Can We Be Perfect and Imperfect at the Same Time?

Can we be perfect and imperfect at the same time? That’s a question you may ponder at some point in your life. I know I have. The answer I believe is yes. We are all sinners and thus imperfect because we live in this world which is evil and imperfect. But we are perfect in God’s eyes only because of what Jesus did on the cross to save us when we repent from our sins.

To bring clarity, let’s start at the beginning, from the time of creation. In Genesis 1:26-27 (NLT), the Bible says, Then God said, “Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life—the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals.” So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them. v31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was excellent in every way. This all happened on the sixth day. God doesn’t make mistakes. You are not a mistake! God created us in His image and thus perfect.

Did you know that it was God himself who planted all the trees in the garden of Eden? And did you know that He planted two special trees? Genesis 2:8-9 says, Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he created. And the LORD God planted all sorts of trees in the garden—beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit. At the center of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Verse 15 says, The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and care for it. But the LORD God gave him this warning: “You may freely eat any fruit in the garden except fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die.”

We all know the story after this. God created Eve out of Adam’s rib and several verses later, both Adam and Eve ate from the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. They ate from the ONE tree in the entire garden that God told them not to eat. They fell for the lies of the devil! And don’t be too quick to judge. Adam and Eve represent us—humanity. At that very moment, our relationship with God was broken forever. We became imperfect and sinful. Therefore, God had to create a plan of redemption and salvation for the human race. And God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, so we could be restored to God. It was the only solution to the problem.

Interestingly, later in Genesis 3:22-24 Then the LORD God said, “The people have become as we are (“we” refers to the trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit), knowing everything, both good and evil. What if they eat the fruit of the tree of life? Then they will live forever! So the LORD God banished Adam and his wife from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. After banishing them from the garden, the LORD God stationed mighty angelic beings to the East of Eden. And a flaming sword flashed back and forth, guarding the way to the tree of life.

So that’s how humanity sinned and lost the privilege of living with God daily in the Garden of Eden. That’s the bad news. Now, let’s talk about the Good News of the Gospel! The famous verses in John 3:16 Jesus himself tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” The in John 14:6 Jesus tells his disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he explains sin very plainly. I Corinthians 6:9-11 Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers and swindlers—none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. There was a time when some of you were just like that, but now your sins have been washed away, and you have been set apart for God. You have been made right with God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you.

These are some of the verses in the Bible that some people don’t dare teach for fear of being judged. But this is the Bible! We are not to judge others, but Jesus will someday… Our job is to help our brothers and sisters to find their way back to the Father through Jesus. The plan of salvation is so simple and it’s free! All we have to do is repent from our sins, believe in Jesus and accept Him as our Lord and Savior! And today, as you read this message, if you have not done so, today is your day!

I leave you with the special Scripture that you can say today from Romans10:9-13 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They all have the same Lord, who generously gives his riches to all who ask for them. For “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In conclusion, God created us perfect. When we sinned, we became imperfect. But when we restore our relationship with God by repenting and accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become perfect in God’s eyes again. The Father sees us through Jesus!

Read Your Bible

Did you know God wants you to read His Word – the Bible – all the time, every day? In this blog, we will explore why it’s crucial for all Christians to read and know what the Bible says. We also describe how when you read the Bible, you read “life” into your life. Why? Because Jesus is life and He is the Word of God.

God blesses those who read the Bible.

Revelation 1:3 says that God blesses the one who reads this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to it and obey what it says. For the time is near when these things will happen.

In the Bible you discover all of God’s blessings in your life. If you’re not aware of them, how will you ever know how to receive God’s blessings? God also gives you promises that you would never discover unless you read your Bible. For example, Ephesian 6:2 says to “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, you will live a long life, full of blessing.”

Jesus is the Word of God.

John 1:1-3 says “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. V.14 says that “The Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.

In John 19:13 John describes the rider on the white horse that was named Faithful and True. Later in verse 13 John says, He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.

In John 14:6 Jesus told him (Thomas), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Here Jesus claims he is life which confirms what John describes above that “life itself was in him.”

The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

Ephesians 6:17 says to Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

In Revelation 13:15-16 John describes the rider on the white horse from his vision and says that, From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. On his robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords. The rider is Jesus!

Reading the Bible makes you wise.

Proverbs 1:1-4 says, These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings. Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will make the simple-minded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people. Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived! Why wouldn’t anyone want to learn from him?

Proverbs 4:7 tells you that Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do!

Why it’s important for you to read your Bible:

Ther are multiple reasons to read the Bible. Some of them are:

You must validate and confirm everything you hear from the pulpit at church or online with the Word of God. Read the scriptures they share for yourself on your own. Is what the preacher/minister saying actually in the Bible? Is it taken out of context? Is their message in line with the entire Word of God? You must become knowledgeable about the Bible so you can defend your point of view and defend truth.

Deception is growing exponentially these days, and you must be grounded in your beliefs – meaning, you must know the “why” you believe what you believe – or you will be deceived.

You want to acquire wisdom in your life. The Bible is full of advice for every situation and for every circumstance or season in your life. Read your Bible.

By reading the Bible, and specifically the book of Revelation, you will receive a special blessing from God.

Conclusion.

God wants you to read your Bible to get to know Him. The Bible says that Jesus is the Word of God. Therefore, the more you read the Bible and know the Scriptures, the more you get to know Jesus. Jesus also said himself that He is life. Therefore, the more you read the Word, the more life – the life that Jesus provides – you receive. I encourage you to read your Bible every day and on every occasion. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the Scriptures, and He will.

Learning and understanding the Word of God helps you defend your faith, brings you blessings, and gets you closer to God. I hope this message encourages you to read your Bible and learn more about the things of God. He gave you His Word so you can get to know Him. Your part is to simply read it.

Trusting God with Every Prayer

Trusting God with every prayer we make is difficult. Often, we pray for a specific situation and “give it to God.” But immediately after we’re done praying, we take the worry, anxiety, and fear right back. This action tells God that we don’t fully trust Him with our issues or prayers. Did you know that God commands us to trust Him? Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) instructs us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

After Moses died and Joshua was now in charge of bringing the Israelites to the promised land, he was afraid – and with reason. Bug God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous and to study the Bible and meditate in it day and night. In Joshua 1:9 God told Joshua, “I command you—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Fear is Lack of Faith

Did you know fear is lack of faith? In 2 Timothy 1:7-8 (a letter from Paul to Timothy), Paul reminds Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So you must never be ashamed to tell others about the Lord.” So, how do we overcome fear and how can we fully trust the Lord with every one of our prayers? We do it by faith. There is so much to pray about… and there are so many people to pray for. We could pray all day, full-time!

Pray at All Times

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:10-12, “A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those might powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicket spirits in the heavenly realms… v18 Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.”

Prayer is a monumental weapon against the enemy and we don’t pray enough. I am not talking about repeating a prayer over and over. I’m referring to praying from our hearts with a deep heartful prayer, pleading to God for our needs and for the needs of others. I’m talking getting on our needs imploring to God to forgive our nation and heal our land. Like King David did.

Prayers from King David.

King David had a personal relationship with God, and he talked to God all the time. His prayers were personal, deep, and heartfelt. And they touched the heart of God. Below are examples of sincere prayers that David prayed in his time of need. Notice that David talked to God as his friend, his father, savior, protector, provider and many other things.

Prayers of supplication

Psalm 5:3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 17:6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Psalm 17:1 O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from an honest heart.

Prayers for wisdom

Psalm 5:8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn. Psalm 16:11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Prayers of thankfulness

Psalm 9:1 I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Prayers for protection

Palm 16:1 Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. Psalm 17:8 Guard me as the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings.

Prayers of love

Psalm 18:1 I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold.

Prayers of forgiveness

Psalm 32:5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Just as David’s prayers touched God’s heart, so can our prayers. Our prayers don’t have to be sophisticated or use complex words. Simple, to the point, and from the heart. Like when you’re talking to your best friend. You are a child of God and He hears you and every one of your prayers, always. I leave you with one of my favorite Psalms of David:

Psalm 37:3-5 (NLT) Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

Happy 250th Anniversary America!

I LOVE America! And this year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. But did you know Americans were not free the next day on July 5th of 1776? The American Revolutionary War began before the Declaration, in April 1775. But after July 4, 1776, the war continued until the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783. Historians estimate that the Revolutionary War included more than 1,500 land and naval engagements overall, with well over 1,000 of them occurring after independence was declared. By the end of the war, approximately 25,000 American combatants had died. About 6,800 to 8,600 of them died in battle, and many more from disease, captivity, and hardship.

Freedom is not automatic or free.

It takes blood to earn freedom. It is not free! It took a monumental sacrifice from men and women to win our fight for independence. They believed in the cause for freedom to the point of willing to die for this country. And it still takes sacrifice from men and women today to maintain the freedom we all hold so dear. To me, every day is Memorial Day and Veterans Day. I am grateful and forever in debt to all those who gave their lives through the years to obtain our freedom and to keep it.

My personal story about freedom.

You see, I am originally from Nicaragua where people were free during a long time after declaring independence from Spain. However, that freedom ended in 1979 when the communist regime took over the country. I’m grateful that God gave my family the opportunity to flee the country when I was 13 years old. I am the second of six children. I’ll never forget living in a Red Cross cargo plane that came to Nicaragua to rescue people from El Salvador. My parents heard about it, and we all left our home (even our dog was left behind with the maids).

We fled with only our suitcases and backpacks. But when we arrived at the airport there was no room for us on the plane… After negotiating with the pilot, my dad stayed behind with all our luggage and my mom left with the kids. We didn’t know if we would ever see our dad again. God had other plans though. That day there was one commercial airplane landing in Nicaragua from Argentina to refuel with destination to Costa Rica. And there was one seat open on the plane. My dad was able to get on the plane and fled to Costa Rica. Within a few days we reunited in El Salvador. A week later we arrived in the Dominican Republic where we were refugees for almost seven years.

While living in the DR, my parents met people who lived in the Twin Cities. And they offered to help us by opening homes for each kid to come to the US. My parents worked on getting the visas and one by one we came to America. My turn came in January of 1986. I arrived with only three things: my suitcase, my work visa, and my faith! Fast forward and 40 years later I’m still here living the American dream.

America is worth loving and defending.

And what is the American dream? First of all, it’s being free! Free to choose what work you want to pursue, what schools to attend, what religion you want to practice. And multiple other choices you can make throughout your life. Communist regimes take ALL your rights away. There are no choices for schools or opportunities for a variety of careers. Even the food that comes into the country is limited and of course, no choice of religion. In fact, they are atheists and practicing any religion – especially Christianity is forbidden.

Today, I encourage you to once again be proud of being an American. It should never be wrong for any person to say they love America. This is still the best country in the world to live in. Why? Simply because we are truly free in every way. Some people are called to fight by joining the military to preserve our freedom. Others fight in the political realm to establish or preserve our policies and laws to protect our freedoms. And those of us who are called to be parents, we fight for the right to raise our own children. We fight to not allow our children to be indoctrinated in schools or through social media with hatred for America.

From Patriotic freedom to Spiritual freedom.

I shared my personal story as a first-generation immigrant in America so you understand why I’m so grateful to this country. I also want to convey what can happen when a country loses its freedom – and why we must never take freedom for granted.

But more importantly than the physical freedom we enjoy in America, there is the ultimate freedom from sin. And Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice with His blood to give us the gift of spiritual freedom – for eternity. And it’s truly free indeed! I invite you to accept the gift of salvation given to you by Jesus Christ. You will never regret it and will be truly free for eternity.

Gratitude, love, and respect.

I end this message with a THANK YOU to all of you who have served in our military or are family of those who served. THANK YOU to all of you serving the country through politics fighting to preserve the origins of our amazing country based on the Bible. And I THANK God for sending Jesus to come and give us the true freedom of living with Him eternally.

Enjoy celebrating FREEDOM with your loved ones. Happy 250th anniversary America, my beloved adopted country! I pray to God that our children and grandchildren can celebrate another 250 years in the future!

With much gratitude, love and respect…

Jesus Was Born King

From the beginning, Jesus was born King. All the kings of the earth are born as a prince. When their time comes to become king, there is a big ceremony to pass the crown from the previous king to the new one. But Jesus has always been King because He has always existed! And God, the Father, sent Jesus to earth to save us from our sins. Jesus was born King but His Kingdom is of heaven and not of earth which is confusing to people – especially to those who don’t believe.

Jesus fulfilled the prophesies about God sending the Messiah who was going to be the King of Israel. However, the Israelites were expecting an earthly king who would be born royalty like they knew other earthly kings were. And Jesus came instead as a baby, with no earthly treasures, and was never treated as an earthly king. On the contrary, Jesus was treated as the enemy by the religious leaders of those days instead of the real King.

Jesus always told the truth when people asked Him questions because He is the Truth! When the people asked Jesus questions about who was His father or who’s laws He followed, He answered (John 8:23-24) “You are from below; I am from above. You are from this world; I am not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am who I say I am, you will die in your sins.” Then the same people continued arguing with Jesus about Him having known Abraham, in John 8:58 (NLT) Jesus answered, “The truth is, I existed before Abraham was even born.” Later, when Jesus was about to be betrayed, he told the Father the following in prayer, “I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do. And now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.” (John 17:4-5)

There are multiple scripture passages that confirm that Jesus always existed as part of three-person that God is. In Genesis 1:26 during the creation the Bible tells us, Then God said, “Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves.” God is referring to “us” as Himself the Father, the Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

In John 1:1-2 we read, In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God… v.14 So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.

When the angel appeared to Mary and she was confused, the angel said to her “Don’t be frightened Mary,” … “for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:30-32).

In Revelation 1:17-18, John writes, When I saw him (Jesus), I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”

God promised His people of Israel that He would send a Savior, and many prophets foretold His coming. In Zechariah 9:9, the prophet said, “Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble riding on a donkey—even on a donkey’s colt… v. 10 Your king will bring peace to the nations. His realm will stretch from sea to sea from the Euphrates River to the ends of the Earth.”

So yes, Jesus was born King and God told us He was coming soon. And He came! But most people rejected Him to the point that they crucified Him. But that was precisely part of God’s plan so Jesus could rise again from the dead defeating sin and death forever. And He is the King of all who believe in Him as Lord and Savior. He is my King! And I invite you to welcome Jesus as your King who instead of coming to earth in royalty, humbled Himself to the point of death—for you! The first time, Jesus came as a Lamb to be sacrificed for our sins. The second time, Jesus will return as a Lion, as the King of all who believe in Him regardless of your background, culture, ethnicity, race, or sex. He died for you and He will return for you!

I leave you today with a picture of a nativity set handmade by one of my mom’s friends from Nicaragua. It’s supposed to be out only during Christmas, but it is so cute that I decided to keep it in display all year instead! It’s a daily reminder of how Jesus came into the world in the humblest of ways and yet He is the King of Kings now and forever!

How to Win at the “Game of Life”

If you’re wondering how to win at the “game of life,” it all starts with obedience. I’m not referring to the board game called “LIFE.” I’m referring to real life. In the beginning, when God created Adam and Eve, He told them to not eat of one tree in the entire garden… And they disobeyed. God said: “You may freely eat any fruit in the garden except fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:17 NLT) Fast forward to today, and we’re still paying for the consequences of their disobedience. But don’t be too quick to judge them. You and I are Adam and Eve and we most likely would have disobeyed too because that’s human nature. God created humans in His image which means we have a spirit that is eternal and we have a will.

As a child, obeying your parents (or not) is the beginning of the rest of your life obeying God’s commands – or not. During childhood, our parents’ responsibility is to teach us how to obey them and obey the laws of the land. And what is our tendency to do? Rebel and disobey. In Ephesians 6:1-3, the Bible tells us, Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, “you will live a long life, full of blessing.”

So, how do you win at the “game of life”? Start by obeying your parents as a child and obeying God like His child throughout your life. Of course, life is not a game. It’s real and it happens to all of us, including living with bad parents. But as we read in the Scriptures, obedience brings the promise of a long life, full of blessings. Disobedience brings death in the end. But the Bible is not talking of physical death which we will all experience. God is talking of eternal death which is eternal separation from God.

Live your life understanding that your final destination is not just your body in the ground. But it’s your spirit living in heaven forever with God. How do you arrive at this understanding and revelation? By surrendering your life to Jesus as your Savior. Then you live your life on earth with Jesus walking alongside you. Life will still happen to you. But now you are living life and getting through every hurdle with His help. Jesus guides you and provides for you in every circumstance throughout your life’s journey.

In the game of LIFE, you win when you end up with the most money and possessions. Unlike the board game, you win the “game of real life” when you know your final destination is heaven. The “ticket” (or the “get out of jail” card) is Jesus. And you can have this free ticket by accepting Him in your heart as your Lord and Savior today.

Share this article with your children and remind them why they need to obey you. If you have the privilege of being a grandparent, share this article with your grandchildren too. To all the parents reading this article, don’t give up teaching your children obedience and about Jesus. In the end, they will win “the game of life” knowing that they will be in heaven with Jesus forever.

Our First and Last Hope

Who is our first and last hope? As we live our lives and during our journey, we encounter life. Situations and circumstances that are beyond our control. Whether they are financial, relational, work related, or health issues, life happens to all of us. We, as human beings, were created to need hope. Hope gives us the encouragement to look beyond the current circumstances. Hope propels us to move forward. And it is through hope that we endure our current situation because we believe that things will get better. We believe in a future where our tears are wiped away, our hearts healed, and our health is restored.

What or Whom do we put our hope in?

So, the question is, what do we put our hope in? Riches and worldly things cannot guarantee that your body will heal from a terminal disease. Money may get the best doctors and help prolong life but, in the end, they cannot assure a successful recovery. When a person suffers from depression and starts using drugs as their “what” to cope, they instead develop an addiction. Their situation worsens instead of improving. Regardless of what the situation is, we cannot put our trust in a thing, a person, or anything worldly.

Then maybe we should ask, in whom do we put our hope? We put our hope in God. He is the only One who gives us hope, the true hope we need to survive our life’s journey. As David said in Psalm 39:7, And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

What or Who gives us hope?

Other questions to ask are, what or who gives us hope? And how do we increase our hope? We find the answer in Hebrews 11:1-3 (NLT) What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen… And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (v.6). Faith in God gives us hope. The more faith we have, the more hope we get!

What kind of faith should we have?

The faith of a child. In Luke 18:15-17 (NLT) we learn from this story: One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God.”

What does it mean to have a child-like faith? It means we have an unwavering faith, unmovable. We believe in God and all His promises. We trust in Jesus fully and deeply. In John 14:13-14 Jesus tells us that, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”

Our First and Last Hope

In Revelation 22:13 (NLT), Jesus tells us, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Therefore, Jesus is our First and Last hope! We each have a journey to live through on Earth. We all have a race to run and we need endurance, grace, favor, and mercy from God. But we also need faith along the way to sustain us throughout the entire journey. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) encourage us, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

I hope this message encourages you to continue your own journey of faith. My heart, thoughts, and prayers are with all my friends, family, and business colleagues who are experiencing difficult circumstances. Don’t lose hope. Don’t lose your faith in God. Whether you get the answer you want or not, God is with you always. I leave you with these encouraging promises from the Scriptures:

Matthew 28:20 “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Joshua 1:9 “This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Power of Prayer - Even Jesus Needed to Pray!

When Jesus was on earth, He understood the power of prayer. Even Jesus needed to pray! It’s easy to pray for our friends and family when they are in need. But the Bible tells us to also pray for our enemies which is not easy.

First, let’s answer the question of why did Jesus need to pray when He is the Son of God? The simple answer is that Jesus, as a human, knew that prayer was the way to connect to the Father. Jesus demonstrated and taught us how to reach to God by praying in His name. He showed us that no matter the circumstance, we could ask God whatever we needed and He would answer.

Let’s explore the various situations where Jesus prayed about and why it was important for Him to pray.

Prayer for Wisdom and Guidance.

As a human, Jesus needed the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance. During Jesus’ ministry, He usually taught to the crowds and also healed the sick. Sometimes instead of staying with the crowds indefinitely, he would go pray to be with His Father.

“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” (Luke 5:15 NLT)

Before Jesus chose His twelve apostles, He needed wisdom to choose. One day soon afterward Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God, all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. (Luke 6:12-13).

Prayer for Strength.

The night before Jesus was crucified, He was betrayed by Judas. Jesus knew the suffering that was coming to Him and was in spiritual agony. He went to the Mount of Olives, a place He often went to pray, and told His disciples, “Pray that you will not be overcome by temptation.” (Luke 22:40).

He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” (Luke 22:41-46)

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Asking for God’s Blessings.

During Jesus’ ministry, He sent seventy-two disciples to preach the Good News to the surrounding towns. Jesus told them, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God who sent me.” (Luke 10:16). When the disciples returned, they gave Jesus the good report that when they use His name, miracles happen.

Then Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.” (Luke 10:21)

On another occasion when Jesus did the miracle of the multiplication of food that fed five thousand people, He gave thanks and asked God’s blessing on the food. (Matthew 14:19) Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. (Matthew 14:23)

When Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, died, Jesus was away and when He returned Lazarus had been dead for several days. Then Jesus prayed, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:41-43)

Prayer for Your Enemies.

When Jesus was just crucified and before He died, the soldiers mocked Him. Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people, because they don’t know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) Jesus prayed for His enemies while suffering on the cross! He asked God to forgive those who crucified Him. And He wants us to do the same and follow His example.

But if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness of those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you… Do for others as you would like them to do for you. (Luke 6:27-28, 31)

Jesus came to earth as the Son of God and also as a human being. As a human, He needed to pray to stay connected to the Father. He gave us plenty of examples of how to pray in every circumstance. During these difficult times we live in, we must follow Jesus’ example. We must pray not only for our friends and family but also for those who hurt us. The reason Jesus asks us to pray for others (and especially our enemies) is because when we pray, our hearts change! We pray so our hearts stay pure of anger, hatred, and envy. Therefore, it is good for us to pray for others. I leave you with these encouraging scriptures to lift your spirit!

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
(James 5:6)

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual
wisdom and understanding.
(Colossians 1:9)

There’s Room at the Banquet Table

There’s room at the banquet table of the wedding feast! In the “Story of the Great Feast” Jesus told the crowds how the Kingdom of Heaven works. Let’s read the story in Matthew 22:1-14 (NLT):

1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Let’s dissect this story with the key points:

“A king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.”

The King is the Father, who prepared the wedding feast for Jesus when he finished his mission on earth. The purpose was to celebrate.

When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited.

God waited until the banquet was ready, not before. He sent his servants to invite people. God didn’t go himself. And they had the mission to “notify those who were invited.” Therefore, there was a guest list, meaning that not everybody was on that list. Initially, Jesus came to save the Jews, the chosen people of God. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said to the gentile woman, “I was sent only to help the people of Israel – God’s lost sheep – not the Gentiles.”

But they all refused to come!

Initially, the Jews rejected Jesus. When the first servants came back saying that no one accepted the invitation, God sent more servants. This time He specified that the entire feast was ready with the best meats and foods.

But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

Again, the guests not only ignored the servants, but they even insulted them and killed them. When the King heard about this, He was furious. He then sent his armies to destroy the original guests and their towns. He told his servants his guests were not “worthy of the honor” to be part of the great feast.

Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.

God then directed his servants to invite everyone they found in the streets – good and bad people.

And the banquet hall was filled with guests.

This time everyone came, and they filled the house! The King was happy and ready to receive His guests!

He noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding.

But when the King came to greet the guests he noticed that one person wasn’t ready for a wedding. He was there but not prepared for the special occasion by not giving it the proper importance to dress up. So, the King threw him out. Therefore, even when we are invited to the banquet table, we must come prepared to receive the King and His Son.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

This is the key to this whole message. God first invited the Jews, His chosen people, to the banquet. Because they rejected Jesus, God opened up the gift of salvation to the Gentiles – the rest of humanity (you and me). Gentiles – good and bad – were invited to partake of the great feast. But they had to come prepared and at the least, dress for the occasion. In the end, many people will be called to the banquet, but few are chosen (by God).

Conclusion

There’s room at the banquet table and you are invited! How do you prepare for the banquet? By first saying “yes” to the invitation. Then start preparing as the special date approaches so you are ready to go “when the banquet is ready.”

So, as you start this New Year, would you answer the invitation to come to the banquet? Make this year the beginning of your journey with Jesus. It’s free and all you must do is get ready and dress up for it. Come with the expectation that you will meet the King and His Son, Jesus. Be a guest that is “worthy of the honor” to be at the banquet table.

Happy New Year!

Is Faith by Chance or by Choice? Merry Christmas!

Is faith by chance or by choice? That was a question a lady asked at an event I recently attended. My friend who was next to me said, “Do you want to answer her question?” I was left to respond impromptu, on the spot. But that was okay. I knew the answer… Faith is by choice.

Each person regardless of what faith they were raised in, will have the opportunity to choose their own faith someday. Typically, each person embraces their family’s faith until they can make their own choice. Sometimes the parents may be of different faiths, and they decide which religion they will raise the children in. Other homes may not practice any religion at all. They leave it to the kids to choose their faith “when they grow up.” Yet other parents choose to believe in nothing or simply believe there is no God at all. Most of those children grow up as agnostics or atheists.

So, is faith by chance or by choice? Regardless of each person’s upbringing, human beings can choose their own beliefs which are founded on their faith. But there is another key question we must answer. Faith in what or whom? Faith in money, fame, nature, yourself, gods, or the God? But which God? How do you know the “god” you believe in is the “real God”?

Can you say with certainty that when you die you know that you know that you’re going to heaven? I can. Why? Because the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is also my God. He is the only God who is the creator of all and the only One who is still alive. He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Rev. 22:13 NKJV).

From all the religions, Christianity is the only one whose founder, Jesus Christ, is still alive and will be for eternity. God sent His only Son as a human to save us from eternal damnation and instead have eternal life (John 3:16-17). He died on the cross and rose from the dead forever. All the other religions’ prophets, saints, and religious leaders from other religions are dead. And that’s a fact! Jesus is alive and Jesus is Lord which is God. When Jesus left to heaven He left us His Holy Spirit. “Then he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22 NLT). We communicate to God and to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. They are three in One (Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves.”). How do I know this? I believe it by faith, and I also have experienced God in my personal life – everyday.

This Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. It’s a great opportunity to choose to be His follower. Nothing else matters in the end. Jesus is real and He wants to save you too. It’s so easy and simple to do. And it’s free! All you must do is acknowledge you are a sinner, repent from your sins, and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. This huge step of faith restores your relationship with God. You will now know that you know that when you die you will be with Jesus forever in heaven. No other religion offers FREE salvation! They all require you to do something, perform rituals, traditions, or countless acts you can never accomplish on your own. No one can save him or herself. It is impossible. But with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), including salvation through Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to seek Jesus and accept Him as your Savior. You will never regret it. Enjoy the Christmas season of giving which is to remind us of the greatest gift of all—Jesus!

Salvation is for everyone

For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

(Romans 10:9-10 NLT)

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Four Ways to Prepare for Your Next Season in Life

In this blog, I share four ways to prepare for your next season in life – whatever it may be. Fall typically represents a new season beyond the obvious transition in stations. It’s almost considered as a “new year” as kids start school, and many people start new jobs “after summer.” It’s a time for new beginnings and, like during the New Year, a time for reflection on “what’s next.”

We live in difficult times where tragedy strikes unexpectedly and, while we’re still mourning, a new tragedy occurs in our country or the world. The Pandemic was a world event that ushered a new season in all our lives – globally. In this blog, however, I want to focus on your next season of life while you are also embracing a new season for humanity.

Below are four ways to prepare for your next season in life:

Know who you are.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Who am I?” Of course, the obvious answer is that you are a human being. You could move on to describe who you are professionally or based on your trade. You can also describe yourself as a husband, wife, mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, sister, brother and many other names. You could even answer based on your race, ethnic background, or age. But I want you to consider the simplest answer of all, “I am a child of God.”

1 John 3:1 tells us, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” But how can you be certain you are indeed a child of God? Simple, you accept His Son Jesus, as your Lord and Savior today. Now you belong to the family of God!

Know the “why” of your belief system.

Another question. Have you ever asked yourself why you believe what you believe? Where did you learn what you know to be your “core values” and your own “belief system”? You need to know the source. If a speaker says something that you choose to appropriate in your belief system, ensure you check their source. How do you know that what they’re saying is the truth? It is your responsibility to be wise and on the alert about everything you hear on the Internet or from others.

Jesus tells us in John 14:6 (NKJ), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” There is no “my truth” or “your truth.” There is only THE truth and that is Jesus. My core beliefs come directly from the Bible. Whenever I listen to preachers, teachers of the Bible, or commentators, I check what they say for myself. I go to my source, the Word of God, to understand the concepts better and verify they’re saying the truth. If it’s not anywhere, I discard it and not make it part of my core belief system.

God is with you in every season in life.

As a person growing up from childhood to adulthood, we all experience similar seasons in our lives. We go to school and hopefully graduate from high school. Then some choose a college education while others choose a trade school or no college at all. The next season whether we like it or not is to work. Except for those who are unable to work, everyone must make a living somehow. Next, each person decides whether to marry or not, and to have children or not. If you choose to marry and have children, later you may become a grandparent. The progression continues and the expectation is to be retired someday. Although it’s appropriate to retire from a profession, I don’t believe in wasting 30 or more years of potential productivity.

Each season mentioned above comes with new challenges and expectations. You can’t expect a child to prepare for their teenage years. But as you grow up you start learning how to prepare for the next season when you prepare for college. If you decide not to attend college, then you prepare to work. If you marry young and decide to have children right away, you may be entering three seasons simultaneously. You’re starting your career, beginning your life with your spouse, and shortly after experiencing parenthood.

On the other side of the journey, you could be retiring from your career. And at the same time that you’re experiencing divorce and becoming an empty nester. Or you could still be working and become a grandparent needing to help your children so they can work. At the same time, you may lose your own parents or help them during their later years in life.

When Moses died, Joshua was in charge of bringing God’s people to the promise land. This was definitely a “next season” for Joshua. And God told him, “I command you – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NLT)

Accept and embrace the help.

As you go through each season in your life, know that God is with you every day and every step of the way. Understanding that you are a child of God helps you to embrace change and become resilient. Learning to adapt after a major life change is a skill that we all need to practice. But depending on the situation, it may take longer than we expect, and we may need professional help to get through it. Part of embracing the new season is accepting that we may need help in more than one way. It takes humility to accept help!

I hope these four ways to prepare for your next season in life will help you in your journey. I leave you with encouraging promises from the Psalms:

In Psalm 32:8 (NLT) The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”

Psalm 33:4 (NLT) For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust.

Psalm 37:5 (NLT) Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

God Is Present in Your Past, Present, and Future

If you are a believer, remember that God is present in your past, present, and future. How can I say that? Because when you believe God cares about you and every detail of your life, you understand His love for you. His love for you is eternal. He’s loved you since the moment you were conceived when He breathed life into you and gave you a spirit.

If you’re in a situation where you need God’s help, remember how He’s been there for you in your past. Make a list of all the specific circumstances where you knew “it must be God.” Doing so will increase your faith to get through your present situation, no matter how difficult it is.

The uncertainty of the future makes it hard to trust God completely not knowing what tomorrow may bring. The unknown about your own health, relationships, money, work, family, and the world brings anxiety to everyone. But we must lay it all down at the feet of Jesus who carries us through. Today, I want to encourage you by meditating on the promises God gave us – to all who believe in Him.

Trust God and He will help you.

Psalm 37:3-5 (NLT) Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

It is a promise of God that if you trust Him, he will help you, period! God doesn’t ask for anything else but to trust Him. Part of trusting God is doing good and committing everything we do to Him. Doing this takes courage, faith, and determination that no matter the circumstances, you will continue to trust God. Hold on to this promise.

God cares about the details of your life.

Psalm 37:23 (NLT) The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Sometimes you may think that a problem is too small or insignificant for God to care but He does. Again, all He asks you to do is to bring the issue, problem, or concern to Him. Consult with Him. Ask Him what you should do, and He will give you a response. Often that response comes from another person you share the issue with. Other times, the answer comes straight from the Bible, the Word of God, that He left you with. Share with the Lord all of your issues and don’t leave anything behind.

The time is the present.

Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT) “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath.”

With all the evil, sickness, natural disasters, and hatred in the world, you are a witness to how sudden death can occur. Even with natural aging, our days are truly numbered and only God knows how many you have. Therefore, make each day count. Trust the Lord daily and share Jesus with others at every opportunity so they can also partake of these promises.

Put your hope in God.

Psalm 42:5-6 (NLT) Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!

When you feel discouraged, sad, or angry about everything going on in the world today, put your hope in God. He knows the beginning and the end of the story. Ask Him to comfort you and to give you hope for the future which is with Him in eternity. Jesus will judge everyone – including all the wicked people who commit horrible crimes. It is not for us to judge anyone regardless of the crimes they commit. It is not for us to do justice either. That is Jesus’ job at the right time – in His timing. Read the entire Palm 37 and you will see.

Live for God and seek His Kingdom first!

Matthew 6:31-34 (NLT) Jesus tells us, “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Did you know that Jesus commands us to not worry? Why is it a command, you may ask? Because when we worry, we disobey His other command to always trust Him. The journey of a Christian is a daily walk with Jesus, trusting Him each day and with every circumstance. But don’t miss the other important part of the promise. God, your Father, already knows what you need. And He will give you all you need daily if you live for Him and make His Kingdom your priority.

Conclusion

If you ask me, “What if I’m not a believer? Do these promises apply to me?” While God still loves you, He won’t force you to love Him back nor to believe in Him. He created you with the free will to choose. Therefore, no, you would not be able to appropriate these promises. However, you can fix that today! You can say “yes” and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Accept the gift of salvation and now all these promises apply to you today and in your future. Although God is present in your past, present, and future, you did not recognize it before. But going forward you will see how He’s been there all along and how He will be there in your future.

How to Deal with Excruciating Pain

Do you know how to deal with excruciating pain? Two years ago, I experienced for the first time in my life what we call “excruciating pain.” Vertebrae in my neck pinched several nerves that caused pain on the left side like I had never felt before. It felt like a nail was inserted in my skull with pain radiating up my head and down my neck. The entire left side of my neck was numb. All my neck muscles and down my back were on fire. On the right side, my right arm felt like it was receiving electrical shocks all the way down my fingers. The research began to find out what was going on. My neurologist ordered an MRI of the entire spine, and they confirmed that several nerves were pinched. However, it was early enough that there was no permanent nerve damage. The best way to deal with the inflammation was to inject a cortisone shot in my neck.

I know that cortisone shots are common but I had never had one, so I was very nervous. But the procedure went well after all. The shot apparently worked because the pain due to extreme inflammation subsided within a few days. Additionally, I found a chiropractor who specializes on the “Atlas” which is the very first vertebra of the spine. My Atlas was completely misaligned which also caused the other “C” vertebrae to be out of place. This massive misalignment caused my entire body to be in pain. I continued the treatment with my new chiropractor who is the gentlest chiropractor I’ve ever met. He does not manipulate the neck manually. Instead, he uses a specialized machine to “tap” the neck slowly and gently until it’s realigned.

A few weeks ago, I made a bad move with my neck. I felt terrible pain as I felt the Atlas got out of place again. The next day all my neck muscles were in extreme pain and it progressed for the next two weeks. My next chiro appointment was three weeks out and I had a business trip coming up too. Therefore, I had to wait and tried to continue my normal activities which include working out. Two weeks later after a strength training workout, I woke up with the excruciating nerve pain from two years ago. I knew then it was the same issue as before. Four days after living with the pain and not being able to move much, I finally went to the chiropractor. And he confirmed my suspicion. He realigned my Atlas and the very next day I started feeling better. He said, “Now you must wait until the body ‘does its thing’ and starts ‘unwinding’ from being misaligned.” I also went to my primary doctor, and he prescribed prednisone to alleviate the inflammation quickly.

As I write this blog, I feel much better and I'm reflecting on the entire experience. While I was experiencing the excruciating pain, I imagined the pain that Jesus went through on the cross… for us. Did you know that the Jews invented the new word “excruciating”? They created it to describe the incredible pain experienced when they nailed the nails through the hands and feet to the cross. The nails crushed the big nerves of the hands and feet. In his book, The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel shared what a doctor he interviewed explained about the crucifixion. “The pain was absolutely unbearable.” In fact, it was literally beyond words to describe; they had to invent a new word: excruciating. Literally, excruciating means ‘out of the cross.’” We as humans can experience excruciating pain in three areas: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Below are ways that describe how to deal with excruciating pain.

Excruciating Physical Pain.

In my opinion, there are levels of physical pain we can experience. From annoying, to tolerable, manageable, to intolerable and ends with excruciating. Isaiah 53:5 says, But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! In Mark 15:24 we learned about the crucifixion, “Then they nailed him to the cross… 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place… 33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”… 37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last.”

Jesus experienced the excruciating physical pain of the cross. Therefore, He can relate to any kind of physical pain we will ever experience during our lives. The next time you experience any kind of physical pain, remember what Jesus went through for you.

Excruciating Emotional Pain.

Isaiah 53:3-4 tells us that, “He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.”

We experience emotional pain from various sources and through the daily trials of life. There are countless ways you can suffer emotional pain whether it starts in your own family or growing older. You can experience rejection in the workplace or even on social media.

Jesus experienced excruciating emotional pain by being rejected during His ministry years, but mostly during the process of the crucifixion. Therefore, He can also relate to your emotional pain no matter how deep it is and how bad others treat you. Meditate on how Jesus must have felt when his own people rejected Him while He was here.

Excruciating Spiritual Pain.

Isaiah 53:6-8 describes how Jesus was also rejected spiritually. “All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death.”

Lastly, we experience spiritual pain when a loved one goes astray and chooses not to follow Jesus. We feel the pain of hurting people around the world, from distant lands to our own neighborhoods. Our spirit suffers when we see evil done to innocent people because we are first a spirit, made in God’s image. We are meant to be loved and to love others, and most of all, to love God first. Our spirit suffers due to lack of love.

More than physical and emotional pain, Jesus suffered the excruciating spiritual pain when He saw people leaving God’s paths. It hurt so much that He decided to die for all our sins to restore our relationship with the Father.

Conclusion.

So, do you know how to deal with excruciating pain? Regardless of whether the pain is physical, emotional, or spiritual, the answer is the same: You give it to Jesus! He nailed all our pains to the cross. He can relate to any and every kind of pain you will ever experience during your life.

In Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”

Jesus did it all for us! Our part is easy, yet we make it difficult because of fear, anger, or pride. Sometimes it’s easier to just carry our own load to say we have a big burden and gain others’ sympathy. But we gain nothing, only increased excruciating pain. It’s best for us to give ALL our burdens to Jesus. Did you know that the “yoke” in those years was built customized to the animals so it would fit perfectly? The same way, Jesus said, “my yoke fits perfectly” for your burdens so I carry it all. You’re just along for the ride and let me do the work.

I encourage you to give all your burdens and every kind of pain you are carrying in your life to Jesus.

It Takes Courage to Hold Your Ground – with Your Faith

It takes courage to hold your ground, whether you are in leadership or not. But as a Christian, you often must defend your point of view with everyone around you – even with your own family. Holding your ground or defending your point of view doesn’t need to become an argument. Relationships don’t have to be lost and there is no need to have winners and losers. We need to learn to arrive at a middle ground where each party walks away feeling good about the conversation.

Disagreements are part of our daily lives both in the workplace and at home. In this blog, we focus on how you can gain the courage to hold your ground with your faith. I wrote a related article where I focused on how leaders gain the courage to hold their ground in the workplace. I will remain in the general sense of Christianity as I could write a book to defend the many points. By the way, one of my favorite books is The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. He was an atheist journalist who set out to prove that Jesus didn’t die on the cross… along the journey he became a believer and now goes around the world sharing his story and about Jesus.

The Scenario.

Let’s create a scenario as an example of the process to demonstrate that it takes courage to hold your ground. I was with another mom the other day and she shared that her daughter was told by a friend, “Christianity is the easiest faith to join.” My friend’s daughter asked her mom, “Why is it the easiest faith to join? Shouldn’t it be hard to become a Christian? Shouldn’t we have to earn heaven? The mom didn’t know how to answer that simple yet profound question. And the answer is simple: Because Jesus did the hard part! He did it all on the cross so now all we have to do is believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord and Savior. No one can earn heaven or eternal salvation. We can only receive it as a gift from Jesus himself!

But to have that answer ready, you need to have done your homework and be also ready for follow-up questions. Sometimes it’s easier to be quiet and not respond for fear of the next level of questions. But we must always be prepared to answer to anyone at least the basic questions about our Christian faith. As a believer, it takes courage to defend your Christian faith.

Below are five tips to help you defend your point of view and hold your ground as a Christian:

Do your research.

The first step is to do your research regardless of the topic you choose to discuss. Where do you research? God left us His book: The Bible, where everything to understand life and the spiritual realm is recorded. To follow our scenario, you need to understand that the punishment (or “wages”) for sin is death found in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The next step is to know that Jesus did the dying, so we didn’t have to. Jesus took upon himself ALL of humanity’s sins and He nailed the punishment to the cross – forever!

You don’t have to memorize the specific Scripture verses, but this one is the foundational Bible verse that we all should memorize. The famous John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Verse 17 explains further that “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

In this verse, God tells us that Jesus died for all of us and that He will not condemn us. He came to save us instead. This is confirmation that Jesus did the hard part. Our part is easy.

Know your subject matter.

As a leader, you need to understand and know your area. As a believer, what is your “area”? As the manager, your employees and leadership expect you to be the “subject matter expert” (SME). You don’t have to know the entire process, but you do need to know your part of the process well. As a follower of Jesus Christ, no one expects you to be the SME. And you definitely don’t have to know the entire process. But you do need to know your part in God’s plan. What is the plan of God? And what is your individual part that you play in God’s master plan? You need to find out.

To learn about God’s master plan, you again need to read the Bible. That is where His entire plan is described in detail – from Genesis to Revelation. Are you learning to connect the dots from the Old Testament to the New Testament? Are you spending time reading the Bible and then meditating on what you read? Are you asking questions and learning from other believers as well? That’s how you learn and know your subject matter.

Have a win-win attitude.

It takes courage to hold your ground but when you have a win-win attitude it’s easier to present your viewpoint. When you meet with your family or friends and carry the right attitude, your viewpoint will be better received by all. The attitude reflects in your tone, how you address others, and gives you favor with whoever your audience is.

The best way to share Jesus with others is to share your personal story and how He saved you despite your sins. Sometimes that’s all you need to share. As you grow in your faith, you learn more about God’s Word and remember where the right Scriptures are. Often, God puts in your mind the right Scripture that someone needs to hear at the precise moment. And you need to share it with that person on the spot.

Improve your negotiation skills.

Unlike with leadership, you don’t have to become an excellent negotiator to hold your ground and defend your Christian faith. There is nothing to negotiate. People either choose to believe in Jesus, or they don’t. The only aspect of negotiation that applies here is that you should walk away knowing that you did your best. And also, that the other person walks away knowing that you didn’t judge them nor condemn them. They should only see the love of Jesus through you.

Be assertive and self-confident yet polite.

When you do your research, prepare with facts, know your subject, and have a win-win attitude, you become assertive. Your self-confidence should not be perceived as arrogant but instead affirm your knowledge and prove you’ve done your homework. God will take notice of your efforts. And He will give you wisdom to share Jesus at the right time and with the right people. Some may not be ready to accept Jesus yet, but you simply planted the seed. That was your part in the process or journey for that person and that’s what matters.

Conclusion

It takes courage to hold your ground, but it is worth the try. These days it is especially important to have a deeper knowledge and understanding of the things of God. Why? Because there are less and less true believers and followers of Jesus Christ. Don’t be ashamed of your Christian faith. Here on earth, you may be mocked, persecuted, and even lose your life. But you will gain eternal life with Jesus in heaven. This is a promise that no other faith can provide.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You,
 the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
(John 17:3 NKJV).

The Love of a Father – Happy Father’s Day!

How do you explain the love of a father? In a time when it’s normal for children to grow fatherless, it’s difficult to describe what fatherly love means. It is easier to put in words the love of a mother because women display it more tangibly. Women are nurturers, caregivers, and the ones who sacrifice to put food on the table when raising their children alone.

This month we honor and celebrate fathers around the world. Why? Because they deserve to be celebrated too. Although many people have a bad relationship or no relationship with their fathers, those who do treasure it. Children need their fathers in their lives the same way they need their mothers. That’s how they grow up in the healthiest environment possible and how God intended it to be from the beginning.

To begin describing the love of a father, let’s start by sharing the most significant verse from the Bible. John 3:16-17 (NLT) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Let’s dissect this promise one step at a time:

God SO LOVED the world…

God, the Father, loved the world—all of us—so much! That includes you and me. Love is a verb and it’s an action. He did something for all of us because he cares for every single human being on earth. His love is so strong it encompasses the love of both parents for each person. There are no physical words to describe the kind of love that God has for us.

That he gave his only Son…

God became flesh and came into the world himself in the form of Jesus, a human yet divine, to get the job done. He didn’t just send an angel or a messenger. He sent his only Son. God does not have any other sons, only Jesus, who is a person of God. And God gave Jesus to us. He gave us the gift of salvation.

So that everyone who believes in him…

Everyone means every person in the entire world so you and me are included. The next key word is who “believes” which is also a verb. Our part is simply to believe that what God tells us is true. Believe that his promise will come true and believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Will not perish but have eternal life…

The word “perish” means to die, to pass away, to depart from life. God created us in his image which means that we are a spirit and our spirit lives forever, like God’s. Our bodies are temporary temples of his Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus in our lives. When our body dies, our spirit still lives forever, and we have a choice to make while we are alive. To believe in Jesus as God’s Son or not. When we believe in Him, we live with Him in heaven for eternity. When we choose not to believe in Jesus, we perish. This means we will still live forever but we spend eternity in complete separation from God and Jesus forever. This is called “the second death” because it’s the spiritual death.

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

God our Father had a specific purpose for all of us who choose to believe in Jesus—to save us, forever. The “wages of sin is death” (Roman 6:23) and we could never save ourselves from that punishment by doing anything. Therefore, when Jesus came to earth the first time, He came with one mission—to die on the cross for our sins. The fact that Jesus died for all our sins combined for the entire world is precisely how He saved us. But remember, Jesus did not stay dead. He lives forever! He conquered death once and for all.

If you didn’t have the blessing of having a good earthly father, know that it is not your fault. It’s nothing that you ever did or deserve. But I want you to know that you have a heavenly Father who cares for you and loves you. That’s why He sent His only Son to die for you individually, so you can spend eternity in heaven with Him. Yes, that is the love of a Father in action. And that’s all you need to know.

If you still have your earthly father, spend time with him and enjoy quality time. I still have my dad at 98 years old. I know God can call him any day now, so I talk to him almost daily. And to all of you who are godly fathers, thank you for taking the responsibility seriously. Thank you for all you do for your children. But the best thing you can do is to introduce your children to Jesus. That’s how you know for certain that you will spend eternity with your children in heaven with the Father.

I leave you with the other key verse from the Bible:

Jesus told them, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NLT).

Happy Father’s Day!

The Darling of Heaven Crucified on Earth

The Darling of Heaven crucified on Earth for us. If they had known they were crucifying the Mesiah, they would not have done it. But it had to happen for the plan of God to play out and restore our relationship to Him. Jesus had to die to rise again and live forever. The plan of God is simple, yet unbelievable to many. Those who choose to believe, gain eternal life. The ones who reject His plan of salvation, gain eternal death which is separation from God forever.

Let’s answer the many questions that rise in our minds when we hear this amazing story and God’s plan of restoration.

How did we lose our relationship with God?

God created Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:26-27) in His own image which meant He gave the will to choose Him or not. This is the main difference between animals and humans. Adam and Eve represent humanity. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and told them they could eat everything “except the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die” (Gen. 2:16). But they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:5-6). In that instant, they sinned and the relationship with God was broken.

What are we being saved from?

The penalty for sin is death (Romans 1:33). Before Jesus came, the Jews, God’s chosen people, had to sacrifice pure animals. And by offering their blood, their sins were cleansed. They obtained God’s forgiveness for their sins. Therefore, we are saved from death. “For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us” (Romans 3:25).

Why do we need to be saved?

Death as the penalty for sin is not only physical death but spiritual death which is eternal separation from God. Therefore, God devised the plan of salvation to restore our relationship with Him. We could then choose to be with Him in heaven forever. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” (John 3:16-17)

So, what is the plan?

God gave Moses the ten commandments for His people to follow but they couldn’t. They kept failing so God promised them a Savior, the Messiah. And He then sent Jesus, His only Son, the Darling of Heaven. He sent prophets over thousands of years that told the people to prepare for the arrival of Jesus, Emmanuel. He sent John the Baptist to proclaim the imminent arrival and asked people to repent of their sins (Luke 3:3).

As Jesus started his ministry the last three years of his life on earth, people started following him. His ministry grew to the point that the religious people of the times (Pharisees and Sadducees) hated Jesus for that. They feared losing their popularity and control over the people. Therefore, they rejected Jesus and crucified Him. It is interesting to note that the simple people chose to follow Jesus. But the religious people, those with prestige, the ones that looked like they were following the law, rejected Him.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied in detail the entire process of how Jesus would die (Isaiah 53). “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief.” (Isaiah 53:10) Because Jesus was rejected by the Jews, God opened the plan of salvation to all other people, the Gentiles, us. “The Gentiles have been made right with God by faith even though they were not seeking him” (Romans 9:30).

What do we have to do to be saved?

Repent of our sins, accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and confess to others our decision. “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart. For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved… Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect.” (Romans 10:8-12)

What’s the catch?

There is no catch and there is no cost. Salvation is free and available to all who choose to believe in Jesus. “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free!... Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake.” (Isaiah 55: 1-3)

Why did God do this plan and sent Jesus to save us?

All because of love. He loves YOU! And He would send Jesus again just for YOU!

Jesus appeared to John the disciple who wrote Revelation and told him: “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” (Revelation 1:17-18)

If you have not given your life to Jesus, today is your day! What a better day than Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. He is alive and wants you to choose Him back so you can spend eternity with Him in heaven. Jesus is the Darling of Heaven crucified on Earth for us.

Fire and Water—Which One is More Powerful?

Fire and water—which one is more powerful? They both destroy yet they both cleanse.

I was recently at a Founders’ Weekend for one of the ministries we support, Time to Revive. One of the topics we discussed is that we are each a vessel. And vessels are meant to be filled with something. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let’s explore what the Bible says about fire and water.

The Fire

When we allow natural fires to take their course and burn down fields and trees to ashes, they always come back. Nature needs to be cleansed and the opportunity to start all over from time to time. The vegetation that grows back from the ashes is fresh and stronger than before. Our job as stewards is to ensure we maintain our forests and protect them but sometimes nature itself starts a cycle of cleansing.

The same way, when we repent, Jesus forgives our sins, and they are burned down to ashes. Jesus washes our sins white as snow and they are gone. He takes the sins away and the shame that accompany sin. Genesis 2:25 (NLT) says that Adam and Eve, “the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.” Immediately after they sinned for the first time that changed. Genesis 3:7 says that “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.”

Yet fire can be destructive as well. When we hear how the fires in California, for example, destroy everything in its way, we see how powerful fire is. The Bible also tells us that while we’re here, our faith will be tried by fire and in the end, all our works will be tried by fire because fire purifies.

In the first letter that Peter wrote to God’s chosen people, he encouraged them with the hope of eternal life. In 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT) he tells the people, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

In the end, 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT) tells us “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” And the names of the followers of Jesus Christ will be written in the Book of Life. Those who are not in the Book of Life because they rejected Jesus, will be thrown to the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14 (NLT) states “Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Living Water

Jesus says He is the living water and if we drink from His water, we will never thirst again. Our goal is to thirst for Him more and more. When our vessel is filled with His Holy Spirit, the living water, our hearts overflow with His love. Then that love flows out of our hearts and spills over unto others. People can feel the love of God on them through us. In John 7:38 (NKJV) Jesus tells us that “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

How do we remain thirsty? We spend time with God, and we read the Bible consistently. In John 4:10 (NKJV) we learn about the woman at the well that was getting water and met Jesus. Jesus told her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” Revelation 21:6 (NIV) says that at the end of everything, Jesus told John, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

Yet water can be destructive. We often see the destruction that floods cause everywhere in the world. In fact, in Genesis 6:17 (NLT) we learn that God sent the flood to destroy the entire world and humanity. God said, “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die.” He chose to save only Noah’s family because he was righteous in the eyes of God. But everything and everyone else was gone.

Genesis 6 describes how everything had gone wrong, and God was sorry He ever created it all. Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor with the Lord. Verse 9 tells us that, Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. Because of Noah’s fellowship and relationship with God, He told Noah what He was going to do and that his family was the only human family that would survive the flood. Then God proceeded to tell Noah exactly what to do and how to build the ark. We all know the rest of the story.

So then, which one is more powerful: fire or water? They both destroy and they both cleanse in different ways. We need wisdom to discern each situation.

Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the Whole Armor of God. Verse 17 tells us, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The more we know the Word, the more we can combat the enemy of our souls, Satan. When we read the Word, we also learn that wisdom is applied knowledge. The more we learn about God’s Word, the more wisdom we obtain from the Holy Spirit. That wisdom comes with discernment which allows us to understand and recognize what’s truth and what’s not. Therefore, let’s ask God to give us His wisdom. King Solomon asked God to grant him wisdom, and He did. 1 Kings 4:29 says, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.” To this day, there is no other man whose wisdom exceeds Solomon’s.

Therefore, friends, ask God to give you wisdom to discern good from evil. While you’re alive on earth, choose Jesus Christ. So, He can fill you with His living water and purify your faith with fire. So, in the end, He will write your name in the Book of Life, and you will be forever in eternity with Him. The alternative is to end up in the lake of fire which is where Satan will spend eternity.

Many have been resuscitated but only One resurrected

Many have been resuscitated but only One resurrected. That is correct. Only Jesus, the Messiah, conquered death and the power of the Holy Spirit raised Him from the dead forever. People who do not wish to be resuscitated in the event they die, put in their medical records “DNR.” This means “do not resuscitate.” People who don’t have DNR in writing will be resuscitated at all costs if there is the smallest survival chance. However, even those who are resuscitated or brought back from a “code blue” will eventually die someday. But not Jesus. He was not resuscitated. He was raised from the dead and resurrected. He lives for ever and ever!

In Luke 24:46-49, Jesus told His disciples, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me. You are witnesses of all these things. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

Jesus died on a Friday afternoon and was buried in a tomb sealed with a large stone rolled at the entrance. Early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James went to the tomb to put burial spices on Jesus’ body. But the tomb was empty. An angel told them, “Do not be surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.” (Mark 16:6)

The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44 NLT)

Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, and they were all close friends of Jesus. He was away in ministry when he got the message to go to Bethany because Lazarus was ill. But Jesus stayed where he was even though He loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Two days later, He finally told the disciples to return to Judea and eventually get back to Bethany. When Jesus arrived, Martha went out to meet him and said, “Lord, if only you would have been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus replied, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said, “Yes, he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

Then Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:25-26). Then Jesus called Mary and when she came out, she said the same as Martha, “Lord if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus asked to go where they buried Lazarus and after thanking the Father for hearing His prayer, Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

These passages are packed with insights. Let’s unpack them one by one:

Jesus loved his friends.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were some of Jesus’ closest friends and He cared deeply about them. When they took Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus wept. (v.35). The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” (v.36).

Jesus waited.

You may ask, if Jesus loved them so much, why did he stay away? Why didn’t he rushed to rescue his friend from death? Precisely because He loved them. Jesus knew that by waiting a few days, Lazarus would die, and God would be glorified when Jesus performed the miracle of rising him from the dead. Jesus did this for the sake of all the people who witnessed the miracle and believed. So, although Jesus knew his friends would suffer for a little while, He allowed it because there was a bigger miracle coming.

At first, Mary didn’t come out.

When Jesus arrived, Martha went out to meet Jesus. “But Mary stayed in the house” (v.20). Sometimes we recent Jesus for not performing “the miracle” we need in our life at the time we ask. And Jesus knows our hearts. He understands our side of the story and has compassion for us. Jesus still did the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. But He did it in His own time. In the perfect time so others would believe and benefit from witnessing the miracle.

We need to be patient.

In our suffering while going through difficult times, we must be patient and wait for God to act. We must never lose our faith and continue praying because in the end, Jesus will perform the miracle. Whether it’s here on earth where we can see it with our physical eyes or in heaven where we will see it with our spiritual eyes. Mary told Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Mary knew that the Father heard Jesus’ prayers and believed in the miracle even though her brother was already dead.

Jesus has authority over death.

Jesus had to physically die so our sins died with Him and were buried with Him. Death is the consequence of sin and Jesus conquered the power that sin has over our lives. Jesus not only conquered death himself but also has authority and power to command death to leave a person’s body and bring new life into it. The power comes from the Holy Spirit. And is the same power He gave to all of us who believe in Him.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

That’s what Jesus told Martha. And everyone who believes in Jesus will live forever—even after physical death. “Do you believe this?” (v.26) That was the question Jesus asked Martha.

And that is the question I will leave you with today. Regardless of if you have a “DNR” on your driver’s license or medical records, someday you will experience physical death. Jesus invites you to experience spiritual life now and for eternity. And all you have to do is believe in Him and accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Many have been resuscitated but only One resurrected—Jesus!

Three Things I Learned This Christmas

In this blog, I share the three things I learned this Christmas. Each year I wait for Christmas with anticipation but this year I wanted to learn something new. Could that be possible when we hear the same story over and over? Yes, when we seek to learn, God will show us something we didn’t notice before. We may read the same Scriptures during Christmas and overlook important details that mean something in Jesus’ life.

I enjoy listening to several pastors from various churches that share the same Biblical perspective. And now I’m sharing the three things I learned this Christmas with you:

The legality of Jesus’ Kingship

Matthew 1 records the lineage of Jesus. From Abraham, the father of Isaac who was the father of Jacob, to King David and to Joseph, Mary’s husband. Verse 17 says, All those listed above included fourteen generations from Abrahm to King David, and fourteen from David’s time to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah. Jesus was the legal heir to the throne of David.

The Bible says that Joseph was a just man, so he was going to break the engagement to Mary when he found out she was pregnant. But “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NLT)

In Luke 1:26-37, we learn more about Mary’s side. God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary… “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever, his Kingdom will never end.” Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.” By Jesus having Mary’s physical blood and the Holy Spirit’s seed, He then had the royal blood line to be the King of Israel yet sinless from being conceived of the Holy Spirit. God’s plan is always perfect, legal, and right.

The swaddling cloth

While Mary was about nine months pregnant, the Roman emperor decreed that a census should be done throughout the Roman empire. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea. Therefore, he took Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. When they arrived, all the inns were full (due to people traveling back for the census). Luke 2:6-7 (NKJV) says “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

I learned that in those times, when a baby lamb was born and was considered “perfect for sacrifice” the people would wrap them in swaddling cloth. The significance here is that Jesus was “the perfect lamb for sacrifice” and, therefore, he was wrapped in swaddling cloth (because he was born in a stable). My heart broke when I understood this revelation.

The stable and the manger

I used to think that the main reason Jesus was born in a stable was to show his humility. Everyone was expecting the King to be born in a palace as it should. Instead, their King was born in a stable. However, I learned that in addition to humility, the fact that Jesus was not in a regular inn is significant. The story continues to tell us that an angel of the Lord appeared to some shepherds in the fields. During those times, shepherds had the lowest and least respected jobs. And God sent an angel to tell them, “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David. And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

Now shepherds were welcomed and able to worship King Jesus, the same way as the three Kings that traveled to see Him. In fact, if Jesus would have been born in a regular inn, they would not allow the shepherds to even enter to meet Jesus. This small part of the story teaches us so much about how approachable Jesus is. And that everyone is welcome to follow Him—all of humanity, regardless of class, race, wealth, age, or anything!

Lastly, the shepherds were invited by the angel and what did they do? They said, yes! Luke 2:15 says, When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Everyone is invited to partake of the gift that Jesus is to humanity—the gift of salvation. However, not everyone will respond with a “yes.” Many people will reject the message and will personally reject Jesus. Later in the story, a man named Simeon told Mary, “This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:34-35 NLT)

These are the three things I learned this Christmas. What did you learn?

The Perfect Gift

I once listened to a TED X professional who trains people who want to speak at a TED X event. He said that TED X event planners look for three things: 1) Idea (a new idea that no one else has spoken about), 2) Impact (is your idea going to impact the maximum amount of people possible?), and 3) Coachable speakers (They want people who are humble and willing to be coached. In fact, they don’t want or like professional speakers.). To get to the “idea” he asked a question that I will never forget: If you had one opportunity to send one message to the entire world from the top of the highest mountain, what would that message be?

As a professional speaker I am not interested in doing a TED X talk. But the question impacted my life forever as a speaker. As I reflected on that question, I realized that if I had only one opportunity in my entire life to send only one message that could potentially impact the entire world, it would be “to tell people about Jesus—the Perfect Gift.” Funny enough, event planners won’t invite you to speak on this topic because it’s not considered a “new idea.” What they’re missing is the impact that this 2,000-year-old idea has had on the entire world.

I was invited to speak at an event and all I got was the title “The Perfect Gift.” I was given the opportunity to change it. But I think the title is perfect and it’s exactly what we need to hear about. You see, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the perfect gift for anyone, man or woman of any race, any age, and any background. When someone accepts the gift of salvation, it changes their life here on earth and their eternal destiny forever.

Three Themes of Gifts

Let’s study all the gifts that God gave to all of us. In addition to giving each person some talents that are also free gifts to all, God gave us spiritual gifts, and also many other gifts to help the church which is the body of Christ (all of us believers). Therefore, I thought it would be good to group the gifts into three themes:

1.        Gifts that help us live our lives here on Earth.

2.        The gifts of the Spirit to the Body of Christ.

3.        Gifts that give us hope.

Gifts that help us live our lives here on Earth.

Holy Spirit

The first thing that Jesus did when He left, was to give us the Holy Spirit. In John 14:15-17 (NLT) Jesus said to his disciples, “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.”

Peace

John 14:27 (NLT) Jesus said to his disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” And Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) reminds us, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Truth

John 14:6 (NLT) Jesus told him (Thomas), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Everyone is searching for truth and Jesus told us He IS Truth! When we seek Jesus, we find truth.

Faith

We need faith in God to believe that He is real and that He truly loves us. Even though we need to act, God actually gifts it to us. Hebrews 11:1 explains What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. V3. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. V6. So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Prayer

God gave us a daily weapon we can use to stay strong: Prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 reminds us to Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Righteousness

Romans 10:3 (NKJV) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. The fact that God is righteous is a gift to us because He judges us righteously. He also gives us an example of how to be a righteous person.

Salvation

In Paul’s letter to the gentiles, Romans 10:8-10 (NLT), he explains: Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

The Whole Armor of God

All of these gifts put together form the whole armor of God described in Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT): A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Holy Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

The gifts of the Spirit to the Body of Christ.

Spiritual Gifts

God gave certain gifts to the body of Christ which is the church. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says that A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church. We each need to find out which spiritual gift God gave us because it is for the purpose of helping others.

I Corinthians 12:8-11 lists them all: To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge. The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. These gifts are experienced in the church when believers assemble.

God’s appointed gifts to the church

In addition to the gifts distributed throughout the body of Christ, the Holy Spirit gave the church special gifts. They are to help the church grow, learn to work together, and bring more people to the knowledge of Christ. I Corinthians 12: 27-28 (NKJV) tells us, Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. We must remember, however, that When the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear (I Corinthians 13:10).

Sometimes these are referred to as the fivefold ministry gifts that we find in the church:

·        Apostle: They plant churches and preach the Gospel.

·        Pastor: They take care of the sheep.

·        Teachers: They teach the Word of God and have the gift of teaching it well.

·        Prophecy: They prophesy God’s messages to His people.

·        Evangelist: They bring the harvest of souls to Christ.

Gifts that give us hope.

Repentance

Repentance is the first step towards salvation. God is continually calling us individually and calling nations to repentance and to return to God. There are many instances where God sent prophets to nations to warn them that if they don’t repent from their sins and worshiping other gods, He will send punishment. Then when the people repent, God withholds the punishment.

2 Kings 22:19 describes the story of a prophet (Huldah) who told the king of Judah this message: “You were sorry and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this city and its people—that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. So, I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city.’”

Forgiveness

God gave us the amazing gift of forgiveness to us individually when we repent and to nations when they repent. But He also expects us to forgive others just as He forgives us. In Luke 1:77 the Bible describes Zechariah’s prophecy over John the Babtist when he said, You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.

Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. It is by God’s grace that we are saved. He also gives us grace to endure the tribulations of this world while we’re here. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us, And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Love

God is love. This is the biggest gift of all. It was because of His love for us that He sent Jesus to die for our sins so we could be restored to Him. I Corinthians 13:4-7 describes what love is. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. V13. There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

Conclusion: Jesus is the Perfect Gift!

Jesus embodies ALL these gifts above. Jesus IS the Perfect Gift to us and for us to gift to others. The story of The Perfect Gift begins and ends with love. What is God? God is love. He is the beginning and the end. Because of love, God sent Jesus to die for us. Because of love, Jesus suffered the death of the cross. Because of love, Jesus left us the Holy Spirit while we wait for His return…