Poetic Faith

 

“I have always loved to write whether it was songs, poems or stories. I probably have lost so many stories that I wrote in my head, and on paper because of moving or accidently throwing them away. I look at the things that I wrote early in my life, and the way I write things today, and I notice a better flow and use of words. In writing, it has helped me be more concise and to the point in what I do. The things I write just come naturally and I am thankful to God for allowing me the gift to do so. I also am very skeptical of my own writings; whether  people will like them or not, or if it is blessing someone. I have always been this way in thinking my words are not good enough, and it has kept me from fulfilling some of my goals. It is always a blessing when what I write touches someone, as it is from the heart, and at times it took me a while to create it.

 

Paul writes in Ephesians Two, 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we SHOULD WALK in them." (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Workmanship or masterpiece is poiema (POY-ay-muh) from the Greek, and where we get the word poem. I read this and think; wow God loves us so much, that we are literally His creation or his poem. A beautiful expression of love that He wrote on each of our hearts and souls. David amplifies this in Psalm One Thirty-Nine,

“For You formed my inward parts; You KNITTED ME together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my UNFORMED substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Did you read that? God knitted us! This means; that He took the time to put us together, and not just an afterthought. He made us unique, individually, and made us just how He wanted and needed us to be. He saw our unformed body, and knows the number of our days, and nothing we are, do, or say is hidden from Him. 

Now people will read into this as say; see we are robots because He created us, and made works for us ahead of time. We need to do them, and that's why I don't like church or believe in God. That is a cultic view of religion and of faith, because God doesn’t need us, He desires us to WALK in Him, with all we do. Paul was saying before this, that God's gift of salvation is free, and nothing we do is a result of our works. 

So which it is you may ask, works or not? When I write a song or poem, the poem and song did nothing, except that it got created. The song doesn’t play itself, and the poem doesn’t read itself without me playing or reading them. When God created us, we did nothing, but sin and turn from Him. When we come to Him in repentance, it is Faith in Him, and trusting Him with our lives. As a result instead of living for self or the world, we walk in the works for God, because He is the one working through us. 

James reminds us in chapter two of his book,

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?”

“Can that faith save him? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (ESV)

I do the things I do as a privilege to help spread the Gospel, not for my own gain and or approval of men or the world. It cost me nothing, and so I share and do for God, because He first loved me. God isn't in the business of making money but of making disciples of which I get to partake in. I would never charge for anything related to God. I know people need to make a living from it and it is a blessing to give to ministries that are legitimately doing God's work, but the true men and women of God are not billionaires that are flaunting it for others to see or not see. 

So my question is, how does that make you feel that God thinks so highly of you that He created you as a special poem for Him to sing and love? I'm reminded of Psalm Thirty Two that says, 

"You are my hiding place; You, Lord protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance." (AMP)

The Lord surrounds us with songs and shouts, and because 

He isn’t quiet about you, why should you be quiet about faith and love of Him? The choice is yours as always, but my prayer is you realize how much God loves you!” Jose Barajas

Choking Faith

 “I met John Bruetsch back in Two Thousand Nine when I first went to Harrisburg PA. He was the master user of Roadnet, which was one of the Routing systems I was looking to implement for our company. John is a big man that stands above Six Feet and a good weight over Two Hundred or more pounds. He also at the time worked as a firefighter, as most of the firemen in those areas are volunteers. Me and John hit it off immediately, and over the next Four years we spent a lot of time together. One night we went to dinner with his wife Julie,  and the customer service manager at John's favorite steakhouse, and it was so good! We were all sitting talking, and I looked across at John and he looked like he was choking, I asked him if everything was OK and he put his hands to his throat shaking his bead, No! I immediately jumped up and went around and tried to wrap my arms around his stomach; I used the chair as leverage as I could, and finally got a good grip to perform the Heimlich maneuver on him. A piece of steak got dislodged and he started breathing normally again. It was the longest 30 seconds I could remember, which we laughed at afterwards, more of me being awkward trying to save him.

John Chapter Three has so many nuggets to ponder on, and I'm not talking the cheap McDonald's kind. It is filled with so much love and so much grace and has the verse that sums up the whole Gospel of God, John Three Sixteen. First Jesus is talking to Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews and a Pharisee. It begins with us needing to be born again in Christ. It continues with God loving us so much, He gave his only begotten Son for our salvation. It says, in verse seventeen, 

"Jesus didn't come to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." (ESV) 

Did you catch that? MIGHT! Wait what? When I saw John choking, I didn't hesitate to jump up and attempt to help, I didn't stop and pray and hope all would be good. (Please don't misinterpret this for not praying as if you've been reading what I have been writing, you know my thoughts on prayer.) I acted and saw a friend in need of saving and I took action. 

Jesus did the same for us; where He saw a world in hurt, and in need of salvation, that He died because of His love for me and you. Salvation is there for all who chose to follow Jesus, and who ask Him to be re-born in their heart,  so that we are filled in His Spirit, to a new life. He will pull us out of our darkness, but we can't hope or think it MIGHT happen. We need to ask and come boldly to the throne of grace. Paul writes in Romans Ten,

“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.”” (ESV)

The writer of Hebrews writes in chapter four,

“For we do not have a High priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (ESV)

John gets to celebrate another Birthday; and although we don't talk as much as we used to, I know I love him as a brother and am thankful to still have him here as a friend. As awkward as it was for me to try and save his life, and knowing how awkward it is to share the real gospel with people, how much more awkward will it be standing before Jesus saying I never knew you, because we chose death over life? We chose to play being a “Christian,” and not really abiding and walking in Him.

So my question is what are you choking on in life that is causing you pain, grief, fear, panic, doubt, and on the verge of breathing your last breath? Jesus desires to give you the “Heimlich” to save you, but you have to choose to follow and accept Him as your Lord and Savior. He already breathed His last breath to die on a cross so that you might be saved, but you have to repent and be saved under the Might of His grace." Jose Barajas

P.S. A year later, I saved John’s life again from choking, and though we have laughed about it many times since, salvation is not a laughing matter!

The Great Facade (I See Dead People)

Edited by Chuck Ness!

 M. Night Shyamalan, wrote and directed the thriller and suspenseful movie “The Sixth Sense '', which was released in Nineteen Ninety Nine. The story centers around a boy who sees visions. The most quoted, and well known phrase from the movie is, “I see dead people.” Bruce Willis plays the child psychologist who meets with the boy to figure out what is happening, and why the boy sees and knows these things. If you have not seen the movie, I’m sorry, but this is a spoiler alert. Willis is a ghost who was killed by another patient played by Donnie Walburgh. The story is brilliant in that you don’t see the ending coming, because you’re thinking that Willis' character is alive the whole time. It’s a great sleight of hand trick in movie writing, and producing, that is rarely pulled off. Shyamalan, who wrote other movies like, “Signs”, and “The Village”, tries to use this in all his productions, but none will ever top his original.

There are Scriptural verses I've been thinking of for many years about what is happening in the world today, and really for all of time, especially since Jesus ascended into heaven. These verses, in my opinion, are how many will be “psyched,” or “tricked”, into rebellion by everything written in Revelation. You don’t have to agree with me, but remember this, Satan is the father of lies and wants nothing more than to copy the original, and will use sleight of hand and other tricks. We read in James two nineteen,

“You BELIEVE there is one God. Good! BUT THE DEMONS BELIEVE that, too, and THEY TREMBLE with fear.” (NCV) (Emphasis added) 

I have always wondered what the end of days would be like, and whether or not I would be alive when all this was happening. While I was growing up in the eighties I began seeing the chaos and craziness that started happening. Being raised Catholic I wasn't encouraged to read the Bible, but then I started to attend a church that encouraged it. As I did for the first time, I began putting two and two together and was enlightened by the Holy Spirit as never before. From thinking that microchips, barcodes, one world governments and everything else written in Revelation, I got excited and afraid all at once. As I studied the Scriptures I began listening to many pastors and teachers, while reading Christian literature. I also began to realize that I'm actually living in the time when all this will happen. There have been wars, rumors of wars, nations rising from other nations with differing alliances being formed. Throughout my life I have seen famine, pestilence, sickness and people living as in the days of Noah. 

The world sees it as a “New World Order”, those believing in the “Pre-tribulation” see it as a secret rapture happening, while I personally see it as an M. Night Shymalan twist happening. Allow me to explain, Lucy! What better way to get “believers” to fall for the bait and switch, than to make everything that is happening seem like what is written in Revelation? Think about it, the enemy and the demons know the word and shudder, and their main goal is to take as many so-called believers down with them as they can. 

Jesus and the New Testament writers constantly told us to stand, be on guard, let no one deceive you, not to believe in another Gospel, endure until the end, and you will be saved. Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew Twenty Four, which Luke records in chapter Twenty One of his Gospel, and Mark records in chapter Thirteen of his Gospel,

“Jesus answered, “Be careful that NO ONE FOOLS YOU. Many will come in my Name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they WILL FOOL MANY PEOPLE. (NCV) (Emphasis added)

Remember what Jesus says about Satan to the Pharisees in John Eight beginning in verse Forty One,

“So you are doing the things your own father did.” But they said, “We are not like children who never knew who their father was. God is our Father; He is the only Father we have.” Jesus said to them, “If God were really your Father, you would love Me, because I came from God and now I Am here. I did not come by My own authority; God sent Me. You don’t understand what I say, because you cannot accept my teaching. You BELONG TO YOUR FATHER the devil, and you want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning and was AGAINST THE TRUTH, because there is NO TRUTH IN HIM. When he tells a lie, he shows what he is really like, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” (NCV) (Emphasis added)

Jesus continues to explain what is going to happen to His elect, and not Israel the nation, but those who claim to have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. That is who Jesus is talking to in Matthew Twenty four, beginning in verse ten, 

“At that time, many will LOSE THEIR FAITH, and they will turn against each other and hate each other. Many false prophets will come and CAUSE MANY PEOPLE TO BELIEVE LIES. There will be more and more evil in the world, so most people will stop showing their love for each other. But those people who KEEP THEIR FAITH UNTIL THE END will be saved.” (NCV) (Emphasis added)

The demons know the word and shudder, and yet so many Christians tolerate all the false teachings . Pastors allow worship songs in their church that have been written by these same heretics, with lyrics that say, “God is love, be who you want to be!” Then there is the dumbest bumper sticker ever created, “CO-EXIST”. This is absurd because none of those religions will ever align with Jesus and His true message of repentance. Nor can they coexist with Christ' who calls us to repent, deny yourself, and take up your cross. But will you? 

I see everyone posting things about one world governments, one world religions, marks of the beast, all the while sitting around and waiting to vanish away via a rapture, but what if that doesn’t happen like the false teachers say? Will you still stand up for Jesus, or will you be one of those mentioned by Jesus, as the many that will fall away? 

“I see dead people!” Sadly, this mindset is permeating in so-called Christian churches filled with rock concerts and teachers telling you that God won’t allow you to go through tribulations and pain. I shudder daily at Bible verses that are misquoted and used to make one feel happy, because Jesus only promises peace for your soul, not necessarily feeling happy. We have a false personality test called the Enneagram being taught in many “Christian” churches, telling people you can find your true characteristics of God. Truth be told, it's the same god Jesus said was the father of the Pharisees. I see progressive messages of loving and accepting everyone, which is okay, but we are not to love nor be OK with their sin. Listen to what Jesus told the adulteress woman, in John eight,

“Jesus raised up again and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one judged you guilty?” She answered, “No one, Sir.” Then Jesus said, “I also don’t judge you guilty. You may go now, BUT DON’T SIN ANYMORE.” (NCV) (Emphasis added)

I and certainly no one else knows when the Day of the Lord will happen, because Jesus told His disciples only God the Father knows the time, and how it will all come to pass. I do know that my job is to share the Gospel truth, and not to believe in ghost tales or false prophets who want nothing more than your money. The Bible talks about the Day of the Lord as His one and only coming, otherwise I think the Bible would say, the Days of the Lord. Remember, the word is consistent and not confusing. One must hear what the Spirit is saying, not what man wants it to say. One Day of the Lord, One return, and One rapture for all to see.

The question isn’t will you be secretly taken, but are you ready today to meet your maker? The writer of Hebrews says in chapter three verses seven, eight, twelve to fifteen, and verse nineteen, 

“So it is as the Holy Spirit says: “Today listen to what he says. Do not be stubborn as in the past when you turned against God, when you tested God in the desert. 

“So brothers and sisters, be careful that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that will turn you away from the living God. But encourage each other every day while it is “today.” Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you. We all share in Christ if we keep till the end the sure faith we had in the beginning. This is what the Scripture says: “Today listen to what he says. Do not be stubborn as in the past when you turned against God.” 

“So we see they were not allowed to enter and have God’s rest, because they did not believe.” (NCV)

The end is coming, but be awake and sober minded, so that you are not fooled like in a Shyamalan movie, believing you know what is going to happen next. Believe and hold fast to that belief in Jesus Christ, so that you may enter the rest of the Lord on that day. Believe me when I tell you that the rest of the false teachings are a facade. Jesus has broken down every wall, but you have to repent, and believe only in Him and His truths, and that makes good sense!”

 

Jose Barajas

Stale Faith

 

“Febreze, the air freshener product, runs commercials that ask the question, “are you nose blind.” It refers to living in your house or apartment, and becoming insensitive to the smells around you. Whether it is dirty socks, dogs, filth, or any other bad smells, our noses become blind to the smells around us, after some time. We have a dog so we know how easily you can become nose blind to the smells, because our noses adapt from that initial “UGH” smell, to just ignoring it. It’s probably more noticeable when you go to a friends house or family members house, and walk in and you try to not make a face.

We all find ourselves doing the same in our faith, or non belief of God; because we become “nose” blind to our sins, and rebellion to God. We, like Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah, the Israelites in the wilderness, and in the promise land, and David with Bathsheba, become comfortable with our surroundings,  that though we’re  being blessed; turn away from God. We start worshipping the gods of self, similar to how Israelites followed the gods of the people around them. They fell into abominable, sexual, unclean worship, and  ran to other gods, building aseroth poles, and bowed to them. In Deuteronomy Eleven, Moses reminds the people and  it says, 

“Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them;”  ‭(ESV‬‬) 

God knew that men were wicked and that we would be easily deceived like Adam and Eve, and we would turn and serve other gods. Man has done it from the beginning and even today because there is nothing new under the sun. We want what we want, and we will kick, scream, fight, and do everything to get it. The sad part of that eventually God will give us over to that thing that we so badly desire, as Paul writes in Romans one, beginning in verse twenty four,

“Therefore God GAVE THEM UP in the lusts of THEIR HEARTS to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they EXCHANGED THE TRUTH about God for A LIE and WORSHIPED and SERVED the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

The longer we stay in something, the easier it becomes to just accept it as okay or normal, when in reality it is hardening our hearts and ultimately away from God. God becomes nonexistent; because He’s too mean, His rules are boring, wrong, out of date, no longer relevant, and narrow minded. I have been there; where I like the prodigal son was sleeping, and eating with the “swine,” and being nose blind to the blessing God had given me. 

But for the grace of God go I. My question is, are you “nose” blind and staying, straying, or you don’t know God? Come to Jesus, come back to Jesus; like I did when He called me home again, and be filled with the Spirit and renewed.  Jesus sacrifice is one of the many fulfillments and promises as Isaiah One says, 

““Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (ESV)

He cleanses us from all of our iniquity regardless of where we’ve been, what we’ve done, and all you have to do is come to Jesus and repent.” Jose Barajas

Posers Faith

 

"My wife has said that one of the things that she loves about me is that I can talk to anyone about anything. I have learned a little about a lot of things, as you never know what people know or like. It has  helped me in my jobs, and it has helped me in talking with people in general. In high school we had a word for people that acted like something they weren't in order to please people. We called them posers, talked about flashbacks, and hadn't used that word in a while. Now it’s a fine line between being a poser and being honest with people in terms of listening, knowing them and hearing them. I have crossed that line more than a few times, where I felt that as a man, I needed approval or some sort of belonging. With Ten siblings and a house always full, having a sense of belonging sometimes was tough. There were days and times, when I felt that I didn't belong, and yet a lot of the times I was always gone with my friends and had stopped speaking Spanish as much as I could. It really has made me insecure in many ways.

Genesis Three recounts how Adam and Eve felt after eating of the tree they were told not to. 

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (‭ESV‬‬) 

They hid. I think sometimes we read this and think it’s a story or a fairytale and not really the word of God. Look at what it says,  THEY HID, from God? I remember my mom was going to spank me (and that's putting it lightly) and I ran in the room, under the bed, thinking she wouldn't find me here, which she did. So when I read this I laugh because they couldn't hide from God, but they thought they could. 

Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, and instead of repenting of his wrong doing, he tried being a poser and hid behind leaves, and covered his nakedness with those same leaves. Instead of coming to God and or stopping Eve from eating, he felt insecure and ashamed. If you remember, God gave the command to Adam as written in Genesis two beginning in verse fifteen, 

“The Lord God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it and work it. The Lord God commanded him, “You may eat the fruit from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat the fruit from the tree which gives the knowledge of good and evil. If you ever eat fruit from that tree, you will die!”” (NCV)

It's no different with us if we truly look at our lives, and remember that we are fallen and sinful. We either decide to be posers for life and deny God, or humble ourselves and remove the façade that keeps us hidden from God. When God came to them, He chastened them for their sin, but for their own good. Like my mother would do for us; even though at the time it hurt, but now we laugh about it, because I look back knowing, I am better for it. If she would have let me get away with it, only God knows where I would be now. The writer of Hebrews says beginning in verse five, 

“You have forgotten the encouraging words that call you His children: “My child, don’t think the Lord’s discipline is worth nothing, and don’t stop trying when He corrects you. The Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as His child.”” (NCV) 

So my question is, what are you posing to be, what are you thinking you're hiding from? In reality it only is hurting you and your soul, for God is loving and was willing to die for you, which He did, to show you how great His love truly is. Yes, we all fall short, and we all have doubts. We all make and have made mistakes, but bring them all to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith! Leave the insecurities of this world and stop trying to cover up your mistakes alone, for only Jesus can cover our sins, and cover us in His grace and mercy." Jose Barajas

Are You Here to Worship

 

“Tim Hughes wrote one of the most known Contemporary Christian worship songs called, "Here I am to Worship," that was released in Two Thousand One. This was an exciting time for the Worship Music industry; as a movement of some of the best songs, worship leaders, and Christian conferences started. Men like Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and groups like Hillsongs, Passion, Delirious, and others began flooding churches with songs of worship to God. In his song, Tim had been reading God's word and Philippians Two Five spoke to him, as he was messing around with chords on a guitar. He recorded the verse but was not happy with the song, so he stopped writing it. He picked it up months later as he says, "Sometimes when God meets with us we don't quite know how to respond properly. It's often too much for us to take in. Hopefully in a small way the chorus captures that: "Here I am to worship, Here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that You're my God, You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me." He played it for Matt Redman who told him, its okay, so he didn't play it again for a while. While practicing one day, his pastor heard it and told him, man you should start playing that in church, and the rest is history as they say.

 

I think of all the times I have not listened to God, and what I could have written or sung that would have blessed me, blessed another, or even millions like Tim Hughes song. I think of Saul and how he was chosen by God to be the first human king of His people, the Israelites. He was handsome and strong and given the Spirit of God to rule His people and yet, like me and so many, he couldn't get out of his own way. His pride and jealousy of David began his down fall;

that eventually he turned from God into sorcerers and being bitter, that he ended up taking his own life. First Samuel says, 

“The word of the Lord came to Samuel: "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments." And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.”‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) 

It's easy to pat ourselves on the back and feel so high and mighty when we write a song, or give a powerful sermon, or a battle is won. We had no business winning, and instead of humbling ourselves like Jesus did. We gloat, go on book tours, perform at worship conferences, and become self absorbed, and end up pulling a muscle while patting our backs. In the process we let God down, hurt ourselves, those who mentored, loved and encouraged us, and yet we don’t care, because of our sin. God regretted, not because God is shocked by anything we do, but because His love for us is so great, that when we rebel, it’s a sad thing to Him. Remember Jesus wept when Mary fell at His feet after Lazarus died, and in Luke twenty beginning in verse it says,

“And when He (Jesus) drew near and saw the city, He WEPT OVER IT, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” (ESV)

Jesus had just entered Jerusalem triumphantly into the final week on earth physically, and He wept because His own had rejected Him as Messiah, and it broke His heart. This is not that God is soft or a coward, because God isn’t human, but the beauty of it is that He shows us how great His love is, by having experienced everything we do and will go through. The writer of Hebrews puts it best in chapter four beginning in verse fourteen, 

“Since we have a great High priest, Jesus the Son of God, who has gone into heaven, let us HOLD ON TO THE FAITH we have. For our High priest is ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OUR WEAKNESSES. He was TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY THAT WE ARE, but He did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.” (NCV) (Emphasis added)

The song was written based on Philippians two that says,

“In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ Himself was like God in everything. But He did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for His own benefit. But He gave up his place with God and made Himself nothing. He was born as a Man and became like a Servant. And when He was living as a Man, He humbled Himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused His death—death on a cross.” (NCV)

Do we only walk, believe, trust, and love God when things are good and peaceful? We can all cry, “Here I am to worship,” but if our heart isn’t in it, if it’s only a song, or an act, we too can make Jesus cry that we reject Him. Jesus was obedient unto death, and many have fallen and will fall away, because it will get too hard to follow Jesus.

God desires our hearts above everything else and regardless of what we do and how we do it, we should give Glory to God for it all. I know I have failed many times in this area, but instead of living in the what if, I live in the thank You Lord for not abandoning me, thank You Lord for always picking me up from my mire. 

So my question is to you, where have you failed and what do you need healing from? It's as simple as returning to God or coming to Him for the first time. The chorus is written and God is waiting to sing it to you, don't put it away forever, don't leave it hidden for others to not enjoy the blessing, but come and let God be glorified with our humbleness. Peter who knows what it was to reject Jesus publicly and there physically in front of Him, but also to repent and come back to Him, wrote in First Peter five beginning in verse five b,

“God is against the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.” Be humble under God’s powerful hand so He will lift you up when the right time comes. Give all your worries to Him, because He cares about you. Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. Refuse to give in to Him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering.” (NCV)

The enemy is prowling, devouring, and though it can be tough, Peter is saying not only are we not alone because other believers are experiencing pain and surfing, but when we humble ourselves, Jesus picks us up. Not when we think it’s too much, but at the right time, in His timing, because He is good. Remember, "He's altogether wonderful!" Jose Barajas

Don’t Switch Your Life in God

 

"There is a song by Switchfoot that is called "This is Your Life" that came out in Two Thousand Three. They are a crossover band; which refers to a band that plays a certain style of music, and a song or album of theirs makes an impact in other genres. They are a "Christian" band that were accepted into the Alternative music scene, as their lyrics reference God, but not in an in your face way? I guess it could be categorized as "Spiritual."  The lyrics say, "Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead; yesterday is a promise that you've broken; don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes, This is your life; and today is all you've got now; and today is all you'll ever have; don't close your eyes." "Yesterday is a kid in a corner, Yesterday is dead and over" and the chorus says, "This is your life, are you who you want to be, this is your life, is it everything you've dreamed, that it would be when the world was younger, and you had everything to lose?" 

 

Matthew Six records The Beatitudes or The Sermon on the Mount, from where we get many updated words from what the law was, and how Jesus was changing things about faith and living. It says, 

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (‭ESV‬‬)  

God is here for us even when it may seem like He is not, and us worrying or thinking back on things like the Israelites did after they left Egypt is never good. They lived in the "how good we had it" mentality, and we do the same thing. We think, "in our younger days," or how good our life was before Jesus and even after coming to Jesus, the “so called” tribulations aren’t that bad. It is easy to sugarcoat our experiences or find excuses as to why we are who we are, and we can hide there forever. 

But God is saying; seek Me, and all these other things you think you should have and or be, are not important in the whole scheme of things. Life is short and we need to enjoy the life we have, and the people around us. If we have learned anything over the last few years is, nothing is certain, and only God is constant and loving. We can live in fear or look back to the good old days, but really how good was throwing up, being hungover, or doing the walk of shame and feeling worthless and used? How good was it to cheat on a test, a spouse, a friend and not feel less of a person, because when we are alone in the dark, those memories are truly not good; if we are honest with ourselves. Peter reminds us in Second Peter as he quotes Proverbs Twenty six eleven, beginning in verse twenty, 

“For if, after they have ESCAPED THE DEFILEMENTS of the world THROUGH the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are AGAIN ENTANGLED in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them NEVER TO HAVE KNOWN the way of righteousness than after knowing it to TURN BACK FROM THE HOLY commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Peter was talking about staying clear of false prophets who bring destructive teachings in the name of God and water down the message. He references the rebellion and sin of the Israelites at Beor, which was Balaam who couldn’t curse the people, so instead enticed them with sensuality and led them astray. Peter says that it’s better to have never known the word and truth, than to be a pig or a dog who return to filth and vomit respectfully. I know because I have done that myself thinking, “ This is it?” This Jesus isn’t “blessing” me” knowing I was choosing vomit over faith.

Jesus knows everything about you and your heart; and guess what, He still loves you and wants nothing more than to heal you, and give you a life abundantly in Him. Moses who had dealt with the grumbling people for forty years, and himself was not going to enter the promise land, says in Deuteronomy thirty beginning in verse fourteen, which is one of my favorite verses, 

“But the WORD IS VERY NEAR YOU. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, BY WALKING IN HIS WAYS, and by KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS and His statutes and His rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

The beauty of this, is that God was referring to the physical promise land to them, but in Jesus and the New Covenant, the promise is the same to us, but instead of a physical land, we get to experience a heavenly promise land. We can continue in our sorrow, pain, circumstances, and rebel against God because we think we deserve better. We think and believe those same false prophets who promise peace, security, and monetary blessings, but that’s not what Jesus was saying in the sermon on the Mount. Remember, seek FIRST the kingdom of God, everything else is fading, worthless vanity. 

So my question is, This is your life, what are you willing to gain to lose eternity with God? What are you willing to turn away from and run back to that is better than God? He is all I need and all I want, and my prayer is that you turn and seek His kingdom, and the rest will be given unto you, in His will and time. Don’t compromise like so many crossover bands for a temporary earthly crown, but stay the course and follow Jesus." Jose Barajas

Wooden Faith

 “One of the neat things about six grade camp besides being away from my parents and family for the first time, was being in nature, and creating different arts and crafts. At the end of a long week; even though it was only seven days, it felt like an eternity for me, a sixth grader, we had to pick a piece of wood. The more rugged, not perfect, the better because it signified our week, and though we had a tough week, we were gonna use it to get it signed as a remembrance of what we learned. When I found the piece of wood that I thought perfect, I cut it, sanded, and shaped it into what I felt was perfect. I kept it for a while and slowly over time the names on it faded; like my memory of all of the kids who I had joyfully gotten signatures from. 

In the Ten Commandments, the first three are about loving God thru full devotion, humility, with all of our souls, but most importantly, by not putting anything else before Him. Not having other gods, making gods, or saying the Lord’s Name in vain. Jesus, when asked by the religious leaders, said this about the greatest commandment in Matthew twenty-two beginning in verse thirty seven, 

“Jesus answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.”” (NCV)

Jesus said these were commands, but do you know what the first three commandments are that Moses records in Exodus twenty? Well let’s look, beginning in verse one,

“Then God spoke all these words: “I Am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt where you were slaves. “You MUST NOT HAVE ANY OTHER gods except me. “You MUST NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELVES AN IDOL that looks like anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the water below the land. You MUST NOT WORSHIP OR SERVE ANY IDOL, because I, the Lord your God, Am a jealous God. If you hate Me, I will punish your children, and even your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But I show kindness to thousands who love Me and obey My commands.” (NCV) (Emphasis added)

Is this one of those arguments that people use to say the Bible is contradictory, not accurate, and not real? Yes, but only for those who are critics, part time Christians and worse, those who only study or use the New Testament. Jesus is saying that the two commandments He mentions are what all the writings of the prophets depend on. Let that sink in for a while! God who wrote all of the Bible, and used prophets and apostles to write His words down, is reminding us that having other gods, to bow, that we carve, or worship as an idol, keeps us from loving the Lord God will all of our heart, mind and soul. He is saying that regardless of what “laws” of religion, self, or hate we live by, anything apart from God is an idol. This includes not love God and in turn, not loving our neighbor.

When I found that piece of wood, I didn’t pray to it, bow down before it, or sing songs to it, for it was just that, a piece of wood. Though there were memories and names written on it, at the end of the day it was a piece of wood. Isaiah tells in chapter forty-four beginning in verse six,

“The Lord, the king of Israel, is the Lord All-Powerful, who saves Israel. This is what He says: “I Am the beginning and the end. I Am the only God. Who is a god like me? That god should come and prove it. Let him tell and explain all that has happened since I set up my ancient people. He should also tell what will happen in the future. Don’t be afraid! Don’t worry! I have always told you what will happen. You are my witnesses. There is no other God but Me. I know of no other Rock; I am the only One.”” (NCV)

How cults and people can deny Jesus is Lord, and that the trinity exists is beyond me; especially when you read verses like this that SHOUT JESUS all through them. The beginning and the end, or as John quotes in Revelation talking about Jesus, the Alpha and Omega. The Rock which is referring to Jesus again, the chief cornerstone, the One whom our faith should be built upon. Isaiah continues in verse nine,

“Some people make idols, but they are worth nothing. People treasure them, but they are useless. Those people are witnesses for the statues, but those people cannot see. They know nothing, so they will be ashamed. Who made these gods? Who made these useless idols? (NCV)

Man makes everything in every form of religion to bow down and worship, from birds, animals, angels, sun, moon, stars, or their version of Jesus. And God is saying through Isaiah, that these people are blind and know nothing. Isaiah continues in verse fourteen,

“He cuts down cedars or cypress or oak trees. Those trees grew by their own power in the forest. Or he plants a pine tree, and the rain makes it grow. Then he burns the tree. He uses some of the wood for a fire to keep himself warm. He also starts a fire to bake his bread. But he uses part of the wood to make a god, and then he worships it! He makes the idol and bows down to it! The man burns half of the wood in the fire. He uses the fire to cook his meat, and he eats the meat until he is full. He also burns the wood to keep himself warm. He says, “Good! Now I am warm. I can see because of the fire’s light.” But he makes a statue from the wood that is left and calls it his god. He bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “You are my god. Save me!” Those people don’t know what they are doing. They don’t understand! It is as if their eyes are covered so they can’t see. Their minds don’t understand. They have not thought about these things; they don’t understand. They have never thought to themselves, “I burned half of the wood in the fire and used the hot coals to bake my bread. I cooked and ate my meat. And I used the wood that was left to make this hateful thing. I am worshiping a block of wood!” He doesn’t know what he is doing; his confused mind leads him the wrong way. He cannot save himself or say, “This statue I am holding is a false god.”” (NCV)

Growing up Catholic, I have been and seen idols, rosary’s, but I’ve never been comfortable praying to these, let alone bowing down to them. Even before knowing the word, it felt wrong and pointless, and now, even more so to me. I love how God says it, that people cut the wood to keep themselves warm, cook their food, and then make an idol off of the leftovers to worship them. It’s like thanking the wood for the things that God created, blesses with and yet so many blindly do this daily. 

The piece of wood that faded and the names that vanished, and eventually the whole thing being lost, or thrown into the trash, is what we should do with anything that isn’t about loving the Lord our God. There should be no excuse other than we don’t love God above these, and that is the whole point of everything being dependent on these words. If we continue to hold onto these carven images, we too will be lost, thrown into the fire, trash, and worse our names will not be written in the Lambs book of life, where our names won’t fade.

So my question is, what is keeping you from being like Peter and his brother when Jesus called them, and dropping what you’re holding to follow Jesus. You can cry all day long to them, say repetitive prayers, and go through the motions of religion. Why should you choose to be dead like the pieces of wood, when you can be alive, in Christ Jesus. Isaiah finishes in verse twenty-one and two with,

““People of Jacob, remember these things! People of Israel, remember you are My servants. I MADE YOU, and you are My servants. So Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your sins like a big cloud; I have removed your sins like a cloud that disappears into the air. Come back to Me because I saved you.”” (NCV) (Emphasis added)

We all are God’s creation because He formed us in His image, and our worship should be all for Him and His glory. Isaiah Forty-three says,

“Now this is what the Lord says. He created you, people of Jacob; He formed you, people of Israel. He says, “Don’t be afraid, because I have saved you. I have called you by name, and you are mine.” (NCV)

Are you Jesus’, are you saved? Not because you said a prayer, not because, you were dunked in water, not because you go to church weekly, but because you have repented, and are taking up your cross daily. Because He has your name written on His Hands that held the nails for our redemption.” Jose Barajas

Breakfast Club

 “Another great movie from my high school days is “The Breakfast Club” written by John Hughes, who probably wrote so many of my favorite movies. The movie, if you haven’t seen it, centers around Five different people who come from different backgrounds. One is a rich young girl who is very popular, one is a jock that is also popular. One is a rebel punk rock bully, who gets high and lives in a broken home, and one is a “nerd” who is driven to get straight “A’s” in his class work. The last one is an introvert, who isn’t anything or anyone, other than another body at school. The teacher is also a bully, who just is there to watch the kids, and basically get paid for babysitting on a Saturday. The cool thing about this movie is that; I think most of us can relate to at least one of these characters, whether in high school or even as grownups. We all want or need a sense of belonging, and sometimes it’s easier to hide behind our persona than to actually be who we are supposed to be.

The Apostles were a band of misfits; that in the “religious” world, they were not wanted or not thought of as anyone. In the real world they were men of different backgrounds of different status, and like the movie, would not have been seen with each other outside of “detention.” Now that’s the way the world looks at us as Christians that we are being held by rules and restrictions that make us outcast, and of no value, or that we can’t have fun. We are mocked in movies, lumped into narrow minded, hypocritical, unloving, and zealot nuts. We’re stereo-typed as money grabbing, child pedophiles, and doomsday outcasts, that can’t live in the world and be successful.

The enemy watches us and isn’t really there with us, as most of us are not in the “work” of God. By this I mean, Satan isn’t the reason for all the bad that happens to us on a daily basis, most of it is our own actions of not following God. (I just laugh at all those, “Not today Satan” shirts) We talk the right words and go to the “in” churches, and can help here and there, but our hearts are just not committed. Too many times we allow the way the world looks at us to define who we are and we shy away from who God says we are, His children. 

The kids in the movie were asked to write an essay, and Brian the smart one, writes it and says at the end which I love, “You see us as you want to see us in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions!” People see us as they want to, and this also translates to their version of who Jesus is. Peter reminds us that we need to see ourselves in the light of Jesus, in First Peter Two, he writes,

 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS into His marvelous light.” ‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) 

I see Peter, when he wrote this remembering when he was denying Jesus, and how secluded and in darkness he must have felt. I have been there, feeling like no one can love me, and that even Jesus wouldn’t and couldn’t love me. The kids entered detention as strangers, but left as friends because they saw their value above what the world or teacher thought of them. Peter saw Jesus look at him with compassion, and he cried bitterly, knowing he was Jesus’, and that he would no longer care what the world thought of him. Darkness can do that to us,  if we stay in our separation from God and not fellowship, we too can deny Jesus and walk away. 

The world will knock you down, and kick you while you’re there, but Jesus knows this and realizes that all you have to do is trust in Him. He knows our hurts and our past, and yet He still loves us. He desires that though we all come from different upbringings and backgrounds, there is nothing He can’t fix you from. 

So my question is, are you a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess or a criminal, it doesn’t matter for Jesus doesn’t judge where you are, but desires to change where you are going! I love what Isaiah one says beginning in verse sixteen, 

“Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean. Stop doing the evil things I see you do. Stop doing wrong. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Punish those who hurt others. Help the orphans. Stand up for the rights of widows.” The Lord says, “Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow. Though your sins are deep red, they can be white like wool.” (NCV)

The stains of our past can be washed and renewed in Jesus, but you have to come in repentance, and talk with Jesus. He knows it anyways, and He won’t judge you here on earth. In the simplest terms, He sees us as we are and He still loves us, because that is why He held the nails for us. Won’t you let go of whatever you’re holding onto, and let God’s light shine on you?” Jose Barajas

My Father’s House

 “One year my mom and dad decided to build a house in our hometown of Pueblo Nuevo, Guanajuato, Mexico. All of my family, except my little brother, were born there, and all of us have visited our town at least once since we left back in the early Seventies. My dad felt that if he built it, that his kids would always have a place to go to and stay, and not worry about accommodations. It’s a really “big house with lots and lots of rooms” as Audio Adrenaline sings but it does have five bedrooms and two floors, and one of my brothers lives there full time. When I took my daughter there when she was around eight, and she loved running to the store to get fresh tortillas, and just loved hanging around with cousins, that she didn’t want to come home.

John chapter fourteen writes what Jesus is telling His disciples, and it is a great reminder for us,

 “"Let NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED. Believe in God; believe ALSO IN ME. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going."”  ‭(ESV‬‬) (Emphasis added)

I love how Jesus reminds us to not let our hearts be troubled! The time for Jesus to die was close, and the “religious” leaders, and the people had begun to turn their backs on Jesus. If you read John’s account of Jesus' life, you will see The Lord Jesus and His love, compassion, but also the truth of who He was. I love what John records with Jesus saying, “Believe in God; believe also in Me.” Why would Jesus say it like that, as many cults and skeptics use this to say, even Jesus knew He wasn’t God. Is that really what Jesus was saying? I don’t believe so because too many scriptures support that fact that Jesus is Lord and Him and God are one. 

The religious leaders believed Jesus a fraud and the reason they wanted Him dead was for blasphemy, because He aquatinted Himself as God. People are okay with believing in God, but my question always is, “What God?” Because man has many little g gods. You have the god of self, money, sex, drugs, cars, alcohol, work, sports, and anything else you want to write in. But from chapter six of John to the end, we see Jesus not pulling any punches of who truly were His followers and who just wanted a room in the mansion without believing. Listen to what John chapter six says beginning in verse 

“After this many of His disciples TURNED BACK AND NO LONGER WALKED WITH HIM. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Jesus had just finished saying that He was the bread of life and that you had to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to get eternal life. Jesus was not saying He was Dracula or Hannibal Lecter, as skeptics think, but was explaining that the people were only coming to be fed and healed and not truly seeing and tasting that the Lord is good. They only wanted the “giving” Jesus, but not the suffering Messiah. Loving God is one thing, but ask people to love and follow Jesus by repentance, and that is a whole other thing. To give up sin and self is hard! So many say the “little” prayer, but their hearts are not in it. So many attend church, but it’s mostly out of tradition, or to check off a box, or because they’re taken there, but the Spirit isn’t in their life’s. 

Jesus knew that His true disciples would run and hide and He knew that they would be lost without Him. When my father on earth passed, we as a family were not the same and many didn’t and still don’t talk for whatever reason, we are lost. But being lost without an earthly father is tough, how much tougher it will be to be lost with the One who can lead us to the Father’s house? He comforts them and us, and though Thomas said, “We don’t know where You’re going, how can we know the way?” Thomas wasn’t doubting, he was asking the question the others were probably thinking. Isn’t that us? 

We may read God’s word and occasionally do “Godly” things and yet a calamity hits and all of a sudden we forget what Jesus promised. John fourteen six continues, 

“Jesus said to him, "I Am the way, and the truth, and the life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXFEPT THROUGH ME.”  ‭(ESV‬‬) (Emphasis added)

I Am, the same Name Jesus gave Moses as the burning bush. Wait what did I just say? You may be thinking I’m crazy but look at what Exodus Three says,

“There the ANGEL OF THE LORD appeared to him in flames of fire coming out of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not burning up.” (NCV)) (Emphasis added)

People overlook this fact that the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is Jesus. Because cults, and false prophets teach there is only Jehovah God, Yahweh, The Lord, One God, but look at what is said later in this chapter, and who this Angel is, beginning in verse five

“Then God said, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground. I Am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.” (NCV) 

The same Angel is talking,  but now the writer of Exodus who many believe is Moses, refers to Him as God, because the Word is consistent and God never changes. Finally the Angel (Jesus and not Gabriel as some might say) says in verse thirteen and fourteen, 

“Moses said to God, “When I go to the Israelites, I will say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me to you.’ What if the people say, ‘What is His Name?’ What should I tell them?” Then God said to Moses, “I AM who I AM (YHWH). When you go to the people of Israel, tell them, ‘I AM sent me to you.’ ”” (NCV)

Back to John fourteen, Jesus was emphasizing that there is no other way, because He is I AM, Jehovah, Yahweh, and The Lord. Call me narrow minded or naive, but I believe what Jesus said. No other person has died and rose again, no other Name under heaven by which we can be saved. I do not pray to saints, other “Baal” gods, statues, or Mary because the Word is clear! Jesus is the only way. 

When my dad built the house, we didn’t go to a neighbor's house or call a cousin or stay with a stranger, we stayed where our fathers house was. So my question is, where is your hope and home at? Is it in a government bail out, a medical cure, or a promise of a better tomorrow here on this rotting planet? Or, are you trusting in God's promise that He will come again and take us home? Remember, there are many, many rooms for all who will accept His invitation. Come home running, walking, stumbling, broken, afraid, or wherever you are in life, but just come home to Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life!” Jose Barajas