Sunday, July 01, 2007

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Praise the Lord, I finished my training here at Fort Gordon. Last week was my last field training and Lord willing, this Tuesday at noon, I will be graduating from Fort Gordon and going home back to California.
I am thankful for the time that I was here and the brothers and sisters that I met at SouthGate Baptist Church. It was a blessing to be a part of SouthGate Baptist Church.
So far, I do not know anything about going to Iraq since I have not been contacted for that. Some of my fellow soldiers are going to Iraq in November. Thanks to those of you that were praying for me and Lord willing, next post will be from California.

Friday, June 22, 2007

THE END IS VERY NEAR!!!!!

NO! NO! NO! This post is not going to talk at all about the end of the world or anything like that. I just would like to share with people that my training here at Fort Gordon, GA is FINALLY DONE!, YES!!! IT IS DONE!!!!
Today was my last day of class here at Fort Gordon. Next week, Lord willing, I will be going to my final field training and then graduating from Fort Gordon on July 3rd.
I am so much looking forward to go back to California and be involve in the events back at my church home, school, and with my family (parents and sister).
Lord willing, I might be going back to teaching at our school (more information on that probably later).
Praise the Lord, I was able to do well during all this training and now continue on the rest of the road that He, God, may have for me back in California. Thanks to all of you that were praying for me during all this time that I was in training.

Saturday, June 02, 2007

FAILING TO LAY UP TREASURE IN HEAVEN

In I Corinthians 3:11-15 we read about a serious subject for believers to consider.
When a Christian sins and gives that sin a place of shelter, fellowship with God is broken, salvation's joy is lost, chastisement is given an open invitation and loss of reward is inevitable.
Out of fellowship means out of service, and out of service means that one is failing to lay up treasure in heaven. At that point, one is building with "wood, hay and stubble" which cannot endure the test of the Rewarding Day.
The Holy Spirit assures us that a foundation has already been laid, none other that the Rock, Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). The laying of this foundation, by the hand of divine wisdom (1:18-31), need never be repeated. It is laid as deep as the grave (15:3-5) and is as stable as the Eternal Throne (Hebrews 1:8).
We are saved, safe, secure, resting on our Rock, Jesus Christ. This security, however, in no way gives us license to live as we please (Colossians 1:9-10). The Lord will one day judge the believer's works (II Corinthians 5:10) and will determine the rewards we will receive at His hand.
What happens if we sin, embrace it and live, for a time, in carnality? God's answer is the Judgment Seat of Christ. The day of reckoning is coming for all believers--a day of reward or loss of reward.
And so, a warning comes to all-- "take heed" (v. 10) and always meditate on "Be ye also patient: stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh"(I Peter 5:8). We must build with the proper material, that which is lasting and of great value ("gold, silver, precious stones," v. 12). Faithful service motivated by the desire to glorify God will abide and be rewarded (4:2, 5), but works performed in the flesh will cause the suffering of loss. Out of fellowship means out of service, and out of service means loss of reward (I John 2:28).

Saturday, April 28, 2007

PLEASE PRAY ABOUT THIS EVENT!!!!

Recently, I have been informed of an event that is taking place back in my home church, Bethel Baptist Church, in El Sobrante, California.
There is an article on the news paper that was launched on 04/26/2007. The article was entitle "Church urges parents not to spare the rod" you can read this article by clicking here
Please pray for this event since at this moment is a big issue in California.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

SEVEN REASONS WHY FIRST JOHN WAS WRITTEN

I would like to share the following outline on why first John was written from the book "Traveling through the First Epistle of John" by J. William Kanoy. Hope this be a blessing to you as you study this book.

PROVIDE --- Fellowship 1:1-3
PRACTICE -- Fullness of joy 1:4
PROHIBIT --- Sin in the life of the believer 2:1
PROMOTE --- Love among the brethren 2:5-10
PROCLAIM --- Forgiveness of sins 2:12-14
PROTECT --- Believers from seducers 2:26
PRODUCE --- Needed assurance 5:13

W.H.G Thomas says, "The Christian life may be summed up in seven words. It commences with Sonship, it is marked by Discipleship, it goes to Stewardship, it expresses itself in Worship, it responds to Lordship, it is realized in Fellowship, and it culminates in Heirship."

Saturday, March 17, 2007

BE STILLL

THIS WAS WRITTEN BY PASTOR BRANDENBURG ON HIS BLOG "WHAT IS TRUTH"

I DO BELIEVE THAT WE TRULY NEED TO MEDITATE ON THIS DAY BY DAY...

I have an image in my head of my oldest daughter, explaining to me why she couldn't get a project done that I had for her. This was several years ago when she explained: "I can't sit steeeel." At the time, I was very amused that she did have an answer, one that was a bold admission. Most people don't want anyone one of their character flaws. She boldly admitted it, and I got a chuckle out of it. I still look at her at times and think: "I can't sit steeel."It is difficult for almost anyone to sit still any more.

Our culture is not a sit still culture. We are the fast food nation. You know that. We can't take time to sit steeeel for supper. Everything has drive-up. No service stations anymore. We might have to sit and wait for something. I could take this all back by saying that we can sit steeeel to watch television, well, as long as the people on television aren't sitting steeeel. Television watching is a form of role play. People can "sit" and watch and live vicariously through the characters. And normally they don't want something slow moving. Imagine Barney sitting like a talking head. I'm sure he would grow old just sitting still like that. Viewership would plummet. Kids will tell you how bored they are if they don't have something to do. "Something" usually isn't work. They mean something to do that will amuse them, entertain them. We've created a new word to brag about how busy we are: multi-tasking.

Is it a grasshopper? A large cicada that landed on the side of someone's head? That's what I've thought when I see the genetically attached phone projecting from someone's ear. We have to keep in contact always, even if it's texting, the surface of earth becoming a land of electronic noises, beepings and orchestrations announcing the mere phone call. We need to talk, watch, and listen. Media fixation. Channel and webpage surfing revealing designs that bombard the senses, leaving us unable to concentrate like we once could.Yes, I do think it's all a conspiracy against God. Living by faith in God requires His command in Psalm 46:10.
Be still, and know that I am God.

God requires stillness. We must stop and pause to listen, to consider, to cogitate, and to meditate, to chew the cud. It's hard to rest in this fast moving current, but God commanded it. We really do need to stop, not to smell the roses. I tried to talk to a woman at her door about eternal life, about the state of her soul, about whether she was ready to meet God. She couldn't. Why? She had beans on the stove. If beans were enough to distract her from the eternal and spiritual, Satan is not going to have to pull out any of his big cannons. To her, God wasn't worth beans. That's the truth of it for many people, perhaps even something less significant than beans. Beans may look substantive comparatively.

God doesn't want us going through life in automatic pilot or in some interminable ritual of indifference toward Him. He wants us to be still. Don't hop into the car. Don't touch that remote control. Keep your fingers off any of the on buttons. Spend time thinking about God---His greatness, His love, His power, His justice, His mercy, His goodness, His holiness---recounting His attributes. He is more than worth being noticed. It behooves us to turn everything off---the radio, television, computer, stereo---get alone, and give Him our time; wait on Him.Finlandia is an amazing piece of music. My son and daughter's orchestra played this in an afternoon concert on Sunday. The end is spine tingling. I actually think that the music by Sibelius better fits Psalm 46:10 than the typical hymn rendition of Be Still My Soul. Look at the whole verse:

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

God commands us to "be still," but whether we decide to obey that or not, everyone will be still at some point. The second half of the verse takes away the quiet, pastoral presentation we often sense from that snippet of Finlandia that serves as the melody to the hymn. The beginning of Finlandia might better represent the verse. The idea is: "You better be still or else, because I will be exalted among the heathen." The heathen don't tend toward exalting God, so what do you think is going to happen to them for this to occur? Every knee will bow whether they like it, whether they choose to or not.

If any of us would stop to consider the great mercy, grace, love, and goodness of God, we would better understand the joy and peace of stillness. We can cut through the noise, the busy mess, and find the beauty in what God has done. Let's do more than smell the coffee. Let's take a deep breath, unwind, let the tension seep from our knotted muscles, and let God take over our thoughts.

Sit steeeeel. Be still.

Friday, February 23, 2007

OUTLINES FOR JOHN'S BOOKS

Following are some outlines that I read in the book "Traveling through the First Epistle of John" by J. William Kanoy, that I believe it will be a blessing to understand the books as a whole.

OUTLINE #1
Our Salvation---Gospel of John-Past
Our Sanctification---Epistle of John-Present
Our Glorification---Revelation of John-Future

OUTLINE #2
John's Gospel---Christ is Prophet
John's Epistle---Christ is Priest
John's Revelation---Christ is King

OUTLINE #3
Gospel of John---written that men may be converted
Epistle of John---written that men may be confirmed
Revelation of John---written that men may be comforted