Suffering as a Revealing Fire

Suffering also is a purifying fire that reveals character. When things don't go our way not when all lights are green our character is revealed. What would you think about a crime scene investigator that found chemical evidence that could possibly implicate someone he loved in a crime; so, he decided not to bring that chemical to the laboratory where it would be put to the test by fire. That investigator would not be honest and he would be guilty of obstructing justice. God is just. He will not sweep the truth of our sinful nature under the rug; however, God is also Love. In God "mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed." (Psalm 85:10) How can we plead for mercy and be pardoned if our sin isn't revealed by testing? So God loves us by revealing our inequity to us in suffering before the judgement day. God is giving us the opportunity to repent. He is a fireman that screams at a man that fell asleep smoking waking him up from a beautiful dream to save him from the raging fire burning around his bed.

photo by gasi from flickr (creative commons)

Why Suffering?

If God is all-powerful and he is good then why does he allow suffering? I know there are many other reasons but over the next couple of postings I intend to propose a few I have pondered. Let's look first at the relationship between a father and son. A good father knows that over protecting his child is dangerous because he knows that his child has develop the ability to make correct choices on his own. It is a loving Father that gave human beings the trait that no other creation of his has - free will. With free will comes the responsibility for our choices, suffering being one of them. A world without the consequence of suffering as the result of bad decisions would be an a very unpleasant place to live. Imagine a world where anyone who murdered, cheated, stole, lied...etc. suffered no consequence. Ah...but you say we do live in a world like that. Do we? Maybe there is no physical consequence immediately seen, but what about the emotional pain suffered because of immoral decisions? And if you could see the spiritual as God does you would hear what Daniel did in the twelfth chapter and second verse bearing his name, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt."

One other thing about free will. It is a requirement of love. If we had no free will we would not be able to love others let alone God because love requires the option to not love. Well I hope to post more on suffering soon so check back.

Photo by foreversouls on Flickr. Este entrada en espanol.

Long time no blog.

It's been quite awhile since my last blog. Sorry about that. Well I am in Nashville. More exactly in Murfreesboro, TN, Home of MTSU and Donal Watson. Donal is a friend of mine from Calvary Chapel Brentwood that is letting me stay at his house while I seek the Lord and His will for the next phase in my relationship with God. I sense that God is calling me back to Peru. I don't know exactly when or how but as God often does He has only shown me what I need to know for the next step. He has convicted me to work to pay off some debts that I have accumlated to my parents over the years before and after I was saved so that when He tells me it is time to go to Peru I will be ready and He will receive all the glory. Pray with me about this please. But in the meanwhile I am serving Him where I am.

On 7/7/07 of believers from all over the world will be gathering at the LP stadium in Nashville to pray and fast for revival in our nation. I am planning on joining them. The event is called "The Call".

Estoy poniendo los traduciones de mis entradas en mi nuevo blog en espanol. http://www.siervoperuano.blogspot.com

Bat-Mitzvah

I just got back from a trip to Seattle with my parents and brothers for the Bat-mitzvah of my cousin Melissa Kipersztok. The bat-mitzvah is the rite of passage to adulthood for jewish youth. It was an eye-opener for me to be immersed in the jewish culture and religion. I am ashamed to admit it but before this trip I sub-conciously believed that the jew was no longer a jew when they believe in Jesus. I think this partly comes from misinterpreting Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Jesus." But if the jew is no longer a jew then is a female no longer a female? The service was in a conservative synagogue which lasts quite a long while and is almost completely in Hebrew except for the message given by the rabbi and the bat-mitzvah. It was so cool to hear the parts from psalms, leviticus, and jeremiah read in the original language they were written in. Below are some pictures from the trip.



I stuck my head under the United States second highest year round waterfall, Multnomah falls , Oregon




That's my Dad. Click on the picture, insert your ("Is God trying to tell you something?" joke here)





(Insert your Garden of Eden joke here)





I am the vine you are the branches John 15:5





My cousin Oscar





We went to Portland, Oregon's best peruvian restaurant (only?)





This is their Lomo Saltado with yuca instead of potato fries




Recien llegue de un viaje a Seattle con mis padres para la bat-mitzvah de my prima Melissa Kipersztok. La bat-mitzvah es un rito de paso para las jovenes judias cuando empiezan ser adultas a la edad de 13. Fue impressionante para mi estar summergido en la religion y cultura judia. Estoy avergonsado admitir esto pero antes de este viaje creia sub-concientemente que cuando un judio cree en Jesus ya no es judio. Crei esto por mal interpretar Galatas 3:28 "Ya no hay judío ni griego; no hay esclavo ni libre; no hay varón ni mujer; porque todos vosotros sois uno en Cristo Jesús." Si ya no somos judios entonces las mujeres ya no son mujeres? La sinogoga era uno en la rama de judiasmo que se llama conservativo donde los servicios demorran mucho tiempo y casi todo esta en hebreo. Fue hermoso escuchar partes de Levitico, los psalmos, y jeremias en su idioma original. Arriba hay fotos del viaje.

Blocked View - La vista obstruida

"For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest." Psa 51:3-4

"And they consider not in their hearts [that] I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face." Hsa 7:2

Why are even “little” sins such a big deal? When we look at our sins it doesn’t matter how big they are. The problem is that we are looking at sin, not at God’s face. And when God sees us he is looking at our sin not at His image. It is not vanity for God to delight in Himself and His image because He is beauty. When we say our sins our little we are not looking at it from the right perspective. They are little to us but we do take into account that they block our view of the Creator of the universe.

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Act 13:22

Why was David considered a man after God’s own heart? It was not because he was perfect. It was because he was constantly aware of his relationship with God.

Scripture from King James Version

Porque yo reconozco mis rebeliones, Y mi pecado está siempre delante de mí. Contra ti, contra ti solo he pecado, Y he hecho lo malo delante de tus ojos; Para que seas reconocido justo en tu palabra, Y tenido por puro en tu juicio. Salmo 51:3-4

Y no consideran en su corazón que tengo en memoria toda su maldad; ahora les rodearán sus obras; delante de mí están. Oseas 7:2

¿Por qué son aun los pecados “pequeños” importante para Dios? Cuando miramos nuestros pecados no importa que tal grande son. El problema es que estamos mirando pecado, no la cara de Dios. Y cuando Dios nos mira no ve su imagen si no el pecado. No es vanidad para Dios encantarse ver su imagen porque todo lo que nosotros entendemos y no entendemos de la belleza es una sombre de Él. Cuando decimos nuestros pecados son pequeños no lo estamos mirando de la perspectiva correcta. Son pequeños para nosotros pero no damos cuenta que bloquean nuestra vista del creador del universo.

Quitado éste, les levantó por rey a David, de quien dio también testimonio diciendo: He hallado a David hijo de Isaí, varón conforme a mi corazón, quien hará todo lo que yo quiero. Hechos 13:22

¿Por qué era David considerado un varón conforme al corazón de Dios? No fue porque él era perfecto. Era porque él estaba constantemente enterado de su relación con Dios.

Toda las escrituras son del Reina Valera 1960

The Shelley's y Futbol

This week I went up to Calvary Chapel Boynton Beach's wednesday night service. It was great. I knew so many people from their various missions trip to Peru. I ran into Robin and Tracy Shelley who will be going to serve full-time with Koinonia in June. I stayed at the Russell's house with them for a day and a half. On Thursday night at the home bible study at the Russell's Zach Russell, Alex Russell, Tracy, and I played the worship. Robin shared their family's experiences on the road the past six weeks. I was very encouraged by their stories about raising up friends to support them in Peru. On Friday night I took them to the airport to go to Tijuana, Mexico for three weeks of missionary training with Shepherd's Staff. Today I played Soccer with my brother at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. After the game Todd, the guy that organizes the game, gave a 15 minute bible study. Pray that the word that was planted in our hearts especially my brother Mike's, who isn't a believer, would flourish.

Este semana fui al servicio de media semana en Calvary Chapel Boynton Beach. Fue regio. Conocia tanta gente por los viajes misioneros ellos han hecho atravez del tiempo que estaba en Peru. Encontre con Robin y Tracy Shelley quienes van a empezar a servir tiempo completo con Koinonia en Junio. Me quede en la casa de los Russelles por un dia y medio con Robin y Tracy y sus dos hijos, Liam y Kilaine. El jueves en la noche por el estudio biblico que occurre en la casa de los Russelles Zach Russell, Alex Russell, Tracy y Yo tocabamos la alabanza. Robin compartio sus experiencias de los ultimos sies semanas viajando visitando 16 iglesias. Fui muy animado escuchando sus historias de como han levantado amigos que van a apoyar ellos en Peru. El viernes los llevo al aeropuerto para ir a Tiajuana, Mejico donde van a entrenar por tres semanas. Hoy fui a Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale para jugar futbol con mi hermano. Despues del partido Doug, quien organiza lo mismo, dio un estudio biblico corto. Ore que la palabra que fue sembrando en nuestro corazones, especialmente el de mi hermano, quien no es creyente, sera multiplicada.

Spiritual shock - El golpe espiritual

"God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land." Psalm 68:6 (New King James Version)

What a beautiful time I had tonight and two weeks ago spending time with other Christians! I have been back in the U.S. for three weeks now and I haven't experienced so much cultural shock as I have spiritual shock. As far as the culture goes I still feel like I'm in Peru because I spend most of my time with my family who are Peruvians. But I have missed the constant contact and fellowship with other Christians that I had serving the Lord as a full time missionary with Koinonia. It is a sharp contrast and something I took for granted. I felt like I was in a dry land until God led me to these oases (plural of oasis). We are parts of body that can not survive for long not connected to the body.

"Dios hace habitar en familia a los desamparados; Saca a los cautivos a prosperidad; Mas los rebeldes habitan en tierra seca." Salmos 68:6 (Reina-Valera 1960)

Que bonita noche pase ahorra y hace dos semanas con otros cristianos! He estado en mi pais por tres semanas y no experimentado tanto el golpe cultural como el golpe espiritual. En cuanto la cultura me siento como todavia estoy en Peru porque paso casi todo mi tiempo con mi familia y ellos son Peruanos. Pero he extranado el contacto continuo con otros cristianos que he tenido mientras servia el Senor tiempo completo con Koinonia. El contraste es fuerte. Senti como estaba en una tierra seca hasta que Dios me ha llevado ha estas oases (la forma plural de oasis). Somos partes del cuerpo que no pueden sobrevivir mucho tiempo desconnectado del cuerpo.

Una Pregunta - A Question

Quiero estimular un poco de conversacion y espero edificacion (pero solo Dios puede hacer eso) entonces por favor deja su comentario, fuerte como el fierro, en respuesta de esta pregunta. En Salmo 51 en el tercero hasta el quinto versiculo David escribe lo siguiente: "Porque yo reconozco mis rebeliones, Y mi pecado está siempre delante de mí. Contra ti, contra ti solo he pecado, Y he hecho lo malo delante de tus ojos; Para que seas reconocido justo en tu palabra, Y tenido por puro en tu juicio. He aquí, en maldad he sido formado, Y en pecado me concibió mi madre." Si David y todo humano ha nacido con el pecado porque Dios requiere una admission de culpabilidad? No tenemos el opcion de ser nacidos.

I want to stimulate some conversation and I hope edification (but only God can do that) so please leave a strong-like-iron comment answering the following question. In Psalm 51 in the verses 3 to 5 David writes: "For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me." If David and every person is born with sin why does God require a admission of guilt? We don't have a choice to be born or not.

Moriendo de Hambre - Starving

"Vayan a consultar al Señor por mí, por el pueblo y por todo Judá con respecto a lo que dice este libro que se ha encontrado. Sin duda que la gran ira del Señor arde contra nosotros, porque nuestros antepasados no obedecieron lo que dice este libro ni actuaron según lo que está prescrito para nosotros." 2 Reyes 22:13 NVI

Porque leamos la biblia? Porque es tan importante? La historia nos ensena que en los tiempos cuando gente toma el tiempo para escuchar la voz de Dios atravez de las escrituras inspirados la tendencia es a desviar. La palabra es la luz de Dios y donde no hay luz reina las tenieblas. Una carecteristica de la edad media tambien conocido como la edad oscura es que pocos pudieron leer la palabra de Dios. Durante este tiempo mucho doctrina falsa entro en el cristinismo. No hay que ser legalista en nuestro tiempo devocional pero cuando realmente estamos escuchar y obedecer la palabra de Dios no hay cosa que nos puede satisfacer ese hambre.

"Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us." 1 Kings 22:13 NIV

Why do we read the bible? Why is it so important? History shows us that during the times when people don't take the time to hear the voice of the Lord in His scriptures the tendency is to deviate from Him. The word is the light of God and where there is no light darkness reigns. One charecteristic of the middle ages, also known as the "dark" ages is that the few had access our could read the bible. During this time many false doctrines entered into christianity. We don't have to be legalists about our devotional time in God's word. But when we are reallylistening and obeying the word of God there is no other thing that satisfies that hunger in us.

El Principe y La Pascua -The Prince and The Passover

El día catorce del mes primero deberás celebrar la fiesta de la Pascua. Durante siete días comerás pan sin levadura. Ese día el príncipe deberá ofrecer un ternero como sacrificio por su pecado y el de todo el pueblo. -Ezequiel 45:21-22 (NVI)

Un titulo del mesias es el principe de paz (Isa 9:6). Jesus es el mesias. Y como principe, Jesus ofrecio asi mismo como sacrificio para el pecado de todo el pueblo durante la pascua. Pero no solo por el pueblo de Israel si no para todo la humanidad. Y difrente a los otros principes de Israel. Jesus no tenia pecado. No solo este sacrificio pero todos del los escrituras judias son culminados en el sacrificio de Jesus el sumo sacerdote, el principe, y el cordero.

Esta celebracion siempre ocurre en una luna nueva. Desde Fort Lauderdale la luna el Domingo se lucio asi.

“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. And on that day the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering." Ezekiel 45:21-22 (NKJV)

One title for the mesiah is the prince of peace (Isa 9:6). Jesus is the messiah. And as prince, Jesus offered himself as the sacrifice for the sin of all the people during passover almost 2000 years ago. But not only for the people of Israel but also for all of humanity. And unlike the princes or kings of Israel, Jesus did not sin. Not only this sacrifice but all the sacrifice described in the Law are culminated in the sacrifice of Jesus, the high priest, prince and lamb.

I believe passover always starts on a new moon. Here is what it looked like last Sunday.

Mi abuelo, Jose Lamas - Jose Lamas, My grandfather

Mi abuelo se fallecio el martes. Tenia 100 años. Era entomolago en Peru. Aqui esta con mi mama y mi abuela. Estoy con pena pero con paz a la vez porque recibio el Señor antes de morir y porque tuve la opurtunidad de conocerlo bien los ultimos dos años cuando yo vivia en Peru. Ora por mi hermano y mi mama quienes estan llendo a Peru para el velorio y entierro. Ora para que el Señor usa el testimonio de mi abuelo para que otros pueden conocer a Cristo.

My grandfather died on tuesday. He was 100 years old. He was an entymologist. This is him with my mother and grandmother. I am sad but at peace at the same time because he received the Lord before he died and because I had the opportunity to get to know him better the past two years when I was living in Peru. I suspected the last time I saw him two weeks ago would be the last time I would see him on earth. Pray for my brother Daniel and mother Gertrude who are going to Peru for the funeral. Pray that the Lord would use my grandfather's testimony so that others would come to know Jesus.

comentarios - comments

Ricardo Ramos escribio:
Mi querido Capitán (Steven Spielberg):

Qué bueno darle un vistazo a tu blog y encontrar noticias frescas de tu llegada, y más aun notar que has inaugurado la sección en español. Es una prueba de lo mucho del Perú que llevas dentro. O para decirlo más exactamente: de lo mucho que el Señor hizo en tu vida mientras lo serviste en el Perú y que sin duda llevas dentro.

No conozco Fort Lauderdale pero sí he visto The Truman Show y creo que algo de esa perfección prefabricada e ilusoria, propia de un set de televisión, puede llegar a tener una moderna, ordenada pero impersonal ciudad del Primer Mundo, sobre todo si quien lo aprecia ha convivido durante un buen tiempo con el desorden urbano de Lima, la desgarradora pobreza de Puente Piedra y Playa Hermosa, y la sorprendente calidez que en medio de ese contexto tienen sus habitantes (pienso en los ayacuchanos, por ejemplo, para recordar nuestra obra fílmica).

Creo saber a qué te refieres cuando dices que te sentías como si estuvieras en aquella película, pero la ilustración de Truman es realmente interesante y me sugiere más lecturas. Permíteme desarrollarlas. Creo hay muchos Truman en todas las ciudades, en las ricas y en las pobres, en el Perú y los Estados Unidos. Son aquellos que lamentablemente no se dan cuenta de quién mueve los hilos de la historia (quién es el príncipe de este mundo) y viven como si esta realidad material e inmediata, este set pasajero, más allá de las comodidades o carencias, fuera el principio y el fin de la vida, lo único realmente importante y trascendente.

Truman –por lo menos antes de que el personaje desconfiara de la veracidad de su entorno- me recuerda al hombre en quien la luz del evangelio aún no resplandece y anda en tinieblas, a quien vive subyugado por los deseos de los ojos, los deseos de la carne y la vanagloria de la vida (1Jn 2:16).

Pero lo bueno es que nosotros, por la gracia de Dios, ya no somos Truman, aunque momentáneamente vivamos en un mundo perdido que Satanás ha disfrazado con múltiples seducciones, ya sea en el próspero y ordenado Fort Lauderdale o en la caótica y contradictoria Lima.

Sabemos quién mueve los hilos de este sistema, pero él no tiene poder sobre nosotros. No somos actores de su trama. Somos actores (siervos, para decirlo mejor) del Señor. A él nos debemos y para él vivimos, en cualquier lugar del mundo donde nos quiera ubicar. Y siempre estaremos de paso, porque esta es una realidad pasajera; sólo el reino de Dios es eterno. Por eso, en el siguiente versículo del pasaje que te cité (1Jn 2:17), Juan concluye: “Y el mundo pasa, y sus deseos; pero el que hace la voluntad de Dios permanece para siempre”.

Mi querido David, seguiré orando por ti y también por aquellos que te rodean, que ocupan un lugar en tu corazón pero todavía viven y piensan como aquellos Truman a los que me referí. Me ha dado mucho gusto saber que has llegado bien y que estás alerta a lo que viene de Dios y lo que no viene de él. Seguramente, las circunstancias no serán fáciles, pero recuerda que hay que tener la perspectiva de Dios para entender lo que significan. Voy a orar por eso y para que Dios te use con tu familia.

Hay unos versículos de Filipenses que vinieron a mi mente cuando leí lo que pusiste en tu blog en torno a las tentaciones materialistas. Están en Fil. 4:11-13. Ojalá te sean de ayuda. Dice Pablo: “…he aprendido a contentarme, cualquiera que sea mi situación. Sé vivir humildemente, y sé tener abundancia; en todo y por todo estoy enseñado, así para estar saciado como para tener hambre, así para tener abundancia como para padecer necesidad. Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece”.

Recibe un fuerte abrazo y muchas bendiciones.
Ricardo

Gracias, Ricardo por tus commentarios y oraciones. Justamente hoy dia estaba hablando con un familiar que desgusto mucho el dicho "Dios provera". Porque? Por que el suppone esto implica que eso implica ociosidad. Yo le explique la biblia dice que "Dios provera" pero tamdien "el que no trabaja no come" y que el creyente que no provea para su familia es peor que el que no creye. Pero el piense que el provea para si mismo. Sabemos que Dios nos da todo la creacion, la vida desde su principio, la capacidad para trabajar... ect. Pero esto implica otra cosa tambien. Si Dios es tan grande que nos da todo tambien es tan grande que cual quiere pecado contra el hombre o uno mismo es mayormente un pecado contra el y turba nuestra relaciones con el. Ora para que Dios perdone este familiar porque no sabe lo que hace y esta diciendo. Tambien ora para mi para que yo practico lo que predica. Hablando de eso alabo a Dios porque ha provisto que tengo u cachuelo por algunos dias.

Thanks, Ricardo for your comments and prayers. Just today I was speaking with a relative that strongly dislikes the saying "God will provide". Why? Because he assumes that it means laziness. I explained that the bible teaches that God will provide but it also teaches that he who doesn't work doesn't eat and that the believer that doesn't provide for his family is worse than the unbeliever. But he thinks that he provides for himself. We know that God has given us all the creation, life from conception on, the capacity to work...ect. But this implies something else as well. If God is so big that he gives us everything He is also so big that any sin against man or oneself is most importantly a sin against God, And it disturbs our relationship with God. Pray for him because he doesn't know what he is does or is saying. Also pray that I might practice what I preach. By the way I praise God because He has provided a temporary job for a couple of days.

Llegue : I arrived

Queria contarles que llegue bien a Fort Lauderdale y estoy aca en la casa de mis padres por los proximos dias. Mi numero telefonica aca es 001-954-630-0213 por si a caso.
No se si es la falta de dormir pero siento en un mundo imaginario. Les cuento algunos ejemplos. Cuando llegue al aeropuerto de Ft. Lauderdale no sabia si mis padres me iban a recoger y no tenia sencillo para llamar ellos del telefono publico. Pregunte a una senora desconocida si se podria cambiar mi billete. Ella dijo que no pero si queria me pudiera dar el dinero par ser la llamada. Dijo gracias pero no era neccessario. Despues pedi otro senor que tampoco tenia sencillo pero ofrecio que yo usaba so celular. Los calles son muy bonitos pero no hay nadie caminando en ellas. Ora por mi porque estoy siendo tentado en el area de materialismo. Pense que iba ser mas facil obedecer el Senor pero ha resultado que cuando el Senor te lleva a nuevas alturas Satanas te tiente tambien en nuevas alturas. Ora por mi familia y que yo les anima a conocer Jesus.

I just wanted to let you know that I arrived in Fort Lauderdale yesterday. I will be in at my parents house the next couple of days. My number is 954-630-0213. I don't know if it's because of lack of sleep but I feel like I stept into "the Truman Show". When I arrived at the airport I didn't know if my parents would be able to pick me up. I didn't have any change to use the phone just a ten dollar bill. I asked a woman to change it for me and she said "Sorry I can't change your ten dolars but how much do you need?" I thanked her and said that it wasn't that urgent. Then I asked another man who didn't have change either but he offered for me to use his cell phone.

The streets are beautiful put there is nobody walking on them. I went for a walk on the beach and looked up and saw three planes two helicopters all at the same time. It was like "the Jetsons". What a difference from Lima where you can't even see the few airplanes that come in because of the constant cloud cover during the autumn and winter. Pray for me because I am being tempted in the area of materialism. I thought it would be easier to obey the Lord but it seems that when the Lord brings you to new heights and Satan also tempts you at new heights. Pray for my family and that I would be attracting them to Jesus.

Which view is more tolerant?

On more thing on tolerance and Atheism. An atheist has to say that most religions and therefore the worldviews of an overwhelming majority of humanity past and present are wrong because they are based on a belief that there is some sort of divine being or beings outside the natural world.

The christian, while maintaining that the only way to a personal eternal relationship with the only God is through Jesus Christ, can say that all these worldviews have differing measures of truth mixed in with falsehood
Which view is more tolerant?

On Tolerance

Thank you b. for your comment on the post entitled Counter to Atheist Objection. You have showed tolerance in your response in that it was thoughtful and controlled. I have a question for you to think about, Should one be tolerant of intolerance? That is if we say that tolerance is a quality to encourage in others then when we see intolerance in another are we to correct that intolerance? Would that not be intolerance of intolerance?

I raise this point not to say that it is wrong to tell a racist that he is wrong. I raise it to point out there are two types of intolerance. One based on truth and one based on falsehood. There were people in Germany that would not tolerate Hitler's intolerance. They stood up for the Jews and others being murdered and paid with their own lives. Hitler's intolerance of Jews was based on hatred and lies but, the intolerance of Hitler's intolerance was based on a standard of right and wrong.

How was this standard established originally? There can be no intrinsic standard of right and wrong. A standard by definition must be established by something outside- be it authority, custom, or general consent. Can we say that the general consent is that it is wrong to kill someone solely based on a lie that they are an inferior race? It wasn't the general consent in Germany at that time but it was still wrong. What about a standard based on custom? Antisemitism is a custom you will find in every age and every where. Even in places where there is no one to blame woes on. For example here in Peru, where the Jewish population is less than .0001%, several times I have heard people express the same stereotypes about Jews that Hitler took advantage of in his propaganda. So this standard is not set by custom because the custom is contrary to the standard of right and wrong as we saw in Nazi Germany.

It is true that the standard of right and wrong is within us, but how did it get there? If it evolved it is caused biologically, environmentally, socially or some mixture of these. Imagine that Hitler murdered everyone that thought that Hitler or his successors murdering whoever they wanted was wrong. According to my assumption about evolution eventually after generations of this no one would believe that Hitler or his successor murdering who they wanted was wrong. Does the holocaust become not wrong in this scenario? No, because the standard of right and wrong is in us as you rightfully pointed out but it was put there and exists outside of us.

b. You said, "i believe in being as good to other people as possible, but this doesn't mean i do it because some higher power wants or encourages me to." I believe that you believe in being as good to others as possible but I don't believe you are. If you have been as good to others as possible does my not believing change the fact that you have been as good to others as possible. Similarly you not being as good to others as possible because a higher power wants or encourages you to is not evidence that there is no higher power that wants or encourages you to. Maybe one is nice to a neighbor because she likes him but that doesn't mean the government doesn't prohibit murder her murdering him.

It is to easy to say that you have done your best to live as good to others as possible especially compared to the next guy, but if there is a standard of right and wrong is established then you have to compare yourself to that. Have you ever done anything that you would not like done to you? Have you ever lied, no matter how small the lie? Would you have wanted someone tell you that same lie? Have you ever stolen anything no matter how small? Would you have wanted someone to steal something like that from you? You are not as good as you possibly could be. But even if from now on you were you would still have already committed all these things that go against the standard of right and wrong.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is established by an authority. It is in Leviticus. According to Jesus it is a command. A command must come from a commander. What do you think about Jesus? Do you think he loved others? I think He practiced this command better then me or you. I think he practiced it perfectly. I think he loved even his enemies. But you know he said that this was the second most important command. He said that the first is we should love God. How you doing on that one? When I realized that I wasn't doing either of these nor could I ever do them and that that meant I had a big problem because all that stuff about judgement, heaven and hell is true, I only found the solution in one place. Jesus is the only one that paid that price. The price of something can be determined by how much someone paid for it. According to Jesus the cost of you and me breaking this standard of right and wrong is His death on a cross. Remember he was perfect. He did not deserve to be on that cross.

Omnipotence and Free will

I recently had a conversation with an atheist that rose this objection to the existence of God:

It is impossible for God to be all powerful and at the same time for man to have free will.

The false assumption is: If God has the power to do something He will do it.

Let's go to the garden of Eden where there was a multitude of trees to eat from but one where God told Adam and Eve not to eat from. Adam and Eve had the choice to obey or disobey. God being all powerful could have made the choice for them, but He is loving as well. Love is a two way street that requires the freedom to choose. He decided in His wisdom and love to give Adam and Eve the choice to obey Him and love Him. In the same way God gives everyone the option to choose Him or to continue in disobedience to Him.

What about suffering? God's omnipotence implies that He has the power to stop suffering but doesn't. How is that loving?

I am not able to do justice to this objection, but here is a thought that I had. We saw that God allowed Adam and Eve to disobey Him. As parents if we shield our children from the consequences of their mistakes they will never learn. The consequence of Adam and Eve's sin was that death and suffering entered the world. So first of all we should remember that the reason there is suffering in the first place is not God's fault but man's disobedience.

But granted that, "haven't we learned our lesson? Why doesn't this all powerful God put an end to suffering?"

No, we have not learned our lesson. We continue to choose to disobey God; however, He has done something to put an end to suffering. He defeated death and suffering in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The reason there is still suffering is because in His kindness and patience God is waiting for more people to learn the lesson and turn to Him to receive forgiveness for their innate disobedience. If he would reinstate all things now and put an end to this order of the world then time is up and no more choice can be made.

In all this discussion about suffering I don't want to ignore the fact that many because of what family or country they were born into will experience much more suffering then others born into other circumstances.

It is not God's will that thousands of children die every day from starvation and AIDS. God is not deaf to these peoples cries (although, many times we are.) It is interesting that we point to the existence of extreme suffering to argue the non-existence of God but where there is deliverance and relief from these conditions or times of abundance we attribute it to men or natural phenomenon.

God has an enemy whose goal it is to destroy and steal. The current world we live in is ruled by an occupying enemy that is in rebellion to the rightful owner. The all powerful God has not incarcerated this enemy and taken control over the workings of this world yet because of the same reason as before: to do that would close the window on all humanity from changing allegiance. He is not willing that any should suffer eternally. We are too short sighted. We want world peace now without making peace with God. In other words we want His kingdom to come, but we don't want His will to be done.

VISUALIZE WHIRLED PEAS

image from http://flickr.com/photos/pandarine/45824656/

A chosen and persecuted people

I have recently heard someone ask, "why are the Jews considered the chosen people?" In the course of this discussion another question was raised, "why have Jews been persecuted so much?"

My take on these questions is the same. There is a spiritual reality behind them. What were the Jews chosen for? To be the line into which the promised saviour would be brought to the world and to proclaim the message of salvation in the end times. As the final events in prophecy take place descendants of Israel will be the instruments God uses to proclaim the message that saves much of the world: Man has broken God's law, will be held accountable for this crime, can have forgiveness if he repents and trusts in the saviour to pay his penalty. Frustrating this plan has always been the primary intention of the enemy of God. For this reason the Jews have always been persecuted. First to stop the saviour from entering the world; then, to stop the message that there is salvation in the saviour.

Counter to Atheist Objection

A common objection of atheists to the existence of God is that anything that man is not certain of the theist attributes to God. The most popular example given, which has nothing to do with the assertion, is: "before everybody thought the world was flat but then we discovered it was round."
Isn't it at least as foolish to assert that there is no God because we understand how a limited number of processes in the world function without the seeming intervention of God? It's as if we live in a car engine and we say, "well I can see and know how a piston works because of the explosion caused by the sparkplug and gasoline but can't see any driver or designer therefore there is no driver or designer. Anyone who claims that there is a driver and designer is a fool and is using that to explain things that we haven't discovered yet because we don't completely understand the engine. When we understand more about the engine it will confirm that there is no driver or designer and that everything can be explained by reasons that exclude a designer and driver. Don't you remember when we discovered how the piston worked?"

"The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. (Psalm 14:1)

Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/evercool/197112722/

San Clemente, Pisco

Thanks for everyone that prayed and wrote comments about me going to Pisco. It was a fruitful experience for me and for the group of young adults from Ayacucho. As soon as I got there I met these kids and got a chance to share the gospel with them right away.


The place was very hot and did not have running water except for two times a week. It was a challenge for me but even more for the youth group because the guys camped outside the church that was right on the plaza while I stayed at a hostel. Into the wee hours of the morning people get intoxicated and make lots of noise in the plaza. The guys had to take showers at the local market probably with a bucket of water and a cup. But they were very good sports and had an edifying time despite all the hardships.

I got a chance to teach the first day on evangelizing using the law to lead people to Christ. I pray God will use in the ministry's of those who know Jesus and in the lives of those in the group of 36 who do not know Jesus. (The picture on the right is of only half the group) The second day I taught on sexual immorality. I get the sense that this second teaching was more interesting to the youths and I hope the ones that are christians were edified by it and the ones that aren't were convicted by the Holy Spirit of their sin.

One day we went to the beach were one of the pastors got stung in the foot by some sort of ray that injected him with non-lethal poison. His whole right leg was in pain. He went to the doctor got some pills and is recovering. I was very grateful for the food. The group took turns cooking for the 36 people.

We also did some social service in the town painting benches in the park which led us to meet the mayor. I learned much from Pastor Yu, the Korean missionary planting churches in the south of Peru. I saw in his life that you can't out give God. "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done." (Proverbs 19:17 NIV)

What do you want to be?

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Sometimes we ask children this question to get an idea of what talents and desires they have. We usually mean, "what job do you want to do when you grow up?" It's a shame that there are some professions that require the person to trade a lot of their life for a return that is not worth it. Some of the most accomplished people have lives that are so shattered their accomplishments pale in comparison to the problems that an all-consuming profession generates.

I never knew how to answer this question because I believed that I didn't want what I do to define who I was. I might have just as well responded to the adult, "who are you?". In the adult world however to avoid any conversation more then skin deep we ask, "what do you do for a living?"

In the seeking there is doing

There is a connection though between what we do and/or seek to do and who we are. What we do manifests what we seek to do and the soul is the part being that seeks and is who we are. So what is God's command regarding what we are to seek and therefore who we are to be?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:33-34 NIV)

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness" is an action which is probably the only desire that when we seek it we attain it (see C.S. Lewis's book "Surprised by Joy"). Everything else is "tomorrow". "All these things" most importantly refers to His kingdom and His righteousness. The food and clothing of previous verses all though important are only temporal. His kingdom speaks of His agenda or will. His righteousness is his perfect identity. In other words if we do what he wants, (seek Him) we are Christians, followers of Christ (notice that the identity is defined by what we do). Then we become adopted sons of God (John1:12) and are justified by his righteousness imparted to us. We are given an identity by our creator which is far superior to any we could create.

Being surprised day by day

I also want to record an interesting phenomena that I am experiencing in this period of my life that has a lot to do with what I just said. Now that my two year commitment to serve as a missionary with Koinonia is coming to a close on March 28th I feel external and internal pressures to define what I will do next. Every time I ponder what it is I would like to be doing next it is similar to what I'm doing now: something where I could serve the Lord with talents that he has given me, have the opportunity to teach the bible in some fashion, make disciples, and edify others. Somewhere where I could surf and maybe a foreign country. This leads me to believe that I will look back at this time with regret if I spend my time worrying about what I will do instead of letting the Lord lead me and surprise me day by day.

New York Yankee, Soccer star, Superman, Spiderman

Please Pray for Pisco, Peru

Lord-willing on Monday I’ll be heading to Pisco, a city four hours to the south of Lima. Here I will meet up with a group of twenty five adolescents from Ayacucho for a four day conference/missions trip. Half the group is not Christian. They are starting a new church in an area where there is no other protestant church. The city’s catholic church is not nearby. I will be teaching on evangelism for four hours for three days. I am dreadfully scared and unprepared. Lord, please forgive me. I don’t know how I will be able teach for such long periods of time. The first day I plan on basically given Ray Comfort’s message called “Hell’s Best Kept Secret”. Please pray for me, the adolescents, and the people we will be sharing the gospel to that God would open up an effective door and reveal the mystery of Christ.

Blogger with Michael, one of the leaders that will oversee the work in Pisco after the group leaves

Blogger with some of the adolescents from Ayacucho

Are you allowed to...?

Every now and then someone asks me, "Being a christian are you allowed to do "x" immoral thing?" What if I asked, "since you are married are you allowed to steal?" Notice that the questions assume that there is no universal morality. More preoccupying is the questions assume that a relationship is based on rules and regulations. The only acceptable basis for a relationship with God is Jesus. This relationship is described in the bible using many metaphors such as:

1. Abraham's seed: The believer is a friend of God by faith. (Gal 3:29, James 2:23)
2. God's Son: The believer is a son of God by faith in Jesus's name and receiving the Word. Jesus is the Word. (John 1:1, 12)
3. Messiah's Bride the church: The believer is part of the body and bride of Christ by the crucifiction and resurrection. (1 cor 6:14-15)

My father Abraham and I in Carhuaz where we bought some really yummy manjar blanco :)

Repentance is a fruit

Is repentance necessary for a relationship with God? Is it necessary for a watermelon vine to produce watermelons? However, we are not plants. We have the freedom to choose whether or not we will produce fruit. That’s why all the prophets command, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (Matt 3:8 NIV)
Now that I have known God's kindness I don't want to do anything that ofends him. "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" (Romans 2:4 NIV)

It's kind of funny that Jimmy is from Ica, the land where the best watermelons in Peru are produced. Here he is in Ayacucho eating a watermelon probably from Ica.

Viaje Misionero de La Iglesia Cristiana Koinonia a Ayacucho

Here is the video that I produced with the help of Ricardo Ramos and Brian Vanderkodde about our short term missions trip to Ayacucho. Its in Spanish. I hope to make an English version soon. The music was taken from La Semilla's album "Despertar"