Tourists

I am a stranger on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.
Psalm 119:19

One of the strongest industries in the world is that of tourism. Tourists spend large sums of money each year to visit foreign countries and also to do domestic tourism. Most countries in Europe, the United States, China and Mexico are at the top of the list of countries that have generated more revenues for this concept. The number of travelers visiting these countries is measured in millions of people per year and the income they generate is measured in billions of dollars a year. One of the industries that have developed alongside tourism is that of the publication of travel guides. These books, full of information to help you make the most of a short stay in a city or a specific country, sell very well and make one of the most visited sections of bookstores. Can you imagine visiting a country without having defined a well researched plan of visits to museums, historic sites, beautiful architecture and landscapes of breathtaking beauty? Very few tourists would dare to live the adventure of a tourist trip without carrying in their pockets one of these helpful guides.

Surprisingly, many of God’s children pass through this world, of which they are not citizens, without using the ultimate traveler’s guide, the word of God, the Bible. The vast majority of the time we feel so comfortable in this world that we forget that our citizenship is in heaven and that we are just passing through a very large tourist attraction, this world. On top of it, we do not even know anything about the quite interesting things we can do and the most recommended places to visit while we are here to enhance our travel experience. It’s never too late for you to review the travelers guide. You will be surprised to find out the many things you never knew you could do and those that you had to do to make the most of your trip. Therefore, let us begin now to know more about this world and what God expects of us because time is short. You’ll travel with a completely differently perspective than the one you had before. Only to God be the glory!

Eternal Majesty

He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.’
And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
Psalms 89:26-27

Those who dominate the world care about keeping their dynasties in power. Be it monarchies, dictatorships or democracies, those in authority seek ways to establish continuity in power through their descendants or close relatives, either by constitutional means, by established traditions or by brute force. In the case of monarchies there is one or more lines of succession for determining who is entitled to occupy the throne on the death of the incumbent. Following the steps, regardless of the inconsequence, of people who are in these lines of succession is the purpose and business of some celebrity magazines. But rather than keeping up with these petty stories the world should be keeping abreast of everything related to the only person who is above all kings and authorities in the universe, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.

The covenant established by God with King David contains the promise that the house of King David and his kingdom will endure forever before God and his throne shall be established forever. The Lord Jesus is the person who now occupies and will occupy for ever and ever that throne promised by God. The Lord Jesus said: “I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star.” We look forward to that day when the King returns to reign over all the earth to be the only God and his name to be the only name. We look forward to that day when we all with one voice and with all our might will sing: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” and “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!” To God alone be the glory!

To praise or not to praise? That is the question

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
Psalm 66:1-2

People are most curious. Everybody wants salvation but nobody seeks God and if they seek at all, they seek for a god to suit their wishes. They want to believe that there is a god just as they imagine it to be, with the attributes that in their eyes make it a god and yes, it has to be a god who does not judge or rebuke them when they do something wrong. What they want is a self-serve god. Those who have become millionaires by selling books and duping half the world with these ideas suggest that God can be found in the depths of our being and that all we have to do is to focus by meditation within ourselves until a divine spark or something like that shows up. Any strange feeling associated with this process would demonstrate that we are on the right path to find God.

The world is full of tricksters and charlatans. If someone wants God to dwell within him, he must first invite God to come forward, enter and establish his dwelling in the inner being. Since the creation of the universe God has been knocking on the door of the every heart to ask them to let him come in and live with them. But they have ignored the call of God and have dedicated themselves to create their own philosophies and all kinds of religions to feel they are doing something about it. Some even have allowed God to enter but refuse to recognize and thank him for all that God has done for them. It’s like having a girlfriend to whom you never say she is very pretty and neither you mention to her that she makes you so very happy. I do not think such an engagement has a future at all. We were created for the praise of the glorious grace of God. Do you know what we’ll be doing when we are in the presence of God? We will be praising and worshiping God for eternity. Why wait? Let’s start at once! Only to God be the glory!

Genuflection

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Psalms 22:29

Of all the people, the rich are those who think they have the right to be arrogant. There is no denying that according to the criteria of the world, they have been very successful, presumably by their own efforts. This, they say, is what gives them the justification for their pride and boasting as a peacock. Many of them say: “While on this earth, I’ll worry only about the things that belong to this world. There will be time to worry about other things later.” This argument presupposes that they have the opportunity to change their style and philosophy when they leave this world, which is absolutely untrue. Unfortunately for them, after this life there will be no way to change what was done in this world. But this is of little concern to them because while they are entertained with the things the world offers they  do not have time to consider what the word of God teaches or what preparations are necessary for the future world and eternity.

When the world ends , without exception, everybody will have to offer honor and worship to Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords. The difference will be that some of us will do it voluntarily and others will do it by compulsion. In any case, at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. To which of the two groups you want to belong, to those who will be forced to bend their knees to surrender or those that will praise and worship with all their heart? The decision is in your hands, that is in your heart, that is in your mouth, for “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Do not delay. Put aside everything that hinders you from getting closer to Jesus, such as attachment to human institutions or predilection for the traditions of men. Only God saves. Only to God be the glory!

Authority

But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.
Psalm 104:7-9

There are two ways to interpret the actions that occur in the passage under consideration depending on how verse 6 is translated from the original Hebrew to English. One version tells us that the waters rose over the mountains and descended into the valleys, which could be an allusion to the hydrological cycle and the other way to translate this verse tells us that the mountains rose and valleys descended probably referring to the orogenic processes by which the mountain ranges took the shape we see today in many parts of the world. It does not matter if King David was talking about hydrology or orogeny since the message of the passage is the authority and dominion of God over his creation, regardless of the manner in which things take place. Both physical processes are among the many tools available to God to create and transform creation. As the Master Teacher, he has at his disposal brushes, spatulas, canvas, oils, acrylics, watercolors, crayons, pastels, charcoals, and so to shape his masterpiece.

He who has the power to create a universe of universes with dimensions and shapes that we are unable to understand is the same one that has sought us to be his children. He is the same one that speaks to our hearts by his word in a language that only our heart can understand. With God nothing is impossible. His wishes are commands to creation and creation joyfully obeys without questioning and without delay. There is not a single problem in the world that God can not solve. If you really need something that looks impossible to achieve or accomplish, take it to God in prayer and let him act. Put your trust in the One who will not disappoint you nor forsake you. Come to the Lord Jesus and you will have everything you really need. To God alone be the glory!

Search for heroes

Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!
Proverbs 30:4

We all love heroes. Whether mythical heroes such as Gilgamesh, Hercules, Odysseus, Achilles, Perseus, Sir Galahad, Aeneas, Roland, El Cid, William Tell, Robin Hood, Batman, Superman or Rambo or historical such as King David, Samson, Leonidas, Charles Martell, William Wallace, Simon Bolivar, the Pola, Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi, Pancho Villa, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Jim Elliot we all feel admiration for these characters that have inspired many to carry out further acts of heroism or write narratives of courage in times of difficulty. At all times, different cultures have relied on these mythical and real stories to unite the crowds in search of an ideal. However, with all the appreciation we feel for these champions, none of them approaches, even remotely, the glory of the Creator of the universe and Author of salvation.

This does not mean we’re going to stop reading the books (or e-readers and tablets) or stop watching movies that show us the exploits of these champions. Nor does it mean that we will fail to be inspired with their stories. There is nothing wrong with cultivating good literature and knowledge. What we must not neglect is the daily search for wisdom, discernment and knowledge of the holy God. If we ask the questions that Agur, son of Jakeh asked and try to find the answer to them we will go on track to attain the wisdom that comes from above. Before the glory of God the exploits of the heroes mill take a distant second place. To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word for July 21, 2011

He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
Psalms 104:5-6

Scientific and technological advances are difficult to ignore. Every day a new technology application is developed to improve our health or our wellbeing. Millions of Euros and Dollars are spent daily on scientific research and companies that engage in this research generate large fortunes for their stockholders. Hence, science has a reputation as a generator of well-being and progress to the point that science has replaced faith in many areas of knowledge. While the areas of application are different, many have used science to discredit faith. It is like an expert in History of the French Revolution questioning the advances in Cell Physiology and vice versa. Science deals with what can be seen and what can be felt and measured. Faith deals with things that cannot be seen and cannot be measured physically. At some points these two study areas overlap and that is where the most heated arguments arise between believers and scientists. Both try to claim that little common ground for themselves.

We can find one of these points of overlap in the study of the origins of the universe, life and our planet. The vast majority of scientists have rejected a priori the option that God’s hand has intervened in the creation process of all we can see today. Arrogantly they raise and wield their ever-changing theories, which they take for truth though most of them have proved to be defective. When this happens, they simply create a new theory to replace the one that has failed, which serves to keep them occupied until the new theory is also found to be false. The word of God on the other hand is consistent and reliable. God’s promises are true and need not be exchanged for new promises. God is faithful and his word is trustworthy. This is something that science will never achieve. To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word for July 3, 2011

By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
Proverbs 3:19-20

The French philosopher Voltaire when asked about his position in regards to the existence of God said: “The universe disconcerts me and I can not imagine that this watch exists without a watchmaker.” This statement becomes more valuable when we understand that Voltaire was not a person that we would call a “believer” in the strict sense of the word. The attacks on schools of thought and all those who believe that God exists have increased since the atheist activists began to rely on the doctrines of Positivism and Postmodernism. Atheist activism has reached the point of hiring advertising space on billboards and on the sides of buses to present their arguments to the common people and win adherents. They are truly engaged in a propaganda campaign. Do they think that if they become a majority they will be able to demonstrate that God does not exist? It’s hard to know which arguments are hiding behind their communication strategies. The truth is that years of scientific advances have failed to prove any of their wild theories about life or the origin of man or the origin of the universe.

Clearly it is impossible for a marvelous and disconcerting structure as the universe to have arisen from nothing without the intervention of a Supreme Being who ordered its creation. It is even more impossible that the miracle of life has occurred without the direct and exclusive order of the Creator. No wonder Voltaire was baffled. Although by definition atheists do not believe in any kind of god, they have a god called chance. Pride prevents them from recognizing that they are wrong in their fanciful theories about life and the universe. They stubbornly continue to insist that everything is due to chance but do not explain how. The word of God tells us that the universe and life were created by God. It also tells us that God made all things with wisdom, intelligence and knowledge. I do not think that chance has any of these capabilities. Let us rejoice in the creation and most importantly, let us rejoice in the Creator because that’s why we were created for. To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word for June 18, 2011

The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.
You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
Psalm 89:11-12

The progressive scientific community continues to put forward new ideas that despite how new and seemingly rational they may look, are just ideas that are part of a plan to confirm the origin of the universe without God’s involvement. Decades of study by thousands of scientists at an extravagant cost have failed to find support and confirmation of their quaint and colorful theories. Take for example the Large Hadron Collider, also known as LHC for short. To date, more than $6.6 billion (about €4.0 billion) have been spent in the construction and startup of this gigantic sub-atomic particle accelerator. With this amount of money they could run the government of some countries like Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala or Panama for a whole year. To date, having come into operation by mid-2008, no confirmatory results of its main experiment: the search for the Higgs boson particle, also called God particle, have been achieved. The scientists also hope to physically detect in the future other theoretical particles such as strangelets, micro black holes, magnetic monopoles and supersymmetric particles, which supposedly would support their materialistic theories.

King David said: “The fool says in his heart: «There is no God.»” To deny the existence of God is mere foolishness and to deny his involvement in human affairs is a reckless action that steals the honor from God. The only reason that motivates these deniers of God is to silence their conscience which is perpetually pointing at their wrongdoing. To reassure themselves, they deny God and his moral authority, thus cushioning the guilt that corrodes them and mitigating the fear of suffering the terrible and future consequences of their spiritual wrongdoing. Let us not imitate these foolish and corrupt individuals whose punishment has been prepared before the creation of the universe. Acknowledge God in all our ways and you will act with truth and justice. To God alone be the glory!

Today’s word for June 17, 2011

A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 17:24

Here’s something amazing! We spend most of our lives harboring illusions that will never become reality and we forget to take the convenient and necessary time to cultivate wisdom. That puts us in the category of fools, that is, those who live immersed in dreams and fantasies. Dreams and fantasies are not bad in themselves and they are not the problem. The problem lies in the excessive time devoted to wander into them. Fantasies are necessary in the life of all human beings as an escape mechanism to lessen the impact of the rigors of some aspects of everyday life. The problem arises when the individual spends more time than necessary dwelling in the surreal world of illusions and gradually ends up losing all contact with reality. The use of fantasy and entertainment has been fully exploited by the film industry and the increasingly huge box office receipts are a testimonial to the popularity and prevalence of dreams as a means of escape from reality.

Wisdom, on the contrary, is easy to reach. In fact, wisdom is continually looking for us and all we have to do to get her is to heed to her warnings, advice and teachings. King Solomon said: “Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech” He also said: “For the LORD gives wisdom.” Long is the list of benefits that wisdom produces in the lives of those who seek her. Valuable things such as freedom, discipline, discernment, propriety, wisdom, righteousness, justice, knowledge and equity will be granted to those who respond positively to the call of wisdom. Let’s stop spending so much time dreaming horizons of illusion and let us put your feet on the ground to cultivate the profitable wisdom that comes from above. Let us devote adequate time to the study of God’s word and wisdom will flourish and bear fruit in our lives. To God alone be the glory!