Religious Faith

 “A friend of mine posted a picture the other day of a church on a cliff. The people were walking in through the front door and falling out through the bottom into a dark pit representing the abyss, or hell. The caption said, “The difference between a relationship  with Jesus Christ and a religion.” It also said, “that you could go to church your whole life and still draw no closer to God, or understand who God was, and what being a Christian is truly about.” The world in my opinion, mistakes religion with true Christianity and disciples of Jesus Christ. Like anything else; I believe we lump all people groups by the actions of a few, and the world especially loves to do that when it comes to Christians and those who follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. For many religions claim to know Jesus, but yet do everything opposite of what He taught and stood for, or who the real Jesus is and looked like. 

Jesus had just finished healing a man who couldn’t walk for Thirty Eight years as recorded by John 5:

“One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the disabled man answered, “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.” “Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk.” Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath,” (CSB)

When the Pharisees saw him carrying his mat or pallet as it states in the NASB, on the Sabbath they focused more on that act than his actual healing. When they found out that Jesus had commanded him to take up his mat, they again questioned Him and argued the point about doing anything on the Sabbath. Jesus went on to tell them that they searched the Scriptures and yet did not understand or realized that He was the fulfillment of the Scriptures. He said that He would not accuse them in front of God but that Moses would, because they claimed to be followers of Moses, yet did not understand the Scriptures and how to interpret them correctly. 

Even before Jesus came, and since He ascended too many pastors, priests , evangelists, whether on TV or going from town to town have changed the word of God to fill their pockets, to fit their desires, or to fulfill their wants, rather than to preach the message of Christ. Religion is man-made that serves the purpose of the person who started it, and we see how everyone of them have different denominations, or sects, or set of rules, because they break away from the original one that started it. 

Hebrews 13 reminds us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus does not change, God‘s word does not change. What changes is the heart of man to seek their own will, their own pleasure, in their own way of being content in their sin, lifestyle, or gathering. 

“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (CSB)

So my question is, are you in a religion that is leading you to the abyss and dark pit, or are you following the Light of the world and walking with Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world?”

Jose Barajas

Moonwalk Faith

 “Neil Armstrong as most people in the world know was the first man to walk on the moon back in July Sixteenth of Nineteen Sixty Nine. The citizens of the world were in awe and one would think that this would be Armstrong’s greatest moment, but it was not. In Nineteen Ninety Four Armstrong visited the southern steps of the temple in Jerusalem and was overcome with emotion. He told the tour guide, “I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was stepping on the moon.” He then fell to his knees and kissed the steps where Jesus had walked and the church was born on the day of Pentecost. “One small step for man,” but what a giant leap of faith, that all mankind should make!

Jesus talking to the people during His first sermon says in chapter six, 

““Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ‭(NET‬‬) 

When most people share this verse, they always tend to reference money, as the following verses refer to  not serving money. But I believe it is more than just money that Jesus was referring to, because our treasures are anything that is put before God. Moths eat clothes that people buy in order to look good for others on social media, or social events, and generally use credit cards to live above their means. Rust eats metal and or other things that have been neglected or left in the rain and become worthless regardless of what was spent to buy them, or time to make, or to purchase it. We also know that the Bible refers to the enemy as the thief who comes to steal and destroy, and this is the robbery of our souls that keep us from following or believing in Jesus. We get robbed of property, ideas, music, and of our health by the things of this world that will never satisfy our desires. 

Neil Armstrong having walked on the moon counted that there is nothing in comparison to not physically seeing Jesus, but standing where Jesus walked as a greater treasure. Jesus words continue in Matthew as verse twenty two says, 

““The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be full of darkness. IF THEN THE LIGHT IN YOU IS DARKNESS, HOW GREAT IS THE DARKNESS!” (NET‬‬) (Emphasis added) 

His perspective was correct and his vision clear because he knew that nothing in this world or on the moon for that matter, really mattered in the end without Jesus. He saw the darkness of space and the light from the sun from space, and so he knew a little about light and darkness. After it was all said and done his focus stayed on Jesus. His eyes were healthy and like his blind trust that the rockets would get him to the moon and he would come back, so is what his faith was and should be for us. Habakkuk Two says,

“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

The unrighteous and those living in the dark have souls that are puffed up, but the righteous shall live by faith. Paul quoted this verse many times, and the book of Hebrews is filled with many who walked by faith and though their lives were dark and or plagued by darkness, they remained faithful and true to God and The Name. 

So my question is, where are your eyes focused on and what treasures are you chasing that are leading you away from Jesus. My prayer is that we remember what Jesus finishes this section with, 

““No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].”‬ ‭(AMP‬‬) 

I can hear Jesus saying not only to Neil Armstrong, but also to anyone who will listen and repent and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, “I love you to the moon and back, and to infinity and beyond, into eternity.” 

Jose Barajas

Running The Race To Finish Well (part 1)

by Jose Barajas

Being raised in a Catholic home meant that I was baptized as a child, and would take classes that prepared me for my first communion. Two things that have always struck me as being odd about the ceremonies I went through are A, baptizing a child goes against what scripture teaches us and B, my first communion was performed by a Spanish speaking priest. As a Hispanic family you would think nothing about it, except that I was raised to speak English not Spanish. So as you can guess I was clueless of what the Spanish priest was saying.  For all I know, I confessed to committing adultery and murder. 

All this to say, I don’t believe my sins were ever absolved or forgiven, because my heart was not really into it. Truth is, I know for a fact I was not changed. It never ceases to amaze me how many have, and still do, fall into the same trap of man’s traditions when it comes to confessing their sins. Yet they are never truly believed nor repented of their sins. I, of course, speak from experience and not just from the time I was a Catholic.

Born Faith

 

by Jose Barajas

I have seven brothers and two sisters, as I have stated in the past. My parents are Mexican who were both born in Mexico. All of us, with the exception of my little brother, were born in Mexico. The fact that my little brother was born in America, makes him an American citizen, but he is still Mexican. After years of us living in the United States, some of my brothers, a sister, and both my parents received their citizenship and became American citizens, but they are still and will always be Mexican. Regardless of what our citizenship may be, we are what race, or nationality we were born into, and nothing we do can change that.

The book of Romans, written by the apostle Paul, is one of the great books in the Bible, and one of my favorites. There is what is called the Roman road of salvation when one is sharing the gospel of Jesus, and I want to focus on what Romans is truly teaching here. Let’s look at what Paul writes in Romans three twenty three, 

Unexpectedly

 Every-time someone famous dies, or for that matter anyone; especially at a young age, the word unexpectedly is used to describe their untimely death. There was another mass shooting in Texas, and I don’t care about the politics side of things, but the deaths of all those involved were unexpected. I was sent some messages that Ray Liotta had passed away in his hotel room, unexpectedly. Later, the same day I heard that Andy Fletcher, one of the members of my favorite secular bands, Depeche Mode, also unexpectedly passed away. Mr. Liotta was Sixty Seven, and Mr. Fletcher was Sixty. The children killed were in elementary school. The word unexpectedly as Webster defines it says, “In a way that was not expected or regarded as likely.” The sad truth is that as humans; we believe that of every person that dies, when in reality we are all going to experience the same fate one day. It can be considered unexpected in the manner that people die, but in reality, should it be? 

Jesus in Luke Thirteen reminds us of a few things. It says, 

There were some present at that very time who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans WERE WORSE SINNERS THAN ALL OF THE OTHER Galileans, because they suffered in this way? NO, I tell you; BUT UNLESS YOU REPENT, you will ALL LIKEWISE PERISH. Or those eighteen on WHOM THE TOWER IN SILOAM FELL AND KILLED THEM: do you think that THEY WERE WORSE OFFENDERS THAN ALL THE OTHERS who lived in Jerusalem? NO, I tell you; BUT UNLESS YOU REPENT, you will all LIKEWISE PERISH.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Now most people will read this and claim heartless emotions of the “unexpected” or tragic deaths mentioned above, but if we PERISH without Jesus, then it’s a finality. There is no barometer to kinds of death, or different levels of what is considered normal and not normal death. The human mind likes to categorize the death or the people involved in the death, by how it happened or what kind of life one lived, but Jesus is telling us differently. What I mean by that, is that though death happens daily, there isn’t anything different from one person to another, only if you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. We must repent as Jesus says, not just thinking that the things that happened are because of guns, disease, or evil people, but because we all are going to die in one form or another, and that should be expected. 

Jesus says that the people weren’t more evil, so we can’t add to the statement to fit our belief or agenda, but again have we repented? Jesus said that because that tower fell; and we can add shootings, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, wars, disease, or other, that unless we have repented, we too will perish! There is a death that can happen before we die and that is being away from God. Remember what the serpent told Eve and by the way Adam was right there next to her, in Genesis three, 

“but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, LEST YOU DIE.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE. For God knows that when you eat of it your EYES WILL BE OPENED, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman SAW that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

Adam and Eve didn’t physically die, but yet their fellowship with God was broken, they had to leave Eden, not because God was mean, but because they chose the lie of dying, for self gratification, and self away from God. Notice that the word says that Eve saw, after the serpents lies, but what she saw was what sin is, a delight for the eyes and desire to be wise in their own eyes and minds, and not what God instructed or wanted from them. God atoned for them by sacrificing an animal and covering them, and He can do the same for you and me, if we repent. Paul reminds us in Romans six, 

“But what FRUIT were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the END OF THOSE THINGS IS DEATH. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become bond servants of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

We all are sinners whether you believe that or not, and the message of the gospel is simple and clear, repent and be forgiven, because without forgiveness, our deaths, expected or unexpectedly will happen. The fruit of sin only looks good and may feel good, but it leaves us shameful, broken, alone, and ultimately we will perish, apart from God without His free gift of love. 

I loved Ray Liotta’s movies and thought he was a great actor, but that doesn’t matter without repentance. Andy Fletcher was on every Depeche Mode studio album and contributed to so many songs that I grew up listening to and still do today, but if he didn’t repent, it doesn’t matter. 

Depeche Mode has a song called Blasphemous Rumors, where the chorus says, “I don’t want to start any blasphemous rumors but I think that God’s got a sick sense of humor and when I die, I expect to find him laughing.” That is the mindset of many who don’t believe in Jesus and His atoning death, that we will laugh at God or give Him our two cents. We think that He doesn’t exist, because what kind of God allows this, but those are just the lies of the “fruit” that leads to death. The writer of Hebrews reminds us in chapter nine,

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” (ESV)

We are appointed, not unexpectedly, because God knows every hair on your head, all your shortcomings and the words you speak as the Psalmist tells us in Psalm One Thirty Nine, and He knows our every breath. When you stand before Him, will He know you, because you repented it will you be cast away because of your unbelief? We will all meet our maker, but will we be ready? Have you repented, have you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, not with a little prayer at a conference or church, but truly in your heart, mind and soul, that was life changing? Remember Jesus reminds us in Mark eight,

“And calling the crowd to Him with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of Him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (ESV)

The world is full of hate and pain, sadness and bitterness, and death. What are you willing to lose your soul for? Don’t put your hope in anything or anyone, for they will all fail and fall, but only Jesus can save you! It’s coming, that appointed time when we will all leave this earth, but will you be ready? Tomorrow is not promised, today is the day of salvation, today is the day to come to Jesus!“

Jose Barajas

Binocular Faith

 

“One of the first times I looked through binoculars happened to be at a Dodger game as we were in what is known as the nosebleed section. Now the pair I was using were a cheap knock off so I didn’t see the benefit of using them. It did make me look a little closer, but it took away from the overall picture of what was happening. The players were still small and I couldn’t track the play any better. When I took them out of my eyes, I had a quick feeling of being off balance, and it is why I really don’t like using binoculars. 

Jesus reminds us in His sermon on the mount about a lot of things and the center of it all, is love. When we love God, and I mean truly love God, everything else falls into place. Even people hating us and not agreeing with us is covered. The passage that speaks to me the most about our walk and unity is in Matthew Seven, 

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” ‭(ESV‬‬) 

I have been guilty of this passage more times than I can count. I used to run around like Pinocchio poking people in the eye, and all the while, I was committing those same sins. I could focus; like using binoculars on one small round view, and not worry about the whole “play” that was happening. I’m not one of “them,” or one of “those,” was my mantra, and yet in many cases I was worse. Paul in Romans reminds us in chapter Two, 

“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” ‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) 

The fields are white for the harvest as Jesus reminds us, and instead of worrying about people’s souls, we are just hidden in our boxes regardless of “social distancing!” The only thing that has changed is that it makes it easier for us to not see, and have to talk to people about Jesus. I am thankful to the people in my life who were not afraid to share Jesus with me or who knows where I’d be, so it should be with us. 

You may say, well it seems like you’re passing judgment on others with this writing, but I pray you realize that like the Israelites ignoring the prophets and promises of God, they went into captivity and some didn’t get into the promised land. We can’t use the Bible to condemn people only, we have to use it to lead them to Jesus and let the Spirit convict them, as He did for me and everyone else. 

We never know where people are in life, and could end up pushing people away rather than drawing them nearer. Paul reminds us in First Corinthians Thirteen, 

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” ‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) 

I will never compromise and water down the Gospel, but we need to start with love, and not look down at people but look at them, like Jesus looked upon us, as He hung on the cross, knowing we needed a Savior and friend first. Jesus didn’t turn anyone away, but many turned and still turn away from Him. 

So my question is how are you using your binoculars? Are we only focusing on one part of people or are we realizing that people are lost, hurting, afraid, broken and in need of Jesus? Paul says in First Corinthians thirteen, 

 “Love is patient and love is kind, Love never fails!” [Jesus is love first and foremost!] “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (‭ESV‬‬) 

We are to make disciples, not build churches, or fences around us to keep people away!” 

Jose Barajas

Gym Faith:

 “I am going to admit that I am not a workout person, and if you ever saw a picture of me, you could probably tell.  I’m not super obese or completely out of shape because round is a shape and so is oval. I tried doing the gym thing one year, and looked around and saw these guys lifting, and thought I’m going to get laughed at for trying Fifty pounds on a weight bench. My little brother loves going to the gym, he even found one next door to where we were staying, when we went to New York. I do love playing basketball, but only shooting around as my cardio is not the best. I cleaned our living room and hallway carpets with a carpet cleaner once, that my muscles were aching and burning. You have to love those muscles not being used in a while, and then you overwork them, and now they’ll show you that hurting feeling. I guess I should have stretched out, as I’m not as young as I think anymore. 

Sunday mornings have always been a day to rest for our family, my dad started this,  and we all have continued it to this day. It of course was started with God after Six literal days of creation, He rested and made the seventh day Holy and a day of rest! It has also been a day of church and gathering with the saints and fellow believers to worship. Psalm One Hundred and Twenty Two says, 

“I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!"” ‭(ESV‬‬) 

The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews Ten, 

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”‬ (‭ESV‬‬) 

To me not going to church to meet with fellow believers is wrong in every aspect of the word. A building is not the church, but the people are as God reminded David, when he wanted to build a temple for God. Jesus said He had no place to lay His head, and He would go and meet people where they were and dine and fellowship with them in their homes. I know people have been cautious during this time, and I am not a breaker of rules, but I would rather break man’s rules than God’s rules! It says all the more as we see the Day or Day of the Lord approaching!! (Notice it’s not plural, because there is only One coming of Jesus)

It’s like only going to the gym once in a great while or using muscles occasionally, because they will fail and or hurt when you do. God’s people gathering and being in the word; is something we should all be doing, for the signs are there for His return. It is nearer today than yesterday, and we should be gathering, encouraging, and lifting each other up! Paul says in Romans Thirteen,

“And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, FOR OUR SALVATION IS NOW NEAER than when we became believers. The night has advanced toward dawn; the DAY IS NEAR. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light.” (NET) (Emphasis added)

What day are the writers referring to? The day of your departure from earth and you standing before Jesus in celebration or judgment. It also refers to the Day of the Lord, whichever comes first. We don’t know our last day, and we always must be ready to meet Jesus. We can’t just open His word on Sunday at church, or when we are feeling down, but daily. Paul is saying that we need to put on the weapons of light, and that only happens in Jesus Christ. John writes in First John One,

“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (ESV)

The world is dark and full of hate, loss, brokenness, pain, doubt, and too many walking around aimlessly in the dark. We have the opportunity to show them the light of Jesus, and more so when we fellowship and gather in person. Zoom is good for out of  state and work meetings, but we need to be personal with those God has put before us to minister to. Let’s break bread and dine, let’s gather and pray, let us come into His gates with thanksgiving. Psalm alone Hundred says,

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” (ESV)

So my question is, are you afraid of man, who all they can do is arrest and kill you, or of God who after you die can throw us into Hell? I know my answer, and my prayer is you don’t neglect the Lord or the gathering together. Those aches and pains of Hell will be a thousand million times worse than any muscles hurting in this world. The Day is approaching and the harvest is ripe for us to share, so let’s be about our Fathers business. Let us serve the Lord with gladness!” 

Jose Barajas