"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)
I am going to ask that you do not confuse this series to be political. Even as I like to discuss politics, and do so at times on this blog, this is not a political article; this is a word from the Lord.
I am currently a Martial Arts Instructor and a Schoolteacher in a private Christian school where I teach Spanish, Bible and Physical Education. I used to be a Social Worker who retired from that field because of the frustration I felt of not being able to effectively help people due to their constant worship and adoration of the welfare system in America. Many times I would tell my clients: “The system is limited, but you are not!” However, the great majority would rather go after the government’s checks than to go after the dignity of working and making a living. The Bible gives us a clear message in 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 concerning the Biblical mandate that we all have to make our own living:
“11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.” NASB
Not having a job when we are able to have one is a sign of an undisciplined life; it is also considered a terrible testimony. The word “busybody” in the Greek means: “Everywhere doing everything but doing nothing.” Also, this word is associated with the word “gossip”. This whole week I have being meditating on the reality of laziness in our country. I see it firsthand through many of the children I teach.
These days I have had a few parents approach me, concerned about their children’s laziness. One particular mom came to me in tears for her son. It hit me very hard because, as a father, I deal with some of that laziness at home with my own children.
An independent thinker with a profound call to see the orthodoxy of the church and passion for Christ manifesting together. Angel was born in Brooklyn, New York in April of 1968, he was raised on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico where he earned his B.S. degree in Sociology with a minor in Education from the Inter American University in San Germán in 1991. That same year he moved to Jacksonville, Florida. After working construction jobs for a year and learning the English language, his first job working with foster-care children in the capacity of youth care worker was with Jacksonville Youth Sanctuary in September of 1992. With JYS he was promoted several times as group home supervisor, legal caseworker, and program director.
While in Jacksonville, Angel studied a couple of martial arts styles. After earning his black belt, he became the founder of Good Fight Ministries as he used martial arts as an instrument to preach the gospel. In 2004 Angel was selected Martial Arts Instructor of the Year for the State of Florida and in 2005 Angel was inducted in the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame where he also received the Christian Spirit Award. In July of 2005 Angel accepted his call to pastor a bilingual church in Winton, NC where he served for a couple of years. Five months later he lost his first wife to cancer in December of that same year. This initiated a deep valley of suffering in his life, a mountain of costly mistakes and the embracing of lifestyles of sin that are well documented through this blog.
In August of 2012 Angel moved to Fairbanks Alaska with his wife Rayette Casiano and six children who are now adults. In Alaska, Angel continued his social work-related career and his ministry of preaching, teaching and writing. Angel is the author of two books, Hope for the divorcee: Forgiving and Moving Forward and 7 Banderas de Esperanza: La Bendición de Yokdzonot. In January 8th of 2020 Angel and his wife moved to Arizona.
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