The Importance of a First Impression

The Importance of First Impressions

Sometimes when you meet a person there is just something about them that sets them apart from others. There are those negative people who impact us in such a way that we find it difficult to see their souls and the potential they may have in Christ. On the other hand, there are those to whom we are immediately attracted, and we want to get to know them better.First impressions

When God became man, He was like us in so many ways. He took on Himself the frailties of mortals, suffered like we do and was tempted in all ways like we are. However, the first impression He made on others could never be forgotten.

When He was only twelve years of age, He was separated from His parents, and they finally found Him in the holy temple talking to the religious leaders. The Bible says that when they found Him, He was “…sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers” (Luke 2:46-47). The first impression He made greatly impacted all those who heard Him.

The same is true of the impression He had on the multitude who heard the Sermon on the Mount. “When Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His teachings, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:28-29). In His first discourse in the synagogue in Nazareth, “…all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:22). Not all accepted His words in the city where He had grown up, and some of them sought to kill him by throwing Him over a cliff.

He left Nazareth and went and taught in the synagogue in Capernaum for several weeks. What was the impression He made there? “And they were astonished at His teaching for His word was with authority” (Luke 4:32). The story does not end here. Read the gospel account of His life. It happens again and again.

We may not always make the kind of impression Jesus did everywhere He went, but the very fact that we know Him impacts how others see us. Salt that is really salty and light that is not hidden under a bushel impacts all that they touch. The impact that His apostles had on others shows this. Shortly after Pentecost they were arrested and brought before the Jewish counsel. The Bible says, “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Think carefully about the first impression you make on others!

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DINOSAURIOS HACE MILLONES DE AÑOS ¡

DINOSAURIOS HACE MILLONES DE AÑOS ¡NO LO CREO! 

Un plato con humo Descripción generada automáticamente con confianza bajaLa paleontología es la ciencia que se dedica a estudiar los fósiles más antiguos. Es esta misma disciplina la que nos guiará con humildad a un mejor entendimiento de uno de los descubrimientos más trascendentales del último siglo con respecto a los dinosaurios.Dinosaur

Millones de Años.

 En una larga lista de diapositivas Howie Baum compila bastante información presentando su material como “facts” (hechos). En su diapositiva número 7 establece 165 millones de años para la existencia de dinosaurios. [1] Por otra parte Richard Dawkins ha sido una voz muy respetada dentro de las filas del ateísmo como biólogo evolutivo, etólogo y zoológo. [2] El profesor Dawkins aparece en una caricatura  muy jocosa pero con un intertulio real en donde se muestra a Richard Dawkins dando una charla en la Semana de Escritores y Lectores de Wellington. Un dinosaurio aparece en escena y dice que tiene partidas de nacimiento que demuestran que vagaba por la tierra hace unos 6.000 años. Richard Dawkins le dice a la audiencia que no le crean una sola palabra porque los certificados de nacimiento son todos falsos.  Según el profesor los grandes dinosaurios vivieron hace 200 millones de años.[3]

Millones de Años, destrozados por la Ciencia.

La muy reconocida paleontóloga  Mary Schweitzer sacudió la comunidad científica en el 2006 cuando publicó su grandioso descubrimiento y es que después de “68 millones de años” bajo tierra, un Tiranosaurio Rex encontrado en Montana fue desenterrado, el hueso de su pierna fue roto en pedazos y los fragmentos se disolvieron en ácido en el laboratorio de Schweitzer en la Universidad Estatal de Carolina del Norte en Raleigh. “geniales creaturas”, dijo ella, mientras miraba la imagen en la pantalla[4]. Ella descubrió que en los rastros de sangre había células que aún preservaban colágeno entre otros químicos que obviamente no sobreviven millones de años.

De un nuevo estudio publicado en 2015 otro reconocido paleontólogo en “The Nature Communications” y dirigido por Sergio Bertazzo del Colegio imperial de Londres, muestra una vista extremadamente ampliada de una garra de terópodo de 75 millones de años, tomada de la colección del Museo de Historia Natural de Londres. Cuando los investigadores rasparon pequeños trozos del fósil y los observaron con un microscopio electrónico, encontraron estructuras diminutas que se parecen mucho a las fibras de colágeno presentes en nuestros propios ligamentos, tendones y huesos. Claramente esto respaldaba las publicaciones de su colega Mary Schwitzer.  Pero nos preguntamos cual fue la respuesta que obtuvo de la comunidad científica en ese momento. Observe que al igual que este Señor la respuesta de la mayoría fue muy similar es decir; vacía, sin argumentos de peso sino una sabor a frustración. Thomas Holtz le contó al Smithsonian sobre artículo de 2006 en cuanto al descubrimiento de Schweitzer. “No hacemos todo este esfuerzo para sacar estas cosas del suelo para luego destruirlas con ácido”.[5]

Millones de Años destrozados por la ciencia…implicaciones.

Pues como hemos notado anteriormente no hay manera razonable de que los dinosaurios daten de miles de millones de años. Los creacionistas parecen tener respaldo bastante solido después de este importante descubrimiento. Algunas implicaciones están en juego y por eso ateos como Richard Dawkins insisten con gran ánimo a que el mundo académico les continué escuchando a pesar de que la evidencia ahora levanta sospechas. Aquí algunas de esas implicaciones.

1.     Fósiles de dinosaurio han sido encontrados en todos los continentes. El hecho de su extinción tras un evento catastrófico y añadido un menor tiempo en vez de millones de años son elementos circunstanciales que compaginan mejor con el relato del diluvio fechado hace unos 6000 años atrás.

2.      Si el relato del diluvio se sostiene no solamente con esto sino en rastros de sedimentos marinos como por ejemplo en el gran cañón del colorado sugiriendo una inundación global, ratificaría a la Biblia como un documento verdadero y auténtico.

3.     Si la Biblia es un documento auténtico la declaración del Génesis en el 1:1 que le atribuye a Dios la existencia de todo sería la disyuntiva que dejaría como falsa la teoría de la evolución. Además, declaraciones acerca de Jesucristo como la de Juan 1:1 y su deidad deberán de ser aceptadas.

4.     Pasajes como Salmos 19:1 estarán en lo correcto al decir que es el necio quien dice en su corazón que no hay Dios. Porque este hecho la ciencia estaría contradiciendo a los “necios” pues no aceptar la validez de la evidencia no es un método científico valido para ser una oposición responsable.

Estas cuatro implicaciones son lo suficientemente fuertes para hacer enojar a los ateos y agnósticos. El mundo antes del diluvio era radicalmente diferente de donde emanaba la violencia y la inmoralidad. En el Nuevo mundo que Dios estaba creando después del diluvio los dinosaurios no podían ser parte. Así que sus huesos son testimonio vivo de que un día Dios tomó una decisión radical y nos afirma que su carácter no ha cambiado y que un día nuestro mundo igual que el de ellos, también llegará a su fin.

REFERENCIAS

1.     https://www.uc.edu/content/dam/refresh/cont-ed-62/olli/dinosaurs.pdf

2.     https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dawkins

3.     https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22699007

4.     https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dinosaur-shocker-115306469/

5.     https://www.vox.com/2015/6/9/8748035/dinosaur-fossil-blood-proteins

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Be Married to Christ and Bear Fruit

Be Married to Christ and Bear Fruit

The Bible uses many symbols to describe our relationship with God and Christ. The church is described as a body and Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18). Christ is King and his people are his kingdom (Revelation 1:5,9). Christ is the cornerstone and the church is the building (1 Peter 2:4-8). Christians are adopted into God’s family and are his sons and daughters (Galatians 4:5-6). The most “mysterious” symbol, however, is that of husband and wife. The apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Romans 7:4). He also references this relationship in Ephesians 525-33.married to Christ

Do you see yourself as married to Christ? Do you own Jesus as your husband? Years ago, evangelist Marshall Keeble encountered a woman who came to be baptized in her wedding dress. He asked her if she wanted to change before she was immersed. She answered that she wanted to marry Jesus in the same clothes that she married her husband. He baptized her, wedding dress and all because she understood what she was doing.

Christians are married to Christ and the church is the bride of Christ. This means that Jesus is our husband. What does a husband do? As Paul says in Romans 7:4, “that we should bear fruit to God.” Just as it is impossible for a woman to bear fruit without a husband, so also, it is impossible for a Christian to bear fruit without Christ! The fruit are our good works in Christ Jesus (John 15:1-8, Galatians 5:22-23). Without Christ, there are no good works.

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Rely on God’s Word?

Rely on God’s Word?

Whether they are 5 or 50, do your children know they can rely on God’s Word?

Think for just a moment before you answer that question. Far too often, children learn the Bible similar to the way in they might study a textbook. They read and isolate passages, and various Scriptures—memorizing verses that are most often repeated. Some may even have a good working knowledge of the way the Bible is laid out.

But do they truly look to it for guidance and strength? For many homes, the answer to that question is no. Many children reach an age where doubt and skepticism interfere with their relationship with God. And as such, their reliance on the Truths found in God’s Word become insignificant, and wind up straying away from New Testament Christianity. In John 17:17 we read “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

One way to combat doubt and skepticism is to challenge alleged discrepancies and contradictions that atheists proclaim exist in the Bible.

For instance, Matthew 28:1 records: “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb.” From this passage it would seem safe to presume that these two Mary’s went to the tomb. But what about John’s account in which we are told “On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early…” (John 20:1).

There is no mention of the second Mary. If that weren’t confusing enough, Mark then adds another name to the mix: “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Sa-lome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him” (Mark 16:1).

So which account is correct? Are these verses contradictory?

The answer is that they are all correct. Some of the Bible writers choose to give more information that others. Technically speaking this is called supplementation—and supplementation does not equal contradiction. Another example of this can be found in the Gospel accounts of the arrest of Jesus, where we are given various pieces of information about the servant of the High Priest whose ear was cut off.

Most people readily understand that a message is often changed according to the audience. For instance, I routinely change my lessons depending on the age and education level of my audience. Likewise, if 4 eyewitnesses to a car wreck were asked to give their testimony they would all proba-bly add different details while explaining the same incident.

As we come across passages like the ones above we must remember that the writers were writing to different groups of people, and they stressed different items. This by no means deems the Bible as unreliable. Arm your children for battle!!

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A Personal Message

A Personal Message

As one reads the Bible or listens to sermons, he learns great truths. He learns the truth about the origin of the created world, and this knowledge becomes the basis of faith. He reads about the lives and struggles of godly men and is filled with awe when he sees their faith and how it sustained them. Yet, sometimes he just wishes that God would give him a personal message.

He studies the scheme of redemption and what sin does and how it brings bondage. He reads and sees how the blood of Jesus surpasses the blood of bulls and goats. He comprehends that His precious blood is the basis of salvation and the great price Jesus paid when He died such a horrendous death. He marvels at all of this and there is no doubt it impacts his life and the decisions he makes, yet he may still wish that God would give him a personal message.

He reads the Bible and sees those messages God personally gave to Noah about the building of the ark and the coming flood. He reads about God’s messages to Abraham about Ur and later about offering Isaac. He may not want to receive the message about his own son that Abraham received about his son, yet he thinks how wonderful it would be to receive a personal message from God.

Perhaps this story will help you, if you have ever had thoughts about God giving you a personal message. A Christian who I know so well tells the story of how he now looks at such messages. His first two children were born just fourteen months apart, and one night as he was telling them bedtime stories, he said to them, “I want to tell you something so important. Are you aware that when God wrote the Bible, He put in it one special verse for you? So, when you read this part of the Bible and this one verse remember that God put this in the Bible especially for you.”

Their eyes were wide with excitement to know what personal message God gave just for them. That verse? “Obey your parents…for this is right” (Eph. 6:2). The truth is that this verse is in the Bible as a personal message to children!

The man then thought, “Are there any verses in the Bible God put there especially for me?” What about loving your wife like Christ loves the church? What about training your children in the teachings of God? It then dawned upon him that every verse, chapter, book, event, parable, discourse and every word is God personally speaking to him!

When you arrive at this point in your life, it will change how you study. This holy book is God’s message, written personally to you and it gives you all you need to know. You do have a personal message from God—read it!

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