English Blog – Alpha & Omega

The Key to a Godly Relationship

“19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

When you look at your self in the mirror each day, what do you see? Are you just looking at an image of who you think you are? Are you looking for something specific or that is maybe out of place? Have you ever considered that this image of your body that you are looking in the mirror is much more that what you are observing?

The apostle Paul, upon writing to the church of Corinth, posed a much deeper question. He said, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” Can you imagine how eye-opening this question would have been? Just to even consider that the Holy Spirit would take residence in sinful me is overwhelming.

King Salomon posed a similar question to God as he was constructing His temple, 1 Kings 8:27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!”

According to Solomon, if God cannot be contained in a man-built temple and we know how extraordinary Solomon’s Temple was, then how can His Holy Spirit reside in man? Although we may not find through human logic how this can actually happen, we are confirmed through God’s Word, that this will and does happen:

2 Corinthians 6:16b “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

We may have many questions as to how can this be or why would God do this? Bottom line is that by God’s Spirit residing in us, we are able to have an intimate relationship with God Himself. Furthermore, this indwelling of God’s Spirit in the believers unifies the body of Christ, the church, for the purpose that it has been called.

Thanks be to Jesus, that through his sacrifice on the cross, He has made this indwelling possible. Let’s realize this, we now belong to God by having accepted Jesus as our Savior. Jesus paid the price, and we are now his possession. We can now call Jesus, Lord of our lives. When we realize that it’s no longer about me and that it is all about God, we will find new direction in our lives. What caused this? The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the temple that’s called your body!

As you live out each day, by the grace of God, always be reminded that what you say and what you do, is a real reflection of the One who resides in you!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father thank you for sending your Son Jesus to purchase us with this precious blood. Through His sacrifice we have opened our hearts to now have your Holy Spirit indwell us. Give us the wisdom each day to always reflect your love and grace to those around us. Through your Spirit, to strengthen our love for you and unite us, as a church, to fulfill your purpose in this world.

In Christ Jesus, Amen.

Resolution: “Delight In The Word”

With the new year approaching, I am certain that come the 1st of January, gyms across the nation will have an increase in their total memberships. Due to the increase of members, they will also need to bring in extra equipment to meet need of the sudden surge of traffic. The place will be packed… and by the 7th of January, they will have moved out all the extra equipment and most of the traffic would have dwindled… as most people will have given up their New Year’s resolutions.

Not only will this happen at your local gyms, but also in many different places, people will most definitely have given up their resolutions to get fit, to lose weight, to stop bad habits, to get out of debt. There is nothing wrong with making these common New Year’s resolutions. Of course, all of us make resolutions that we fail to keep.

The good news is that each year is an opportunity for a fresh start. But then so is each week. Every Sunday is the first day of the week… a new beginning. Actually, every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.

The passage for today tells us something about new beginnings and new opportunities, and suggests some possible New Year’s resolutions.

Scripture: Psalms 1:1-6

1) Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take 2) or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3) That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers. 4) Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5) Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6) For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

‘Delight’ in the Word

If you are beginning the journey to read the Bible this year, ‘Delight’ in the Bible, and find encouragement in the words that Psalm 1 has for you.

The promise is that if you ‘delight’ in God’s Word and ‘meditate’ on Scripture ‘day and night’ (v.2, MSG), your life will be blessed. Happiness comes from what happens to you. Blessing is what happens to you through knowing God and meditating on his words.

God promises you fruitfulness (‘which yields its fruit in season’, v.3b), vitality (‘whose leaves do not wither’, v.3c) and prosperity (‘whatever they do prospers’, v.3d), though not necessarily material prosperity!

This message is backed up by a glance across at the ultimate fate of ‘the wicked’. The psalmist does not try to pretend that the wicked don’t sometimes prosper. He simply reminds us of the transitory nature of their prosperity – ‘they are like chaff that the wind blows away… [they] will perish’ (v.4,6).

The key to lasting, and ultimately eternal, fruitfulness and vitality lies in your relationship with God. As you seek to follow ‘the way of the righteous’, you are assured that the Lord himself will watch over you (v.6).

Prayer

“Lord, thank you for your wonderful promises as I resolve to make a regular habit of delighting in your word and meditating on it. Amen.”

Draw Near

The Bible tells us, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8a)

This promise is both heartening and encouraging. It also reminds us of the responsibility we have in our relationship to God.

The phrase, “draw near,” means, very simply, to approach or get close to a thing. To draw near to God, means then, to get close to God. If you get close to God, James is saying, God Himself will come to be close to you.

That seems a bit redundant at first. If you get closer to someone or something, of course they are going to naturally be closer to you as well, but James is describing a spiritual relationship, not a physical proximity.

We might think of the Parable of the Prodigal Son and of the son’s resolve in that parable to reunite with his father. Leaving the far distant country he had sought to make a home in, he returns to the house of his father. As he gets closer to the house, his father see’s him from a long way off, and rather than waiting for the son to close the full distance, the father runs from his place to greet the son and embrace him (cf. Luke 15:11-32). The son sought to draw near to his father, and the father in turn drew near to Him.

This is God’s desire.

He wants us to come to Him. But as we begin that journey, we should not be imagining God waiting at the end of the road, toe tapping impatiently to see us get where we need to be. Rather, God is, metaphorically speaking, rushing to meet those who are sincerely drawing near to Him.

Which raises the question: what does it mean to draw near to God? How do we do such a thing in practice? What is the practical application of the metaphor?

We sometimes speak of drawing near to God in worship, in prayer, in song, or in His word. The Bible does tell us to approach the throne of God with boldness, and the context and meaning of the statement does seem to indicate prayer and worship (Hebrews 4:16). We approach the throne of God to petition Him and to praise Him.

But there are reasons to think that James may have something different in mind when he tells us to draw near to God in James 4:8. For one thing there is the broader context of the statement.

The fuller passage tells us, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8; ESV) James also says, “Submit yourselves, therefore to God,” and, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you.” (James 4:7a, 10)

Again, James’ instruction is reminiscent of the aforementioned parable taught by Jesus. The prodigal son had wandered far from where he should have been. He was reduced and destitute, envying pigs and longing for a better state. Jesus says concerning this young man, “he came to himself.” (Luke 15:17) He recognized the folly of his situation, and resolved to change it. He turned himself around and set off for home, humble, penitent, and recognizing his error.

James is telling us that if we want to draw near to God, this is what we too need to be doing. We need to desire clean hands and a clean heart. We have to seek for purity in our lives. We must humble ourselves before God. In short, we need to repent.

Without repentance, there is no salvation (cf. Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38). If we cannot admit our own sins, shortcomings and errors, and having admitted them, to resolve to leave them behind, casting them away (cf. Hebrews 12:1), we cannot draw near to God. It is sin that separates us from God (cf. Isaiah 59:2). If we want to be close to God, and have that relationship with God, then we have to get rid of the very thing that is putting distance between us.

But we should never think that God is disinterested in our attempts, requiring us to make the journey alone. If we have a penitent heart, God is rushing to meet us, to forgive us, and to welcome us home. He is the father of the Parable, moved with emotion, love, sorrow, and joy to close the gap between himself and the penitent, humbled son. He has shown this to us through the sacrifice of Jesus: His willingness to do what it takes to forgive us.

All it takes on our part is a step. A humble step in the right direction, a willingness to ask, “what must I do,” and then the resolve to obey (Acts 2:37-38).

Remember Not The Former Things

Hardship and suffering are stranger to no one after the year 2020. Life has never felt more fleeting than during the moments where a loved one is lost. Suffering is also not a stranger to Scripture. The people of Israel certainly knew about suffering, but what was constant was that God never abandoned them.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:18-19

This passage contains words from God to the Israelites as they were ending their exile in Babylon. Although they sinned, God was showing them that there is a special place for hope in the restorative work he had in store. The Israelites knew all about the wilderness and the desert, lots of tough history to recount for them there. At the same time, they also knew what salvation from the Lord looked like. God was coming again to save his people from oppression by their enemies that they had deserved for their unfaithfulness. Still God says remember not the former things… He saves Israel and you and I benefit from this historic moment.

God’s relationship to Israel is often a mirror of his relationship with us. We become oppressed by sin or hardship and we search for relief every chance we get. God’s view of suffering is different than ours. He is always “doing a new thing”- a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. As believers our normal should be to perceive the new things God is doing. The revival that can spring forth at any moment is up to the Lord and as a result our faith is intensified through every experience.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior, rest. Allow Scripture to refresh your spirit and dwell on the Lord’s faithfulness. God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He will never abandon us.

-Eva Topete (Youth Leader)

Source of Truth & Joy

“As the Father has loved me, so have I Ioved you. Abide in my love” says Jesus (John 15:9).

Why would anyone want to abide in Jesus’ love?

Right now, it seems like what we need to do is stay home, be fed information through our media outlets and make sure to wear our masks if we must go out. Although we certainly should take care of our bodies as best as we can, none of the measures above will care for our minds, hearts and souls that also very much require it.

Believers abide in Jesus’ love because only through this attachment, do we get access to his peace and an understanding of God’s view of life, which is what our souls long for. The view where we are renewed daily by the grace that has been given through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The challenges we face every passing day are our biggest clue that life is more than our careers, friends, or even families. Jesus gives love that is unlike any other because it comes from the creator of the universe (John 15:9). It is boundless and encompasses every possible happy moment or tragedy this world can throw at us. Humans, alike other creatures, need love to thrive. Some of us have experienced love through our families and some of us have not. God offers us a greater love that will never let us down. This is new to us; we don’t understand it. The good thing is we don’t have to. We can know God without knowing every secret of the world (Isa. 55:8, Job 38).

If you have accepted Jesus in your heart as your Lord and savior, I encourage you to abide in Jesus’ love fervently. From one brother in Christ to another- let us lean on Jesus as our source for truth and joy no matter the times, while understanding that this requires our commitment and is not a magical formula to help suppress our struggles and fears (John 15:1-8). Let us press on because we are saved and loved with a love greater than we can imagine.

-Eva Topete (Youth Ministry Leader)

Connection Point

A natural response to fear is to go down a slippery slope to despair—– but actually this is not true for the Christian. It is not because we are some kind of abnormally strong people, but because we depend on the living God to overcome whatever obstacle we face. Our certainty comes from a connection to the Lord that harvests faith over anything else. Prayer is the connection point.

Romans 12:12 charges believers to be faithful in prayer. And coincidentally (in reality not so coincidentally) the same verse commands to be patient in affliction. While it is definitely hard to be patient during trying times, prayer should be the outlet for our souls. We have the direct contact to God who knows exactly the situations we face and knows exactly what we need. To faithfully pray means that you are truly convinced that God is listening and attentive to your life. There is no room for wavering as there is no room for an unbeliever in the kingdom of heaven, so push through without doubt!

C.S. Lewis wrote “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” Perseverance in prayer requires a fresh perspective each passing day. Every day we have thoughts, requests and desires in our minds and hearts we ought to lay before God through prayer. Let us forget the obvious part that we cannot hear God’s thundering voice come through in our bedrooms while we pray, but instead be led by faith to the reality that he speaks to us through his Word and through the Spirit that lives in us (Romans 8:26).

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior you will take this as a challenge and faithfully pray through this tumultuous season in history. Refuse to go stagnant and elevate your prayers to the Lord who hears and loves his people.

Fear

Fear. It sums up to the pressure of uncertainty resulting in worry with a side of stress. Whether you are overwhelmed by it or it just creeps into your life a little at a time, we all experience fear. About a month ago we were thinking about how we were going to get through all the activities on our planner with enough strength to make it to all of them and then suddenly life felt like it stopped and all of these activities were cancelled- from one day to the next. Life can take a turn for the worst at any moment without notice and a pandemic is no exception. Millions of people are faced with loss of income, stress, illness, and the daunting thought of dying or losing a loved one. At this stage you are probably thinking this post took on an unexpected pessimistic turn, but the truth is that all of this is true and we are left with a gut feeling of fear about the future.

The wonderful thing about life is that “all truth is God’s truth” and although it is true that we are surrounded by loss, we have no need of fear because Christ has overcome this and more when he died on the cross for our sins. He overcame the world and that means everything in it (John 16:33). Fear is not of God and it robs every ability to believe in God’s faithfulness in our lives. Psalm 23:4 gives a shout out to the darkest valley you can go through- but without fear because God will be there to comfort you! Who better to be there with you than the God who created you and the entire universe…

Jesus states- “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Brothers, release the fear and hold on tight to this peace because in it lies your key to the abundant life Jesus has meant for you. No pandemic can stop the will of God to save his people and no illness, stress, loss of income or even death can stop the will of God for good in your life!

If you have declared that Jesus is your Lord and savior, then you partake in the peace of Jesus with the millions of believers that are casting out fear and instead growing their faith during this time. Take heart! And live this day triumphantly because you have already beat fear.

There Will Be Breakthrough

Are you facing a difficult or even an impossible situation right now? Perhaps you’re facing a major barrier and you feel stuck. It could be a relationship, an addiction, an illness, a lie you believe, a painful event, or a difficult work environment. Regardless of what it is, you desperately need God to dramatically intervene in your life. Sound familiar?

Many of us are facing impossible situations where we need this kind of breakthrough in our lives. Yet most of us sit and wait for God to make it happen, and then we wonder why it is that we don’t experience breakthrough as often or as fast as we would like.

What we need to know is that breakthrough is not something we sit around and wait for. Breakthrough is God waiting on us to respond in obedience to what He has already commanded and already promised.

Breakthrough happens when we take the first offensive step against the barriers in our life. Breakthrough happens when we say, “I’m going to trust that God is going to supernaturally do the impossible.”

God does the breakthrough, but He’s waiting for us to take that first step of faith. We have to believe in God’s goodness, that God has already willed the breakthrough for our life. Then we actually become “agents of breakthrough,” unleashing God’s supernatural power to change our impossible situations in our homes, workplaces and relationships.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we see him unleashing God’s power in impossible situations. He also appointed 12 young apostles and taught them to do the same.

How did Jesus teach them? He demonstrated the love and goodness of God in action by preaching the gospel of love and forgiveness, healing the sick, and setting people free from demonic oppression. Then he expected his disciples to do the same. Jesus’ goal was to help them understand that theywere supposed to be agents of breakthrough too.

In Mark, chapter 6, we read that Jesus sends out the apostles to preach the gospel, cast out demons, and heal people just like he did (Mark 6:7-12). Then, later in the story, Jesus is teaching to a large crowd of over 5,000 people when He asks the disciples to do “the impossible.”

By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:35-37)

Jesus expected his disciples to feed the thousands of people in the crowd even though it was impossible for them. That’s because Jesus knew that it wasn’t impossible for God. Similarly, Jesus expects us to take on the seemingly impossible in our own lives. Why? God expects to do impossible things in us and through us.

How exactly does it happen? First, we need to look at what we do have and then give it to God in faith. Jesus knew the disciples didn’t have enough food to feed thousands, but He asked them to bring to him the small amount of food that they did have – five loaves of bread and two fish – and He supernaturally multiplied it. Similarly, God wants us to consider what we do have. This could be our gifts, our talents, our experiences, and unique personality. Then, He wants to use us as an agent of change in whatever impossible situation we’re facing.

Most importantly, we must believe that God is good– not just intellectually – but really believe. We must be willing to obey Him and embrace that He is willing to do the impossible in us and through us for His glory so that more would come to know Him. No matter what we’re facing, God promises to show up in our difficult situations in a way that declares and reveals His glory and goodness.

For with God nothing is impossible.

God Hears Our Prayers

God answers us when we pray, as human beings we have to be reconciled with him because God will not always answer our prayers in the way we expect. In the verses of the Bible it is written: “The prayer of life will save the sick.” The disease can lead to all kinds of temptations: impatience, uneasiness, anxiety, complaints, etc. then God can do a work in us. The trials we experience can strengthen our relationship with God. And in this way we are saved! Saved from the sin that is in all humanity and that is the greatest disease of all.

We have a God who listens to our prayers, and who is not indifferent to us. Continue in faith! Believe in the God of miracles!

You have been obedient to what is written in the letter of James, and the prayers of faith are before the face of God. He takes these prayers into consideration. They move the heart of God. He loves us and wants the best for us. He listens, and pays attention, and at the right time works. We have a God who listens to our prayers, and who is not indifferent to us.

Sometimes healing can be instantaneous. From the doors of death to full health, in the blink of an eye. At other times one does not even realize that the arrow has started to turn from illness to health. Sometimes a “miracle” is performed by the doctor’s hands. But never doubt that God has heard your prayers. “The effective prayer of the righteous can do much.” Continue in faith! Believe in the God of miracles!

I’ll We can read the story of Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20. He was sick, and soon to die. The prophet Isaiah went with him and said to him, “The Lord says: “Put your house in order, for you will die; you will not recover.” But Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, and God sent Isaiah back to Hezekiah with the message: “I have heard your prayer, and seen your tears; Behold, I will heal you… And I will add fifteen years to your life.” God’s plan was for Hezekiah to die, but his prayers moved the heart of God.

Brother Walter Bustamante

Christian Freedom

Paul said, “If food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat, lest my brother stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:13). And then he went on to describe throughout chapter 9 many ways in which he voluntarily abstained from the things he was free to enjoy as a Christian, not to mention an apostle, such as various types of food and drink, marriage and a full time ministerial salary (1 Corinthians 9: 4-7).

Paul’s complete orientation in life was to win as many people as possible to the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:22-23), so he tried to eliminate as many obstacles as possible that would prevent many from coming to understand the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12). For Paul, this was Christian freedom: “Because although I am free of all, I have become a servant for all, in order to earn more of them” (1 Corinthians 9:19). Then, when Paul heard that the Christians in Corinth were discussing whether or not they were free to eat sacrificial meat, he essentially told them they were missing the point:

“Everything is lawful, but not everything suits me. Everything is lawful to me, but not everything edifies. That nobody looks for his own good, but the good of his fellow.” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

For Paul, this was true Christian freedom: do whatever it takes to love your neighbor for the love of Jesus.

We will never understand the circumstances by which the children of God pass day by day, but we can put into practice the teachings of Paul. Do not you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one gets the prize? So run to win!

All athletes train with discipline. They do it to win a prize that fades, but we do it for an eternal one. That’s why I run every step with purpose, that does not look like blows in the air, that is why I disciplined my body like an athlete does, trained him to do what he should do, otherwise I fear that after preaching to others, I same be disqualified.

True Christian Freedom

Brother Walter Bustamante