PRAYER AND FAITH

The Lord puts us through different circumstances in life so that we grow closer to Him. And, what is better than being close to Him? Have you experience being in God's presence? Prayer does just that. It transports us from the natural, the physical to the invisible, the spiritual.Faith is seeing and touching the spiritual realm.

Prayer takes you there. Faith and prayer go together. When faith stops to pray, it stop to exist. Faith does what is impossible, because it brings God into the picture, and for God "...nothing is impossible." E.M. Bounds, who wrote great books on prayer, wrote once: "Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God."

In the latter days, the faith of many will diminish. This is affirmed by our Lord Jesus when He said: "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. We know by reading passages such as 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 that a time is coming and it is now where people will abandon and even deny their faith. So, we need to pay attention to our walk in Christ and make sure that our faith is growing by exercising it through prayer.

2nd Peter 1:5 says "... giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to your virtue knowledge" Peter knew that the ground on which christian character was to grow was faith. The words "giving all diligence" makes it an urgent matter. He had experienced a moment in his life where he needed faith to continue. When Jesus was looking forward into Peter's future denial, He told Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desire to have you, to sift you as wheat; BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE, THAT THY FAITH FAIL NOT." Jesus was interested in Peter's faith.

When our faith is gone, our spiritual life fails. Inject faith into your spiritual life by starting and maintaining a life of prayer.

UNTAPPED POWER!

My wife sent me this article about prayer this morning, and really encouraged me to persevere in prayer, no matter how the circumstances may be.

When We Pray – God Works!
“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

(1) God listens when we pray. "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Mark 11:24). You may not have much clout anywhere else, but when you pray God listens.

(2) We seldom pray. We've the greatest privilege imaginable - access to the control center of the Universe - yet we rarely use it. And our lack of prayer surprises God. Through the prophet Ezekiel He lamented: "I sought for a man among them who would . . . stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one" (Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV). Upon learning that Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be destroyed, Abraham didn't rush to warn the cities. No, he chose to "[remain] standing before the Lord" (Genesis 18:22 NIV).

When God said the golden calf warranted a nationwide death penalty for Israel , Moses interceded and saved them. One translation of Exodus 32:11 says, "Moses soothed the face of his God." An obscure priest by the name of Phinehas begged God not to send the plague, and it was checked. (Psalm 106:30 NIV).

You say "Why place such a premium on prayer?" Simple. Because when we work, we work. But when we pray, God works! Scripture attaches breathtaking power to prayer. "When two of you get together on anything . . . and make a prayer of it, My Father in Heaven goes into action" (Matthew 18:19 TM). Does any other activity promise such results? Did God call us to preach without ceasing? Or have committee meetings without ceasing? No, but He did call us to "pray without ceasing."

HE DOESN'T LIE

The Bible is full of God’s promises. They are waiting for us Christians to tap into them by praying and believing. 2nd Peter 1:3-4 says “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.” These are incredible words when you stop and read them and meditate on them. Read them slowly…. He has given us all that we need in the life to experience God and His character in our lives (godliness). We can experience Him by praying and believing God’s “precious and great promises.”

This is an amazing way of life, when we truly dip into God’s Word and through prayer, ask God to fulfill these promises in our lives according to His will. That’s what this passage means: “Ask anything in my name, and I will do it.” No just anything that we want, but anything that pertains to life and godliness, any of His promises; anything related to His Word, His will, everything that He wants. In His perfect time, He will answer.

Regarding God’s promises, the apostle Paul says: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2nd Corinthians 1:20. Let’s take a minute to practice this now: God promises “peace” to His followers. Now, how do we experience that peace? Take one of His promises; for example, Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” The promise is: perfect peace. Our action is: trust in God, fix our thoughts continually in Him. When we do our part, His perfect peace will fill our lives. It is His promise, and He doesn’t lie.

Now, go and do it!

TROUBLE: A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

The psalmist wrote: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn your statues. I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.” Psalm 119:71,75. I don’t know about you, but troubles always draw me closer to God. They make my prayer life come alive. They are the conduit for experiencing strength that comes from God through prayer.

Life in itself is full of problems. Everyone knows of the Bible’s greatest example of trouble: Job. “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Job 14:1. No one is exempt from it. The Lord Jesus said: “In this world, you will have trouble.” John 16:33. Notice that He said “you will,” not “you may.” Granted, some have more than others, but the issue is: what do we do when trouble comes our way? Do we curse God, get far away from Him and try to fix life our own way? Or do we bless God, get closer to Him and let Him fix our lives His own way? The choice is ours to make. Chose right.

Jesus’ complete statement in John 16:33 goes like this: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." His Word is given so that we may have peace, consolation, tranquility. Trust Him, He defeated the world.

THANK YOU FOR.....!

“The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” Psalms 126:3 Thanksgiving is born from a clear understanding of God’s goodness to us. What great things has the Lord done for you? Well, let’s think about salvation for starters. Because of our sins, we deserve hell, being eternally separated from God in hell, but God in His goodness, provided a way for us to be eternally together with Him by forgiving our sins through His sacrificial death, the shedding of His precious blood on the cross, and His resurrection. Isn’t that big enough cause to be thankful?

Prayer and thanksgiving go hand in hand. Where there is true prayer, there is true thanksgiving. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; ” Colossians 4:2 And then in the letter to the Thessalonians, it is written: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. .” 1st Thessalonians 5:16-19. Wow! Here is the solution to the problem of anxiety: “Prayer with thanksgiving.”

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. .” Philippians 4:6-7

Now, don’t just read this; to make it work you need to try it; just pray to God and tell Him: “Lord, thank you for…..”

DEVOTION vs. RELIGION

Religiosity makes a person go to church every Sunday, dress a certain way, talk different, filter what he or she listens and reads, and even moves the person to give money for certain causes. But religiosity doesn’t touch the intimate being, our affections, our zeal, and our desires. We may sing a song or say a prayer, but it lacks power, effectiveness; it’s dull and empty and it reaches the air.

Devotion, on the other hand, reaches God. It goes beyond the walls of a church building into the streets, into our cars, at our work place, at home. It touches the innermost fibers of your being; it stays with us at night when we go to sleep, and is with us when we wake up. “Whether you eat or drink, or do anything else, do it all for God’s glory.” A lifestyle of passion for God is not restricted to one particular activity, during one particular day in a particular place; it’s a 24 hour way of life.

Devotion is fed by fervent prayer, by meditating in God’s Word, by responding to the Spirit in humility and obedience. It bursts into praises and singing to God. It makes its beholder to laugh and cry with deep emotion for the things of God. Religiosity is a response of duty and becomes mechanical; devotion is a response of earnest love and is spontaneous. Which do you posses?

Devotion to God makes life to be packed with excitement, and free from religion. Experience it for yourself!

HUMILITY - A Rare Commodity

Do you pursue high places? Are you looking for prominence? Do you like to be recognized in front of others? Do you like it when your name is mentioned in public? Do you have dreams of grandeur? Pride has seen the fall of many. Proverbs 16:18 says: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

On the other hand, modesty, lowliness, humility (rare commodities for us human beings) are pleasing to God. In Luke 18:10-14 Jesus tells the following story: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank You, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give You a tenth of my income.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Which of these two individuals characterizes you? Which one do you rather be?

Stay away from pride, self promotion, from being self conceited, and looking for the praises of others. Stay low; seek God’s favor; lift HIS Name on high and not yours; praise HIM and not yourself, for “God resists the proud, but give grace to the humble.” James 4:6

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER - Part 7

We Christians have an untapped source of power called prayer. When we pray, things change that otherwise would not change if we didn’t pray. Throughout the Bible and the history of Christianity, we encounter great and fascinating stories of unusual achievements that would not have been realized except through prayer. Do you want to see God at work in your life? Pray. James 5:16 says that “the effective prayer of the righteous avails much.” And James 4:2 says: “You do not have, because you do not ask.”

So to resume our thoughts about prayer:

1. Why pray?
We humans are very independent; we rely on our abilities and pride to accomplish things. But the truth of the matter is that we are imperfect, we don’t know much about what’s going on and we can do very little to change things around us. We are not in control. We pray because we trust God; He is in control; He created the heavens and the earth; He knows everything that goes on and what we really need. He loves us with a love that we cannot comprehend. He is our loving Father. Besides that, we pray for many reasons: “God commands it” 1st Thessalonians 5:17; “Jesus set the example” Mark 1:35; “for strength” Ephesians 6:18-19; “to serve God and others” Luke 2:36-38, and many other reasons.

2. Who do we pray to?
We are to pray to the Triune God of the Bible: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are not to pray to anyone other than our God. That includes dead relatives, “saints,” idols, etc. Jesus said in Matthew 4:10 “Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”

3. What should we pray for?
It would take a long time to list the many examples of prayer listed in the Bible. A good exercise for you and me would be to search the Scriptures for these prayers examples and incorporate them in our prayer life. Anyhow, the Bible should be our guideline so that we pray His will, but this does not mean that we are limited to what is in the Bible.

4. When should we pray?
We should have a constant attitude of prayer. 1st Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing.” Of course, you cannot pray when you are talking to someone else at the same time, but everything that we do or say should be seasoned or bathed in prayer.

5. How should we pray?
There are certain ingredients for effective prayer. We need a clean heart when we approach God (Psalms 66:18; James 5:16; Matthew 5:23-24.) Have a humble attitude (Luke 18:10-14.) Have a conversation with God, just as if you were having a conversation with your best friend. Do not use repetitive words. The Lord’s Prayer (which should be called the disciple’s prayer) is more like a model on what we should pray for and not to be used as a repetitive prayer (Matthew 6:7.)

There is much more that can be said about prayer, and you can search the Scriptures and learn. However, the most important thing is that you experience it by yourself. Start today; set some alone time with God; pray for yourself, for your family, for your friends, for relationships, for your church, for government, etc.

“The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER - Part 6

Prayer benefits us all in every way. In communicating the importance of prayer, the Apostle Paul, writes to his disciple Timothy the following words: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."1st Timothy 2:1-4

Who are the leaders in your life? Think about government, places of employment, church, family, etc. Today, take some time to specifically pray for our leaders. God will intervene on our behalf to do according to His will when we pray in Jesus’ Name. “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." 1st John 5:14-15

Many blessings!

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER - Part 5

Our God does provide for our needs. A year or so after I became a Christian, I took off camping with 2 other brothers to the Isle of Margarita in the Caribbean. We overspent our money and didn’t have any food left. Walking along the shore of a nice beach during a beautiful sunset, we had a casual conversation with God and told Him: “Lord, we don’t have any money and we are hungry.” As we continue walking, all of a sudden, we see a live fish right in front of us. We thanked God, cooked it and had leftovers (this is a true story.)

The Bible says: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:7-11

Many Blessings!

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER - Part 4

Lord, how do I pray for this situation? Many times we encounter circumstances where we don’t know what or how to pray; a loved one might be going through hard times (an illness, a loss, etc.) As humans, we see circumstances with a different perspective. We may be in an uncomfortable situation, and we may ask God to take us out of it, but God may want to keep us there to perfect our character.

The Bible says that in those moments, when we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit mediates on our behalf. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27

When you are praying with the help or assistance of the Holy Spirit, your prayer may say something like “Lord, I don’t know how to pray for this matter. Please intercede for me as I pray. Your Spirit is in me, and you know my heart.”

Many blessings!

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER - Part 3

Where is the source of power of the believer? It’s in the closet, when we spend time with the Lord in prayer. Man’s natural ability is limited; our strength is easily exhausted, our patience is short. We need God to succeed, to act brotherly, to be wise, to do justly and walk humbly. Prayer is like a crystal clear water spring that rejuvenates life. But you need to drink from it; it’s not enough to look at it from afar. There are many blessings available from God to those who ask; the power to do mighty exploits that will bring glory to His Name. Would you ask Him just as Paul did to fill your life with God’s fullness?

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21

Romans 12:12 reads “continuing steadfastly in prayer.” Read the verses that surround this passage and you will find that the source of all Christian graces and good deeds is prayer.

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER - Part 2

Because of God’s amazing sacrifice on the cross, because of Jesus’ blood having been poured for our sins, the Bible says that we have free access to God through prayer. Hebrews 4:16 says “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Let us consider the following as we come before the throne of grace.

Praying with faith has all the potential to radically change our lives, the lives of those around us, and even our circumstances. The Bible says “Call on me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jer. 33:3.

As we continue to pray the Word and following the model of the disciple’s prayer (Mat. 6:9-13,) pray for the following:
- For God’s will to be done. (James 4:15)
- For the coming of God’s Kingdom. (Mat. 3:2)
- For our daily necessities. (Psalm 37:25)
- For the practice of forgiveness. (Eph. 4:32)
- For God’s deliverance from evil and temptation. (Mat. 26:31)

Many blessings!

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER - Part 1

Prayer is simply communicating or having a conversation with God. Prayer is not limited by time, for in 1st Thessalonians 5:17 it says to “pray continually.” Prayer is not limited by space, for in Psalms 139:9-10 it says that even “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” God is Omnipresent (He is everywhere at all times.) Neither is prayer limited by specific words. Even if you don’t know how to pray, the Lord will understand, for He is also Omniscient (He knows it all.)

Prayer changes things. James 5:16 says that “the effective prayer of the righteous avails much.” James 4:2 says: “You do not have, because you do not ask.” Sometimes when we spend time in prayer, we find ourselves short of words. May I suggest praying the Word? Use the Word of God as a guideline. Make them your own; pray for yourself, for those around you, family and friends, for your church and your leaders, for your country.

May I recommend that today you pray this verse in James 1:5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Salomon, the wisest man that has ever lived, was given by God the opportunity to ask for anything that he wished; he could had asked for riches, or fame, or power, but he asked for wisdom.

Many blessings!

THE BIBLE - INDESTRUCTIBLE AND TRANSFORMING

Well renowned French atheist Voltaire, who lived between 1694 and 1778, boasted that “100 years after his death, the Bible would just be looked at as an antiquity.” In the irony of life though, only 20 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society purchased his house to print Bibles. His former house eventually became a headquarters to print and distribute Bibles throughout all Europe.

Here are some facts: The bible has been translated in whole or in part in more than 2,300 languages and thus is available to more than 90% of the earth's population. On the average more than 1 million are distributed on a weekly basis. The Words of God has transformed uncountable numbers of lives throughout history. They have the power to change pride into humility, fear into courage, hatred into love, distress into peace, discouragement into encouragement, foolishness into wisdom, the uncaring into the caring, the drifter into a person with purpose, the eternally lost into the eternally saved, sinners into saints, the rejected into sons and daughters of God.

Many have tried to destroy it without success, for the Word of God is eternal and indestructible:
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." 1st Peter 1:24-25

Today, make a commitment to let it be a daily part of your life.

The Bible - How to interpret it Part 4

It would be impossible to properly understand the Bible without the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” This promise was specifically directed to Jesus’ apostles. They received help to record the events and words of Jesus. But the application of this verse extends to all Christians.

The Holy Spirit illuminates the believer’s understanding of the Scriptures. The following verses explain how this is done: “But as it is written: "EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1st Corinthians 2:9-14.

Some people believe that verse 9 is referring to heaven, but if you study the verse in the light of the context, it is talking about the Scriptures being revealed by the Holy Spirit. It is an amazing fact that we humans can fathom the wonders of God through His Book. In 1st Peter 1:12, when talking about the revelation of God through Scriptures, it says that this is so incredible that angels desire to look into it. “To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”

Let’s pray as the psalmist prayed: “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.” Psalm 119:18

The Bible - How to interpret it Part 3

The Bible is a complicated book. Where should I start? I always recommend people to start with the simple stuff. I usually refer them to read the Gospel of John first; then the other Gospels, and so on. As you build a foundation, then you can move on to deeper stuff. The principle is that as you learn the basic teachings and doctrines, everything will start to make more and more sense. To drive a car, you need basic knowledge of the parts of the car: the steering wheel, the breaks, the accelerator, etc.

There is difficult stuff in the Bible; there is no doubt about it; to deny so would be foolish, but there are methods that will help you understand it. I remember years ago about the principle of discovering mysteries, and it goes something like this: when something is difficult, it doesn’t mean that it can never be known; it just means that at that time, it is hidden from you. If you are given a sealed letter, when you receive it, the content is a mystery to you, but if you break the seal and open it, then the content is no longer hidden. But if the letter is written in another language, then it is still a mystery. But if you learn the language, then it’s no longer a mystery. But what if the letter contains some technical terms that are foreign to your understanding; it will still remain a mystery. But if you learn the technical terms, then the mystery ceases. The Scriptures are like that; at first they may appear to be difficult, but as you start to read and learn the simple stuff, then the difficulties will become less and less. When talking about the mysteries of parables, Jesus said: “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance.” Matthew 13:12

In our next article we will expand on the ministry of the Holy Spirit as it relates to helping us understand God’s Word. Meanwhile, enjoy your time in His presence.

The Bible - How to interpret it Part 2

I heard someone said once : “A Bible that is falling apart, usually belong to someone that isn’t.” the more you get into the Word to obey it, the more your life will shine, even in the middle of trouble, you will experience God’s presence in your life.

Continuing with our current theme, “How to Interpret the Bible,” let’s look at a couple of guidelines that will help us to properly understand and interpret what the Scripture says:

1. Understand who it was written for: Of course, the entire Bible profits everyone, as we read in 2nd Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” But the Bible deals with 3 specific groups of people: “The Jews, The Gentiles, and Christ’s Church.” Most of the Old Testament deals with the history of Israel as a nation, and to apply to us Scripture that was specific for them, would be to misinterpret the Bible. We can use what happened to them as example and admonition, as we read in 1st Corinthians 10:11 “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” but we must not apply commandments and promises directed to them as if they were for the Church too.


2. Watch for the language style: In the Bible we find 3 types of styles: “Symbolic, figurative and literal.” The way to interpret the symbolic text is to look at the context. Sometimes is also explained in another passage. For example, in Revelations 1:16, when the apostle John was in Patmos, he was given a vision where he saw the Lord and it says that “In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword…” The interpretation of the seven stars is given a couple of verses ahead: Revelations 1:20 says "As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, … the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.” Regarding the “sharp two-edged sword” coming out of His mouth, in Hebrews 4:12 says “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” So, we see that the right interpretation is given somewhere else. The figurative language is interpreted also by reading the context. For example: expressions such as “let the dead, bury the dead…” or “do not harden your heart” are explained somewhere else in the Bible by the context. The literal kind, we need to let the text say what it says without spiritualizing it.

These are just a couple of rules of interpretation that will help us get the most out of what we read. Many false religions, cults and “movements” have their origin traced to misinterpreting, misapplying or dislocating Scripture. We read in Titus 1:9 that Paul instructed Titus to “Exhort in sound doctrine.” If a surgeon doctor studies many hours with the purpose of saving a life and not making a mistake in the operation room, how much more those of us Christians should study the Scriptures in a correct manner for the spiritual benefit of many.

More to come…

The Bible - How to interpret it Part 1

I remember one time, on our way to Orlando, reading a billboard that said “HAVE YOU READ MY BOOK? THERE WILL BE A TEST.” - God. Wow! what an awesome truth: God has spoken! and not just a few words, but "a Book"! How amazing is that? So, how should we approach the Scriptures?

1. With Humility. The Bible says that “…knowledge puffs up.” 1st Corinthians 8:1. Pride, which is the opposite of humility, has devastating consequences. It says in James 4:6 that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” When we come to the Scriptures, we need to realize that it is the Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe who is speaking. It is a great privilege (no one deserves it) to be able to read and understand His Word. So, if we approach it with a humble heart, He will give you the grace to understand it, and to be blessed by it.
   


2. Read it to obey it. Approach the Bible with the purpose in your heart that you will do what He says. The more you obey it, the more God will reveal it to you. If you read “do not lie” then, don’t lie; if you read “forgive one another” then forgive. Don’t jump into the big doctrines of the Bible, if you are not able to keep the simple commandments. James 1:22 puts it this way: “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” Doctors go to school to learn and practice medicine, to cure illnesses and save lives; the same way, Christians read the Bible, not just to get knowledge, but with the purpose of obeying it, to put it into practice.

The Bible: GOD'S WORD! Don't take it for granted! Read it! Put it into practice! It will change your life! He will bless your life!

More to come…

THE BIBLE - A BOOK LIKE NO OTHER

The Bible is such a magnificent book. It is indeed “God’s Word.” Every time I study it, I stand amazed by it richness. I’m reminded of Paul words in Romans 11: 33-36 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "For who has known the mind of the lord? Or who has become his counselor?" "Or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him?" For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

Every word of the Bible is God breathed, not just when it says: “thus saith the Lord…” Even the comas and periods are there because God intended them to be there. 2nd Timothy 3:16 says: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” This verse refers to “all” Scripture, not just part of it. Jesus said in Matthew 5:18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

There are 3 important words that we need to understand when considering the divine Word of God:

* Bible revelation: God reveals or discloses truth that otherwise men could not know. God has revealed all the truth that men need in the Bible. Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."
* Bible inspiration: God imparted the exact words that He wanted written in His book to certain men through the Holy Spirit. 2nd Peter 1:21 “The prophets did not think these things up on their own, but they were guided by the Spirit of God.”
* Bible illumination: it is the work of the Holy Spirit, where He opens the believer’s spiritual understanding so that he/she can comprehend the Scriptures. John 16:13 says “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”

Do you want to know what’s in God’s mind? Are you ready to find out His amazing will for your life? Start today by opening His Book. Ask Him to illuminate your spiritual eyes through the Holy Spirit; you will discover amazing truth that will change your life.

GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE - PART 7

So, how important is this mission? To put into perspective the importance of the role that we play, just consider the work of redemption. Think about what God sacrificed to save us. Imagine if you were a scientist and you discover the cure for cancer. You would immediately share it with the world to try to save as many as you could. Well, we have the cure for eternal separation from God, the cure for the spiritual death. John 8:24 says: “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." Every second, people are dying without the hope of eternal life. If someone dies without believing in Jesus, that person will be eternally separated from God. These are Jesus’ Words, not mine.

Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We need to understand that without Jesus people are lost. We need to understand that there is a destroyer called Satan whose purpose in life is to kill. John 10:10 says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

There are noble causes in life, yes, a soldier puts his life in danger even to the point of death for patriotic reason; a doctor spends years of studies to help prevent and cure illnesses, but Christ’s disciples have the important mission of sharing the Gospel of eternal salvation.

YOU ARE NEAR!

He is near indeed!!! Enjoy His presence...

GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE - PART 6

At this time, I believe it would be good to review what we have covered so far. We’ve said that:

* We were created to have a personal and intimate relation with God
* We were created to live for Him
* We were created to bring Him glory
* We were created to bring fruit
* God’s desire in the redemption of man’s soul

Today we will learn that He wants to use you and me to accomplish His redemptive plan. Imagine, the Great I AM, the Creator of the Universe, The King of kings and Lord of lords hand-picked you to include you and give you a mission that far surpasses all other missions in this world. There are very noble causes like being a doctor, or feeding the hungry, but these only reach the level of the human body. God has called us to participate in the greatest mission of all: the redemption of the human soul, the eternal salvation of people from a state of eternal separation from God in Hell. No cause is greater and more noble that this one. He has given us the great privilage and responsibility of the Great Commission.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus said to His disciples: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." In Mark 16:15 Jesus says: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Then in Luke 24:46-48 He said: "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." And in John 17:18 He said: "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”

A disciple of Christ will have fulfillment in life when he/she is accomplishing God’s mission of redemption. 2nd Corinthians 5:18-20 says: “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Don’t delay, these words are for you and me; let’s run with them; let’s put them into practice and may the Lord use you and me greatly to expand His kingdom!

GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE - PART 5

Those that have read through the whole Bible can clearly see that after man’s fall and throughout the rest of history, God’s desire is the redemption of man’s soul. There are many passages in Scripture that point to this fact. The maximum demonstration of this truth is Jesus. God became flesh (John1:14) with the purpose of saving us. A central verse that explains this truth is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but has everlasting life.”

There are 2 other passages that are key for the understanding of God’s will and desire. 1st Timothy 2:3-4 “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” And 2nd Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

This then bring us to the important point where we need to understand that in God’s desire and will, He planned to include you for His purposes. He wants to use you and me to accomplish His redemptive plan. We will expand this theme with more details in the following articles.

GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE - PART 4

Now, there is another practical way that we can understand and participate in bringing glory to God, and it has to do with something that God commanded us to do. We were created to bring Him fruit. Jesus said in John 15:8 these word: "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” God created you and me to bring fruit, just as a plant grows to eventually become mature and naturally give fruit, so are we.

Now, God wants to see fruit in all areas of our lives, not only in our character, living a life full of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, but also He wants us to participate in reaching others with the Good News of the gospel and seeing those lives grow in Him and for Him. This area of bringing fruit to God is where we will concentrate more and focus our attention.

In John 15:16 we read (Jesus talking): "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” We will discover the meaning of life, when we find ourselves involved in the very work that He left for us to do. Jesus wants you and me to experience abundant life. He said in John 10:10 that “He has come to give us life, and abundant life.” That abundant life is experienced when we are understand and live for the very purpose that He created us for.

In the next article, we will learn more about God’s deep desire and plan to carry out His desire, and how He wants us to be part of it.

GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE - PART 3

So far we have said that:
• We were created to have a personal and intimate relationship with God
• We were created to live for Him

The Bible also teaches that we were created to glorify Him (to bring Him glory.)
1st Corinthians 10:31 says “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Now, that is a concept that seems a little abstract. What does it mean to glorify God? How do we glorify God? To put it into perspective, if I were to get the glory in something that I’ve accomplished, (let’s say that I’m a good chef and people really like my cooking) I would tell others that I’m a very creative person that likes to invent. I would say that I’m smart, intelligent, that I work hard, without the help of others. I will get all the credit, because I want people to focus on me. On the other hand, if I want to give God the glory, I would say that God gave me the talents, intelligence and abilities to cook well for His glory. I don’t get the credit; God does. The focus is not on me, but on God.

I’m reminded of a passage in Deuteronomy 8, where the Lord is warning the Israelites once they enter and prosper in the land of Canaan, not to forget Who brought them out of Egypt, Who provided for their needs when they couldn’t do it themselves in the wilderness, and Who gives the ability and power to prosper. The following verses are a key to understand what it means to give God the glory: “17 He (The Lord) did all this so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.'18 Remember the LORD your God. He is the One who gives you power to be successful.” (NLT)

So, let’s bring Him honor through what we say, how we act, and how we think. Acknowledge Him in all you think and do. Make it known to others, point others to Him by giving Him the credit for whatever you say and do. To glorify God means we have a heart full of gratitude, for it is He who gives us all that we posses (material and immaterial.)

Worship the Lord as you watch this video!

GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE - PART 2

In the last article regarding God’s will for our lives, I wrote that God created us so that we could enjoy a personal and intimate relationship with Him. The second reason that I want to share with you is that “God created us to live for Him.”

Colossians 1:16 says “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.” To live life to the fullest, to experience purpose and meaning, we need to realize that our lives are not ours to live selfishly for our own; we were created to live for Him. Until we come to grips with this truth, we will always live with disappointment, and we will not find meaning to life. We may spend many years in the pursue of money, or a professional career, or even family, or living sacrificially for a noble cause, but not of these pursues will satisfy our lives to the fullest. Don’t take me wrong, these are necessary in life, but they are not the ultimate reason for life.

Jesus said: “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.” Mark 8:35. Could it be that at the end of our lives, while pursuing and living for things other than God, we will realize that we wasted our lives? On the other hand, those that lived for Jesus will realize that they made the right decision by living for Him.

2nd Corinthians 5:15 says “and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”

We only have one shot at life; don’t waste it; live your life all out for Jesus! You won’t regret it.

Happy New Year 2009!

2009 is here! New adventures begin, news goals, new resolutions, new dreams, new challenges... One thing is certain, whatever the New Year brings, if you are a disciple, God is with you! Emmanuel! His promises are true. God says "I am with you always." Matthew 28:20, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

Not only is He with us, but He is for us. The Bible says "If God is for us, who can be against us?" He wants to see you succeed in whatever plans He has for you. Listen carefully to His guidance. Remember that God is always working and He wants you to join Him in what He is doing. Remember that He talks to us through His Word, through His Holy Spirit when we pray, through circumstances, and through the counsel of those wise Christians around us.

Be attentive to His voice; decide to obey Him. Our prayer for you is that you will have a Blessed New Year!