The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet

This is one of the most profound and misunderstood subject in the whole Bible. I, myself, had a hard time understanding this matter, to be honest, it took me about 18 years, since the first time i came across with this subject. Why did it take so long? Because it is IMPOSSIBLE to understand (discern) the profound meaning of this biblical passage, the understanding comes only by revelation (by the Holy Spirit), which i had in this past few days. Let me humbly try to make as clear as possible, what the Holy Spirit taught me: A couple weeks ago, I was working all by myself those days, and one day this Bible verse came to my mind: 1 Corinthians 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Again, I try to "logically" understand the meaning, but as always, it was too much to understand, thank God, at this time, the Holy Spirit started teaching me about "spirit, soul and body". He led me to Genesis, to the creation of man: Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Pay attention to what you're reading. First: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground...", here is talking about the body, our body came from dust and to dust will return (physical death) : Genesis 3:19...For out of dust you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return. Second: "...and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life", here the Bible is talking about the spirit of man, or his "life" (this is what this post is all about). Third: "and man became a living being", that's his soul (consciousness, emotions, etc.). I know this subject is very profound and people have different opinions (beliefs) about it, so, I'm not here trying to persuade you to believe what i'm writing, please, read and pray about it and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. Let's talk about about "spirit". First of all, all starts in and with God: John 4:24 God is Spirit... See that, in the beginning, we were created in God's image (attributes or character traits, not divinity) and because God is Spirit, we were created spiritual beings, and in his "likeness", we were also created to be persons (with personality). Therefore, One God, three Persons (Triune God). We also are three distinct parts (not persons): Spirit, soul and body. The best passage in the Bible to explain the difference between body, soul and spirit is John 11, where it talks about Lazarus' death and resurrection. Martha said he was dead for four days, there was a stench, because Lazarus was already decomposing (it is impossible to be more dead than that). His brain was dead (not just unconscious), meaning, his soul (consciousness, emotions, etc.) wasn't in the body anymore. So, to what "part" of Lazarus Jesus was talking when he called him out? To Lazarus' spirit! His spirit heard Jesus' voice and react (life), then his soul (consciousness) react, but his body had to be made new again (it was decomposing). Got it? let's dive even deeper: Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. What type of death Paul is talking about? The spiritual death! The death God spoke to Adam that would happened if he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Adam physically died many, many years later). When (if you did) you were born again, were you physically dead, brain dead or even unconscious? Of course not, but you, as much as I, were spiritually dead. I wrote a post about the steps to new birth, called "Enlightenment: The Power to Become a Child of God". Read also the passage were Jesus explains to Nicodemus about the new birth. In 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knows the things (thoughts) 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, Paul is talking our spirit, that our spirit knows everything about us. Jesus says this about our spirit:
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing (ready), but the flesh is weak. I had an experience this past few days, where everything the Holy Spirit was teaching me came alive (real), it was one of the most "profound" experience I ever had (spiritually speaking). Let me try to recount it: My older sister was filling ill and had to be hospitalized, her appendix had burst, it happened few days before, she already had infections because of it, just the fact that she was still alive, it was already a miracle. At the hospital she had surgery to remove the infection, she was treated and was sent home under medication. At home, after a few days, she had a condition (some would call hallucination, schizophrenic, psychotic or nervous breakdown), I would call it "spiritual takeover". Why is that? Because I literally saw her spirit taking control of her soul (consciousness) and body, something I've never seen before. She was speaking all the time, and according to my brother-in-law, she was like that for almost 24 hours. I started listening to what she was saying, some words came from God, no doubt about it, but some did not! Then it was like Paul's experience, a veil was taken from my eyes, the Bible verse about "the spirit of the prophet (person) being subject to the prophet (person)" made sense for the first time in my life, i saw before my eyes the spirit of my sister taking control of her, she couldn't subject her own spirit. It was like a tornado were the wind cannot be controlled (subjected). I stood there speechless, trying to discern when was a word from the Holy Spirit and when it was a word from her spirit. Then all of a sudden, came a thought in my mind to pray, lay hands on her head and minister peace, quietness and rest to her spirit. When i did that, she looked at me, closed her eyes and was able to rest (keep quiet for a while). Then i realized how profound was that experience. All those years trying to understand it, and it only took a few minutes to get it. Now everything make sense to me, all the words (prophecies) i heard in the past that i knew were "spiritual", but at the same time I knew it didn't come from the Holy Spirit, it didn't come from the devil either, some prophecies were just Bible verses that the "prophet" thought were for us, even if (i knew that) God was speaking something different, because our CONTEXT and TIME, also because everything God was doing IN and AMONG us. We fail many times because we don't discern (understand) the will of God (purpose), the time and His way (read the post "The Purpose, the Time and the Way"). Please understand what i'm saying, the whole Bible is God's word, except for a few parts, where, for example, Paul clearly says that is coming from him: 1 Corinthians 7:12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. So, let me try to be even clearer: Nowadays, there is a "teaching" that is becoming more and more prevalent, that "everyone" is a prophet, you just have to get the Bible and start "prophesying" what the Bible says. Again, this teaching is new, it wasn't in our churches decades ago. Of course, just like every other teaching, the ones who are teaching this, have their own view (belief) about the subject, and try to prove that what Paul said does not apply to this view. So, what did Paul say? 1 Corinthians 12:29-31 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.  If you're just a little intelligent (everyone is), you know that's a rhetorical question. So, why even in light of this passage those people insist that every believer is a prophet? That answer is very complicated, because it is a matter of belief! Just like the pre, mid and post-tribulation, you can prove you point if you know the "right" Bible verses! God used me many times with "prophecy", that's why to me (personal belief), not everyone is a prophet, only those God called them to be! Of course, the Holy Spirit can come over a person and lead the person to prophesy, for example, king Saul: 1 Samuel 19:24 He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, "Is Saul also among the prophets"? What do you say, was king Saul a prophet? To be "among" prophets, pastors, miracle workers and apostles does not make you one of them! God's calling and gits do not come by osmosis (the process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge, etc). It comes through "impartation" (read the post "Impartation: You Can Only Give What You Have!"). If you have the gift of tongues (I don't have it), you know that you can "control" (subject) when to start and to stop speaking in tongues and maybe you never stop to think about it, since after a while, it became "natural" for you. Now, in light of everything i said here, you know that when you're speaking in tongues you are allowing "your spirit" to take over your body!!! How crazy is that??? That's why your mind becomes "unfruitful" (barren, unproductive, inactive). 1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. In the same manner, when a demon "possesses" a person, this wicked spirit (demon) shuts off the person's mind (understanding), it becomes unfruitful (barren, unproductive, inactive), the demon then uses the person's body. Then you ask, "what about that person's spirit"? If your asking this question is because you didn't understand the text you read above, so here we go again: Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. What about that person's spirit? According to God, the person's spirit is dead! The person is spiritually dead! The person still have the "breath of life", as written in Genesis 2:7, but because Adam's sin, the person is spiritually dead. What about Adam, you ask? Easy to answer: Adam was not the "final product" God intended him to be. Adam had to choose between life and death (spiritually speaking), symbolized by the tree of life and the tree of good and evil, which trees, symbolized Jesus Christ and satan. 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. The reason God placed cherubs in the garden's entrance, was to block men from entering and eating the tree of life, then sealing his choice and never having a change to be born again. As for my sister, when she went back to the hospital she was diagnosed with pneumonia, besides the infection that was still in her body. In her case, I believe (and that is personal), that her spirit knew what was going on, that she was going to die if wasn't treated soon. God is good, all the time, even when we don't realize, He is taking care of us. We need to pray for discernment (knowledge) more than ever before, and seek the knowledge of God and His word: Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me. Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Intercession: To Stand In The Gap...

The English word "intercession" is derived from Latin intercedo, which means "to come between". A very good illustration of it is what God spoke to Ezekiel: Ezekiel 22:30 "I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one". If you're familiar with the story of Nehemiah, you know that He came back from exile (around 445 B.C.) to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. So, the first thing he does is to "assess the damage". Nehemiah 2:13 And I went out by night through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire. The second is to "reveal" the plan and gather people around to help him to do the work. Nehemiah 2:17-18 Then I said to them, "You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach". And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. The third is to "stand against" (resist) the enemy, because they tried to discourage and make them afraid in order to stop their effort. Nehemiah 4:1-3 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish stones that are burned?" Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall". Nehemiah 6:9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done". Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. Nehemiah 4:21 So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared. The fourth is to deal with people's oppression, that came from their own rulers and governors. Nehemiah 5:7-8 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, "Each of you is exacting usury from his brother". So I called a great assembly against them. And I said to them, "According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?" Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. Nehemiah 5:15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. The fifth is to deal with the enemy's conspiracy: Nehemiah 6:2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono". But they thought to do me harm. When the enemy sees the progress of their work, they knew they couldn't stop them, so they tried to deceive and kill the "overseer" (Nehemiah). Do you remember the prophecy of Zechariah 13:7 that Jesus Christ spoke about? Matthew 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered"'. The enemy knew if they killed the leader (overseer), the would manage to stop the work and defeat the people. Of course in Jesus' case, it didn't happened because Jesus Christ interceded (prayed) for them, just as He told Peter: Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. Pay attention that Jesus said "when you have returned", not "if you have returned", because Jesus' prayer was according to the will of God. The sixth is to stand against the false leaders and false prophets who made Nehemiah afraid: Nehemiah 6:14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid. The seventh is to finish the work: Nehemiah 6:15-16 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God. 

Now, after reading all of that you might be asking: "What does that have to do with me?" Good question! Please, bear with me, because this is extremely important if you are "rebuilding the walls of your life or your church". In the same manner, it works for us just as it did for Nehemiah and his people, those seven "accounts" happen to all of those who are in the process of "rebuilding the walls". The first thing to do is to "assess the damage" and "count the cost". See what Jesus Christ spoke about "building" (rebuilding): Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it. When we start "rebuilding our spiritual life", we must know what needs to be repaired (rebuilt) in our lives and the only way to know that is asking the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us, otherwise we'll never change, because our hearts are deceitful: Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? But, before we start "rebuilding", we must answer this question: "Do i have what it takes to finish the work?" In other words, "do i have perseverance, patience and commitment to endure anything in order to finish the work?" God is working IN us: Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. Fellow workers means "to be involved in the same activity", God wants to work within and through us, our work is (if we are children of God) to allow Him to change us and to do His will. The second is to "reveal" God's plan and gather people around to help us to do His work: We cannot work alone, there is no "lone rangers" in the Kingdom of God. We need each other to be able to "rebuild the walls" of our lives and our churches, Paul addressed this issue when he wrote: 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. Individually we have to work to "rebuild" our spiritual lives, or as Paul wrote, work out our salvation: Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. But as a church, we are a body, as members of this body, we cannot function (work) by ourselves. The third is to "stand against" (resist) the enemy, because they will try to discourage and make us afraid in order to stop our effort: If your read the Gospels, you'll see how many times Jesus Christ Himself dealt with his "enemies", not only with satan and his demons, but also against the people who opposed His ministry: John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of lies. We are told to resist the enemy: James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. The fourth is to deal with people's oppression, that sometimes come from our own leaders: Matthew 23:1-4 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers". The fifth is to deal with the enemy's conspiracy: Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you when people revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Acts 23:12-13 And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. John 10:10 The thief (devil) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. The sixth is to stand against the false leaders and false prophets who will oppose us and try to bring fear in our lives: Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. The seventh is to finish the work: James 1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. God is calling us to pray and intercede (stand in the gap), and the best way to learn how to do it, is to learn with the Holy Spirit, who intercedes for us: Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Here is the key to a successful intercession: Interceding according to God's will! Our worst mistake when praying and interceding for ourselves and other people (church), is that we pray for our (people's) desires and don't ask God to know what is His will for us (people), and most often, we are not successful. Why not? Because we should know better that God will always answer our prayers according to His will and not according to ours. On the other hand, there is a way to have our desires fulfilled: Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Why is that? Because when we "delight" ourselves in the Lord, we will for sure, delight ourselves in His will, meaning, we will understand that His will is good, pleasing and perfect! Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. When our minds are renewed by God, we start thinking and desiring His will for us, we are no longer satisfied with our own will and desires, even when they are good (don't get me wrong). Do you remember what God said? Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. We don't need to be a genius to realize that our thoughts are here on earth and God's are in heaven, meaning, He sees and knows everything, from eternity He already "preordained" (predestined) what we should do and be, we only need to "conform" (from the Latin conformare "to fashion, to form, to shape; modify"), ourselves to His will. Now i can see clearly how i failed (there times), when God was moving (revival) in the churches i was part of. Those first six "accounts" happened in these churches. The first time i was a baby (spiritually speaking), the second i thought i was mature, but i was naive, and in the third time i just badly failed, i didn't "stand in the gap", i didn't endure (persevere) to the end, i gave up too soon. I thought it depended only in the pastor to see "revival", but actually, we were all guilty of failing to stand and prevail, to "seek until we find", to persevere to the end. God is not interested in "revival" for revival's sake, "revival" is only the result (consequence) of obeying His commandments, which is summarized in two: Mark 12:30-31 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength". This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself". There is no other commandment greater than these. As a church (body of Christ), we are failing to observe those two commandments, that's why when revival starts, the result is either division or numbers (lots of people), either way, it does not prosper, because the "foundation", which is love, is not there. Today we want "revival" without "renewal", as Jesus said: Mark 2:21-22 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins. We pray a lot, we fast a lot, we have many "worship" services, we read the bible a lot, but when it comes to love our neighbor as Jesus loved us, we fail. If you pay attention to Jesus' ministry, everything He did, He did it all for love. Every teaching, every healing, every correction, every miracle. He showed the way to His disciples, the way of love, a sacrificial love. That's why when "Pentecosts" came, the disciples were ready for it. Jesus prepared them for that day. That's why they experienced God's glory "in" and "through" their lives. They reflected Jesus: Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. Today, we are filled with pride (my church is bigger/better than yours), education (my pastor is a PhD), we have our churches filled with "skeptical" believers (we talk the talk but don't walk the walk), we value the organization more than the organism (body of Christ, people), etc. It is time to wake up from our spiritual slumber and start loving as Christ loved us.

Not Of This World...

This may sound nonsense to you, but just think about it for a minute. Have you noticed how many movies are dealing with aliens (i mean "beings" from another planet, not people from another country) and outer space life? If you are a movie lover, you probably did, if not, this will definitely sound nonsense to you. There is one movie, i think, is a very good example of what i want to talk about. It is called "Elysium". The movie's storyline is this: In a far distant future, year 2159, there are two places to live in, "Elysium" and the devastated earth. The ones living in "Elysium" are the wealthy and privileged ones. In this "space station" people are free, happy, enjoy everything good life has to offer, "but wait, there is more" (as they say in the infomercial), they have a cure for any kind of sickness, meaning, no more pain, no more suffering. Meanwhile, on earth, people are living a miserable life, barely having enough to survive, be controlled and slaved by the ones "up there". Of course, the "poor" ones are always trying to reach the "paradise". If you didn't watch this movie, do it, and pay attention to the things i'm saying. This is not new, since for a long time, this is played in the real life here on earth. There are the "third world" countries (poor ones), were some "tugs" (politicians and filthy rich) enslave the population, deplete the country's resources,  kill and steal to get richer and more powerful. On the other hand, there are the "first world" countries (rich ones), were you have freedom, opportunity to improve your way of living, have access to health and wealth, you only have to set your mind on becoming successful and you will be. So, if you live in the "poor" country, you are told that your country is as horrible as it is, because the "rich" ones (countries) are making you pay for their "health, wealth and happiness", and they don't want your country to "break free" from "slavery". If you live in the "rich" one, you are told that's not the case, the "poor" countries are "poor" because their people don't work, don't make any effort to improve their quality of living. Because of this, migration occurs, "poor" people want to get into the "rich" countries to improve their (and families) lives, and not just that, but also to save their lives, due to wars and famine. That's the "fictional and natural" part. But there's also the "spiritual" one, and this is as real as the "natural" one. If you read and believe the Bible, you know that in the beginning God created heavens and earth and created mankind to take care of His garden and expand it to the ends of the earth, and all God did was good. So mankind rebelled against God and "died" (spiritually speaking), but God knew before it happened, even before creation He already had a plan to rescue humanity, 1 Peter 1:20 He (Jesus) was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake; Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love. His son comes in the form of a man, to "serve" and give His life for all. 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. For the ones who believe in Jesus Christ, He is preparing a place to live with Him eternally: John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Of course, for the ones who don't believe in Jesus Christ, there's also a place, which was never God's will for them to live in that place, because it was prepared for the devil and his angels: Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels". So, there's only "two" options for humanity: Eternal life with Jesus Christ and eternal death with the devil! So, if you heard the question "is there life after death?" and didn't have an answer, here is the answer: YES, THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH! The flip side of it is that there is DEATH AFTER DEATH ALSO! Do you remember what the Lord told Adam in the "garden"? Genesis 2:15-17 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die". Do you remember what the devil told Eve about God's commandment? Genesis 3:4-5 "You will not certainly die", the serpent (devil) said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil". Question: Did Adam and Eve die? Was God primarily speaking about the "natural" death? The answer to the first question is "yes, they did". To answer the second one, we have to pay attention to what happened after Adam and Eve sinned against God. The blame game starts, Eve blames the devil, Adam blames Eve, but the truth is that God's commandment was for Adam, he (Adam) was the responsible party and if you read your Bible you will see that the "original sin" was attributed to Adam, as in this verse: 1 Corinthians 15:21 For since death came through a man (Adam), the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (Jesus Christ). Answering the second question, God was primarily talking about the "spiritual death", the natural one came as consequence of the first one. Since, all humanity comes from Adam, we're born dead (spiritually speaking), but to all of us who believe in Jesus Christ, He raised us (born again) from death and gave us eternal life. So, when we die, we are "confirmed" in our present (the time of death) state. If we are "born again" we will live eternally with Christ, the ones who rejected Him and are "spiritually dead", the natural death will only "confirm" their actual state: Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars, they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. There are lots of opinions about the subject, but to me, it is plain and simple: First death took place with Adam and that separated us from God: Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. So, when we "naturally" die, we only confirm our actual state, dead or alive! There's is no "second life", if your're born again, you already have ETERNAL LIFE, but there is the "second death". From the "first death" that came from Adam, we had no choice but to be born spiritually dead, but we all have a chance to be "resurrected" (born again) and have eternal life, but from the "second death", which is the "confirmation" of ones rejection of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, there is no more chances, only eternal separation from God. Ok, what does "Elysium" have to do with all of this? Good question! If you pay attention to the "subliminal" message that is been propagating from the movies and tv series, you'll see that the devil is "luring" the masses to believe that God's justice is actually an injustice, that God does not care for the human beings, that God will only save the "privileged" ones, that God chooses a few ones and forsakes the vast majority, that God is the one to blame for all the injustice, wars, famine, poverty and disgrace that we see everyday. God, in eternity already chose all humanity, when He gave Jesus Christ to pay for our sin and to give us eternal life, now we must choose between life and death. As for me, i chose LIFE: Deuteronomy 30:19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Remember the words of Jesus Christ: John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

What is the Will of God for Your Life?

Knowing the will of God for us, I believe, is a matter of the "heart". What do i mean by that? Let's God Himself answer that question: Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Many preachers nowadays are saying that if you just read the Bible you'll find the will of God for you, that's all you need! I personally believe that, as much as holiness, it is a process, the more you seek Him, the more He will reveal Himself to you, the more you know Him, the more you will be "conformed" to His will. This is what Paul the apostle wrote: Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The "renewal of our mind" is a process. When we're "born again" our spirit becomes ready, but then the process called "holiness" starts. Our "mind", "feelings" and our "will" need to the changed (renewed). In the process God will start to "reveal" His will for us, the "holier" we get, the more we will know His will. Now, pay attention to what the word "holy" means: It mean to be "set apart for God". Of course the more we walk with Him, the more we will change, the more we will abandon the "works of the flesh", as Paul mention in Galatians 5, to the point that we will achieve the goal of Christianity, that is: Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. See some examples of people who walked with God:
Abraham, Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless;
Enoch, Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Noah, Genesis 6:9 "a just man, perfect in his generations, who walked with God."

I know that there is a lot of controversy in the church about this subject, but you will only know the "truth" when you "walk" with Jesus Christ. Here are some Bible verses that talk about the will of God: 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; 1 Peter 2:15; 1 Peter 3:16-18. If you want to know God's will for your life, you must start reading the Bible. In the Bible we will find what we need to live the life God planned for us to live, but, even if some scholars disagree, I believe there's also a specific calling (ministry, work, etc.) God planned for us to do. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Don't try to be "holy" by doing something, just walk with Jesus and He will "sanctify" you. I'm not writing this post to try to convince you to do what i want, but i want you to "prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" for you, because i've been "proving" His will for my life and i can tell you that there's nothing better than that. Here one post that shows you what i am talking about: "Personal Testimony: Fasting".

The Other Hand: Wasting Your Eternal Reward.

Matthew 6:1-4. "Secret giving" is becoming a thing of the past, more and more we're seen charity becoming a way of self-promotion. What is really impressive (to me) is that in human history, we never had so many charitable organizations live we do today, everywhere we look we find one. One day I was watching tv and was impressed by what I saw: A very famous Hollywood actor in Haiti working hard to improve the lives of those affected by the January 2010 earthquake (that left over 314,000 dead, 300,000 injured and 1.6 million people homeless). He is there since 2010 spending his money and giving himself away for the sake of people who will probably never repay him (financially speaking). Is he doing that for self-promotion? Is he truly helping the poor because he is a compassionate man? What is he gaining by doing that? God knows the answers, but one thing is for sure: He is doing what God told us (Christians) to do!  Here are some verses that shows what God thinks about helping the poor: Proverbs 19:17; Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 22:9; Hebrews 13:16; 1 John 3:17-18. When Jesus says that those people who gave, were only interested in self-promotion (to be seen), He said that there will be no other "reward" besides the one they already received. He is implying that whatever we do that brings us "earthly rewards", it won't be counted as a reward in heaven. I'll use myself as an example: I am a musician and I play a few instruments. Before, I tried to write songs (I wrote 2 or 3), but never had the gift (talent) to write. A while ago, few people prophesied that God would give me the gift of writing songs and I would write beautiful ones. Well, I started writing and already have some (if good or bad, it's just a matter of taste). Let's say I write a beautiful one and then record it. The song is a hit and I am nominated for the Grammy's and I win. If I accept the honor, I already received my reward! Why? Because the song was inspired by God, for His glory and honor and if I receive the honor, that is God's because He inspired me, I already received the reward that I would receive in heaven. In this case, because God inspired me to write it and it was not written by my own ability or talent, the glory or honor is God's alone, it doesn't matter how many "glory to God" I give during my acceptance (speech). You may disagree on this, but as you are an intelligent person, think about this: Why did Jesus say that many will tell Him that they prophesied, healed, sung, prayed, preached, etc., in His Name and He will say "I don't know you"? Because those people already received the glory (honor) that was God's alone and God says He does not share His glory with no one else. Jesus called those people "workers of iniquity". We're living the last days, where many times, the "sacred" is as "profane" as the profane itself! In a world where churches are filled with "stars" and "idols", where it's hard to find someone who is committed to worship God despite the money and recognition. When Jesus says "take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them", it goes far beyond charitable works, it encompass everything that is done for God. Why do you think Paul the Apostle said this? 1 Corinthians 4:6-13. He said that because he refused to receive any honor or glory coming from man, just like Jesus Christ did, and for that cause they were despised and rejected. What did Jesus mean when He said "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing"? Are we the "body" of Christ? If we are the body of Christ and the body has two hands (persons), then He is saying that one person shouldn't tell the other about his (her) charitable deeds, much less to the world! Let's go back to the beginning where Christians glorified God, not other Christians.

From the Mountain to the Valley: Recharging the Spiritual Battery.

Did you ever experienced the glory of God in a way that you didn't want to leave that place, that you hoped it would last forever? I did and i can tell you that i felt like that! That's what i call, "the mountain top experience". Jesus revealed His glory to three of His disciples and they were overwhelmed by it and wanted to stay there forever. Matthew 17:1-4. As you can see, Peter told Jesus that it was good for them to be there and he had the idea of building "tabernacles". That's what usually happens when people have "the mountain top experience", it's not enough for them to have Jesus Christ, they have to build something to prove that Jesus is (was) there, thinking they can "confine" Him in their "tabernacles" or "shrines". That's one of the reasons why we see so many "tabernacles" (church buildings) nowadays, of course other reasons are "money", "control", "entertainment", etc. Of course, as Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God cannot be confined, right after they came down to the "valley" and already faced some challenges. Some people are against "mountain top experiences", they say that it is just "emotionalism", that it doesn't do any good for the believer. I completely disagree with that, i think the "mountain top experience" is not just necessary, it is vital for every christian to have that experience once in a while. Why? Because you will realize how sinful you are, how awesome God is and how much you need Him. The mountain is as real as the valley! Unfortunately, most believers think that the "mountain top experience" is just for Moses, Elijah and Jesus' disciples, that it does not apply for them. That's why most believers are unhappy,  ungrateful, spiritually empty or lukewarm. Why am i saying that? Because i used to be like that! But when Jesus Christ revealed His glory to me, i realized that He is the most Loving, Beautiful and Peaceful person i ever met. I think without the "mountain top experience" we will never experience the JOY OF A TRIAL: James 1:2. Is it possible to be joyful in trials? If we believe in the Bible it sure is: Acts 5:41. One of our problems here in America, is that Christians think that persecution and trials are just for believers that live in communist or islamic countries (among others). That's why even if the Bible is not clear about the subject, the vast majority of christians here believe in the "pre-trib" concept, because in the bottom of their hearts they don't think that we will ever have persecution here in America, if we will, it will be after the "rapture"! Am I suggesting that you have to pray to be persecuted or reviled? Of course not! What I am saying is that once you "enlisted" in God's army, you must go through an intensive training in order to become a soldier, well prepared for the battle. See what Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:4. If you are wondering why you don't grow spiritually, here is the reason: Luke 8:14. There's a parallel between what Paul teaches about the soldier and what Jesus teaches about the Parable of the Sower. If the soldier does not forsake everything to be prepared for the battle, he will never be. The same way, if the seed grows among thorns, they (thorns) will choke it, there will never be a mature fruit. If our hearts are divided between our lives here on this earth and the Kingdom of God, THERE WILL NEVER BE A MATURE FRUIT (fruit of the Spirit). That's the reason Jesus said this: Luke 14:33. It is time to bear fruit, otherwise we will be cut of from the tree (Jesus Christ). We must be willing to pray Habakkuk's prayer: Habakkuk 3:17-19. If Job (Job 1:21), Paul (Philippians 4:11-13) and many others were able to pray like that, so are we, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Righteousness: The Proper Garment for the Wedding.

Matthew 22:1-14 In this parable, Jesus is saying that we can have the INVITATION (calling) for the wedding and yet, not be PREPARED (garment) for it. We can even be the bride, as the five foolish virgins (read the post: "Wisdom vs. Foolishness: What kind of Believer are You?"), and yet not be ready for the marriage. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Christians believe that once you receive the calling (ministry) and gifts (healing, prophecy, etc.), you are already saved (married), but this is far from the truth! Calling and Gifts are only the evidence of God's character. Because God loves us He speaks to us (prophecy), because He loves us he heals us, because He loves us and we don't know how to pray (talk to Him), He gives us the gift of tongues, etc. Our calling and gifts are not evidence that we are saved, our CHARACTER is! Matthew 7:22-23. I can give you a personal example: I grew up in the church. When I was about 19 years old, I went to my friend's house and there I saw a lady from the Presbyterian church I used to go. When she saw me, she hugged me and said: "Julio, I am praying for you my son". I thought that was very nice of her and even if I felt loved by her, I wasn't impressed because I knew there were other people praying for me at that time. Many years latter, after God's work in my life (deliverance, salvation, anointing, etc.), I was praying one morning and asking God why He didn't allow the devil to kill me (a demon told me he was going to kill me), and God showed me that scene, the old lady (her name was Canuta) hugging me, and then He said to me: "You didn't die because there were many righteous people praying for you!" For me it came true the verse that says: James 5:16. What am I trying to say with this example is that our faith has to be followed by our works. Because people believed that God could save me (even if many times I didn't), they prayed for me, and because they were righteous, God answered their prayer. I love king David's story, because I can relate to it in many ways. There's a proverb that David quoted that is very interesting, is found in 1 Samuel 24:13. When David said this proverb, he was saying that Saul's works were showing who he (Saul) was, because Saul was wicked he practiced wickedness. That's a principle, it works for everything else. If we are lovely, we will show love, if we are peaceful we will show peace, if we are evil, we will show evil deeds. OUR WORKS WILL EXPRESS OUR CHARACTER. We can fake for a while, but sooner or latter we will show our character. James also says that faith has to be followed by works: James 2:20. So, why am I saying that "righteousness is the proper garment for the wedding"? Because we can only practice RIGHTEOUSNESS (works) if we are RIGHTEOUS (faith). Do you remember what is said about Abraham? Genesis 15:6 (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). If you remember Abraham's story you know that his works (deeds) were the result of his faith. If you got an invitation to Jesus Christ's wedding, check you works (acts), if they are righteous then you will be the bride: Revelation 19:6-8. God is calling us (His people) to a life of holiness, Jesus is coming for a "spotless bride" (church), if we are not wearing the "proper garment" (righteousness), we will be "cast into outer darkness". Holiness is not an option for the believer, is a commandment: I Peter 1:15.

Love Isn't Love 'til You Give It Away.

If you are a fan of Reba McEntire you probably know that song. It carries a profound truth, that we can say we love but if we don't show it (give it away), it doesn't exist. Jesus Christ used another words to describe this truth, when He dealt with a lawyer who came to test Him in Luke 10:25-37. The lawyer asks: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replies with another question: “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” The lawyer got it right but like every lawyer (well, maybe there's an exception out there), he was evasive and tried to justify himself. As Jesus knew his heart, He went straight to the matter. Most people, when Jesus Christ told a parable didn't understand, but this lawyer did, when Jesus asks him who was the neighbor of the man who was wounded, the lawyer said: “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” In other words, Jesus showed him that OUR neighbor can be the one we don't associate with, maybe we even consider our enemy, as Jesus commands us in Matthew 5:44. He (Jesus) also made it clear that our involvement with the "church" does not justify ourselves, when He spoke about the Priest and the Levite who didn't care for the wounded man. Why did Jesus used the Samaritan as the "good man" in the Parable? Maybe to fulfill a prophecy that came from Moses: Romans 10:19. The Jews considered the Samaritans to be their enemies because Samaritans were half-Jews. The race (Samaritan) came about after the Assyrian captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel (its Capital was Samaria) in 721 B.C. Certain people from the nation of Israel stayed behind. These people intermarried with the Assyrians producing the Samaritans. They "worshiped" YAHWEH but not in Jerusalem (Mount Zion), instead they had their temple on Mount Gerazim: John 4:20. Maybe Jesus was trying to tell the lawyer that knowledge (faith) without works is dead. Maybe Jesus was showing the lawyer's hypocritical way of living. Whatever the case might be, one thing is for sure: It doesn't matter how big our knowledge about the kingdom of God is, if we don't practice what we know, it will only count for our condemnation. God's love is practical not theoretical! As faith without works is dead, so is love without works! 
James 2:15-16. There's a beautiful song by Steve Camp that I love, that talks about the love of Christ, a compassionate love. The song is called "Don't Tell Jesus Loves Them" and this is the chorus:
Don't tell them Jesus loves them till you're ready to love them too;
Till your heart breaks from the sorrow and the pain they're going through;
With a life full of compassion may we do what we must do;
Don't tell them Jesus loves them till you're ready to love them too.
That's Jesus' feeling or attitude for the people, just like it says in Matthew 9:36. What kind of Christianity are we living: A theoretical one? A hypocritical one? A denominational one? Or a Christ-like One? Let's put Christ back in our Christianity! Revelation 3:20.

Signs, Wisdom and Christ Crucified.

1 Corinthians 1:22-24 I'd like to start this post by asking you a few questions: Are you following Jesus? If you are, what Jesus are you following (read the post: Which Jesus: The Narrow Way or the Broadway?)? Who do you love the most? Is your faith growing or stagnated? If Jesus told you to forsake everything to follow Him, would you do that? Do you believe in the signs that Jesus spoke about it? We're living in a very strange time, more and more we're been "induced" to "seek after signs and wonders", to "live in the supernatural", to "experience the power of God". To be honest with you, before writing this post i was asking these questions: Is it wrong to seek after signs and wonders? What did Jesus teach about it? Let's see: Mark 16:14-18. The question is: To believe in Jesus or to believe in the signs? My take on this is: BOTH! If you believe in Jesus but don't believe in the signs, how do you expect that those signs will follow you? On the other hand, you may believe in the signs and yet you may not believe in Jesus. How come? 2 Thessalonians 2:9. Paul is saying here that people will believe in the anti-Christ because his power, signs and wonders, the problem is that they are all lying! Another problem is that he (anti-Christ) and the false christs will be very convincing when doing it, because what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:24. Do you thing that the signs Jesus Christ and Paul spoke were not real? Of course they were (are) real, but the source (power) is the devil, which means that they are lying (deceiving) in essence since the devil is the a liar and deceiver. According to Jesus Christ himself, if we are not careful, even we the elect, will be deceived. I believe this is the right way: We believe and follow Jesus Christ and the signs will follow us. If we don't believe in the signs He spoke about it, we don't believe in Him. But if we believe and follow the signs, Jesus Christ will never follow us, in fact, we will be following the devil and as a result, one day we will hear these words from Jesus Christ: Matthew 7:21-23. Miracles, signs and wonders have been done since the early age. Even among God's people there were false prophets performing false signs: Deuteronomy 13:1-3. So, if you see a miracle, sign or wonder and the miracle maker does not preach Jesus Christ crucified (unconditional obedience to the LORD), don't follow this person, he (she) is a deceiver, a false one, an anti-Christ, it doesn't matter how "holy" this person might look. My advice to you is: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and mind, take your cross and follow Jesus Christ wherever He sends you and allow the Holly Spirit to transform your heart and mind that you will prove the good, perfect and pleasing will of God and if anybody tries to teach out of the way (Jesus Crist crucified), reject such person. What are you seeking? Signs and wonders? Wisdom? Power? Supernatural experiences or Jesus Christ crucified?

The Perilous Times and the Loveless Generation.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 Two thousand years ago, both Jesus Christ and Paul painted the portrait of this current generation: A Lawless and Loveless Generation. The question is: How can this be a lawless generation if we never had so many laws and regulations as we have today? The answer is very simple: This generation is despising God's Law. Of course if we read the Gospels we'll find out that Jesus' generation was already crooked, even the religious Pharisees were adulterating God's Law because a thing that we are always creating, called tradition: Matthew 15:3-9. What makes it different today is that the whole world, at once, is rejecting and becoming hostile to God's Law, and as a result, we are heading to a perilous time as Paul described. Jesus Christ also said that this last generation will become as sinful and corrupted as Noah's generation (read post as it was in the days of Noah). Unfortunately, today even the religious system called "Christianity" (fortunately Christ came to give us life, not tradition), just as the Pharisees did in Jesus' time, is adulterating God's Law to take advantage and rule over its followers. Jesus "hit the nail on the head" when He said that they transgressed the commandment (law) of God because of their tradition. We see the same pattern today: "Christianity" is filled with traditions, rules and commandments of men and that is leading God's people AWAY from Him. Again, Jesus already spoke about this "system" and its rulers: Matthew 23:13-15. Every religious "system" that entangles with a yoke of bondage is NOT from God and its ruler is NOT Jesus Christ: John 8:36; Galatians 5:1. We are on the verge of "collapse", the "system" (both world and religious) is corrupted to the core and it's about to break and as a result we'll face dangers and disasters as never seen in human history, the world will be chaotic and then the last tyrant, the man of sin, the anti-Christ will be revealed. You may love watching "Left Behind", but if think just for a second (it's not a sin) you'll reach the conclusion that "you don't need a savior if there's no need for salvation", "you don't need a doctor if you are healthy", "you don't need food if you are not hungry", etc. The same way, "there's no need for the anti-Christ if the world is as ok as it is right now". CAOS IS COMING TO THE WHOLE WORLD! Just pay attention to what is going on around the world (it's not sin to watch the news), countries that were ok few years ago are now in turmoil. If you really think that this "false peace" that we have right now is going to last, you are deadly wrong. So, cheer up my friend, if the church is going to be under the worst persecution in human history and you are a true Christian, you won't be "left behind", you will be under the same persecution. If the church won't be under the worst persecution in human history and you are a true Christian, you won't be "left behind" either, you won't be affected. In either case, you will know if you are a child of God or not. 1 Peter 4:12-14. 

Hipster Christianity: Is There a True Religion?

It's amazing how we talk and act according to our perception, even if we are not aware of it. I'm saying that because there's a video on YouTube called "why i hate religion, but love Jesus" with over 24 million views (cool like Rob Bell). On this video, the guy (a poet) makes his case on why he hates religion and loves Jesus by talking about sin, the poor, single moms and the people who killed Jesus, but because he mixes the good with the bad just to prove his point, he failed to recognize that there is a difference between TRUE and FALSE RELIGION and by doing so, he proves that he can write nice poems but ignores the FACT that Jesus Christ practiced TRUE RELIGION, what Jesus despised was the HYPOCRISY of the religious people, so much so that He told His disciples to do what the religious taught them but NOT to do what the religious did, because they did not do what they taught: Matthew 23:3. The Bible is clear about TRUE RELIGION: James 1:27. Malachi 3:5. If your perception of religion is the same as the world's, then you're already being corrupted by the world (same perception), you're not being transformed by Jesus Christ but conformed to the world: Romans 12:2. Why most people here in America (christians included) care more for their pets than they care for orphans? PERCEPTION! Most people here don't think that orphans are more valuable than pets and most christians care more for their pets than orphans, widows and poor because their pets have something to OFFER them, e.g.: Loyalty, companionship, etc. Casting Crowns has a song called "While You Were Sleeping" that says: "United States of America, looks like another silent night, as we're sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children... America, will we go down in history as a nation with no room for its King, will we be sleeping?". Unfortunately, that's the reality not just in America but across the globe, pets and trees are more valuable than children and the church is SLEEPING! Soon, God will  "shake" the earth and the REAL church will WAKE UP! Haggai 2:6. I have the privilege to be part (sponsor) of an amazing ministry called "Oasis For Orphans", a TRUE RELIGIOUS institution that is changing the lives of abandoned and needy children in Africa, giving them a future, treating them with love and respect. I love TRUE RELIGION and i think we as christians, should the be ones who care for the "least of these" (orphans, widows and poor). I'm not against having and caring for pets, i just think that human beings are more valuable than pets and if you call yourself a christian and care for pets but forsake the "least of these", what's the difference between you and the hypocrites (they loved themselves) who killed Jesus Christ? Don't you say you love God and your neighbor? I think is cool and right to save pets and trees but i think RIGHTEOUSNESS is saving and caring for PEOPLE! If you think I'm been harsh, wait until you meet JESUS CHRIST! I hope, instead of thinking that you are right by caring for everything else but the "least of these", that you become a RIGHTEOUS person and make a difference in the lives of the orphans, widows and poor, because if you do that, one day you will receive your reward: Matthew 25:31-40. Are you a Hipster Christian or a Righteous Christian?

No Strings Attached: Unshackled From Generational Curses.

I'd like to start this post with a few questions: Are you a free person? Are you a sinless person? Are you a holy person? Do you believe that is possible to be holy? What does the word indeed mean? Before answering or trying to answer any of these questions, you have to know (if you claim to be a christian) what the Word of God (Bible) says. Let's start from the sinless question: If you claim to be a sinless person, according to the Bible you are a liar: 1 John 1:10. It reminds me about a false teaching i heard in a youth retreat: We were there, three different churches, and one of the pastors started teaching that, since we are born again we do not sin, if we sin we are not born again. He was emphatic and misused the Bible to prove his point. i was so chocked because nobody stood up to confront him that even if shyness was my "trademark", i stood up and asked him about King David after his adultery and murder and the pastor was dead quiet for a little while but just ignored my question and kept going. Then my sister (another sinner like me) stood up and confronted him also. Not a single pastor or leader said anything! I was so disappointed that i felt that i and my sister were the only sinners there. Nowadays they gave up on that teaching because they realized how "sinful" it was. I wish i knew this passage in John 1:10 because i would call him a liar (his first sin?). You have to understand what John the Apostle is talking about (context), otherwise you will be the second, Jesus Christ was the first (only) sinless human being ever. They probably got this false teaching from this passage: 1 John 3:6. If you think John is talking about sinlessness you are dead wrong! He is talking about the practice of sin (also called iniquity): 1 John 3:7-8. John is saying that the one who practices righteousness is righteous (child of God) and the one who practices sin is sinful (child of the devil). I hope you understood and you don't think you are a sinless person. There are many passages in the Bible talking about holiness, do some research and you will find out. But i want to tell you that if you think that it is impossible to be holy, you are dead wrong! I'll show you some passages just in case: Exodus 19:6. Leviticus 11:44. 1 Peter 1:15-16. If those verses are not enough to prove to you that we (christians) are called to be holy, then read this passage, change your mind or else: Hebrews 12:14. If you keep asking God why you are not "seeing" (experiencing, hearing from) Him, you just heard His answer: You lack holiness! Today i can talk a lot about freedom and i can be a witness before God that Jesus Christ was right when He spoke about making people free indeed: One of my "addictions" was pornography, it started very early, then when i was about 15 years old i used to go to the movies to see porn movies (the worst you can imagine). Don't ask me how i got into the theater, i just did. When Jesus Christ (i truly love Him) gave me a vision that He was going to set me free, He did it! After that i was free indeed! I never struggled with pornography (among other sins) anymore, it was amazing! When God told me that He was going to set me free, He kept His Word! I wrote about my deliverance on the post "http://faithorelse.blogspot.com/2009/12/personal-testimony-new-life.html". So, if you think that there's no way to be set free from the devil and curses that are upon your life, i got excellent news: It's not just possible, that's the will of God for you my friend! This is what Jesus Christ is speaking to you right now: Luke 4:18-19. Are you poor (financially or spiritually)? Are you brokenhearted (emotionally)? Are you captive (physically, emotionally or spiritually)? Are you blind (physically or spiritually)? Are you oppressed (physically, emotionally or spiritually)? Jesus Christ is the answer! If you are willing to die to yourself He will set you free (indeed). If you don't believe, you will never see the glory of God in your life! Unfortunately, most people are not aware or they don't believe that they are under a curse. Worse, they don't believe that they are slaves of sin! John 8:34. Are you practicing any sin right now? It does not matter if you claim to be a christian or not, was born and will die in the "church", if you are not in Christ (disciple) and producing fruit (Galatians 5) and die like that, you will be cast into the fire (hell), because Jesus Christ either spoke the truth (He is the truth) or He was a liar (the devil is the liar one), because He said: John 15:1-8. Please, read the post The Tree, the Branch and the Fruit: "http://faithorelse.blogspot.com/2010/03/tree-branch-and-fruit.html".

Did Lazarus become a Zombie? The Sadducees and the Resurrection.

The title may sound a little (lot) confuse to you, but if you are familiar with the sect of the Sadducees you understood my question. If not, let me show you some of their beliefs (or disbeliefs): They didn't believe in Angels; they didn't believe in the afterlife or resurrection; they believed in free will; they interpreted the Torah literally. Jesus dealt with the Sadducees in Matthew 22:23-33. So, what does Lazarus have to do with the zombies? Nothing whatsoever! I asked that question in light of the teaching of the Sadducees, because if there is no resurrection of the dead as they taught, then Lazarus didn't raised from the dead, he became a zombie. If you are not familiar with the story of Lazarus (Jesus' friend), you can read it in John 11. Jesus made it clear that they (Sadducees) were mistaken because they didn't know the Scriptures nor the power of God, they misinterpreted the Scriptures and created a doctrine to validate their disbelief. When God created man, He put eternity in man's heart, therefore there's only two choices: Eternal life and eternal death. The "natural" death will only confirm his choice: Hebrews 9:27. Romans 8:11. Today, there are a lot of people explaining what's gonna happen in heaven, like the Sadducees, they are creating doctrines to validate their "dreams" and "desires", because most of the time there's a book or something they are trying to sell. Please, be faithful to the Scriptures, don't try to make it more "attractive" or "exciting" by adding your own version to what is written. Be like Jesus, when quoting or teaching the Bible just say: "It is written". By the way, the Sadducees disappeared around 70 A.D., after the destruction of the Second Temple. Read this passage and answer this question to yourself: Am I a righteous person? Matthew 25:31-46.

God's Gifts: From Blessing to Idolatry.

Numbers 21:4-9. Blaise Pascal once said: "There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus". He got it right because God created us to worship Him in order to fill that "vacuum", this is our calling, and because of that we will either worship the Lord God, our creator, or someone or something else. There is no human being alive right now that is not fulfilling his (her) calling, that is worshiping. Conscious or unconsciously we are all worshiping, even the angels and demons are worshiping. Lucifer was created to worship God, but he wanted to be worshiped instead and deceived one third of the angels to worship him instead of God and they fell. God created mankind to worship Him, but satan (ex-lucifer) deceived humanity and told Eve who told Adam that they could be "like" (divinity instead of character) God (when the Bible says that God created man in His likeness it doesn't mean that He created other gods), knowing good and evil, and they fell. Satan even tried to deceive Jesus Christ into worshiping him: Matthew 4:8-10. Idolatry is worshiping the wrong person! When someone worships an image (idol), he (she) is worshiping a demon: 1 Corinthians 10:20. Sacrifice was part of the worship. Idolatry is as old as humanity, from the beginning man is trying to find something other then his Creator to worship: Romans 1:22-25. When God told Moses to make a fiery serpent, it was a foreshadow of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. If anyone looked at Moses' bronze serpent would be physically healed, if anyone believes and confess Jesus Christ as his (her) Lord and Savior is spiritually healed (have eternal life): Romans 10:9. Jesus Himself spoke about it: John 3:14-15. The church today is contaminated by idolatry, there are many "visible and invisible" idols being worshiped in our churches today: Leaders, traditions, denominations, spiritual gifts, buildings, ministries, to name a few. The reason we are not seeing the Glory of God in our churches as they saw in the Early Church is because the Glory that is due to Him is being diverted to someone or something else. This is very serious but we don't pay much attention, because we are satisfied with what we have (whatever it is). The reason that the "prosperity theology" is so popular here in America is because its followers are worshiping the "blessing" instead of the "Blesser", as Jesus said: Matthew 6:21. Their treasure is "money" (mammon in Matthew 6:24) so their hearts are devoted to mammon (false god). Paul makes it clear that we can become idolaters: 1 Corinthians 10:14. The only way that we would keep ourselves from idolatry is by doing what Jesus told us to do: Matthew 22:37-40. Who or what do you love the most? Who or what are you worshiping right now? Where is your treasure?

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

Genesis 4:9. You are probably familiar with the story of Cain and Abel, that Cain murdered his brother and was cursed because he did it. What is interesting in that story is that everything was fine until the Lord rejected Cain's offering. Until his offering was rejected, there is no indication that Cain was an evil person, on the contrary, the very reason Cain was bringing his offering was a good indication that he was trying to please God. See what the Lord tells Him: Genesis 4:7. What does to do well mean? The answer is found in Hebrews 11:4. Abel did his offering by faith, that's why the Lord accepted it: Hebrews 11:6. I've been talking a lot about faith in this blog and this story (Cain and Abel) shows that God required faith since the beginning, actually, the very reason Adam sinned was because he didn't believe in God's words: Genesis 2:16-17. Why am i saying that Adam didn't believe? Because of what James wrote: James 2:20. John the Apostle answered the question "am I my brother's keeper?": 1 John 3:10-12. If we are children of God then we will be our brother's keepers, if we are not our brother's keepers, we are children of the devil! Is John saying that i must love christians (brothers in Christ) only? Of course not! See what Jesus Christ taught: Luke 10:25-37. So, according to the Bible we must be "our brother's keepers".

As It Was In The Days of Lot...

Luke 17:28-30. Much has been said and preached about Lot, as they say: "I heard a lot about Lot (funny or not)"! Most preachers condemn him for his mistakes and say that if he had allowed his uncle (Abraham) to choose first, things wouldn't go that bad for him. Along the years I learned with God that I have no right to condemn anyone, much less the ones who cannot defend themselves (dead people). It's easy for us to read Lot's story and condemn him for his mistakes, but in reality we all made bad choices and very few of us God considers to be righteous persons, as He considered Lot: Genesis 18:22-23. 2 Peter 2:7. I don't want to justify Lot's sins and mistakes, but as Peter writes, Lot lived a righteous life among the most wicked people of his time and a person like that deserves to be honored, so i'll try to show the "other side of the coin". We, who grew up in the church (organization) or are there for a long time, tend to become critics and judges, like the older son in the parable of the prodigal son, letting our light shine inside the church but forgetting to be a light in the darkness (world). In that regard, Lot did what Paul the Apostle told us to do: Philippians 2:15. If we think for a second, we will realize that the darker (crooked and perverse) the generation, the brighter our light will shine. Have you ever seen a firefly glowing in a shiny day? Of course not! Why can't we learn from nature? Remember how many times Jesus Christ used nature to teach us His amazing lessons? "Birds of the air", "lilies of the field", "sheep", "wolf", etc. Don't get me wrong, the church (gathering) is a good and necessary thing, Hebrews 10:25, but it is like a "gas station" (spiritually speaking), where we go to refill and then go out again. Unfortunately many people "run out of gas" because they forsake the assembling, thinking that they are some kinda "spiritual lone rangers" (there is no such thing). Lot was a witness of righteousness to the unrighteous, his light shone in a very dark environment. So, why God couldn't find ten righteous people in Sodom? Genesis 18:32. Well, the Apostle John gave us the answer: John 3:19. As it was with Jesus Christ so it was with Lot, people loved darkness rather than light, wickedness rather than righteousness, sin rather than holiness. So, if you really believe that Jesus Christ spoke the truth, better, that He is the Truth, than you have to consider His words about the time we're living (last days), this generation is becoming more and more like Sodom. Of course, if you are a pre-trib person, fear not, but if you can read (you are right now), than you should check this site: http://www.persecution.com/. It's VOM's (Voice of the Martyrs) web site, there you will see what's going on around the world, how many people are being killed, imprisoned and beaten just because they confess the Name of Jesus Christ. Of course, if you consider yourself better than anyone of those brothers and sisters, you should be fine, if not, pray because things will get really bad, besides, Lot was taken just before the destruction of Sodom (read the post From the Hamptons to the Heavens: Bewitched by Left Behind). Are you prepared to die for Jesus? Better, are you living for Him? Are you willing to abandon everything to follow Him? Can you say that you are a righteous person (like Lot)? Is your Light shinning in the darkness? Do your words match your behavior and your behavior your words? If this was your last day alive, what would be your legacy? If your're thinking that i am exaggerating because your neighborhood preacher said that according to his interpretation Jesus is pre-trib, read this: 2 Peter 1:20-21. Will the "rapture" occur before, during or after the great tribulation? That's the million dollars question. Fortunately God has the answer and one day (before, during or after) the great tribulation we will know the answer. Revelation 2:10.

Life Is A Breath! Job 7:7

James 4:13-16. Two weeks ago, my cousin's 16 years old daughter died after having more than 70% of her body and internal organs burned. For the family, it was a tragedy that will take a long time to recover from (if ever). She was a beautiful girl, loved by everyone who knew her and will be remembered forever. Until the accident, nobody would ever suspect that her life would be as short and it would end like that. I confess that I was shocked when I received the horrible news (I’m still perplex). I read this text in James many times, but it never had a profound impact in my life until this tragedy. James is completely right, life is a vapor, one day we’re here, the next we’re gone! Why do we make so many plans (most of them futile) and never even bother asking God if our plans are pleasing to Him? Proverbs 16:1. Worse than make futile plans is to think that we have the power to accomplish them, according to James is an evil arrogance. Jesus Christ made it clear that such thought is “foolishness”: Luke 12:13-20. It is sad to see how many wealthy people are “laying up for themselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19) and are closing their hearts and eyes to see how many people, especially children, are starving to death. I’m not advocating the end of poverty, equality for all human beings (financially speaking), etc, Jesus Himself said that we would always have the poor among us, Mark 14:7, but I’m advocating compassion, mercy and love for the least among us, the ones who God told that we should care for: Deuteronomy 24:17. Jeremiah 22:3. Zechariah 7:10. Think about this: How good is to have plenty here on earth and nothing in heaven (if we make it)? How many times have you given up on something to help someone else? Where is your treasure, on earth or heaven? Would you be willing to forsake everything to do what Jesus Christ tells you to do? Are you showing compassion for the “least of these”? Matthew 25:34-40. If you die today, what would be your legacy?

You Are The Man!

You probably heard the phrase "you are the man" many times before (this is a common saying among guys here in America), it means that your male friend or colleague pulls through with some unexpected success or surprises you (in a good way), but you probably never heard it like this: 2 Samuel 12:1-12. The question that comes to my mind when reading this passage is: How could a "man after God's own heart", after accomplishing so many great things (defeating Goliath for example) and having so much intimacy with God, allow his flesh to control his life? I think the best answer is found in the context: 2 Samuel 11:1-3. David's first mistake was staying home when he should be in the battlefield; the second was not fleeing from the sin called "lust of the eyes"; the third was breaking God's commandments: You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, you shall not commit adultery and you shall not steal. The saying "idle hands are the devil's tools" became true to David. Because he chose idleness, he ended up stealing another man's wife and later killing the man. If we could be honest for a second, we would realize that at least once we did the same: How many times have we coveted? How many times have we committed adultery? How many times have we stole (from God or other people)? I won't even mention the other commandments! Are we better than David? Are we people after God's own heart? I can only speak for myself and i tell you that i am not worthy to be compared to David. Unfortunately, even after being born again, we still have the sinful nature living in us, the more we feed the flesh, the more our sinful nature will control us, the more we submit ourselves to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, the more we will abstain from sin. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:6. This verse became true for David. When he (David) became carnally minded, the result was death! Uriah's and his son with Bathsheba. Besides, if you read the Psalms that David wrote when this was going on, you will see that he also lost his peace, he was tormented by his own sins. Fortunately for us, sinners, there is hope: Romans 12:2. We must follow Paul's advice and have our minds renewed by the Holy Spirit until we have Christ's mind: 1 Corinthians 2:16.

As It Was In The Days Of Noah...

Luke 17:26-27. If you read carefully Noah's story, you will see that the world was destroyed because it became extremely corrupt and lawless, the only righteous man alive was Noah and he became the preacher of righteousness: 2 Peter 2:5. What was he preaching anyways? The Bible does not tells us everything he preached, but this was the central point of his preaching: Repent, flooding is coming and the world will be destroyed! What is very interesting is that Jesus is comparing Noah's time with our time (last days). It's very easy to say that this world is extremely corrupt, but it's not so easy to say that we are becoming a lawless world, because at least here in America, we never had so many laws as we have right now, but if we pay attention, God's moral law (righteousness) is being taken away from our set of laws and before God's eyes we are, slowly but surely, becoming a lawless country. Jesus' message is more current and relevant than never, His predictions about the latter day world are unfolding before our eyes. My point is: We can only preach righteousness if we are a righteous person! Morality without the righteousness of God is a well behaved lawlessness. Isaiah 64:6. Many lukewarm believers are anxiously waiting for the rapture but are not building their ark (holiness), it means that there will be a rupture in their rapture plan and that will lead to the great apostasy. This week i heard one of those "spotless" preachers, those who appear impeccable on tv, saying "but WE who are poor..." (he meant financially poor), i confess that i felt so disgusted with that preaching (even if there was a lot of truth on it), that i can see why people are not losing their lives to follow Jesus Christ, why they are not building their arks (holiness), the best most christians are doing is trying to adapt God's life to their own, doing what Jesus spoke in Matthew 13:7,22. Mark 10:29-31. Have you ever wonder why Jesus' disciples left everything to follow Him? Because when they looked at Jesus, they saw an example, someone who left everything to follow His Father' plan: Philippians 2:5-8. As God called Noah to build an ark to save him and his family, so God is calling us to build His temple (our lives) to save us and our families, we are God's fellow workers: 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 3:9; Acts 16:31. Preaching righteousness is only the consequence of a life of righteousness, words are cheap but if we live what we believe, our testimony will be powerful: Revelation 12:11. Are you building your ark? Are seeking holiness? Are you forsaking everything to follow Jesus Christ? Leviticus 11:45.