Shrewd as Snakes, Innocent as Doves

Today I had a visit from a Jehovah's witness who is a former school mate of mine. From time to time I see him at school and he always wants to share from the Bible with me.

He came to my apartment at about noon. He started sharing with me about his belief in our eternal life being in this Earth. I started showing him how the Bible said the complete opposite, how the Lord has promised us a dwelling with Him in heaven. I also showed him and asked him about the adding to the original manuscripts that the Jehovah's witnesses did to the Bible. He showed me a book in which they "explain" their reasons why they did it. There was not enough time so he left at the end.

I was left with a lot of thinking..."I wasn't prepared enough to defend the gospel, I must prepare myself more to be able to share the truth to him." My intentions were the purest and most nobles toward that person. I know that everyone needs Jesus.

However, as they returned from work, my parents talked with me for a moment, beginning with the phrase: "he's manipulating you."
I wondered how could this be, and I thought that the fact that he opened himself a little favored me in some way.
"He had the guts to bring our Bible and use it to bring you to his "truth"."
He had with him a christian Bible, not the one the Jehovah's witnesses use. He didn't come to hear the truth, he won't move from the lies he's been taught. But he wants to bring me to his deformed "truth." He wants to invade what is the most sacred thing to me. Convince me that Jesus is not God. Convince me that there is no other promise but eternal life here on Earth.

It is a grave insult to my faith the fact that someone tries to convince me that there are "other ways." "We are all christians if we believe in Jesus." NO! that is a term that has been manipulated by the romans to this day. To be a christian is to be someone who believes in the sacrifice Jesus Christ did on the cross and someone who lives like He lived. There is no middle term.

The Jehovah's witnesses have a very well planned strategy. Well dressed, good higyene, kind, respectful, educated, attentive, "open-minded", etc. Their purpose is not to listen to the truth, but to bring other people to what they believe. This person that visited me knows a lot of the bible, however, he uses it in very small amounts. Mutilated verses here and there. A verse in Psalms and other in Isaiah. Those are simply verses taken completely out of context to support their false doctrine.

I have no reason to explain myself to them. I don't have to discuss with people who don't want to listen. It is what it says in Proverbs that when I discuss with someone who doesn't want to listen, I become like him. The Lord will demand from them the knowledge they already have and believed. However, I try to remain firm in my Lord Jesus and the true doctrine.

Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. He disguises himself with the wool of sheeps being a ferocious wolf. Don't let anyone else rip from you what is most precious to you. Be informed of course, but not of the information of others. All you need to know is in the Word of God, the Bible. It is the only thing that guides us to the perfect will of the Lord. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us discern it and understand the heart of God.

Let us be careful, then, who we listen to, and let us also analize how firm we believe we are in our faith. Of course, everyone knows to know about Jesus, but if you have already seen that they know all about Jesus, even seeing it in the Bible and still denying it and trying to avoid it, then don't throw your perls to the pigs and be proud of your faith. Let this person believe in whatever they want to believe and don't try to "share" which in this case would be the same thing as arguing, for that person is stubborn.

But enough of others, what about us? If we see so many bad examples out there, why don't we start at home? Let us soak ourselves of the Word of the Lord, that we might be firm in Him and be able to really discern between good and evil. Let us test the spirits.

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:15-23).

Fountain of Life

About half an hour ago as I was washing the dishes, a dish suddenly broke in two, causing a cut in my right hand right by my thumb. As I took the pain in (for the cut is somewhat deep) I saw how the blood kept coming out of my hand to the outside and started covering my entire hand. I ran to the bathroom to neutralize the flow of blood and to try to clean the cut a little. I poured a lot of water and soap on my hand and then alcohol, which hurt a bit but not much really. As I was trying to stop the flow of blood, I realized something…and it was a great lesson for me tonight:

We have all sinned and we all sin. We all have our weaknesses and points by which the devil attacks us and seeks to destroy us. When we sin, we seek for the Lord’s forgiveness and He certainly forgives us and takes us back, for in this time we sought Him first; However, when one does not stop the flesh, one continues sinning and sinning, falling in the same thing and bathing in our own vomit and blood day by day, there comes a point in which we no longer care and we become cold toward the gospel…we become rebels toward the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.


Blood flows and flows, falling from my hand into the sink, covering a large part of the sink. However, the pain was gone. Now the Holy Spirit literally transported me to another scenario: the passion of the Christ.

I’m not talking about the movie, but to the suffering of Christ. Mine was but an insignificant little cut compared to the bleeding out of my God…for me. When I see my blood flor, I see the whips with large bones and other sharp objects piercing the skin of my Lord and tearing it without mercy. Time stops. Blood is spilt everywhere, thus creating a bloody masterpiece before all Romans and Jews witnessing the flagellation of the Lord. My wound bleeds a little, his flows without stopping. Millions of wounds throughout his entire body.

"1,2,3,4,5..." The pain is unbearable. "21, 22,23,24,25..." The whip falls on the Lord’s face, deforming it as it is pulled back, ripping large pieces of it as it is taken back by the punisher.

"35,36,37,38.............." Years seemed to have passed since the Roman punisher started flagellating the Lord. Forty minus one…one more…

"39!" The week knees of the Roman officers are tired. They must rest. They have been flagellating the Lord with so much fervor that their human bodies cannot hold it any longer. Jesus’ pain goes beyond unbearable. None of his loins answer his brain anymore, each time he moves his eyes, pain overcomes him and each time he breathes his pierced lunges beg to be let to die. But the Lord knows it is but begun, it is not over yet…two Roman officers order him to stand up. Two Roman officers grab his arms and drag him over to the presence of the Jews, leaving a trail of blood in his way. Before going to the Jews, the soldiers have their way with Jesus. The crown of thorns I places over his head, which pierces his head (where the greater concentration of blood is because of the brain) causing blood to flow without control and also causing his sight to fail. The King of Glory…deformed. The Prince of Peace…tormented and massacrated by men.

"Here is the King of the Jews! "

"Our only king is Caesar! Free Barrabas! If you free this Jesus you are not the friend of Caesar! "

"Crucify Him!"


Even thought the Lord knew this was the consumation of his misión on Earth, terror overtook Him when he heard the phrase pronounced by people created in His image, and by people to whom the Promise had been destined to…it was even worse than his pain.

"What…evil has he done?"


"Let his blood…be on us and our children!"


More than the physical torture, this phrase saddened and hurt him more than everything they had done to Him. With little strength, the Lord whispered: “Amen.”

...


The weight of the incredibly heavy cross opened the Lord’s wounds even more. But He knew the end was but a few hours far. The Romans pulled Jesus and stripped Him of his clothes, then they laid Him over his own cross and prepared the gigantic nails. They tried to place His arms in the right position to nail his hands but…they didn’t reach. The huge loss of blood and the mistreatment by which His muscles went through had contracted his muscles. The Romans then tied ropes around his arms and pulled in each side with all their might so as to release the muscles. His bones and tendons cracked. Every fiber of his being cried out in pain to its maximum potency. Once the arms had been stretched, the first oficial prepared the hammer and…the nail.

Time slows its pace…the Roman officer extended his arm and with great strength lets it fall down over the nail placed over the hand of the Lord. The nail pierces his hand, destroying veins, tendons, nerves, and skin in its path. The nail goes through all the way into the wood of the cross and is set firmly in it. Great cries of pain and anguish are heard from the Lord and the ones witnessing his crucifixion.

The same process is repeated with the other hand…time slows down even more…the cross is turned over, and the Romans let it fall all the way to the ground, hitting His face with the impact on the ground and His bleeding body. The Romans fold the edges of the nails to fasten them and then turned the cross over again, furthering the pain and anguish of the Lord to its limit.


Finally…the cross begins to rise…

"Take this and eat, this is my body that is broken for you, do this in memory of me…”

The cross continues its rise.

"This is my blood that is shed for you. Do this everytime you drink this in memory of me. And every time you do it, the Lord’s death you announce until He returns.”


The cross stops...


The wind blows silently. An entire night of conspiracies and one day of inhuman suffering make the cross seem a place of final rest.

The wounds make the Lord struggle for air. Wood pieces pierce his body. The position he is in doesn’t let him breathe, and since His lungs are pierced, he has to lift his body’s weight in order to breathe. But his knees quickly give away.

“Father…forgive them…for…for they know not w…what they are..d…doing…”


"If you are the Son of God....come down from that cross and take us down too!!"


"Have you…no…respect for God!? We have justly received our punishment…but…Him…what…what has He done? Lord…re…remember…me…when you…when you come…in your Kingdom.”

The Lord, despite being completely destroyed and deformed manages to smile in such a way that the hurt of the thief is renewed and filled with joy.

"Verily…I tell…you…to…today y…you will be w…with me in…p…paradise…”

…

“Eli! Eli! Lama sabactani!?”

...



There’s an incredibly long and solemn silence in Heaven. There are thunders and black clouds. God the Father is indignated. The host of angels is shocked to see that from the Father’s eyes…tears are rolling down.

...


"It is finished! Father! In your…hands I p…place my…s…p…i…r…i…t…”

Thus he breathed long and gave His Spirit.

Immediately there was a great earthquake, one which no one had ever experienced. Dead resurrected, there were thunders and lightning.

...


The angels were terrorized. God was standing and his anger and anguish for His Son make the heavens’ foundations tremble…nature acts as God’s anger.

God tears the veil of the temple from top to bottom and many dead resurrect and return to the city.

"Truly this was the Son of God..."


...


Then I returned to the present time. That is what tonight’s wound showed me, or more correctly, what the Holy Spirit showed me through that wound.

Jesus is the Fountain of Life. This source poured itself until it was dead for you. Nothing else in this world, no other fountain has poured and given itself so much as the Lord. Being the Creator of trillions of galaxies, He chose you before the world’s foundation to be His son.


What I have narrated to you about Jesus’ death is a poor interpretation of the real suffering He went through…but imagine what he went through…FOR YOU!

I bleed…he bleeds to death…my death bleeds a little, He pours His entire life on the cross…


Who has ever shown greater love for you?

Warfare of the Saints delay

Hello everyone,I regret to say that the book will not be finished by summer of next year. It is a far too complex process and one which is very close to my heart. It will take work of years not only to finish writing it, but to be revised and rewritten. However, I know the Lord uses everything, and with more time and dedication, this book will deliver far more than I ever expected and will also plant the seed of hope and salvation within those who seek the will of the Lord.Hoping you will understand and grant me more time, I take my leave.Blessings in ChristEliezer Salazar

Lukewarm

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."" (Revelation 3:14-22).


What does it awake in you when you read this passage? Do you reflect about your relationship with Christ? Are you cold? Or are you battling day by day to reach the stature of the perfect Man? Many times we are quick to judge other brothers in Christ in their relationships with Him. We do a perfect job in tearing them apart in our minds and expose them to shame or their “nakedness.”

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12). How firm do we believe we are walking? How apt do we think we are to judge others before ourselves? Let us measure our temperature before and fear Him who will judge the living and the dead.

Ask yourself this: am I looking for the Lord’s face? Am I walking in his commandments? Am I cold? Am I hot? Am I lukewarm? Whatever it is, be afraid when you are either cold or lukewarm, come before the Lord, repent (which jeans to stop doing what you use to do, never do it again or come back to it) and seek for the Right way and for the holiness for which the Lord called you in the first place.

English Class Speech: "Why Me, Why Not?"

Why me? Why not? There are numerous things that I am asked to do in life. Most times it seems that I am incapable of doing such things or even unworthy. As a Christian, I choose to live a life that pleases my Lord Jesus Christ rather than any human being, including my family. Those who have accepted the Lord as Savior are called saints in the Bible. The word saint in the original Aramaic word from the manuscripts does not refer to a person that has been “good” but to people chosen by God. Saint means separated for God. In life, I am asked to live a life worthy of being called a Son of God, which includes not conforming myself to the lifestyle that this world leads. Things such as alcohol, drugs, sex, parties, rebellion, ungodliness are the ones I daily battle to remain separated from. My mission in this life is to spread the message of salvation to as many people as possible. What is this message? That Jesus Christ came to this world to die for your sins and mine and thus provide you with hope and purpose.Ever since I came to this country in February 7th, 2007 I have been severely awakened to the reality of this world. Now out of the protecting bubble of my Christian schools in El Salvador, I see a depraved decaying society headed towards imminent doom. In El Salvador, we value education, and all that it carries with it. We fight to succeed and become someone in our society. However, there are no opportunities for succeeding in such a poor country as El Salvador. Every day I try to do my homework with utmost effort and dedication. Some people have told me to relax and “chill” but the truth is, I am not working for myself alone, but for all my family and friends left behind in my country and here in the United States. Should I fail to God’s and their expectation for my taking advantage of this system, I would indeed destroy everything my forefathers and family have worked for. It would be devastating for my life and my family.My plans to do the things I know must be done are to keep studying diligently; to seek a life of holiness, which is why I have been called to this country; and to direct myself in a way that testifies to my belief in God and his love for each and every one of you. By living this type of life I accept the Lord’s plan for my life and thus he blesses me; the message of hope and salvation is within your grasp. The people in this world need love. They need to know that they are not alone, and that includes every single one of you listening to me this afternoon. So I tell you again, you are not alone, there is a God who loves you and who died on the cross for you the worst death a human being can ever endure.My daily life now in this country consists in searching the Lord’s will, studying a lot, serving at church, respecting authorities, etc. By accomplishing these things and the ones I mentioned before, I will prove my loyalty to the Lord and He will bless me, just as He wants to bless you if you are willing to believe in Him and the sacrifice He made for you, because He loves you, and I know His love, I have lived in His grace and I know that there is no other way by which any of us can be saved but through Jesus Christ.I believe I have spoken enough about my life already. Thus I whish to leave you with a challenge, a challenge that, should you accept it, can unlock the gifts God created you with and give your life a meaning, and a purpose. Do you have a purpose? Do you know where you are heading? Do you even know why you exist? Friends, there is much more to life than MySpace, sex, drugs, alcohol, parties, rebellion and others. If you accept God’s call today, you will be saved, and the hollowness you feel will be filled. You do not need to tell me, but I know that each and every one of you feels hollow inside. You seek to fill that longing of something you do not know with what this world offers, and yet you end up more devastated than before. I have found Him who fills that emptiness and who will never forsake me or you. Jesus is the answer. The question is: will you accept Him today and find your purpose in this life, or will you wound your way towards an endless cycle of depression and emptiness? Why you? Why not you? Thank you and may God bless you all.

Whom Do You Worship?

A subject that always leaves me thinking is the music that we as christians listen to. Most of the “popular” music is just that, popular. Concerts, shirts, new cds, new hair styles, covers with “cool” designs, etc. But, what happened with the message of the music? What is the very first you listen to? The lyrics (if you can actually hear it or understand anything) or the music? Christian music has been lowered to what people want and not what the world needs. Some of the many genres which I completely dislike are hardcore, hip-hop, rap, “screamo”, etc. I hope one day the bands that play this music stop saying that they play “christian” music. Whom are we really worshiping? God, or our flash?

Most of today’s christian music uses God as a puppet, simple putting in their lyrics a few pretty things that don’t go beyond: “God is better than drugs.” What happend with genuine praise? And I’m not talking only about music, for worship and praise are not represented through music alone, but through your life in Christ. What kind of garbage do they call “Christian music” today? The main goal of a band is to exalt the King of kings and Lord of lords and transmit the message of the gospel through their music. But if the main goal of a band ends being self-praise and what I call “musical pleasure,” then let us please understand that those are not christian bands, period.

People have told me when I tell them my position about this that these other genres play Christian music to “draw more people to the Lord.” The gospel has now to be adapted? Do we now have to imitate the world to bring more to Christ? Doesn’t the Bible say that they must be turned to our lifestyle and not us to the world’s? Now, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that we should despise the people, but there are ways of preaching the gospel without lowering the gospel to the standards of this world. The verse in which Paul says that to the Jews he became a Jew and that to the Gentiles he became a Gentile is used as an excuse to do what I mentioned previously.
One thing that my brother Heriberto Hermosillo said in one of his worship ministers’ conference was “you must be christian musicians and not musician christians.” Find out first and “test the spirits” as the Bible says, “by their fruits you will know them.” Please discern between what is real and genuine praise and what is garbage. THE LORD IS NOT A COMMERCIAL PUPPET!!! BE MINDFUL OF THAT BEFORE LISTENING TO ANY KIND OF CHRISTIAN MUSIC AND DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS.

Not By Water, but By Fire

What do you think when you hear that phrase? “Not By Water, but By Fire?” does it awake anything in you? Does it change your way of thinking? Do you even know what it means or what is the connotation behind it? I will tell you what I think, and more than that, what the Bible says about it:


"By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (2 Peter 3: 6-7).


"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare" (2 Peter 3:10).


This is the Lord’s judgment over the Earth. Think of all the people that will suffer and die in that day. But think more in the people around you that you can impact with your testimony and whom you can show the message of eternal life to.

"Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him" (2 Peter 3:11-15).

Are we prepared for the coming of the Lord? What kind of lives are we leading? Are we walking in holiness? Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.

It is true that the Lord has cleansed us and justified us through his sacrifice on the cross, but that is no excuse to relax and be conformed to this World…what are you doing to spread the gospel? What am I doing? Don’t smile to people with whom you live if you’re going to stay quiet waiting for the person to die without Christ before having you speaking of Him to that person. You have found the light and the love of the Lord and have experienced it…spread the Light! Surrender your life and don’t let yourself reign over your own life! Let Jesus be really the Lord you accepted when you invited Him to your heart!