"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
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Published: June 20, 2011
LOÍZA, P.R. — As people strolled past the Alambique liquor store here recently, the puddle of blood and the bullet-shattered storefront behind it scarcely merited a glance. Yet another young man had been shot. Yet another tally would be added to the record books. To continue please click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/us/21crime.html
Dios mío, el Dios Todo Poderoso, te pido por la nación de Puerto Rico. Te pido que tengas misericordia de nuestra Isla. Que toques el corazón de nuestros líderes políticos, pero más que todo, que toques los corazones de nuestros líderes espirituales. Te pedimos que rompas las divisiones en el Cuerpo de Cristo. Rompe con las cadenas de la violencia, el odio, la falta de perdón y rompe con las ataduras del miedo de los que cierran sus ojos a los crímenes por miedo a los criminales. Padre, confunde y aniquila el espíritu de las gangas, del tráfico de drogas y de la violencia domestica. Muévete con Poder oh mi Dios y devuélvele a Puerto Rico su valentía y su honra. Padre, manifiesta el resultado de esta oración a través de una disminución estadística nacional del crimen. Padre, muéstranos que nos escuchas en este clamor, te pedimos resultados en este año. Bendice a los Boricuas, ayúdanos y perdona nuestros pecados, pues están delante de ti. Acaba con la corrupción del gobierno y con los que usan sus talentos para promover violencia. La sangre de nuestros hermanos, en parte, está en sus manos. Aviva este pueblo y levanta esta isla de acuerdo a Romanos 5:20 “…allí donde abundó el pecado, sobreabundó la gracia.” En el Nombre de Jesús… ¡Amén!
El periódico “The New York Times” reportó esta semana que en Puerto Rico se han cometido 525 asesinatos en lo que va de año. Parece ser, que si seguimos así, este año del 2011 se pudiera convertir en el año más violento en la historia de nuestra isla.
Para que tengamos una idea de lo grave que son estas estadísticas, en la ciudad de Nueva York, la cual tiene casi el doble de la población en comparación con Puerto Rico, se han registrado alrededor de 200 asesinatos en lo que va de año. Hermanos, sin duda que estamos en una gran crisis en nuestra querida Isla del Encanto, la cual parece que se ha convertido en La Isla del Espanto.
Aunque ya llevo veinte años por acá en los Estados Unidos y aunque quiera desconectarme emocionalmente de mi patria, lo cierto es que no he podido. Soy Puertorriqueño, me siento orgulloso de ser Puertorriqueño y agradecido de que me crié en dicho país. En Puerto Rico tengo mis amigos de la infancia, en Puerto Rico estudie desde la escuela elemental hasta La Universidad Interamericana de San Germán y en fin; sería imposible el tratar de arrancar mi amor por dicha isla. Estas estadísticas me duelen y me causan mucha tristeza. En vista a dicha horrenda ola de criminalidad en Puerto Rico fui provocado en mi espíritu a escribir estas palabras. Entonces comencé a pensar en nuestro nombre indígena y en su significado. En el proceso de este pequeño estudio encontré un interesante significado.
Puerto Rico es sin duda un lugar proféticamente especial. Esta pequeña isla fue utilizada por Dios para evangelizar prácticamente a toda Latinoamérica. Somos, sin duda un pueblo apasionado; mas el enfoque de nuestra pasión se está desviando.
Hace unos días me interesé en escudriñar el significado del nombre indígena de nuestra querida isla de Puerto Rico. El nombre original dado por los Indios Tainos para nuestra isla fue Borikén. Es de esta palabra que sacamos la palabra Boricua. La palabra Borikén significa: “La gran tierra del dios valiente y noble.” Aunque sabemos que nuestros indígenas no le servían al Dios verdadero, sino que creían en diversos dioses; me llamó la atención el significado de nuestro nombre indígena. Creo absolutamente, que no es una coincidencia que ese fuera el nombre original que Dios permitiera para nuestra querida tierra.
Nuestra esperanza está en Cristo. Somos un pueblo bendecido por Dios y tenemos que regresar a nuestro propósito santo. Somos un pueblo valiente; ¿Sabes tú de la reputación de nuestros soldados? ¿Sabes tú que una isla tan pequeña como Puerto Rico es tercera en Campeones Mundiales en la historia del boxeo? Definitivamente que la valentía del Puertorriqueño es incuestionable.
Mas también somos un pueblo noble. La palabra Noble es una palabra que no puede ser ignorada y es muy significativa en el proceso de entender quienes somos proféticamente como Puertorriqueños. La Palabra Noble de acuerdo a http://www.wordreference.com/definicion/noble significa: “De ilustre linaje. Honrado, generoso, sincero, leal. Fiel, no traicionero. Destacado o sobresaliente por su valor o por su calidad. Que no reacciona con otras y permanece inalterable, como el oro y el platino.”
¿Entonces quienes somos como puertorriqueños? Sabemos que étnicamente somos producto del Español, el Indio Taino y el Africano; mas quienes somos en Cristo va más allá de nuestra etnicidad. Hermanos, somos un pueblo valiente, somos un pueblo de ilustre linaje, somos un pueblo generoso y sincero, somos un pueblo fiel y no traicionero, somos un pueblo sobresaliente aún cuando nuestra tierra es tan pequeña, somos un pueblo de valor y mucha calidad.
La última parte de la definición que he escogido para la palabra Noble me da el puntillazo final para este artículo:
“Que no reacciona con otras y permanece inalterable, como el oro y el platino.”
Aún con la influencia Americana, Puerto Rico ha mantenido su cultura (Su lenguaje y tradiciones) Recordemos que aproximadamente dos años después de que los Estados Unidos tomara posesión de Puerto Rico de manos de los Españoles lo primero que hicieron fue establecer El Departamento de Educación Pública. Suena bien; mas en esta verdad hubo un intento de asesinato a nuestra cultura, ya que la educación a los puertorriqueños se les proveyó en inglés y no en español. Si matamos el lenguaje matamos la cultura; mas el puertorriqueño sobrevivió como pueblo “como el oro y el platino.”
Hermanos, cada ves que te digan Boricua dale gloria a Dios; cada ves que te digan Boricua se declara en los aires tu valentía y tu nobleza.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) NIV
It is very easy to get tired of doing good especially when the good we are doing is not appreciated. However, in this verse we see a powerful Biblical reality: If we pursue doing good for the sake of love, regardless of what happens, we will indeed reap a harvest. It will not be a waste of time. The challenge for us as Christians is not to give up. It seems like everywhere we look there are voices yelling at us to give up: Impossible circumstances, sickness, personal failures, and many other voices come against our faith. Many of us give up just before the breakthrough. The message of this verse and the encouragement for you today is it is really up to us; if we do not give up, the harvest is coming and God will indeed get the glory.
Nos pasamos la vida tratando tantas cosas. Enfatizamos en la educación como la razón primaria para la vida. Si no fumo, si no he matado a nadie y si tengo un trabajo, el paraíso tengo ya gano, es el pensar de muchos. Para otros una novia o un novio, el comprase una casa, tener un carro, el casarse y el tener hijos, es el trofeo verdadero de la vida. Mas, ¿A dónde dejamos a Dios? La vida es difícil y esta llena de momentos agrios aún para el Cristiano. La Biblia nos dice en Primera de Pedro 4:18
“Y: Si el justo con dificultad se salva, ¿En dónde aparecerá el impío y el pecador?”
El Salmo 34:19 nos confirma lo que estoy diciendo aún más diciendo:
“Muchas son las aflicciones del justo, Pero de todas ellas le librará Jehová.”
Mas el énfasis de estas porciones Bíblicas debe ser en la realidad de que aún con dificultad, al final, seremos salvos de la corrupción del mundo. ¡La vida verdaderamente no es fácil! Mas con Dios tenemos la certeza de una victoria segura, aún en medio de mucha dificultad.
No hay nada pecaminoso en el querer expandir nuestra educación, el querer casarse, tener hijos, casa, carros, etc. Mas el engaño satánico viene cuando queremos hacer todas estas cosas maravillosas sin Dios. Increíblemente, Dios nos da la oportunidad de tener estas cosas sin incluirlo a El, aún cuando es El quien verdaderamente las provee. Mas exploremos otro verso de la Biblia; Marcos 8:36 nos dice:
“Porque ¿qué aprovechará al hombre si ganare todo el mundo, y perdiere su alma?”
En este verso vemos que nos podemos ganar el mundo entero y en el proceso, aún con todo lo adquirido, perder nuestras almas. Recuerdo el testimonio del Futbolista Deon Sanders. Este hombre lo tenía todo, las mejores casas, carros lujosos, mujeres, dinero que le sobraba y mucho más. Mas en una noche obscura se preparaba para quitarse la vida debido al vacío tan grande que tenia en su corazón. Fue entonces que Dios se le reveló de una forma especial y finalmente Sanders le rindió su vida a Cristo.
Entonces hoy te animo a que busques a Dios mientras El pueda ser encontrado. Mientras hay vida, hay verdaderamente esperanza. Solo El te ayudará y te dará las fuerzas necesarias en los Momentos difíciles; solo El satisfará tu alma; solo en El encontrarás el gozo que tanto anhelas y solo en El encontrarás la llenura que repletará el vacío de tu alma.
Where is that love which is able to see beyond our obvious humanity and faults? Where is that love that stands strong, even after the wrong thing is said or done? Where is that love when we are the ones that stand guilty before God and men? Sooner or later, we will find ourselves in the middle of the shameful trap of the flesh; it is then that we look for love; and it is then that, many times, love is not found.
I know from my own experience, especially as carrying the title of “The Man of God,” that it has been very difficult to confess my sins and to show myself vulnerable, especially in front of my children. We learn to act a certain way and work hard to keep a certain image; but God, in His love for us, has a way of exposing our mess so that we can humble ourselves before Him so that He can do surgery in our hearts. I have discovered that the more transparent and sincere I am with my children, the more doors are opened for them to speak about their own weaknesses. It may sound like a contradiction, but I have found the strength of God in my weaknesses; He is truly strong when I am weak. Proverbs 10:12 tells us:
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.”
Hatred is indeed, contrary to love. Strife is the end-result of hate. I am not saying that in a good relationship there will never be any conflict; however the continual stir-ups of strife are a clear evidence of the absence of love. We are not talking about a cover-up; a cover-up means that we hide the sin and refuse to deal with it. The priority of a cover-up’s agenda is to keep things a secret and in the dark; it is not about restoration or healing, it is about pursuing “getting away with it.”
The word “cover” in this verse means: “refuge, hiding place, shelter.”When we create an environment where we can freely confess our sins and bring them to life, we are in a place that is full of life and a place where people are becoming like Christ in an accelerated fashion. Beloved, our problem is sin! From daddy, to mom, to our children, to our relationships, to our families, communities, cities and as a nation; our problem is sin.
So the question is: How did God deal with sin? He gave His only begotten Son. That is our Holy example. It is Jesus being falsely accused and refusing to defend Himself; it is Christ, just moments before giving His life for us, stating: “Father forgive them because they know not what they are doing.” We show our love by giving, by sacrificing, by dying to self, by putting others first. That is the love that covers; the love that offers you shelter when everybody else leaves you to die. It is in that kind of love that we find life and restoration. It is that kind of love that will produce the power to cause others to drop their stones as they come, eager to stone you to death. That is the kind of love that moves us away from sin and brings us closer to Christ and that is the kind of love that will never fail; that is the love that goes beyond our sin.
Well, there are a lot more than 5 reasons, but its debatable how much you really want to know about me, so I’ll hold off at 5.
As a Christian wife, I do like sex. To some of you reading this, such a proclamation makes me either an annoying freak or a bewildering mystery.
Can you hear the theologians murmuring… “Hmmm… We were busy studying discipleship when we stumbled across something that rarely is found in its natural habitat. A Christian wife. Who likes sex. Fascinating.”
So, just in case you were wondering, here are 5 reasons I like sex…
1. It tells Satan to get his hands off my marriage.
When I hear about couples who are having little or no sex, I get a wee bit jittery. I mean, not in an obvious way, but I think to myself, “That’s a sure fire way to pin a target on your marriage.”
The Enemy is indeed “prowling around looking for someone to devour.” From where Satan is standing, a marriage where one or both spouses is indifferent about sex makes for a scrumptious snack. I’m telling you, he looks for weak targets.
I’m not saying nurtured sexual intimacy is the only ingredient to a strong marriage. I won’t even go so far as to say it is the cornerstone (Jesus gets that real estate).
I know full well, though, that there is something powerfully binding that happens when my husband and I make love. And frankly, it angers Satan — because deep down he knows that a marriage where sex is treasured and protected is a force to be reckoned with. He has a more difficult task on his hands when he goes up against a couple that savors being one with each other.
“Get your hands off my marriage Satan. This is a closed-door meeting, and you were not invited.”
2. It shows my kids that sex matters.
Now don’t go calling child protective services. We aren’t having sex in front of our kids. But make no mistake… they know that sex matters in our marriage.
We are discreet with our sexual intimacy, but not so much with our appropriate affection in front of our kids. Our marriage has territory to it that defines us separate from who we are as parents — and our kids need to know this.
Sadly, so many Christian women have spoken only negatively about sex with the children in their lives, particularly their daughters and nieces.
And you know what happened next? Those daughters and nieces grew up to be wives — who believed and lived those false tapes as if they were truth. And then they perpetuated the cycle with their own daughters and nieces.
So what are we left with? A bunch of husbands who want to have sex and a bunch of wives who think it is disgusting and dirty — and to be avoided at all costs.
If this is your story, I implore you to break this generational epidemic and start reclaiming sexual ground. You owe it not only to your marriage, but also to your children as well — that they grow up with an accurate godly perspective on sexual intimacy.
3. It is physical re-affirmation of my wedding vows.
Honestly, my husband and I fight at times. We occasionally have found each other’s “one remaining nerve” and proceeded to traipse right across it. Marriage is hard — not “scooping manure all day” hard, but probably a close second at times. But I love this man. And he loves me.
Several years ago, we stood before God and the people who know us best and we chose a life together. When we make love, we are saying to each other once again, “I still choose you. No matter what, I still choose you.” There is something profound about that.
Is it the only way to say I still choose you? Well, heavens no. But it is significant enough that God saw the need to specifically tell married couples to do it often. Maybe He is on to something, seeing how He is God and all.
Yeah, you could re-affirm your vows with some big shindig, complete with another cake and your crazy uncle doing the Macarena.
…or you could just have lots of mind-blowing sex. You choose.
4. It’s free.
Okay, I admit it. I’m not quite the coupon queen one would imagine. Nor do I scour the ads for those “buy one, get one free” sales. Even so, I appreciate something that is incredibly entertaining and at the same time completely free. Sex is some of the best entertainment around. Game on.
5. It’s a great stress reliever.
Call me crazy, but I don’t think there is anything better to relieve stress than an orgasm with the man I love. Sure, I like a hot bath every now and then. Or even a massage if I’ve got the cash and time. And certainly more than a few overpriced lattes have gotten me through some particularly challenging moments.
But sex? Now there’s something clever the Creator came up with. I can’t quite put my finger on the why, but sex definitely improves my outlook if I’m feeling overwhelmed with life. Suffice to say, I need a lot of sex to get me through.
So there you have it… 5 Reasons I Like Sex. I’ve come clean. My story is out (and I didn’t even have to go to a confession booth or anything like that, thank God.)
How about you?! Tell me some reasons you like sex with your beloved. I don’t want to be privy to all the details, mind you.
But PLEASSEE…. won’t some other Christian wives champion this cause with me?! I know you’re out there. You just need to confess.
Julie Sibert speaks and writes on sexual intimacy in marriage. You can follow her blog at www.IntimacyInMarriage.com. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, their two sons and one rambunctious German Shorthair Pointer dog who refuses to stay in the fence. Copyright 2011, Julie Sibert, Intimacy in Marriage.
Copyright 2011, Julie Sibert, Intimacy in Marriage Blog.
No matter what you did yesterday, no matter what you did just a moment ago, no matter how bad it may be…
“Understand this; says the Lord: I know you feel bad; as a matter of fact, I know you feel terrible, for my Spirit dwells in you to give you conviction of sin.” Make no mistake about it, your sin carries consequences; terrible consequences, indeed. Sin will steal your laughter, your joy and even your health. But, the Body of Christ must understand this, says the Lord: “Don’t run away from Me, for only in Me can you find the power to overcome sin. Don’t do what the enemy wants you to do; for he fills you with condemnation and shame so that you walk away from Me. The enemy calls you hypocrite, but let me give you something that I want you to treasure,
-Hypocrisy, is not to sin and still press on to God, for that is the smart thing to do. Hypocrisy is to pretend that you are what you are not- Should the sick run away from the hospital or ignore the counsel of doctors? Bring me your mess, bring me your struggles, bring me your sin and don’t walk away from Me. For I love you, I will discipline you, I will change you and I will restore you to the fullness. Walking away from me will only make matters worse…I will strengthen you and fill you with wisdom. My rainbow continues to stand as a sign of my covenant with you…I will never give up on my children!”
Beloved, the older I get in the Lord, the more insight I receive about mankind’s Six Thousand Year Struggle. We are filled with idols in our hearts that we must remove and we must trust the Lord enough to believe that He can bring down the giants in our lives. What we worship (idols) get a hold of our spirits. Our giants intimidate the soul to continue to walk after the desires of the flesh. Both are indeed, designed to kill us. So the Lord is saying:
“Trust Me in all things; without me you can’t do anything; but in Me, and only in Me, you can do all things. Are you surprised at the doings of your filthy flesh? I am not, says the Lord, for I am God and nothing surprises Me. But you must come after me; do not harden your hearts. The enemy is bombarding your mind with condemnation and hopeless thoughts. But I say, come to Me and repent for I am faithful to forgive you. But if you don’t repent, you will surely reap what you are sowing, for I can’t and will not be mocked. I want you to reap in the Spirit because there you will find the life that you are searching for; a life that will go beyond your wildest expectations. My ways are different, but My ways are also better, says the Lord. Come to Me, even now, come to Me; let Me work on your heart, let Me change you, let Me strengthen you, let Me give you wisdom, let Me fill you with my peace, let Me give you joy and let Me restore you.”
¡Cómo no declarar las grandezas de Dios! El es la respuesta a las angustias de tu Corazón, El es la esperanza de las naciones. La sabiduría del hombre se levanta arrogantemente a presentar propuestas, pólizas y leyes inefectivas e inútiles. Se levanta el político a ofrecer grandes promesas durante su campaña, mas después de lograr adquirir tu voto o se olvida de sus promesas o se da cuenta de que no puede establecerlas. El pueblo se harta de la política y manifiestan su frustración en violencia. Es Dios quien nos puede ayudar, es Dios quien nos puede dar más allá de lo que esperamos. ¿Por qué cierran los pueblos sus oídos al Rey de Reyes? ¿Por qué se burlan de Él?
De todas formas, nos declara la Palabra, que toda rodilla se doblará y toda lengua confesará que Jesús es el Señor. (Filipenses 2:5) Tarde o temprano la arrogancia del hombre se humillará delante de Dios. Hazlo ahora querido hermano, querida hermana…no esperes a dejar de fumar, a dejar de hacer esto o lo otro, Dios te ama y te acepta tal y como eres, mas te manifiesta su amor aun más en la realidad de que El no te dejará igual. Te llevara de gloria en gloria…
