrast to the Lord of all mankind kneeling before each of them and washing their feet. They heard the words about the betrayer and ignored the sobering words about all of them stumbling that very night. It was not only Peter who said, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you” (Matt. 26:35). They all said these same words.

They then sang a hymn and left the upper room. The events which had just happened would change the destiny of the world. Yet their concern was not about what really mattered.

Is it possible that we too do this very thing? We come to the worship. We sit and eat the Supper with Him. We sing with Him and then we listen as His messengers speak to us, giving us His words in that assembly. Is it possible that we, like the disciples, hear only the words which talk of others’ sins and never hear the words which apply to us and which could change our hearts? We sing a hymn and leave that assembly never having heard the words which apply to us. God help us never to sit with Him around His table, to sing hymns with Him and then leave, failing to apply His words spoken to us. God help us to never be “deaf” and fail to hear the words from heaven.

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Knock and the Door Shall Be Opened

Knock and the Door Shall Be Opened

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had quite a bit to say about the goodness of God and God’s willingness to provide for His children. Jesus spoke of God’s love, reminding us that God sends blessings on both good and bad alike (Matthew 5:45). He urged His followers not to engage in materialistic worry, saying, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Mathew 6:26; ESV) He added, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33; ESV)

ASK SEEK KNOCK

ASK SEEK KNOCK

As Jesus reached the concluding remarks of His sermon, He concluded, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11; ESV)

Contrary to what some teach today, Jesus was not advocating a Gospel of Health and Wealth. To the contrary, those who seek after physical riches, and an earthly reward, are disdaining the command of Christ not to lay up treasures on earth, but instead to lay up spiritual treasures. (cf. Matthew 6:19-21) People praying earnestly for carnal things need to carefully consider the words of James, the brother of our Lord, who stated, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3; ESV)

Nevertheless, the promise of Jesus is rather significant, especially in regards to spiritual rewards, which, throughout the Sermon on the Mount, is what Jesus urges His followers to seek. Again, “Seek first the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 6:33a)

If it is true that the man who asks, seeks and knocks, in regards to the spiritual blessings God wants to bestow, is going to have those doors opened to him and find what he is seeking for, then we must also conclude that those who fail to find these blessings failed to properly seek after them. Or perhaps, when they asked, and God opened the door, they failed to go through it.

God has demonstrated that He is willing and ready to save men. He sent His Son to be the propitiation for the sins of those who were willing to put their faith in Him (cf. John 3:16). He spoke to men, inspiring righteous men to write down His expectations for men. In these writings we see the power of God unto salvation (cf. Romans 1:16) and we gain that knowledge necessary to make us wise unto salvation (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15). If God was willing to sacrifice His only Son on the behalf of men, demonstrating love and good, why would He not be willing to work providentially to open doors and answer prayers on behalf of those who truly wanted to be saved.

We see an example of this in Acts 10, where Cornelius, a good man, is sent an angelic visitation, telling him that his prayers have gone up before God and that he should send to Joppa, for Peter, who would give him words by which he and his household would be saved. (cf. Acts 10:1-5; 11:14) Cornelius prayed, God directed him where to go, and Cornelius took the opportunity and obeyed. A little earlier in Acts, we have the account of the Ethiopian Eunech, who was also seeking for spiritual guidance. God sent him a preacher named Phillip. (cf. Acts 8:26-40) The Ethiopian gladly received this guidance and obeyed the Gospel.

God likely won’t send angels to guide preachers and teachers your way, but His providence is sufficient that if you are genuinely looking for spiritual answers, God will answer. If you are knocking at His door, God will open that door.  Just make sure when the door opens, you enter through it.

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La Adicción a la Pereza Espiritual

La Adicción a la Pereza Espiritual

Una vez más muy agradecidos con Dios y con productores de esta revista espiritual por el espacio concedido. Sabe amigo lector cada turista que visita Costa Rica inmediatamente pregunta por el “Oso perezoso”. Resulta que estos animales son tan famosos ya que pueden vivir en un mismo árbol desde que nace hasta que muere por una sencilla razón…pereza de moverse a otro árbol. ¿Que le parece?

La Adicción a la Pereza Espiritual?

La Adicción a la Pereza Espiritual?

La pereza en el cristiano es un acto de rebeldía contra el Señor. El nos creó con un sentido de propósito para que pudiéramos ser productivos.  La pereza es muy peligrosa ya que es posible estar demasiado envuelto en la misma sin darnos cuenta y por otro lado una vez que usted está en este vicio es muy difícil salir de él. Sabemos que este problema puede tocar (y de hecho lo hace) a todas las clases sociales dentro de la Iglesia, desde niños que no tienden su cama, hasta padres desempleados por falta de interés en buscar trabajo. Es ahí cuando La pereza pasa de una adicción a una manera de vivir. Increíblemente la pereza toca a la puerta de los predicadores del evangelio más constantemente de lo que usted piensa. Desde tomar un sermón ya hecho en el internet el sábado por la noche, hasta ignorar las visitas o estudios bíblicos en la lista semanal de actividades. En este espacio que dicho sea de paso es breve, nos enfocaremos en las 3 causas  más comunes que convierten a una persona adicta a la pereza, específicamente a la “pereza espiritual”.

  1. Posponer el trabajo.  Esta causa es la número uno de la lista.  La Biblia contiene unos 30 versículos en cuanto a ser diligentes. La palabra “diligente” significa prontitud, hacer lo que  se tenga que hacer como decir “ayer mismo”. No es de extrañar porque se nos hace esta exhortación como cristianos. Es fácil hacer proyectos espirituales; !Mañana si comenzaré a leer mi Biblia, la otra semana comenzaré a orar 3 veces al día! y cosas como estas son las que poco a poco van  convirtiendo la pereza en una adicción. Pablo escribió: “En lo que requiere diligencia, no perezosos; fervientes en espíritu, sirviendo al Señor;” (Rm.12:11).
  2. Nunca planificar el trabajo. El Dios de Abraham de Isaac y de Jacob sin duda alguna es un Dios planificado. Desde la caída de Adán Dios planificó su plan para salvar al hombre (Gn.3:15) incluso antes de la fundación Dios tenía presente el plan de redención para humanidad y el propósito de que su hijo muriera en la cruz (La Iglesia de su hijo) de acuerdo a Efesios 1:3-4. Cuando llegó el cumplimento de los tiempos…(Galatás 4:4) implica que Dios había escogido un tiempo especifico en la historia para enviar a su hijo..Dios tenía un plan. Si Dios que lo sabe todo y es en todo, tenía un plan, ¿No cree usted que nosotros debemos de tener un plan en lo espiritual? Yo planeo ir al cielo y para eso necesito enumerar las cosas que debo de hacer y las que debo de evitar para lograr el objetivo. Es trascendental que cada cristiano tenga un plan de trabajo espiritual. ¿Cuantas almas planea llevar al Señor este año? ¿Cuantos versículos planea memorizar? ¿Cuantos hospitales y cárceles están en su lista para visitar?¿Cuantos niños huérfanos y viudas están incluidos en su presupuesto de este año?. Los ancianos y ministros sin lugar a dudas deben de planear su trabajo; los mensajes, clases bíblicas  y campañas, cuantas congregaciones visitar y apoyar, cuantos viajes misioneros tomar y hasta cuanto dar a la ofrenda por domingo. El trabajo del Señor debe de estar bien planificado, eso no significa que siempre va a salir como lo planeamos pero al menos sabemos hacia donde vamos. Si la pregunta fuere hecha a  usted en este momento¿ Cual sería su respuesta?: ¿Donde se ve usted en lo espiritual de aquí a 5 años y donde estará su congregación de aquí a 10 años?  es mi oración que usted tenga una respuesta concreta a tal pregunta.
  3. Mundanalidad. Cuando el mundo está tan metido en el cristiano el interés por la obra de Dios se pierde, y si usted no trabaja gradualmente para el Señor el mundo lo va a absorber. El Señor exhortó a buscar el reino de Dios primeramente y su justicia y las demás cosas serán añadidas (Mt 6:33) Cuando su trabajo secular está primero usted puede ser una persona  activa siempre ocupado y preocupada por su trabajo pero perezoso para el Señor. El mundo siempre ha sido el enemigo más grande del creyente. Amado lector, este seguro de que el mundo no lo ame, sino que más bien sea su enemigo (Juan 17).

Permítame mencionar brámente algunos pasos a seguir  para vencer la pereza espiritual si usted ha sido culpable y siente estar involucrado con la misma.

  1. Haga las cosas simples primero.  Busque disciplina con aquello que parece fácil de hacer. Inicie con ser fiel cada miércoles por la noche cada domingo.. inicie con 5 minutos de oración  no se… escriba esas cosas sencillas y sea fiel en ejecutarlas.
  2. Divida sus tareas. Separe las tareas o trabajos que tenga que hacer en secciones y llévelas a cabo por fracciones, durante el día o durante la semana. La frase “Divide y vencerás” puede ser usada para bien.
  3. Elimine las distracciones. Para poder terminar algo y que la pereza no lo venza apague cualquier distracción que pueda hacer tropezar la disciplina que usted mismo se está imponiendo. De hecho en eso consiste la disciplina.
  4. Ponga en horario su tiempo libre. No elimine el tiempo por completo no se trata de eso. Es bueno disfrutar los ratos como seres humanos; (Ir a comer con un amigo, ir al cine, ir a facebook) Dios no ha pedido que eliminemos el factor humano sino más bien que brillos dentro del mismo (Mt. 5:16).

Estoy seguro que estas cuatro cosas le ayudarán a salir de esta adicción tan peligrosa. Los cristianos sabemos que el tiempo en esta vida es corto y necesitamos invertir muy bien el tiempo ya que de el también seremos cuenta el día del Juicio. Para terminar permíteme sugerirle el rodearse de gente que le anime en el Señor y que lo impulse. La murmuración ha sido una tremenda propulsora de la pereza. Cuando hermanos comienzan a murmurar de lo horrible que estuvo la comida el domingo en la Iglesia o lo aburrido del Señor la pereza cobra aliento y se fortalece.  Usualmente la gente que más trabaja la que no tiene pereza es la que menos hablan. Sea condescendiente usted de ellos, rodee a aquellos que le han dado la espalda a la pereza espirtual, aprenda de ellos e ignore el pecado de la murmuración.  Cuando logre hacerlo, cuando logre ser activo y arduo en el trabajo para el Señor al final piense en las palabras del Señor Jesús cuando dijo: “Así también vosotros, cuando hayáis hecho todo lo que se os ha ordenado, decid: “Siervos inútiles somos; hemos hecho sólo lo que debíamos haber hecho.” (Lc. 17:10 LBLA).

 

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