Teach Your Children To Be Givers

Teach Your Children To Be Givers

It’s no secret that we live in a materialistic society. The mainstream media constantly bombards us with advertisements of products that we “need.” My generation has perfected the art of “keeping up with the Joneses.” In fact, most individuals my age wanted to start their marriages with the same material possessions that it took our parents thirty years to amass. And so, we purchased it all—on credit.

Is your life about giving or taking?

Is your life about giving or taking?

We are a generation of consumers and takers. Sadly, this selfishness is now being passed on to future generations, as children want more and more. Holidays such as Christmas are no longer about family and memories, but rather they revolve around commercialism and “things.”

Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about giving versus taking.

Every Christmas morning since you were born your mother and I have set up a video camera to record the events of the morning. It’s one of the ways we have recorded you growing up through the years, as you went from crawling over presents and playing with empty boxes, to running into the room trying to guess exactly what was in each box. One of our joys as parents has been watching you tear open the wrapping paper and seeing your eyes light up as you see what was contained in each package.

Having been reared in the United States, you are extremely blessed. You have never experienced poverty or not had something you need. In fact, most of the time you get things you want. But your mother and I worry about what we are teaching you regarding giving versus taking. One of my greatest hopes is that during your lifetime you will learn the joy of giving. Undoubtedly, you will grow up around individuals who surround themselves with “things.” But remember, things won’t buy happiness. Remember that those “things” can never fill the void in your life as He can. And never forget ultimately Who owns everything.

There are literally thousands of individuals who have abandoned the Faith in favor of material possessions. These people are selfish takers. They never learned the art of giving. In the book of Acts, Paul reminded the people of the words Jesus Christ who said “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Never forget this admonition from the Son of God. I pray that as you grow older you will constantly be on the lookout for ways to give to others. The feeling you get inside is like none other. Practice random acts of kindness. Never forget—people are much more valuable than things.

When your mom and I were in Russia, we had the opportunity to visit the “flat” (apartment) of one of the local Christians. They lived a beautiful life, but it was obvious they did not own nearly the material possessions we did. They worked hard just to get by. During our visit, we complimented a picture she had hanging on the wall, and she literally went over and took it off the wall and gave it to us. We tried desperately to tell her no, but she insisted. In the years since, I have forgotten her name but we still have the picture. Her act of kindness has remained in my memory for years. She truly was a giver.

As you mature, you will meet people who place an inordinate amount of attention on material possessions. Their identity is shaped not by who they really are, but rather by what they own. Many people spend years climbing the corporate ladder so that they can buy more “things.” These individuals remind us of the Rich Young Ruler who asked Jesus what he needed to do to have eternal life. “Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me’” (Matthew 19:21). Rather than him ruling his possessions, his possessions ruled him. The Bible tells us he went away sorrowful because he had many possessions.

Be thankful for what God has blessed you with, but never let your material possessions separate you from Jehovah God. Look for ways to share your possessions. Be a giver, not a taker!

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¿LE ASUSTA EL INFIRNO?

¿LE ASUSTA EL INFIRNO?

A travez de la Biblia aparece 13 veces, la referencia a infierno. El Señor Jesús durante su ministerio terrenal habló más del infierno que del cielo, aún así es un tema muy poco discutido y hasta por cierto olvidado por el cristianismo. Ha habido ocaciones cuando he escuchado predicadores haciendo la aplicación y el paralelismo entre el cielo y el… ellos prefieren saltarse esta palabra “INFIERNO”   y la sustituyen por castigo eterno o tormento, y está bien, ya que la mente de muchos no puede procesar la palabra porque es tomada ofensivamente y como un ataque directo a él o a ella. Lo cierto  es que necesitamos educarnos en la Biblia y entender que con la misma intensidad que hablamos del cielo debíamos hablar del infierno también, sin que suene a ataque, al igual que Jesús habló más del infierno que del cielo los pregoneros de la palabra de Dios deberíamos de igual forma enseñar. Recuerde, entender apropiadamente el infierno nos hará apreciar correctamente el cielo.

¿LE ASUSTA EL INFIRNO?

¿LE ASUSTA EL INFIRNO?

Las dos palabras más controvertidas sobre el tema sin duda alguna son:
  1. γέεννα géenna; de orig. heb. [1516 y 2011]; valle del (hijo de) Hinón; gehena (o Ge-hinón), valle de Jerusalén, usado (fig.) como nombre del lugar (o estado) de castigo eterno:—infierno. 
  2. ταρταρόω tartaróo; de Τάρταρος Tártaros, (el abismo más profundo del Hades); encarcelar en el tormento eterno:—arrojar al infierno. 
Algunas versiones en Inglés traducen tártaros como infierno (Mateo 16:18 KJV por citar un ejemplo) lo cual es un error, ya que entendemos que el Hadez es la morada de los muertos en general pero hay una división entre el paraíso y el tormento que se describe en Lucas 16. Ese tormento es el tártaros  o la parte del castigo dentro del Hadez mientras que el géena sí está haciendo referencia al lugar eterno de condenación, el cual esta preparado pero desocupado al momento (Mateo 25:41,46).
 ESTO ES LO QUE DEBERIA CONSIDERAR 
En fin, quizás usted conozca mejor lo que son los conceptos, los griegos y lo demás pero hay un par de factores que realmente deberíamos de “pelar el ojo” como decimos acá en Costa Rica, más que a los conceptos y las definiciones, cuatro cosas de entre muchas, cuatro que podrían asustar nuestro espíritu. 
  1. LA FIGURA QUE USO JESUS.  Marcos 9:47-49, es uno de esos pasajes donde nuestra atención debe de estar fija. Dios hecho hombre está narrando y dando una descripción de lo que es el infierno en una frase, ¡Vaya que el sí sabía de lo que estaba hablando! Al utilizar la palabra “géena”(infierno) la idea en mente era del valle de los hijos de Hinón. Este lugar era algo muy peculiar, ya que era como el “basurero municipal”. Allí existían podredumbres de todo tipo, restos de animales y sin duda probablemente hasta de seres humanos. He tenido la oportunidad  de presenciar accidentes de transito donde hay la perdida de vidas humanas, y sin ninguna exageración la imagen impacta bastante, tanto que recuerdo en una ocasión  haber perdido el apetito por una semana completa. No puedo ni imaginarme si quiera lo nauseabundo que era este valle. Seguramente no se podía ni respirar al entrar ahí, definitivamente no era el centro turístico más frecuentado por las familias. Pero también había algo diferente en este valle y es el hecho de que siempre había fuego ahí. Seguramente a como lo hacemos en la actualidad necesitaban quemar los desechos para seguir acumulando más desechos ¿ Puede usted percibir el aroma en el  humo a desecho humano quemándose, o incluso el olor a piel o carne de animales mezclándose en el humo?. No fue por causalidad que el Señor usó esta palabra, Cristo quería que tuviéramos al menos alguna idea cercana de lo que el tormento en el infierno es. La permanencia de las llamas son descripciones que se asemejan a las de Apocalipsis cuando en su capitulo 21 menciona a el lago de fuego que arde con azufre. No creo en lo absoluto que en infierno haya fuego literal sino que  más bien la sensación de estarse quemando por la eternidad es algo inimaginable. El gusano de ellos No muere, es decir ahí no existe el deterioro, nos son 80 años de sufrimiento, se murió y ya pasó todo, ni siquiera mil años o diez mil años… amigos esto es eterno, sin fin, para siempre y siempre. 
  2. LA COMPAÑIA.  Mientras estaba en la escuela de predicación siempre jugaba con el hermano Marcus Teske, le decía que si él iba al cielo entonces yo no quería estar ahí. Por supuesto era solamente una broma amo a mi hermano y el cielo va a ser un lugar especial por la compañía de todos los hermanos del mundo, de los ángeles y por sobre todo de Dios mismo. Pero de igual manera la Biblia enseña en Mateo 25:41 que el infierno será horroroso porque toda la maldad que jamás haya existido estará concentrada en ese lugar. El diablo  y todos sus ángeles estará ahí por una eternidad. Algunos han llegado a expresar lo siguiente “Si todas las cosas que hay en mundo son pecado y por ellas voy a acabar en el infierno entonces me voy hacer fiesta al infierno y a pasarla bien con el diablito”. Honestamente no creo ni por un segundo que el “diablito” vaya a querer hacer fiesta en ese lugar donde el mismo estará en tormento eterno, él no tiene dominio sobre ese lugar como quizás lo ilustra equivocadamente la película de Cantinflas, la Biblia enseña que él será arrojado al lago a ese abismo (Mateo 25) indicando así que es Dios que realiza este acto y que Satanás no puede hacer nada al respecto. Tener al diablo mismo en tormentos y a sus ángeles y las personas que han hecho lo malo de toda la historia a la par…simplemente será algo terrorífico. Si pudiera describirlo en palabras sencillas, dijera que 30 segundos de haber entrado allí su espíritu deseará salir huyendo lo más lejos que pueda, pero no podrá hacerlo, nadie ni siquiera el diablo mismo.
  3. LA DESESPERACION.   Me gusta la manera como la Biblia de las Américas traduce Lucas 13:28 “ Allí será el llanto y el crujir de dientes cuando veáis a Abraham, a Isaac, a Jacob y a todos los profetas en el reino de Dios, pero vosotros echados fuera.” Llanto es una expresión más exacta de la idea en griego, quizás más que lloro. En sí expresa el sentimiento y no tanto las lagrimas de un “lloro”  nos acerca más al sentimiento de  la desesperación. Usted ha visto por ejemplo cuando una madre pierde a un hijo y lloran y lloran… pero cuando ya no le salen más las lagrimas, el dolor sigue ahí y tal vez hasta puede usted escuchar los gritos desesperados y desgarradores, o observar las expresiones del rostro, la impotencia y sobre todo el desconsuelo eterno aún cuando ya las lagrimas se han ido. Los residentes del infierno van a sufrir desesperación intensa de acuerdo a las palabras del Señor. Tener conciencia en ese lugar será la cosa más mortificante, ya que cada segundo de este lado podrá ser recordado, cada pecado, cada oportunidad de obedecer a Dios vendrá a la memoria. Saber que era posible estar allá con los santos en gloria, entender completamente el asunto de ser “echados fuera” implica que no existe ya nunca más esperanza y ni buen trato de parte de Dios. En el castigo eterno, en el infierno, al fin las personas van a comprender que Dios no era solo amor, de una vez por todas van a entender que Dios es el ser más amoroso que existe pero también el más severo. Comprenderán que Dios es soberano y el hace lo que El desee ya que por más llanto y más arrepentimiento genuino, una vez en el infierno no existe escape ni Dios mismo podrá hacer algo al respecto, NUNCA, NUNCA, NUNCA (Proverbios 11:7). Por esa razón Dios ha hecho todo, todo lo que ha estado a su alcance para asegurarse que el hombre tenga el chance del NO ir a ese lugar(1Tim 2:4), El diseñó un plan para salvar al hombre, el hombre mismo es quien toma su decisión y Dios ciertamente respeta esa decisión. En el infierno la desesperación será uno de los tormentos más horrendos.
  4. LA AUSENCIA DE DIOS: Cada vez que ocurre una catástrofe de la naturaleza la primer intención del hombre es clamar a Dios. El infierno será el lugar más horrendo y espantoso porque no existe Dios allí. Habacuc escribió mucho tiempo atrás: “Muy limpio eres de ojos para ver el mal…” (Habacuc 1:13)Dios no dará ni siquiera una miradita al infierno para ver como van las cosas. La existencia de Dios será nula ahí. Si la persona tuvo familiares que fueron cristianos, tal vez esposa, hijos, padres, le dolerá mucho saber que no puede estar con ellos ni ver nunca jamás a ellos. Tampoco es como pretendía el rico en Lucas 16 mientras estaba en el Hadez en la parte del tormento pidiendo que Lazaro  lo visitara. No existirá visitas familiares en ese lugar o visitas de amigos.
Amigos cualquiera que sea la situación y las circunstancias, el infierno es el último lugar donde uno quiera parar. Recientemente este autor sufrió la perdida de un ser querido. Cristo dijo el que creyere y fuere bautizado será salvo, el que no será condenado (Marcos 16:16), Aunque amo y amé a mi familiar no puedo cambiar las escrituras  a mi conveniencia. Lamentablemente él no obedeció el evangelio por lo tanto no es salvo y se encuentra reservado en este momento para el lugar de tormento eterno… me duele, si claro por supuesto pero amigo que puede leer este articulo, para ti hay esperanza ahora mismo, hay 5 pasos para ser salvos y ser añadidos a la Iglesia de Cristo, la cual el compró con precio de sangre (Hechos 20:28). ¿Le asusta el infierno? A todos nosotros debería de asustarnos. “Y no temáis a los que matan el cuerpo, pero no pueden matar el alma; más bien temed a aquel que puede hacer perecer tanto el alma como el cuerpo en el infierno” (Mateo 10:28)LBLA.
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Gods of Luck

Visual Manifestation That He Alone Is God

An American tradition is that if you have a rabbit’s foot good luck will come your way. I am not sure where this idea originated, but mankind has so often looked to find a magic potion or icon of some sort that will help them in times of trouble—think of four-leaf clovers or crystals as examples of this.

Have you been calling upon "Lucky gods"?

Have you been calling upon “Lucky gods”?

The Jews thought they had the ultimate item to help them in the midst of trouble. When the Philistine army came against the Israelites, the Jews were losing the battle. What was their “rabbit’s foot”?  It was the Ark of the Covenant designed by God and which contained those tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments. They brought it into the camp of Israel, believing it would help them win.

It didn’t work! “The ark of God was captured” (1 Sam. 4:12). That ark had its purpose, but God never wanted it to be thought of as a good luck charm.

The Philistines could not decide what to do with the ark, but they finally decided it should be taken into the sacred house where their god, Dagon, was kept. The next morning their idol, Dagon, was found lying face down “bowing” itself before the ark of God. So, they stood Dagon upright again. Early the next morning they came into their temple, and this time Dagon had fallen again and his head and both of his hands were separated from his body. The only thing which remained was the torso of Dagon (1 Sam. 5:1-5). God then brought a plague of tumors on the Philistines, so they immediately sought to return the ark to the Jews.

Is there any significance to this story? Perhaps the words of Psalm 115 and 135 give insight. David described the folly of worshiping idols when he said, “They have mouths but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths.” Dagon’s shattered head and helpless hands visually showed the foolishness of idolatry.

What does this have to do with us? While we may not think of America as having idols, Paul showed that whatever we covet after becomes our idol (Col. 3:5). It is tragic to see our nation thinking that a man’s life consists of how many material possessions he can get (check Luke 12:15). Houses, cars, luxurious clothing, electronics, traveling and vacations have become the gods of so many around us. These dominate our society so much we become like those who unknowingly are idolatrous.

Has not our God shown so many in the recent hurricane that these gods are unable to help us in the midst of the storm? By the way, just remember that the rabbit’s foot did not help that crippled rabbit who still has three lucky charms!

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“Jesus: The Reason For The Season,” …Really?

“Jesus: The Reason For The Season,” …Really?

It’s early December. The message on the local denomination’s sign reads, “Jesus: The Reason For The Season.” As I drove by and saw it, I sadly wondered how many really still believed that.

From where do your motivations come this time of year?

From where do your motivations come this time of year?

Do people really still believe, that in a world where a fully-clad, four foot tall caricature of a plastic virgin mother hovering over her pure and innocent baby boy lying in a meager, manger, bed of wood and straw, is somehow far, far too offensive to put in a public place such as perhaps a shopping mall, but how at the same time, that so many and countless larger than life posters of air-brushed, hours-posed supermodels clad in the absolute scantiest of clothing permissible, peeking at passers-by from every possible angle in the same mall is somehow far more acceptable and proper, that Jesus is really still “the reason for the season?”

Does anybody really still believe that in a world where seemingly more and more people are arbitrarily pushing almighty God out of their lives every single day; where more and more people are claiming no church affiliation or desire for any whatsoever; and where most congregations are therefore suffering a graying and declining membership as the current and upcoming generations decide that God is neither wanted, needed, or relevant in their lives anymore… that Jesus is really still “the reason for the season?”

The fact is that Jesus never really was “the reason for the season” to begin with. Originally it was Catholicism. Today it is capitalism. Just imagine for a moment: In today’s moral, monetary, and societal climate, what would happen if all of the sudden, no one was allowed to make any money whatsoever on anything for Christmas. No presents, paper, or decorations for anyone or any reason could be purchased. No tax-exempt donations could be given or allowed for. What do you suppose would happen then? Would a pure and simple, overwhelming love amongst the masses for the Lord Jesus Christ – the supposed “reason for the season” – cause Christmas celebrations and “season’s greetings” to go right on completely unabated and unaffected? You know as well as I do that it would probably be as outlawed as bible studies and morning prayers in public schools before you could say “Black Friday.”

If Jesus were, in reality, all that important to “John Q. Public,” he’d have spent enough time studying his bible to know that Jesus’ date of birth is never once mentioned therein (it could just as possibly have been November 3rd, April 10th, or any one of 364 days other than December 25th); that we don’t know how many “wise men” there were (all we know is that there was more than one – Matt. 2); and that the wise men NEVER actually came to the manger that night with the shepherds to see the newborn baby Jesus (Lk. 2:16), but that they came some time later on to see the young/little child Jesus, after Joseph and Mary had moved into a house (Matt. 2:11).

But of course, an obvious lack of biblical knowledge, adherence, and obedience – along with massive and countless contextual contradictions – are the one, glaring similarity that Christmas shopping at the mall and attending most man-made denominational churches share in common. Denominations which teach that one is saved by saying a so-called “prayer of faith” (which is NEVER once seen as the process by which any lost sinner had their sins forgiven and were thus saved and converted to Christ in the Scriptures); that one cannot “fall from grace” (when Gal. 5:4 and a multitude of other passages show that one can); and that baptism is not necessary for salvation when the Scriptures absolutely say it is (Acts 2:38, 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21), show their lack of biblical knowledge to be as glaring as that of any average – and/or even atheist – mall shopper… in any season! In fact, tragically, man-made denominations and their doctrines both deny and defy Scripture just by their very existence (See: Matt. 15:7-14; Mk. 7:5-13; Jn. 4:23-24, 17:20-23; Ro. 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 4:17, 7:17, 11:16, 12:12-27, 16:1; Gal. 1:6-10, 3:26-29; Eph. 1:22-23, 4:4-6; Phil. 1:27; Col. 1:13-2:23; & etc…!). But, I digress…

Anyone to whom the Lord Jesus is truly top priority and therefore loved the way He’d ought to be, either will now, or will have, surely studied their bibles enough to know that while He NEVER commanded, hinted, or even remotely suggested that He was “the reason for this season” wherein we now thus celebrate His birth as so many biblically unknowledgeable believe they are actually and obediently doing on December 25th (Perhaps that’s the reason he never gave us the date?), He did very clearly, both inform and command us, as to exactly how He DOES want us to remember him (Lk. 22:17-20 – please particularly notice the latter part of verse 19); how often (Acts 20:7); and how important it is that we thus obey and remember His death – and not His birth per se (Lk. 6:46-49; Jn. 14:15-24).

In 2016, Christmas, the catholically originated and capitalistically celebrated holiday of December 25th, happens to fall right exactly on the final Lord’s Day of the year as it occasionally does. And when it does, where will you be? Will you, like so many other faithful Christians to whom the Lord is so all-important, perhaps open a few gifts from loved ones and/or enjoy a big dinner as you share precious time with beloved friends and family on either Friday, Saturday, Monday, or even New Year’s Day (because, after all, any other day could be set aside for that day) so that you can be in attendance with your blood-bought brethren to lovingly, gratefully, and obediently celebrate communion with your Lord and Savior along with them just as they have been doing during the other 51 Lord’s Days of the year? Because after all, this one will be no different or less important to Him than those were.

In closing, just let me say that God is indeed, the reason for this and every other season (Ps. 104). And as such, that we all should be “ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2) “to reason,” with everybody about Him, His truth, and His Son Jesus (Acts 17:2-18:19), so that they too, may truly come to know, celebrate, and worship, “in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:23-24)!

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Those Words are Missing in My Bible

Those Words are Missing in My Bible

I once heard of a Christian having a Bible study with a friend about what one must do to be saved. He opened his Bible and urged the friend to read several passages which clearly revealed God’s plan of salvation. The friend’s reply was, “There are none of these verses in my Bible.” She went and got her Bible, and she was exactly right. She had literally cut out every one of the verses from her own Bible and thrown away those which she did not like.

Are their Word's from God missing in your life?

Are their Word’s from God missing in your life?

As strange as it might seem, this was not the first time this ever happened.  Less than 20 years before Jerusalem was destroyed and taken into Babylon, Jeremiah was pleading for all men, even the king, to change and return to God. A copy of the book of Jeremiah was brought to King Jehoiakim and read in his presence. “And it happened when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire” (Jer. 36:23).  His view was that if you do not like what God says just cut it out of the Bible.

Human nature does not change that much. While no one is actually cutting verses out of the Bible, their actions show that their hearts are so much like Jehoiakim. There are several ways to “cut verses out of the Bible.”

There are some who, knowing that God would not approve of what they are doing, simply just never read the Bible. When encouraged by others to come to worship, they are adamant in the way they respond. They just cut God out of their lives.

There are also those who read the Bible trying to find verses which justify what they have decided is right. The Bible talks of those who read the Bible and then twist it to suit their own ideas (2 Pet. 3:16). While they do not literally have the scribe’s knife in their hands, they have one in their hearts.

Do you want to know His will for your life? Come to His word and “…hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matt. 5:6).  Remember His promise, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). Jesus said it this way, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine” (John 7:17).

Our hearts must be so different than the heart of Jehoiakim. Paul speaks of that person who, with an open heart, comes to the Bible and reads about Jesus. As he looks at the image of Jesus, he is changed into that very same image by the Holy Spirit of God (2 Cor. 3:18). Do you want God to change you? Then open your Bible and honestly seek Him, but make sure you do not have a scribe’s pen in your hand!

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