Today is December 27, 2008. All is quiet and peaceful-the calm after the storm of Christmas--giving me opportunity to reflect on these past 12 months.
I was drawn to the personal note on the January 2008 Issue of, "Be Ready", the monthly newsletter of In Season Ministries. The following is what I wrote:
"Dear friends and family in Christ,
Today is January 4, 2008. As I sit here and write, I wonder about the many New Years resolutions that have been made, and especially how many more have been or will be broken. As for me, I made one on December 31 st -kept it on January 1st-2nd, then broke it on January 3 rd . Sigh. I just cannot seem to get myself up any earlier than 5:00am to work out. So here you have it; excuse number one: I just cannot get up. More accurately, I chose not to get up."
"As I thought about the reality of breaking my resolution, I realize everything we do involves choice--so I made a new resolution: a choice. One I feel I should have no problem wanting to keep. I choose to be more like Christ at the end of this year than I am today. This starts by reading more of God's word and less of Ted Dekker. It also means not looking back at the past year and relishing my accomplishments and blessings--and thankfully, it means not looking back on last year's heartache. I am not talking about looking back with a sense of joy, or sigh of relief, but I am talking about turning our heads so far backward that we cannot see the blessings and opportunities that are set before us."
"Two Scriptures come to my mind as I consider this new commitment: No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.' (Luke 9:62) and, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.' (Philippians 3:13)"
"Whatever your New Years Resolution, I pray it will include a commitment to draw closer to the Lord this year, and that it will be one you keep. May the Lord be with each one of us-may we pursue Him with everything that is within us! Love in Jesus, Teresa."
The question then, is how did I do? Am I more like Jesus now than I was at the beginning of the year?
After an honest assessment of my over all behavior and attitude, I can answer with a yes. I have been given many opportunities to exercise unconditional love and forgiveness and plenty of times when I had to give up my "right" to be right, for the sake of another's well-being and peace of mind. Please don't misunderstand, this was never an easy task. There were many tears and challenges along the way. Nevertheless, the outcome always involved peace and the ability to move forward without bitterness in my heart. I suspect this year will bring new opportunities to be more like Christ. There are already a few in the works. This time, it involves being more concerned with what God thinks than what others think and doing what is right over what is popular. You see, being more like Jesus doesn't require me to be perfect, just willing.
As for the working-out and having that rock solid-wonder woman figure, well, not so much. That is just fine with me, the beauty within will just have to keep getting better to hide the imperfections of this tattered body.
How about you--how did you do?
Here we are at the end of 2008, filled with its share of joy and pain. What will we choose for 2009. Will we pursue the better job or the bigger house--what about the better body? These are not bad in themselves, but at what cost?
On the other hand, why not pursue love, grace, kindness and putting others before ourselves. These attributes belong to all of humanity-religion aside. These are things all of us can all chose in the New Year. Then maybe, just maybe, all those other things we seek might fall into place, and if not, it won't kill us.
If your heart desires, please pray with me:
Heavenly Father,
May this be a year of strong fellowship for all-restore relationships, bring new friendships our way. Help us to move forward in excitement for the new things you have planned. Give us the grace to let go of the past and put it behind us. May we have true forgiveness in our hearts so that we do not continue to carry the past on our shoulders. Help us to look to this New Year with a clean slate. Turn our hearts toward the things that matter to you and the One who can give us the courage to do so. Finally Father, help us to set aside our accomplishments in this past year, so we have room for the new you have in store.
In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Teresa Ortiz
Dec 7, 2008
Plain Talk about Abortion: a Personal Story
Lately there has been no escaping the topic of abortion. We have the pro-choicer, pro-lifer, and enough statistics to make anyone puke.
I am so tired of all the politics--should it be legal--should it be illegal. Does it really matter? Abortion and the attitude toward it are not going to change with the making of law. Since when has law affected real change on the inside? Who in our government speaks of a change of heart? Isn't that where it all starts?
We will never see this happen because if we keep ourselves busy debating law and statistics, there is no time to talk about the heart of man.
I have remained silent in this arena for many reasons, one being I hate political and statistical debates and frankly, they get on and in my nerves more than anything else does.
Nevertheless, my heart is breaking and I can no longer remain silent. It's not the millions of babies that make me speak out, it's that there has been one. Isn't one enough? If I may be selfish for a moment, isn't mine enough?
I prefer talking about the lighter things in life. When I write or teach, it's generally on the side of humor. Humor is a funny thing--it's not as easily accepted in the Christian world. I'm not sure why. It's like some Christians don't want others to think they are not spiritually profound or well versed in the Bible or something. Heaven forbid we should have a light-hearted story to share the truth of God as He works in everyday life.
I say this because if you have read anything I have written so far, you've noticed that my tone is different. I can be sober-I can cut to the heart of a matter. I suppose this is one of those times.
Therefore, I will take you back in time-join me in the waiting room with seven other teens. You are sitting there in silence, scared out of your mind, feeling all alone. Then you spot a girl from school. You know, the popular one-the model-the cheerleader. You make eye contact from across the room and suddenly you have a friend-a friend who is your enemy at school. Why is this? Because no way is she going back to school on Monday to tell her friends where she spent her Friday night, nor are you.
Sitting in the lounge chair designed for your comfort, the nurse brings you some muscle relaxers. She smiles a warm smile and tells you that everything is going to be okay. You are anxiously awaiting your turn as if you were auditioning for a role in a horror movie, it would seem the case as you get a good look at the face of the girl who exits the room while the nurse calls your name.
Feel the cold bed pressed against your back as you put your feet in the stirrups…
Walk with me into the recovery room-listen to the wailing and crying coming from the other girls, listen to your own. Fortunately, you don't have to listen for long because it only takes 15-minutes to recover. Just 15-minutes to forget the sound of the sloshing vacuum. 15-minutes to wipe your eyes, leave the building and start your weekend.
The smiling nurse has no time or need to comfort you with a hug on your way out the door; she is too busy handing out a fresh batch of muscle relaxers-although sweet as she is, she doesn't let you walk out empty-handed. She gives you a brown bag of goodies that will reduce your chances of a return visit.
~~~~~
So how is this for a statistic-how about sharing this story on T.V.? Oh, sure there are organizations out there to help a woman deal with the consequences of her choice to murder her unborn child--what about help to make a better choice to begin with?
Still, this doesn't do anything to solve the problem. We need to get back to the root of the problem and that is Sin. It all boils down to sin. No premarital sex as a teen or adult and we solve a big portion of the problem. The rest of the problem would be solved if men stopped raping and molesting women. Sin, it's all about sin.
At the very least, there should be a law that requires full disclosure of the medical procedure and the developmental stages of an unborn child be made available to the one who is considering ending the life of her child. It still amazes me that my husband was required to have one counseling session and watch a video before the hospital would approve his vasectomy. "Are you sure you want to do this Mr. Ortiz? It is a near impossibility to have the procedure reversed". Wow! I would say it is 100% impossible to have the abortion procedure reversed. In addition, if my son were to get in a car accident, the hospital could not treat him without my consent. Weird how an under aged girl can go through a life-changing medical procedure without her parents knowledge and signature.
Weird.
How would you like to take a second trip to Planned Parenthood with me? The brown bag of goodies didn't do me any good…
Repentance, grace, knowledge, love, and education are going to be the end of abortion. A few stories like mine from the candidates might help, but mine will never be told-because I am a nobody, of no influence or money. I am therefore, a statistic.
Obviously this isn't going to happen so what do we do? We stop debating and start praying for change. If you have been moved by my story, share it with someone who has influence. I am convinced if teens and women were told the truth about abortion, the law wouldn't matter, because they would choose something different. Maybe not all, but one-isn't one enough?
For some of you, this wasn't your only trip to Planned Parenthood (Ha! Planned Parenthood-there's a deadly joke for you) If you are looking for help and freedom from guilt or if you just want to read a poem of forgiveness and healing, click here.
© Teresa Ortiz 2008
I am so tired of all the politics--should it be legal--should it be illegal. Does it really matter? Abortion and the attitude toward it are not going to change with the making of law. Since when has law affected real change on the inside? Who in our government speaks of a change of heart? Isn't that where it all starts?
We will never see this happen because if we keep ourselves busy debating law and statistics, there is no time to talk about the heart of man.
I have remained silent in this arena for many reasons, one being I hate political and statistical debates and frankly, they get on and in my nerves more than anything else does.
Nevertheless, my heart is breaking and I can no longer remain silent. It's not the millions of babies that make me speak out, it's that there has been one. Isn't one enough? If I may be selfish for a moment, isn't mine enough?
I prefer talking about the lighter things in life. When I write or teach, it's generally on the side of humor. Humor is a funny thing--it's not as easily accepted in the Christian world. I'm not sure why. It's like some Christians don't want others to think they are not spiritually profound or well versed in the Bible or something. Heaven forbid we should have a light-hearted story to share the truth of God as He works in everyday life.
I say this because if you have read anything I have written so far, you've noticed that my tone is different. I can be sober-I can cut to the heart of a matter. I suppose this is one of those times.
Therefore, I will take you back in time-join me in the waiting room with seven other teens. You are sitting there in silence, scared out of your mind, feeling all alone. Then you spot a girl from school. You know, the popular one-the model-the cheerleader. You make eye contact from across the room and suddenly you have a friend-a friend who is your enemy at school. Why is this? Because no way is she going back to school on Monday to tell her friends where she spent her Friday night, nor are you.
Sitting in the lounge chair designed for your comfort, the nurse brings you some muscle relaxers. She smiles a warm smile and tells you that everything is going to be okay. You are anxiously awaiting your turn as if you were auditioning for a role in a horror movie, it would seem the case as you get a good look at the face of the girl who exits the room while the nurse calls your name.
Feel the cold bed pressed against your back as you put your feet in the stirrups…
Walk with me into the recovery room-listen to the wailing and crying coming from the other girls, listen to your own. Fortunately, you don't have to listen for long because it only takes 15-minutes to recover. Just 15-minutes to forget the sound of the sloshing vacuum. 15-minutes to wipe your eyes, leave the building and start your weekend.
The smiling nurse has no time or need to comfort you with a hug on your way out the door; she is too busy handing out a fresh batch of muscle relaxers-although sweet as she is, she doesn't let you walk out empty-handed. She gives you a brown bag of goodies that will reduce your chances of a return visit.
~~~~~
So how is this for a statistic-how about sharing this story on T.V.? Oh, sure there are organizations out there to help a woman deal with the consequences of her choice to murder her unborn child--what about help to make a better choice to begin with?
Still, this doesn't do anything to solve the problem. We need to get back to the root of the problem and that is Sin. It all boils down to sin. No premarital sex as a teen or adult and we solve a big portion of the problem. The rest of the problem would be solved if men stopped raping and molesting women. Sin, it's all about sin.
At the very least, there should be a law that requires full disclosure of the medical procedure and the developmental stages of an unborn child be made available to the one who is considering ending the life of her child. It still amazes me that my husband was required to have one counseling session and watch a video before the hospital would approve his vasectomy. "Are you sure you want to do this Mr. Ortiz? It is a near impossibility to have the procedure reversed". Wow! I would say it is 100% impossible to have the abortion procedure reversed. In addition, if my son were to get in a car accident, the hospital could not treat him without my consent. Weird how an under aged girl can go through a life-changing medical procedure without her parents knowledge and signature.
Weird.
How would you like to take a second trip to Planned Parenthood with me? The brown bag of goodies didn't do me any good…
Repentance, grace, knowledge, love, and education are going to be the end of abortion. A few stories like mine from the candidates might help, but mine will never be told-because I am a nobody, of no influence or money. I am therefore, a statistic.
Obviously this isn't going to happen so what do we do? We stop debating and start praying for change. If you have been moved by my story, share it with someone who has influence. I am convinced if teens and women were told the truth about abortion, the law wouldn't matter, because they would choose something different. Maybe not all, but one-isn't one enough?
For some of you, this wasn't your only trip to Planned Parenthood (Ha! Planned Parenthood-there's a deadly joke for you) If you are looking for help and freedom from guilt or if you just want to read a poem of forgiveness and healing, click here.
© Teresa Ortiz 2008
If Only for a Moment (A poem of healing from abortion)
They didn't tell me you had a beating heart;
they told me you were a mass of tissue.
They didn't tell me I would cry for you 24-years later,
they told me it was nothing-you were nothing.
The room was cold-so-so cold.
Just relax, they said, there's nothing to it.
Staring in silence-screaming inside with no place to hide, nowhere to run.
Relax I say, soon you will be out having fun.
Life went on-for me that is.
Would it matter if I told you your father and I married?
Is that any consolation?
How many pregnancies, how many live births?
The question stings, I wonder if acid would soothe the burn.
Then one day I heard your sister's heartbeat for the very first time;
You were just her age when yours beat for the very last time.
What have I done? In an instant, you were real.
Would it make a difference if I told you I mourn for you still?
My Lord is gracious, forgiving and kind
He took you in His arms when I chose not to hold you in mine.
One hope I hold dear to my heart; that my Lord Jesus would
grant me one wish-one delight.
To hold you in my arms if only for a moment
and feel the love of both of you.
~~~~
Do you have a silent cry? God will forgive you and heal your broken heart. You don't have to bear the guilt and shame any longer. Never be alone again. Share your heart. I am listening and I care.
I have spoken to many women who feel they don't deserve to have children so they haven't. Other women cannot have children because of the damage done as a result. Then there is the mother who feels guilty at times delighting in the children she was blessed with later in life. Abortion is not an easy out. It may seem like it at the time, but the effects will last a lifetime.
If you are pregnant and considering abortion, please seek other alternatives, don't listen to the lies. It will be hard, but you can learn to be a good mom. There are agencies to help you. Teen Moms is a great resource.
http://teenmominternational.org/
I am here to help. Write me anytime.
Love Teresa, Love Jesus.
© Teresa Ortiz 2008 All Rights Reserved.
they told me you were a mass of tissue.
They didn't tell me I would cry for you 24-years later,
they told me it was nothing-you were nothing.
The room was cold-so-so cold.
Just relax, they said, there's nothing to it.
Staring in silence-screaming inside with no place to hide, nowhere to run.
Relax I say, soon you will be out having fun.
Life went on-for me that is.
Would it matter if I told you your father and I married?
Is that any consolation?
How many pregnancies, how many live births?
The question stings, I wonder if acid would soothe the burn.
Then one day I heard your sister's heartbeat for the very first time;
You were just her age when yours beat for the very last time.
What have I done? In an instant, you were real.
Would it make a difference if I told you I mourn for you still?
My Lord is gracious, forgiving and kind
He took you in His arms when I chose not to hold you in mine.
One hope I hold dear to my heart; that my Lord Jesus would
grant me one wish-one delight.
To hold you in my arms if only for a moment
and feel the love of both of you.
~~~~
Do you have a silent cry? God will forgive you and heal your broken heart. You don't have to bear the guilt and shame any longer. Never be alone again. Share your heart. I am listening and I care.
I have spoken to many women who feel they don't deserve to have children so they haven't. Other women cannot have children because of the damage done as a result. Then there is the mother who feels guilty at times delighting in the children she was blessed with later in life. Abortion is not an easy out. It may seem like it at the time, but the effects will last a lifetime.
If you are pregnant and considering abortion, please seek other alternatives, don't listen to the lies. It will be hard, but you can learn to be a good mom. There are agencies to help you. Teen Moms is a great resource.
http://teenmominternational.org/
I am here to help. Write me anytime.
Love Teresa, Love Jesus.
© Teresa Ortiz 2008 All Rights Reserved.
Where the Heck is my Cart and what's the Deal with the Headboard: a Script
My husband, you just gotta love him. I am proud to say that he successfully completed his first official work week away from home.
We have had some fun conversations and some of the stories he has shared have amused me. Don't worry, I won't punish you with all of them, but knowing you are friends, I thought you might enjoy this one.
(Sunday: Early afternoon Act I – scene I - Wal-mart, Yuma, Az.)
Cell phone ringing ~ Keep on dancing, to the funky music, keep on dancing to th-
Teresa: "Hello?"
Art: "Hey baby. So, I'm almost done shopping, but I can't find the water, you should be so proud of me, I did so good finding everything else…"
Narrator: As he strolls up and down the aisles, he spots the water, "now where are the rock stars", he says to his wife. "Turn around they should be right across from the water." She replies.
After chitchatting about this and that, he gets to the front of the store, anxious and ready to get back to his room for some peace and quiet. He is after all, quite sick and needs to take the myriad of medications the pharmacist helped him find an hour earlier when he started shopping for the seven or 8 items he needed. (Maybe there were a few more items than that.)
Art: "Where would I find a map?"
Teresa: "They should be by the books in the front of the store; you should be able to see them from where you are."
Narrator: Walking up and down the front of store, he can't seem to locate the maps. He slowly begins to walk faster, breathe heavier and let out a big sigh of frustration. "These people are idiots", he says under his breath. "Why do they make things so hard to find", echoes repeatedly in his wife's ear as he continues to walk from one end of the store to the other.
Art: "Found them, finally. Now I'm outta here."
Narrator: As he heads back in the direction of his shopping cart, he begins to panic because it is nowhere in sight. His wife gently encourages him to look in the other direction. Again he walks to and fro all about the front of the store. "Where in the heck is my cart?" he shouts in his wife's ear with an exasperated tone. "Are you kidding me, do I have to do this all over again…I can't believe people…just leave my stuff alone…" His wife begins to laugh…thinking this is one of the rare times she can. She is no stranger to being made fun of so she is not keeping it a secret that she is relishing this moment.
Suddenly his wife hears laughter on the other end of the line--a girl's giggle. An employee notices this panic stricken man and comes to his aid. She sheepishly admits she brought his cart forward so it wasn't blocking the aisle. His wife listens in amusement as they carry on as if she is no longer on the phone.
Art: "Let me call you back in a few."
Teresa: "No problem, talk to later."
(ACT I – scene II – Wal-mart parking lot)
Narrator: Don't be fooled by the name Arthur Ortiz, it only sounds Mexican, and just because he is brown and very close to the border of Mexico, does not mean he knows a drop of Spanish--and this brown boy is about as honky as anyone can get--please, no offense intended. Only a necessary part of this scene as you will understand as it plays out. In the best El- Spanyol he can muster, he shares the scene…
Employee: "seen-yor, seen-yor!!! Espedatay."
Narrator: Mr. Ortiz is oblivious, excited as all get out because he can get back to the hotel and rest…and then she reaches him. She pulls him by the arm, stopping him in his tracks. She is one brave Mexican girl, but then again they do say dynamite comes in small packages…
Employee: "seen-yor, el-receito, porfavor…agua es no sta-kee."
Art: "What?"
Employee: "Agua no sta-kee."
Narrator: He goes on to tell the kind, yet stern young woman that he does not understand Spanish. She rolls her eyes in disgust as if to say, "What kind of Mexican are you." To which he thinks, "Exactly, I'm from Oregon and I drive a rig." After checking the receipt to every item in the cart, it is pointed out to him that he neglected to pay for the water. She leads him back to the store. He explains that he did not intend to steal the water, but that the cashier forgot to charge him for it. After some laughter among them, he leaves the store and is off to his hotel.
(Act II – scene I – The hotel)
Narrator: With the rig unloaded, and groceries in hand, he walks to his room with a sigh of relief-which only lasts a few seconds because with one stroke of the key card he realizes he has been locked out of his room. A few loud sighs and a few bad words later, he puts the groceries back into the rig. Meanwhile his wife is beginning to feel a tad sorry for the dude, as she lovingly listens on the phone.
The office assistant giggles a bit while apologizing for the mistake and he is back in the room. He tells his beautiful wife he will call her after he naps. By now, his head is pounding he is hungry and tired.
(Act II – scene II – The headboard)
Cell phone chimes, notifying wife of a received text message
Cell Phone: "News flash. Headboard falls off wall in room, call soon."
Teresa: "Is everything okay? What's the deal with the headboard?"
Art: "Man, I can't get any rest. I was reaching over to see why the light wouldn't work--I moved the bed and the headboard came crashing down. So I went out, got my tools and fixed it myself. Now I am going to try to sleep. I'll call you later."
(Sunday: Late Evening Act III – scene I – Hotel parking lot)
Narrator: As Art nestles in bed, he drifts off to sleep. Finally, a peaceful moment after a hectic day. He won't wake until the alarm goes off at 3:30 am for work the next morning…..Or so he thought.
Telephone rings in Art's hotel room several times.
Art: "Hello."
Hotel operator: "Mr. Ortiz, I'm sorry to bother you, but can you please step outside of your room. The officers would like to speak with you a moment. It's likely that the tires on your vehicle have been slashed."
Art: "You have got to be kidding me. I'll be right out."
Narrator: "As he opens the door, the bright lights of the five police cars overwhelm his still sleepy eyes. "Excuse me Sir, is this your vehicle?" The officer says to him. Art is relieved to find that it was not his rig, but on the other hand was feeling quite bad for the owner of said vehicle.
It's now 11:30 pm and Art desperately tries to get back to sleep. As he lies in bed, he can't help but hear this strange music coming from the room across from him. "Those darn Mexicans", he thinks. "They don't need much of a reason to party." Apparently, all the excitement around the hotel gave cause to stay awake and turn on some music.
Mari-ochi music--or reeba, reeba music as the Mexican-slash-honky want-to-be, named Art would say.
And so ends one day in the life of this lad in a land far away from home and the story of, "Where the heck is my cart and what's the deal with the headboard.'"
THE END.
(C) Teresa Ortiz All rights reserved
We have had some fun conversations and some of the stories he has shared have amused me. Don't worry, I won't punish you with all of them, but knowing you are friends, I thought you might enjoy this one.
(Sunday: Early afternoon Act I – scene I - Wal-mart, Yuma, Az.)
Cell phone ringing ~ Keep on dancing, to the funky music, keep on dancing to th-
Teresa: "Hello?"
Art: "Hey baby. So, I'm almost done shopping, but I can't find the water, you should be so proud of me, I did so good finding everything else…"
Narrator: As he strolls up and down the aisles, he spots the water, "now where are the rock stars", he says to his wife. "Turn around they should be right across from the water." She replies.
After chitchatting about this and that, he gets to the front of the store, anxious and ready to get back to his room for some peace and quiet. He is after all, quite sick and needs to take the myriad of medications the pharmacist helped him find an hour earlier when he started shopping for the seven or 8 items he needed. (Maybe there were a few more items than that.)
Art: "Where would I find a map?"
Teresa: "They should be by the books in the front of the store; you should be able to see them from where you are."
Narrator: Walking up and down the front of store, he can't seem to locate the maps. He slowly begins to walk faster, breathe heavier and let out a big sigh of frustration. "These people are idiots", he says under his breath. "Why do they make things so hard to find", echoes repeatedly in his wife's ear as he continues to walk from one end of the store to the other.
Art: "Found them, finally. Now I'm outta here."
Narrator: As he heads back in the direction of his shopping cart, he begins to panic because it is nowhere in sight. His wife gently encourages him to look in the other direction. Again he walks to and fro all about the front of the store. "Where in the heck is my cart?" he shouts in his wife's ear with an exasperated tone. "Are you kidding me, do I have to do this all over again…I can't believe people…just leave my stuff alone…" His wife begins to laugh…thinking this is one of the rare times she can. She is no stranger to being made fun of so she is not keeping it a secret that she is relishing this moment.
Suddenly his wife hears laughter on the other end of the line--a girl's giggle. An employee notices this panic stricken man and comes to his aid. She sheepishly admits she brought his cart forward so it wasn't blocking the aisle. His wife listens in amusement as they carry on as if she is no longer on the phone.
Art: "Let me call you back in a few."
Teresa: "No problem, talk to later."
(ACT I – scene II – Wal-mart parking lot)
Narrator: Don't be fooled by the name Arthur Ortiz, it only sounds Mexican, and just because he is brown and very close to the border of Mexico, does not mean he knows a drop of Spanish--and this brown boy is about as honky as anyone can get--please, no offense intended. Only a necessary part of this scene as you will understand as it plays out. In the best El- Spanyol he can muster, he shares the scene…
Employee: "seen-yor, seen-yor!!! Espedatay."
Narrator: Mr. Ortiz is oblivious, excited as all get out because he can get back to the hotel and rest…and then she reaches him. She pulls him by the arm, stopping him in his tracks. She is one brave Mexican girl, but then again they do say dynamite comes in small packages…
Employee: "seen-yor, el-receito, porfavor…agua es no sta-kee."
Art: "What?"
Employee: "Agua no sta-kee."
Narrator: He goes on to tell the kind, yet stern young woman that he does not understand Spanish. She rolls her eyes in disgust as if to say, "What kind of Mexican are you." To which he thinks, "Exactly, I'm from Oregon and I drive a rig." After checking the receipt to every item in the cart, it is pointed out to him that he neglected to pay for the water. She leads him back to the store. He explains that he did not intend to steal the water, but that the cashier forgot to charge him for it. After some laughter among them, he leaves the store and is off to his hotel.
(Act II – scene I – The hotel)
Narrator: With the rig unloaded, and groceries in hand, he walks to his room with a sigh of relief-which only lasts a few seconds because with one stroke of the key card he realizes he has been locked out of his room. A few loud sighs and a few bad words later, he puts the groceries back into the rig. Meanwhile his wife is beginning to feel a tad sorry for the dude, as she lovingly listens on the phone.
The office assistant giggles a bit while apologizing for the mistake and he is back in the room. He tells his beautiful wife he will call her after he naps. By now, his head is pounding he is hungry and tired.
(Act II – scene II – The headboard)
Cell phone chimes, notifying wife of a received text message
Cell Phone: "News flash. Headboard falls off wall in room, call soon."
Teresa: "Is everything okay? What's the deal with the headboard?"
Art: "Man, I can't get any rest. I was reaching over to see why the light wouldn't work--I moved the bed and the headboard came crashing down. So I went out, got my tools and fixed it myself. Now I am going to try to sleep. I'll call you later."
(Sunday: Late Evening Act III – scene I – Hotel parking lot)
Narrator: As Art nestles in bed, he drifts off to sleep. Finally, a peaceful moment after a hectic day. He won't wake until the alarm goes off at 3:30 am for work the next morning…..Or so he thought.
Telephone rings in Art's hotel room several times.
Art: "Hello."
Hotel operator: "Mr. Ortiz, I'm sorry to bother you, but can you please step outside of your room. The officers would like to speak with you a moment. It's likely that the tires on your vehicle have been slashed."
Art: "You have got to be kidding me. I'll be right out."
Narrator: "As he opens the door, the bright lights of the five police cars overwhelm his still sleepy eyes. "Excuse me Sir, is this your vehicle?" The officer says to him. Art is relieved to find that it was not his rig, but on the other hand was feeling quite bad for the owner of said vehicle.
It's now 11:30 pm and Art desperately tries to get back to sleep. As he lies in bed, he can't help but hear this strange music coming from the room across from him. "Those darn Mexicans", he thinks. "They don't need much of a reason to party." Apparently, all the excitement around the hotel gave cause to stay awake and turn on some music.
Mari-ochi music--or reeba, reeba music as the Mexican-slash-honky want-to-be, named Art would say.
And so ends one day in the life of this lad in a land far away from home and the story of, "Where the heck is my cart and what's the deal with the headboard.'"
THE END.
(C) Teresa Ortiz All rights reserved
Nov 27, 2008
Renewing our Heart: God's Gift of Peace is Jesus
Hello my dear friends!
For some of you, this piece will sound familiar, take comfort; you are not loosing your mind. I admit up front that much of this message was given in an article I posted several months ago. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to tweak it just a bit and ask each of us to allow the message to move past our minds and straight into our hearts.
Many of us are searching for God's peace. We know He promised it to us, but we just are'nt feeling it. We have bills to pay, we have health issues, we have family members who have not come to know the Lord--whatever the case may be, I pray this study will remind us that peace is not something we need to go searching for, and contrary to popular belief, it's not something we need to pray for. It is something we attained the moment we said yes to Adonay-our Lord Master.
It may be that you knew this at one point, but have lost sight of this truth, whether this is new information or a fresh reminder, today is the day to make this truth your own. It's not God's gift to everyone else--it is His gift to you--that's right, say it out loud:
"Peace is God's gift to me." Still not convinced? Say it again: "Peace is God's gift to me."
With this personal thought in mind, take in the following information as if you were the only person in the world it was written for. Because in a sense it is, If you were the only person in the world who received Christ, Jesus still would have allowed Himself to be nailed to that cross.
~~~~
Yahweh Shalom - "The Lord is Peace". Unfortunately, our English word peace does not adequately describe the full meaning of the Hebrew word Shalom.
On the surface, this might not have a great impact on how we view God's favor toward man. After all, it is probably safe to say that everyone knows the meaning of the word peace.
Unfortunately, putting it into practice is another story.
I recently did a study on the word Shalom. I am blessed and I wanted to pass the blessing on to all who read.
Let us look at these two words a little bit closer.
PEACE= (Man's perspective) Absence of war, to be silent, to be calm in heart and mind.
Although the English word peace can be used to describe internal serenity, more often than not, it speaks to external circumstances. In fact, in the world of gangsters it has become a catch phrase. i.e. "Peace-out man", slang for "stay cool and out of trouble".
SHALOM= (God's perspective) A greeting to pronounce a personal blessing on another in its fullest capacity. i.e. "Hello and may God's favor rest in you and give you a prosperous, satisfied, healthy, perfect and harmonious day."
Okay, I must admit, when I say hello to someone, I do not consciously include all of these well wishes. Sure, I mean it when I say have a great day. It can be assumed I mean all of the things above, but the point is I am not usually making the effort to think these things through or taking the time to be specific when I say have a great day.
I do not want this to be a mere study of words, however, but rather, I hope it opens the door for a second look at what this title is saying about the Creator God.
Yahweh Shalom is God's very name, a title that describes one of His many attributes. It points out that God is not merely one who gives peace, but that He IS peace. He is the sole source of true and lasting peace that is rooted in the internal man. This internal peace, when experienced in its fullness, is the only thing that will bring external peace.
Still, this is only part of why I am excited about Shalom. To be honest, the real reason is my need to feel loved, cared for, and accepted-unconditionally-warts and all. In short, I am human.
Even deeper still, is the fact that God feels this way about you and me! This is the best part because even though others may wish us the absolute best, they have no power to do anything about it--at least not to the greatest degree. By this, I mean we are human and we will fall short and disappoint each other at times.
BUT GOD! (My two favorite words in the entire bible,) He is not like man and cannot lie, nor will He ever go back on His promises. (Titus 1:2)
While studying Shalom, I looked up a few passages of Scripture, they took on a new meaning and I applied them to my life in a bigger way. Following is just one of the many.
"These things I [Jesus] have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:25-27
Have you ever stopped to consider what Jesus is really saying when He says "My peace I give to you?" Remembering that the Lord's name is Shalom, what Jesus is saying here is that I give Myself to you!! This tells us that when we receive Jesus, we receive peace. Peace, by the Holy Spirit lives within each and every child of God! This is great news!
So why do we struggle--searching and looking for peace? Perhaps it is because we do not realize it is already inside.
Okay, so what do we do once we realize this truth? We have a choice. We walk in this truth--not by feeling, but by faith. We remember that when Adonay--our Lord Master says I have given Myself to you, we believe it. No matter what our external circumstances may be.
I pray you have been encouraged. Take some time to dig a little deeper. I am including a few Scripture references, look them up, and see just what God desires for us and from us.
Psalm 122:6-8, Isaiah 26:3, Galatians 5:22, Psalm 34:14 – I am making it a point to remember that the Biblical word (Hebrew in the Old Testament) is always Shalom. I will never take the word peace for granted again.
Peace is with you--take hold of Him today!
~~~~
Yahweh Shalom, my Lord and my friend, thank you for this great gift. Forgive me for loosing sight of this truth and allowing my circumstances to blur my vision. Help me today Adonay, remind me that as my Lord and Master, I will believe all that you have promised me. Help me to remember that wherever I go; whatever this life will throw my way--I have Peace living in me and You have promised to never leave me nor forsake me. And now that I am reminded, I can have confidence no matter what comes my way.
Thank you for all the friends and family you have blessed me with that are a direct reflection of your goodness. Help me to focus on the smile that brings warmth to my heart. Calm my fears this day Lord and help me to take a deep breath and surrender to the Peace within.
In the name of my precious Lord Jesus--my master and my peace, Amen
(C) Teresa Ortiz
For some of you, this piece will sound familiar, take comfort; you are not loosing your mind. I admit up front that much of this message was given in an article I posted several months ago. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to tweak it just a bit and ask each of us to allow the message to move past our minds and straight into our hearts.
Many of us are searching for God's peace. We know He promised it to us, but we just are'nt feeling it. We have bills to pay, we have health issues, we have family members who have not come to know the Lord--whatever the case may be, I pray this study will remind us that peace is not something we need to go searching for, and contrary to popular belief, it's not something we need to pray for. It is something we attained the moment we said yes to Adonay-our Lord Master.
It may be that you knew this at one point, but have lost sight of this truth, whether this is new information or a fresh reminder, today is the day to make this truth your own. It's not God's gift to everyone else--it is His gift to you--that's right, say it out loud:
"Peace is God's gift to me." Still not convinced? Say it again: "Peace is God's gift to me."
With this personal thought in mind, take in the following information as if you were the only person in the world it was written for. Because in a sense it is, If you were the only person in the world who received Christ, Jesus still would have allowed Himself to be nailed to that cross.
~~~~
Yahweh Shalom - "The Lord is Peace". Unfortunately, our English word peace does not adequately describe the full meaning of the Hebrew word Shalom.
On the surface, this might not have a great impact on how we view God's favor toward man. After all, it is probably safe to say that everyone knows the meaning of the word peace.
Unfortunately, putting it into practice is another story.
I recently did a study on the word Shalom. I am blessed and I wanted to pass the blessing on to all who read.
Let us look at these two words a little bit closer.
PEACE= (Man's perspective) Absence of war, to be silent, to be calm in heart and mind.
Although the English word peace can be used to describe internal serenity, more often than not, it speaks to external circumstances. In fact, in the world of gangsters it has become a catch phrase. i.e. "Peace-out man", slang for "stay cool and out of trouble".
SHALOM= (God's perspective) A greeting to pronounce a personal blessing on another in its fullest capacity. i.e. "Hello and may God's favor rest in you and give you a prosperous, satisfied, healthy, perfect and harmonious day."
Okay, I must admit, when I say hello to someone, I do not consciously include all of these well wishes. Sure, I mean it when I say have a great day. It can be assumed I mean all of the things above, but the point is I am not usually making the effort to think these things through or taking the time to be specific when I say have a great day.
I do not want this to be a mere study of words, however, but rather, I hope it opens the door for a second look at what this title is saying about the Creator God.
Yahweh Shalom is God's very name, a title that describes one of His many attributes. It points out that God is not merely one who gives peace, but that He IS peace. He is the sole source of true and lasting peace that is rooted in the internal man. This internal peace, when experienced in its fullness, is the only thing that will bring external peace.
Still, this is only part of why I am excited about Shalom. To be honest, the real reason is my need to feel loved, cared for, and accepted-unconditionally-warts and all. In short, I am human.
Even deeper still, is the fact that God feels this way about you and me! This is the best part because even though others may wish us the absolute best, they have no power to do anything about it--at least not to the greatest degree. By this, I mean we are human and we will fall short and disappoint each other at times.
BUT GOD! (My two favorite words in the entire bible,) He is not like man and cannot lie, nor will He ever go back on His promises. (Titus 1:2)
While studying Shalom, I looked up a few passages of Scripture, they took on a new meaning and I applied them to my life in a bigger way. Following is just one of the many.
"These things I [Jesus] have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:25-27
Have you ever stopped to consider what Jesus is really saying when He says "My peace I give to you?" Remembering that the Lord's name is Shalom, what Jesus is saying here is that I give Myself to you!! This tells us that when we receive Jesus, we receive peace. Peace, by the Holy Spirit lives within each and every child of God! This is great news!
So why do we struggle--searching and looking for peace? Perhaps it is because we do not realize it is already inside.
Okay, so what do we do once we realize this truth? We have a choice. We walk in this truth--not by feeling, but by faith. We remember that when Adonay--our Lord Master says I have given Myself to you, we believe it. No matter what our external circumstances may be.
I pray you have been encouraged. Take some time to dig a little deeper. I am including a few Scripture references, look them up, and see just what God desires for us and from us.
Psalm 122:6-8, Isaiah 26:3, Galatians 5:22, Psalm 34:14 – I am making it a point to remember that the Biblical word (Hebrew in the Old Testament) is always Shalom. I will never take the word peace for granted again.
Peace is with you--take hold of Him today!
~~~~
Yahweh Shalom, my Lord and my friend, thank you for this great gift. Forgive me for loosing sight of this truth and allowing my circumstances to blur my vision. Help me today Adonay, remind me that as my Lord and Master, I will believe all that you have promised me. Help me to remember that wherever I go; whatever this life will throw my way--I have Peace living in me and You have promised to never leave me nor forsake me. And now that I am reminded, I can have confidence no matter what comes my way.
Thank you for all the friends and family you have blessed me with that are a direct reflection of your goodness. Help me to focus on the smile that brings warmth to my heart. Calm my fears this day Lord and help me to take a deep breath and surrender to the Peace within.
In the name of my precious Lord Jesus--my master and my peace, Amen
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Hppy - Sad- Joyful
My mind is a whirlwind, my heart torn in two-one minute happy, the next one blue.
Hey, sounds like a poem- a poet maybe? Nah, better not quit my day job.
I think I'll just write a little-never mind rhymes and grammar, just a way to organize my thoughts.
Next Thursday my husband will be leaving for Arizona. He was offered a job a few weeks ago and we have been praying and debating if this was God's answer to prayer. Funny how it works sometimes. I feel like Gideon, we layed out our fleece before God- Lord, if it's your will, make it clear, if nothing comes up here at home, we will know it's your way of providing. Days go by, nothing comes up- Lord, please bring work in, what's going on?
I can almost hear God saying, "Duh, I gave you the answer, what more do you want"? Okay, so maybe God didn't say duh, but I'm pretty sure the answer was clear.
So here we are, preparing for him to leave. We have never been apart longer than 2 weeks-and that didn't work out to well for us being he came home with a TATTOO, not that I have issues with that, all has been forgiven. In fact I have my appointment set for my Budweiser tattoo Friday morning. (Not really, but sounded good.)
I am happy for God's amazing provision. I am excited about the bigger picture. But then it is in my nature to always look at the bigger picture-some accuse me of not living for today, but for me, I can't live for today without it. Especially in this case. Not looking ahead at exciting possibilities would only cause me to look at God and say, why would you take him so far away? Why not give him a job here at home-I don't get you.
But then I am sad because I am going to miss being with him at the end of everyday. It's my comfortable routine and this will not be the case for quite sometime. I don't mean to whine, I know many of you have done this and are doing it know, but it is all new for me.
My son is already stepping up. Art is going over everything and making sure we will be equipped to deal with the uncertainty of winter in Oregon.
To make myself feel better, I have made a list of things I will do to keep busy in the evenings:
1. Catch up on my list of books to read.
2. Dust off the treadmill, put the junk away, stand on it and consider turning it on.
3. Unpack the last of the boxes from our move.
4. Catch up on my list of books to read.
5. Write another Bible study.
6. Stand on the clean treadmill, turn it on, then turn it off.
7. Go out on a date or two with my boyfri-I mean son. (Don't be startin' rumors.)
8. Thank God for my incredible husband for his willingness to provide for his family.
9. Stand on the clean treadmill, turn it on, keep it on and get in great shape for my gorgeous hunk of a construction worker husband.
10. Rejoice in the Lord for His goodness.
Okay, I am done rambling. Thanks for listening and bear with me these next few months as my stories go from happy to sad to joyful.
Teresa Ortiz
Hey, sounds like a poem- a poet maybe? Nah, better not quit my day job.
I think I'll just write a little-never mind rhymes and grammar, just a way to organize my thoughts.
Next Thursday my husband will be leaving for Arizona. He was offered a job a few weeks ago and we have been praying and debating if this was God's answer to prayer. Funny how it works sometimes. I feel like Gideon, we layed out our fleece before God- Lord, if it's your will, make it clear, if nothing comes up here at home, we will know it's your way of providing. Days go by, nothing comes up- Lord, please bring work in, what's going on?
I can almost hear God saying, "Duh, I gave you the answer, what more do you want"? Okay, so maybe God didn't say duh, but I'm pretty sure the answer was clear.
So here we are, preparing for him to leave. We have never been apart longer than 2 weeks-and that didn't work out to well for us being he came home with a TATTOO, not that I have issues with that, all has been forgiven. In fact I have my appointment set for my Budweiser tattoo Friday morning. (Not really, but sounded good.)
I am happy for God's amazing provision. I am excited about the bigger picture. But then it is in my nature to always look at the bigger picture-some accuse me of not living for today, but for me, I can't live for today without it. Especially in this case. Not looking ahead at exciting possibilities would only cause me to look at God and say, why would you take him so far away? Why not give him a job here at home-I don't get you.
But then I am sad because I am going to miss being with him at the end of everyday. It's my comfortable routine and this will not be the case for quite sometime. I don't mean to whine, I know many of you have done this and are doing it know, but it is all new for me.
My son is already stepping up. Art is going over everything and making sure we will be equipped to deal with the uncertainty of winter in Oregon.
To make myself feel better, I have made a list of things I will do to keep busy in the evenings:
1. Catch up on my list of books to read.
2. Dust off the treadmill, put the junk away, stand on it and consider turning it on.
3. Unpack the last of the boxes from our move.
4. Catch up on my list of books to read.
5. Write another Bible study.
6. Stand on the clean treadmill, turn it on, then turn it off.
7. Go out on a date or two with my boyfri-I mean son. (Don't be startin' rumors.)
8. Thank God for my incredible husband for his willingness to provide for his family.
9. Stand on the clean treadmill, turn it on, keep it on and get in great shape for my gorgeous hunk of a construction worker husband.
10. Rejoice in the Lord for His goodness.
Okay, I am done rambling. Thanks for listening and bear with me these next few months as my stories go from happy to sad to joyful.
Teresa Ortiz
I'm a New Christian--Why is Everything a Mess?
So you have surrendered your life to Christ-congratulations! I rejoice with you, Jesus, and the angels.
When I first gave my life to Lord, I was excited and nervous. Many times, I felt out of place. I didn't know anyone at church, but I didn't want to continue to live the same life that God had rescued me from.
Nobody told me being a Christian was going to be tough--I thought it was just a matter of professing a faith in God.
The truth is, becoming a Christian is not about joining a club, or adding a religion to your life. It is about exchanging your life for the life of Christ. It is about recognizing your need for the Savior and repenting of your sin. Granted, in the beginning, most of us are not aware of the depth of our sin. Sure, we acknowledge that we "make mistakes" every now and then, but to classify ourselves as a sinner might be a stretch.
Still, we choose to accept Jesus into our hearts because we hear about God's unconditional love and grace--we hear about how much peace and joy we will have as a result. Every word of this is true, but it's not the whole story.
If you are a new Christian, you might be asking, "Where is this peace I was promised? Why didn't all my troubles go away--everything is a mess." The whole Christianity thing might even disillusion you--even has you thinking about moving on, or going back to what you had before.
If this is you today, keep reading. I pray from the depth of my soul that this information will help shed some light on the subject. Believe me; I know where you are coming from as I experienced it first hand. For many, accepting Christ as their Savior is only a matter of time. They are raised in the church; they have many Christian friends, or they believe in God and practice a faith, which soon reveals the need for total surrender and repentance.
This was not the case for me--God called me at a time when I was doing my own thing, not giving one thought to Him or His people. I just didn't care one way or the other.
Nevertheless, God had other plans and He began to complete the work He started in my life when I was 16 years-old, this being the age I quickly said a prayer to invite Jesus into my life, just to shut someone up. I didn't mean it and had neither intention or desire of changing my ways. Having to and wanting to are the key differences between joining a religion and entering into a relationship with God.
With this being said, let's look at the main theological--or spiritual thing that takes place the moment we ask Jesus to come into our life.
Spiritual birth becoming a child of God
"And you he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who works in the sons of disobedience." Eph 2:2
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." 1Pet 2:9-10.
Then we have the words from Jesus that we need to be born again. Meaning, everyone is born physically, but only those who respond to the call of God are born spiritually and given the right to be called a child of God. (John 1:12; 3:1-6)
Understanding darkness is the key to understanding the battle that begins to take place in our hearts. When we become a Christian, we are given a new nature. The Bible often refers to this as the new man and is contrasted with the old man. The books of Romans, Ephesians and Colossians have a lot to say about how these two natures are in extreme conflict with one another.
Dying to the old nature and living in the new nature is what God desires of us. Changing our way of thinking and living--being made pure--is called the sanctification process.
Unfortunately, the older we are when we become a Christian, the harder it is to change our ways. This is one of the many reasons why God gave us his Holy Spirit. The Spirits' job is to convict us, comfort us, and give us the wisdom to move forward.
Upon receiving Christ, you may have felt sudden conviction; as if a light went on in your head, you might have been flooded with feelings of guilt and shame over things you did that you never gave a second thought to before. In addition, this probably didn't leave you with warm fuzzy feelings of peace. More than likely, you cried--I know I did--for what seemed like days.
The good news is this doesn't last forever, God is faithful and will not make you wallow in your shame. Soon you will feel light as you continue to confess and apologize for your sinful behavior and make a commitment to turn away from it. This is called repentance. Repentance simply means to turn away from one thing and run to something different. It's a bit more than this, but this is a good starting point.
Getting back to darkness--the devil, who is Satan, is the prince of darkness and ruler of this world. As Ephesians tells us, before Christ we were governed by the world's standard. The darkness will not let go of God's child easily, in fact, I can guarantee he will do everything in his power to discourage you. He will fill your head with lies, he will use your old friends to ridicule you and call you names. This too, will fade after awhile when he realizes you will not fall for it--in the meantime, be ready it will come. Again, God is his goodness makes provision for this.
"Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Eph 6:10-12
The key here is "in the power of His might. This too, is a foreign concept because in our old nature, we did what we felt was right, we relied on our own strength, and we certainly did not look to His word for truth. The challenge comes in putting his ways above our own, it is relying on his strength and wisdom to make our decisions and it is trusting that he knows what is best. The bigger challenge is accepting his word for what it is and not making excuses to continue in sinful behavior. Jesus said if you love me, you will keep my commandments. Granted, this will take time--remember the sanctification process. As you grow in understanding, you grow in love, which leads to a desire to be obedient. And really, its a better way to live and has fewer consequences anyway.
It is impossible for me to share everything in one article, but I do hope this explains some of what you might be feeling--and whatever you do, don't run from the greatest thing you have ever done. It is eternally worth it.
If you are not sure where to start reading in the great big book called the Bible, I would suggest starting with the book of Ephesians. It is a great summary of who is responsible for salvation, it explains redemption, it covers the old and new man, it gives us the tools to respond to our faith, and it does it all in six chapters! Read it several times before moving on--at least five if not 10. You don't have to be overwhelmed by the size of the Bible, take it one little book at a time.
From Ephesians, move on to 1 John, Galatians, and then the Gospel of John, but this is just a suggestion. Others read the Gospel of John first and move forward from there. For me, it was easier to start with the shorter books of the Bible. "Evidence for Faith 101" by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz is a great tool to assist you as you get started.
God bless you as you continue to grow in faith!
(C)Teresa Ortiz 2008 All rights reserved
When I first gave my life to Lord, I was excited and nervous. Many times, I felt out of place. I didn't know anyone at church, but I didn't want to continue to live the same life that God had rescued me from.
Nobody told me being a Christian was going to be tough--I thought it was just a matter of professing a faith in God.
The truth is, becoming a Christian is not about joining a club, or adding a religion to your life. It is about exchanging your life for the life of Christ. It is about recognizing your need for the Savior and repenting of your sin. Granted, in the beginning, most of us are not aware of the depth of our sin. Sure, we acknowledge that we "make mistakes" every now and then, but to classify ourselves as a sinner might be a stretch.
Still, we choose to accept Jesus into our hearts because we hear about God's unconditional love and grace--we hear about how much peace and joy we will have as a result. Every word of this is true, but it's not the whole story.
If you are a new Christian, you might be asking, "Where is this peace I was promised? Why didn't all my troubles go away--everything is a mess." The whole Christianity thing might even disillusion you--even has you thinking about moving on, or going back to what you had before.
If this is you today, keep reading. I pray from the depth of my soul that this information will help shed some light on the subject. Believe me; I know where you are coming from as I experienced it first hand. For many, accepting Christ as their Savior is only a matter of time. They are raised in the church; they have many Christian friends, or they believe in God and practice a faith, which soon reveals the need for total surrender and repentance.
This was not the case for me--God called me at a time when I was doing my own thing, not giving one thought to Him or His people. I just didn't care one way or the other.
Nevertheless, God had other plans and He began to complete the work He started in my life when I was 16 years-old, this being the age I quickly said a prayer to invite Jesus into my life, just to shut someone up. I didn't mean it and had neither intention or desire of changing my ways. Having to and wanting to are the key differences between joining a religion and entering into a relationship with God.
With this being said, let's look at the main theological--or spiritual thing that takes place the moment we ask Jesus to come into our life.
Spiritual birth becoming a child of God
"And you he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who works in the sons of disobedience." Eph 2:2
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." 1Pet 2:9-10.
Then we have the words from Jesus that we need to be born again. Meaning, everyone is born physically, but only those who respond to the call of God are born spiritually and given the right to be called a child of God. (John 1:12; 3:1-6)
Understanding darkness is the key to understanding the battle that begins to take place in our hearts. When we become a Christian, we are given a new nature. The Bible often refers to this as the new man and is contrasted with the old man. The books of Romans, Ephesians and Colossians have a lot to say about how these two natures are in extreme conflict with one another.
Dying to the old nature and living in the new nature is what God desires of us. Changing our way of thinking and living--being made pure--is called the sanctification process.
Unfortunately, the older we are when we become a Christian, the harder it is to change our ways. This is one of the many reasons why God gave us his Holy Spirit. The Spirits' job is to convict us, comfort us, and give us the wisdom to move forward.
Upon receiving Christ, you may have felt sudden conviction; as if a light went on in your head, you might have been flooded with feelings of guilt and shame over things you did that you never gave a second thought to before. In addition, this probably didn't leave you with warm fuzzy feelings of peace. More than likely, you cried--I know I did--for what seemed like days.
The good news is this doesn't last forever, God is faithful and will not make you wallow in your shame. Soon you will feel light as you continue to confess and apologize for your sinful behavior and make a commitment to turn away from it. This is called repentance. Repentance simply means to turn away from one thing and run to something different. It's a bit more than this, but this is a good starting point.
Getting back to darkness--the devil, who is Satan, is the prince of darkness and ruler of this world. As Ephesians tells us, before Christ we were governed by the world's standard. The darkness will not let go of God's child easily, in fact, I can guarantee he will do everything in his power to discourage you. He will fill your head with lies, he will use your old friends to ridicule you and call you names. This too, will fade after awhile when he realizes you will not fall for it--in the meantime, be ready it will come. Again, God is his goodness makes provision for this.
"Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Eph 6:10-12
The key here is "in the power of His might. This too, is a foreign concept because in our old nature, we did what we felt was right, we relied on our own strength, and we certainly did not look to His word for truth. The challenge comes in putting his ways above our own, it is relying on his strength and wisdom to make our decisions and it is trusting that he knows what is best. The bigger challenge is accepting his word for what it is and not making excuses to continue in sinful behavior. Jesus said if you love me, you will keep my commandments. Granted, this will take time--remember the sanctification process. As you grow in understanding, you grow in love, which leads to a desire to be obedient. And really, its a better way to live and has fewer consequences anyway.
It is impossible for me to share everything in one article, but I do hope this explains some of what you might be feeling--and whatever you do, don't run from the greatest thing you have ever done. It is eternally worth it.
If you are not sure where to start reading in the great big book called the Bible, I would suggest starting with the book of Ephesians. It is a great summary of who is responsible for salvation, it explains redemption, it covers the old and new man, it gives us the tools to respond to our faith, and it does it all in six chapters! Read it several times before moving on--at least five if not 10. You don't have to be overwhelmed by the size of the Bible, take it one little book at a time.
From Ephesians, move on to 1 John, Galatians, and then the Gospel of John, but this is just a suggestion. Others read the Gospel of John first and move forward from there. For me, it was easier to start with the shorter books of the Bible. "Evidence for Faith 101" by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz is a great tool to assist you as you get started.
God bless you as you continue to grow in faith!
(C)Teresa Ortiz 2008 All rights reserved
Aug 31, 2008
The One who was Slain - a Poem
I used to walk a road full of pain
Until I heard of the One who was slain
How deceived I was--just playing the game
Until I heard of the One who was slain
Enjoying the fun and feeling no shame
Until I heard of the One who was slain
Sin is fun--so very fun
As long as I'm not hurting anyone
Spiraling down a bumpy hill
As the sin in me has its fill
No where to run no where to hide
Ashamed of the man I am inside
Yes, I used to walk a road full of pain
Until I met the One who was slain
His light too bright--I turned away
Sin calling me back for another day
Why did I let it lead me astray?
My heart is sick--Sin no longer fun
Now I'm living on the run
Return to Me, cries out the Savior
Won't you let me do you a favor?
I am the One who can set you free
Please do not continue running from Me
Once again His light shines bright
This time I surrender to the warmth
Clinging to it with all my might
Now I know true peace joy and love
Having fun with the One from above
Sin no longer causing me shame-
For I have been washed--given a new name
By Jesus Christ the One who was slain
He is calling you--won't you do the same?
(C) Teresa Ortiz 2008
Until I heard of the One who was slain
How deceived I was--just playing the game
Until I heard of the One who was slain
Enjoying the fun and feeling no shame
Until I heard of the One who was slain
Sin is fun--so very fun
As long as I'm not hurting anyone
Spiraling down a bumpy hill
As the sin in me has its fill
No where to run no where to hide
Ashamed of the man I am inside
Yes, I used to walk a road full of pain
Until I met the One who was slain
His light too bright--I turned away
Sin calling me back for another day
Why did I let it lead me astray?
My heart is sick--Sin no longer fun
Now I'm living on the run
Return to Me, cries out the Savior
Won't you let me do you a favor?
I am the One who can set you free
Please do not continue running from Me
Once again His light shines bright
This time I surrender to the warmth
Clinging to it with all my might
Now I know true peace joy and love
Having fun with the One from above
Sin no longer causing me shame-
For I have been washed--given a new name
By Jesus Christ the One who was slain
He is calling you--won't you do the same?
(C) Teresa Ortiz 2008
When the Bad Guy Wins--or Does He?
Do you ever feel like doing the right thing gets you nowhere? Are you frustrated because it seems like the good guys always get the short end of the stick?
When we look at the world around us, it seems as the bad guys are winning. A good example might be the gangsters in prison; they get recording contracts and are rich before they even step out of the prison gates. Look at corporate America; we read about kickbacks and payoffs to secure contracts.
"It takes money to make money", they say. You have to be rich and famous to get rich and famous. It's obvious to the average guy that sometimes you have to make a deal with the devil to get where you want to be in life. Lie, cheat and steal. Yet, society in general applauds those who went for their dream and are successful--no matter the cost.
Thankfully, there are still members of society who will not stoop to such deeds. They remain hard working, honest, and do their part to help those less fortunate. They even consider success to be measured by how many lives they've touched, not by how many digits are in their bank account.
Still, at times, this can be discouraging to those who try to live a life of goodwill and seek to follow the ways of God.
So what to do we when discouragement and temptation to forget about "living right" and join the ranks of the other members of society come our way? After all they are the ones who seem to get ahead.
King David was a man God, he did his best to live right and serve his fellow man. He did not rise to the top by lying, cheating, or stealing. So why was the world-his little world, against him? I have found comfort in King David's reaction toward the wicked, maybe you will too.
Read the thoughts and prayer of King David as He shares his heart with God.
"No doubt about it! God is good-good to good people, good to the good-hearted. But I nearly missed it, missed seeing his goodness. I was looking the other way, looking up to the people at the top, envying the wicked who have made it, Who have nothing to worry about, not a care in the world. Pretentious and arrogant, they wear the latest fashions in violence. Pampered and overfed, decked out in silk bows of silliness. They jeer, using words to kill, they bully their way with words. They're full of hot air, loudmouths disturbing the peace. People actually listen to them-can you believe it? Like thirty puppies, they lap up their words. What is going on here? Is God out to lunch?" (Psalm 73:1-11 – The Message.)
These first few verses are comforting-they tell us there is a time when it is okay to share our real feelings with God. He wants us to, in fact.
This part is never a problem for me, I confess. This however is not where we should end. There is more for us to glean from King David-let's read a little bit more of his conversation with God.
"Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. … So I tried to understand why the wicked proper. But what a difficult task it is" (Ps. 73:13-14,16 – The New Living Translation)
(You just have to love David's honesty here, I certainly relate.)
Now that we have laid our complaint out to God, what do we do? How do we reconcile our feelings with the desire we have to end the jealousy in our hearts?
Let's read on.
"Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant, they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant-I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. (Ps. 73:17-24 NLT)
I appreciate the heart of David. This is where I want to be. What a blessing to come full circle and realize the wicked will not prosper forever. Their deeds are recorded; they will answer to God for them--and so will ours.
The final step is to repent of our anger toward God and toward the wicked. As David was honest before the Lord, God revealed a bigger picture and he was able to see his own sin of bitterness. He came away from his time with God with a new understanding and strength to continue. I love his conclusion:
"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever…and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do." (Ps. 73:26-, 28b – NLT.)
Therefore, don't let the bad guys get the best of you. Seek the Lord, take comfort in His truth. There is a reason to keep our hearts pure. We are not perfect; King David was not perfect, but we press on nonetheless, repenting when the need arises.
What a motto to live by.
© Teresa Ortiz
When we look at the world around us, it seems as the bad guys are winning. A good example might be the gangsters in prison; they get recording contracts and are rich before they even step out of the prison gates. Look at corporate America; we read about kickbacks and payoffs to secure contracts.
"It takes money to make money", they say. You have to be rich and famous to get rich and famous. It's obvious to the average guy that sometimes you have to make a deal with the devil to get where you want to be in life. Lie, cheat and steal. Yet, society in general applauds those who went for their dream and are successful--no matter the cost.
Thankfully, there are still members of society who will not stoop to such deeds. They remain hard working, honest, and do their part to help those less fortunate. They even consider success to be measured by how many lives they've touched, not by how many digits are in their bank account.
Still, at times, this can be discouraging to those who try to live a life of goodwill and seek to follow the ways of God.
So what to do we when discouragement and temptation to forget about "living right" and join the ranks of the other members of society come our way? After all they are the ones who seem to get ahead.
King David was a man God, he did his best to live right and serve his fellow man. He did not rise to the top by lying, cheating, or stealing. So why was the world-his little world, against him? I have found comfort in King David's reaction toward the wicked, maybe you will too.
Read the thoughts and prayer of King David as He shares his heart with God.
"No doubt about it! God is good-good to good people, good to the good-hearted. But I nearly missed it, missed seeing his goodness. I was looking the other way, looking up to the people at the top, envying the wicked who have made it, Who have nothing to worry about, not a care in the world. Pretentious and arrogant, they wear the latest fashions in violence. Pampered and overfed, decked out in silk bows of silliness. They jeer, using words to kill, they bully their way with words. They're full of hot air, loudmouths disturbing the peace. People actually listen to them-can you believe it? Like thirty puppies, they lap up their words. What is going on here? Is God out to lunch?" (Psalm 73:1-11 – The Message.)
These first few verses are comforting-they tell us there is a time when it is okay to share our real feelings with God. He wants us to, in fact.
This part is never a problem for me, I confess. This however is not where we should end. There is more for us to glean from King David-let's read a little bit more of his conversation with God.
"Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. … So I tried to understand why the wicked proper. But what a difficult task it is" (Ps. 73:13-14,16 – The New Living Translation)
(You just have to love David's honesty here, I certainly relate.)
Now that we have laid our complaint out to God, what do we do? How do we reconcile our feelings with the desire we have to end the jealousy in our hearts?
Let's read on.
"Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant, they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant-I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. (Ps. 73:17-24 NLT)
I appreciate the heart of David. This is where I want to be. What a blessing to come full circle and realize the wicked will not prosper forever. Their deeds are recorded; they will answer to God for them--and so will ours.
The final step is to repent of our anger toward God and toward the wicked. As David was honest before the Lord, God revealed a bigger picture and he was able to see his own sin of bitterness. He came away from his time with God with a new understanding and strength to continue. I love his conclusion:
"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever…and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do." (Ps. 73:26-, 28b – NLT.)
Therefore, don't let the bad guys get the best of you. Seek the Lord, take comfort in His truth. There is a reason to keep our hearts pure. We are not perfect; King David was not perfect, but we press on nonetheless, repenting when the need arises.
What a motto to live by.
© Teresa Ortiz
Aug 25, 2008
Adam and Eve Banished from the Garden: Punishment or Grace
Have you ever wondered why God would banish Adam and Eve from the Garden for one mistake-just one sin, no second chances?
Over the years, I have pondered this, reading the account countless times and always coming to the same conclusion. It was the punishment for disobedience. Clear and simple-why should that be a surprise? We all understand choice and consequence.
So why did I keep coming back to this familiar story? What is God trying to teach me? About a month ago, I was reading a book by Erwin Lutzer. The subject was the fall of man and the need for redemption. He talked about how the grace of God will meet us where we are, but will not leave us in the same state in which we were found. He also talked about what it would be like if we remained in our fallen state for all eternity.
The wheels started spinning and I went back to Genesis and reread the first three chapters.
We are told God created man in His image--created to live forever in peace and harmony with God and the rest creation.
He told Adam and Eve they could eat the fruit of any tree in the garden except the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which by the way, isn't necessarily an apple.
The story goes on to say the Serpent, who was Satan Himself, swayed Eve by appealing to her desires. Some commentators suggest that Eve may have been close to the tree, even gazing at it when Satan came to her. It makes perfect sense to me-this is another lesson. Getting back to the subject at hand, Adam and Eve chose the way of disobedience.
God warned them that if they should eat the fruit of this tree, in the same day they would die. Sure enough, this is what happened. At that moment, they died a spiritual death, thereby separated from God.
God in His mercy calls out to Adam, "Adam where are you?" God restores them spiritually, by sacrificing an animal. (Sin had to be paid for from the beginning. It's interesting to note that God was not satisfied with their attempt to cover their sin by making clothing out of fig leaves--sound familiar?) Nevertheless, the physical effects and consequence of sin remained, thus the need for God to ban them from the garden. This is one of the rare times we are given the privilege to read an account of a conversation that takes place between God the Father, and His Son Jesus:
"God said, "The man has become like on of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good and evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of Life and eat, and live forever? Never-this cannot happen! So God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they'd been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of Life." (Genesis 3:22-24 – The Message.)
For the record, I don't believe in anyway that this passage reveals that God is jealous of man for knowing good and evil, as many suggest. Rather, it reveals that God is concerned for man because he knows that knowing the difference between good and evil doesn't mean we will always choose good. I don't think any of us can ague this point.
With this new thought in my mind, I read this passage in a way I never did before. Why wouldn't God want them to live forever if they were created to live forever? I have come to believe the reason is Grace--Sweet Grace.
Once Adam and Eve chose to sin, their physical bodies were corrupted, they immediately started to die--along with everything else. All of creation was subject to death as a result of their choice (Wow! It makes me wonder what the lasting effects of my sin will be).
If Adam and Eve did not obey and stay away from the tree of knowledge, why in the world would they stay away from the tree of life? How much more desirable is living forever? Isn't this what people are striving for today? Why would anyone want to live forever in this body of decay is beyond me.
This brings me to my point and my understanding of God's choice.
IF Adam and Eve had remained in the garden, surely they would have been tempted to eat from this tree of life. It must have been beautiful with fruit so luscious--fruit that probably doesn't exist today.
What would have been the result? They would have lived forever in their fallen state with no chance for physical redemption, no chance for a new Eden-a better Eden. A life filled with pain and heartbreak. Plant's dying, animals dying--animals eating animals--you name it. It would be forever. Everything you are going though would be forever.
God banned them to protect them because He loved them. He also loved the rest of his creation. So now, Adam had to tend to the ground because it was also corrupt. It would no longer yield the fruit and vegetables of its own accord. I believe you get the picture.
Although I easily accepted the thought that they were banned as punishment, God opened my understanding and has shown me a more excellent way--the way of Grace.
The story doesn't end here, this is just the beginning--the Tree-of Life still exists and as of today is still guarded. When the fullness of time comes, there will a day when the fire in front of the tree will go out.
The great news is when that day comes there will be no corruption, everything will be restored and those who have chosen to receive the gift of God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ will have access to this tree.
For further study on the effects of the fall, read the book of Romans. If you would like some assistance in your study, I suggest Kay Arthur, Bruce Bickle and Stan Jantz's Christianity 101 series, and of course, you can always contact me.
© Teresa Ortiz
Over the years, I have pondered this, reading the account countless times and always coming to the same conclusion. It was the punishment for disobedience. Clear and simple-why should that be a surprise? We all understand choice and consequence.
So why did I keep coming back to this familiar story? What is God trying to teach me? About a month ago, I was reading a book by Erwin Lutzer. The subject was the fall of man and the need for redemption. He talked about how the grace of God will meet us where we are, but will not leave us in the same state in which we were found. He also talked about what it would be like if we remained in our fallen state for all eternity.
The wheels started spinning and I went back to Genesis and reread the first three chapters.
We are told God created man in His image--created to live forever in peace and harmony with God and the rest creation.
He told Adam and Eve they could eat the fruit of any tree in the garden except the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which by the way, isn't necessarily an apple.
The story goes on to say the Serpent, who was Satan Himself, swayed Eve by appealing to her desires. Some commentators suggest that Eve may have been close to the tree, even gazing at it when Satan came to her. It makes perfect sense to me-this is another lesson. Getting back to the subject at hand, Adam and Eve chose the way of disobedience.
God warned them that if they should eat the fruit of this tree, in the same day they would die. Sure enough, this is what happened. At that moment, they died a spiritual death, thereby separated from God.
God in His mercy calls out to Adam, "Adam where are you?" God restores them spiritually, by sacrificing an animal. (Sin had to be paid for from the beginning. It's interesting to note that God was not satisfied with their attempt to cover their sin by making clothing out of fig leaves--sound familiar?) Nevertheless, the physical effects and consequence of sin remained, thus the need for God to ban them from the garden. This is one of the rare times we are given the privilege to read an account of a conversation that takes place between God the Father, and His Son Jesus:
"God said, "The man has become like on of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good and evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of Life and eat, and live forever? Never-this cannot happen! So God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they'd been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of Life." (Genesis 3:22-24 – The Message.)
For the record, I don't believe in anyway that this passage reveals that God is jealous of man for knowing good and evil, as many suggest. Rather, it reveals that God is concerned for man because he knows that knowing the difference between good and evil doesn't mean we will always choose good. I don't think any of us can ague this point.
With this new thought in my mind, I read this passage in a way I never did before. Why wouldn't God want them to live forever if they were created to live forever? I have come to believe the reason is Grace--Sweet Grace.
Once Adam and Eve chose to sin, their physical bodies were corrupted, they immediately started to die--along with everything else. All of creation was subject to death as a result of their choice (Wow! It makes me wonder what the lasting effects of my sin will be).
If Adam and Eve did not obey and stay away from the tree of knowledge, why in the world would they stay away from the tree of life? How much more desirable is living forever? Isn't this what people are striving for today? Why would anyone want to live forever in this body of decay is beyond me.
This brings me to my point and my understanding of God's choice.
IF Adam and Eve had remained in the garden, surely they would have been tempted to eat from this tree of life. It must have been beautiful with fruit so luscious--fruit that probably doesn't exist today.
What would have been the result? They would have lived forever in their fallen state with no chance for physical redemption, no chance for a new Eden-a better Eden. A life filled with pain and heartbreak. Plant's dying, animals dying--animals eating animals--you name it. It would be forever. Everything you are going though would be forever.
God banned them to protect them because He loved them. He also loved the rest of his creation. So now, Adam had to tend to the ground because it was also corrupt. It would no longer yield the fruit and vegetables of its own accord. I believe you get the picture.
Although I easily accepted the thought that they were banned as punishment, God opened my understanding and has shown me a more excellent way--the way of Grace.
The story doesn't end here, this is just the beginning--the Tree-of Life still exists and as of today is still guarded. When the fullness of time comes, there will a day when the fire in front of the tree will go out.
The great news is when that day comes there will be no corruption, everything will be restored and those who have chosen to receive the gift of God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ will have access to this tree.
For further study on the effects of the fall, read the book of Romans. If you would like some assistance in your study, I suggest Kay Arthur, Bruce Bickle and Stan Jantz's Christianity 101 series, and of course, you can always contact me.
© Teresa Ortiz
Aug 23, 2008
Tales of Cold Water, the Mail Box, and Flashlights
As my son and I shopped for school supplies today, I had mixed feelings. Senior year--the year every kid lives for and the year many parents dread. Then there are the parents like me who are not sure what to feel.
On one hand, it's a relief--he made it! One the other, it's sad because you realize they are growing up too quickly. Walking through the isles, I saw a mixture of ages. It seemed the older the child, the less excited they were--funny how that happens.
Waiting in line is always a joy. You find the most interesting gadgets, that are screaming, "Buy me, I'm only a buck". Then I saw it; a flashlight--a special flashlight that took me back in time.
Our home has never been a boring place, especially when the kids were little. My husband always made sure the kids were screaming and laughing. The worst was at bedtime. They would always ask me to send dad in to tell them a goodnight story."His stories are better", they would say. Before long, they were laughing. His stories would last at least 15 minutes.
"Settle down guys, it's bedtime, go to sleep, I'm not going to tell you again!"
This he said in a very deep voice for my benefit. They were silent a moment and then all three of them would be snickering.
I can't recall the first time this happened, but at some point, my husband decided it would be funny to pour cold water on our son while he was in the shower, then turn off the light.
"D-A-D!" Justin would yell. "One of these days, your gonna get it", he adds as he laughs.
This became a ritual, but it remained sporadic to keep the element of surprise at its best. When Justin was seven or eight, he came to me and told me he was ready to get back at his dad. You can imagine how thrilled I was!
Justin climbs onto the counter to get the pitcher. I never heard such a devious giggle come from an innocent child--I loved every minute of it. As he was walking toward the bathroom, I had a brilliant idea!
"J, come back here, you can do better than your dad."
I emptied some of the water, filled the pitcher with ice cubes, then added more water. Justin's giggle was almost scary. I had to help him carry it back to the bathroom.
I must have been a good influence on him because just before we got to the bathroom, he whispers in my ear, telling me he is going to turn off the light first and then throw the water over! I was so proud! I helped him onto the chair that I had quietly snuck in a few minutes earlier.
And then the deed was done. My husband gasped to catch his breath! We left the bathroom so fast and yes, Justin left the light off.
"Excuse me, mam, can you move up please?"
Another moment and I was back in our little singlewide trailer, watching the sunlight glisten off the lake.
"Daddy", yells Brittany from the end of our driveway--which is about 200 feet away.
"My hand is stuck, you gotta help me daddy!" My daughter is practically in tears while my husband stands still, debating whether or not to run to her rescue.
He looks at me, I look back--shrugging my shoulders, "It's your call", I say.
By this time, she is crying and yelling for help--promising with all her heart that she is not faking it. So he takes off, bare-footed down the gravel driveway to help her.
When he was about 5 feet away from her, she pulls her hand out of the mailbox and says, "Gotcha"!
Moving forward in line, I take a deep breath and smile at my son. Many jokes have been played in my family, but these two are dear to my heart as they represent the kind of relationship my husband would have with our children. They had fun with me at times, but this story isn't about me, so I don't need to get into that now.
There is one thing that continues to puzzle me; my son is almost 18 and he keeps a flashlight in his bathroom and his bedroom. Now that I think about it, there is a flashlight in every room of our house, he knows how to turn on the generator, and is well acquainted with the fuse box. Could it be…nah!
As for Brittany, she can still cry on a dime, and she is way too good at being tricky.
I am sure it's all just a coincidence and has nothing to do with their childhood.
On the other hand, if I should ever get random bills from a therapist, I'll know I was wrong.
Senior year and my daughter's 20th Birthday--what a day!
When my husband showers tonight, I think I'll throw a pitcher of ice water on him and turn off the light for old times sake.
What? There's a flashlight in there.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
On one hand, it's a relief--he made it! One the other, it's sad because you realize they are growing up too quickly. Walking through the isles, I saw a mixture of ages. It seemed the older the child, the less excited they were--funny how that happens.
Waiting in line is always a joy. You find the most interesting gadgets, that are screaming, "Buy me, I'm only a buck". Then I saw it; a flashlight--a special flashlight that took me back in time.
Our home has never been a boring place, especially when the kids were little. My husband always made sure the kids were screaming and laughing. The worst was at bedtime. They would always ask me to send dad in to tell them a goodnight story."His stories are better", they would say. Before long, they were laughing. His stories would last at least 15 minutes.
"Settle down guys, it's bedtime, go to sleep, I'm not going to tell you again!"
This he said in a very deep voice for my benefit. They were silent a moment and then all three of them would be snickering.
I can't recall the first time this happened, but at some point, my husband decided it would be funny to pour cold water on our son while he was in the shower, then turn off the light.
"D-A-D!" Justin would yell. "One of these days, your gonna get it", he adds as he laughs.
This became a ritual, but it remained sporadic to keep the element of surprise at its best. When Justin was seven or eight, he came to me and told me he was ready to get back at his dad. You can imagine how thrilled I was!
Justin climbs onto the counter to get the pitcher. I never heard such a devious giggle come from an innocent child--I loved every minute of it. As he was walking toward the bathroom, I had a brilliant idea!
"J, come back here, you can do better than your dad."
I emptied some of the water, filled the pitcher with ice cubes, then added more water. Justin's giggle was almost scary. I had to help him carry it back to the bathroom.
I must have been a good influence on him because just before we got to the bathroom, he whispers in my ear, telling me he is going to turn off the light first and then throw the water over! I was so proud! I helped him onto the chair that I had quietly snuck in a few minutes earlier.
And then the deed was done. My husband gasped to catch his breath! We left the bathroom so fast and yes, Justin left the light off.
"Excuse me, mam, can you move up please?"
Another moment and I was back in our little singlewide trailer, watching the sunlight glisten off the lake.
"Daddy", yells Brittany from the end of our driveway--which is about 200 feet away.
"My hand is stuck, you gotta help me daddy!" My daughter is practically in tears while my husband stands still, debating whether or not to run to her rescue.
He looks at me, I look back--shrugging my shoulders, "It's your call", I say.
By this time, she is crying and yelling for help--promising with all her heart that she is not faking it. So he takes off, bare-footed down the gravel driveway to help her.
When he was about 5 feet away from her, she pulls her hand out of the mailbox and says, "Gotcha"!
Moving forward in line, I take a deep breath and smile at my son. Many jokes have been played in my family, but these two are dear to my heart as they represent the kind of relationship my husband would have with our children. They had fun with me at times, but this story isn't about me, so I don't need to get into that now.
There is one thing that continues to puzzle me; my son is almost 18 and he keeps a flashlight in his bathroom and his bedroom. Now that I think about it, there is a flashlight in every room of our house, he knows how to turn on the generator, and is well acquainted with the fuse box. Could it be…nah!
As for Brittany, she can still cry on a dime, and she is way too good at being tricky.
I am sure it's all just a coincidence and has nothing to do with their childhood.
On the other hand, if I should ever get random bills from a therapist, I'll know I was wrong.
Senior year and my daughter's 20th Birthday--what a day!
When my husband showers tonight, I think I'll throw a pitcher of ice water on him and turn off the light for old times sake.
What? There's a flashlight in there.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Aug 17, 2008
God Eats Pop Corn
The air is cool--the wind blows softly--the dogs are asleep on my lap. Finally, there is peace, a moment to myself.
As I flip through the Bible, I say "the Bible", because it's not "my Bible". Strange as it may seem, there is a difference.
~~~~~
In my Bible, I know where everything is. I can open it to the book I want just about every time--give or take a few pages. My Bible is the one I use everyday. It has my personal notes, my thoughts, and my prayers written on its pages-a textbook and journal all in one. I even know what side of the page I will find the verse I am looking for. I know it well, too well.
On the other hand, "The Bible", is a Bible that sits in my library of Bibles and is handy when mine is not close by. It is foreign to me, however, and I don't know where to find anything. Before I open it, I examine it and then open up to where I think I should be. To my surprise, I am way off. If there is anything that bothers me, it's not knowing exactly where each book of the Bible lands based on the size alone. The other problem with this is it seems so generic; a big book filled with many little books--just words on a page. It is unfamiliar, too unfamiliar.
~~~~~
Still flipping, I decide I want to read the book of Philippians--a book on brotherly love. Four chapters packed with wisdom, encouragement, and a beautiful picture of the humility and humanity of Jesus.
Just one problem; it's not where it's supposed to be! Nevertheless, going to the Table of Contents is out of the question and it's not because I'm stubborn, I'm just testing my memory:
What was that I learned when I first tried to memorize the books of the Bible?
After staring down at the pages a moment, it comes to me: God Eats Pop Corn.
G = Galatians
E = Ephesians
P = Philippians
C = Colossians
Thank you, Jesus! All I had to do was find Galatians and I was there. Now I'm ready to read. The cool breeze had a calming affect, making it easy to close my eyes for a quick prayer.
~~~~~
Not only was this Bible not my Bible, it was also a different translation--thus being twice unfamiliar. The translation I was reading is called, "The Message"--a reader's version, also known as a paraphrase. It is designed for people who have never read the Bible and want to get the "gist" of its message. In many ways, it reads like a novel--extremely unfamiliar, surprisingly refreshing.
These are Paul's words to the believers in Philippi:
"If You've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care-then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human. Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless obedient death-and the worst kind of death at that-a crucifixion." Philippians 2:1-8
Wow! The words jumped up at me so fast, I almost choked.
"Forget about yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."
It doesn't say it that way in my Bible. Mine says, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." (NKJV)
I get it. Don't be selfish, think of others as well. So how often do I do this? And is it only after I take care of myself? Surely Jesus thought of himself last. In my mind, I know this. In my theology and scripture memorization I know this, but how long do I forget about myself to help others? Is it long enough?
Suddenly, I realize I have so much more to learn. As I close my eyes and ponder this amazing find in the Bible, I drift off to sleep. I'm not sure how long I slept with my dogs cuddled on my lap, but when I woke, my desire to renew my mind with a fresh reading of God's word was stronger than ever before. I am thankful for the unfamiliar and the sweet conviction of the Holy Spirit which brings me to a place of humility before my Lord Jesus as I am washed clean by the water of His word.
Sometimes we are too comfortable. We have confidence in what we know, and it cripples us.
I must disagree with the idea that "The Message" translation of the Bible is only good for new believers or people who want to get the gist of its message.
I am convinced it is also good for those of us who have read and reread the Bible--especially for those of us who have a special one we call our own.
It is important to have a teachable spirit; one that is open to the new things God has for us. The word of God is alive and active, it convicts, encourages, and challenges those of us who claim to follow Jesus.
I want to remember that God Eats Pop Corn. Reading a different translation on occasion just might be the solution.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
As I flip through the Bible, I say "the Bible", because it's not "my Bible". Strange as it may seem, there is a difference.
~~~~~
In my Bible, I know where everything is. I can open it to the book I want just about every time--give or take a few pages. My Bible is the one I use everyday. It has my personal notes, my thoughts, and my prayers written on its pages-a textbook and journal all in one. I even know what side of the page I will find the verse I am looking for. I know it well, too well.
On the other hand, "The Bible", is a Bible that sits in my library of Bibles and is handy when mine is not close by. It is foreign to me, however, and I don't know where to find anything. Before I open it, I examine it and then open up to where I think I should be. To my surprise, I am way off. If there is anything that bothers me, it's not knowing exactly where each book of the Bible lands based on the size alone. The other problem with this is it seems so generic; a big book filled with many little books--just words on a page. It is unfamiliar, too unfamiliar.
~~~~~
Still flipping, I decide I want to read the book of Philippians--a book on brotherly love. Four chapters packed with wisdom, encouragement, and a beautiful picture of the humility and humanity of Jesus.
Just one problem; it's not where it's supposed to be! Nevertheless, going to the Table of Contents is out of the question and it's not because I'm stubborn, I'm just testing my memory:
What was that I learned when I first tried to memorize the books of the Bible?
After staring down at the pages a moment, it comes to me: God Eats Pop Corn.
G = Galatians
E = Ephesians
P = Philippians
C = Colossians
Thank you, Jesus! All I had to do was find Galatians and I was there. Now I'm ready to read. The cool breeze had a calming affect, making it easy to close my eyes for a quick prayer.
~~~~~
Not only was this Bible not my Bible, it was also a different translation--thus being twice unfamiliar. The translation I was reading is called, "The Message"--a reader's version, also known as a paraphrase. It is designed for people who have never read the Bible and want to get the "gist" of its message. In many ways, it reads like a novel--extremely unfamiliar, surprisingly refreshing.
These are Paul's words to the believers in Philippi:
"If You've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care-then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human. Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless obedient death-and the worst kind of death at that-a crucifixion." Philippians 2:1-8
Wow! The words jumped up at me so fast, I almost choked.
"Forget about yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."
It doesn't say it that way in my Bible. Mine says, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." (NKJV)
I get it. Don't be selfish, think of others as well. So how often do I do this? And is it only after I take care of myself? Surely Jesus thought of himself last. In my mind, I know this. In my theology and scripture memorization I know this, but how long do I forget about myself to help others? Is it long enough?
Suddenly, I realize I have so much more to learn. As I close my eyes and ponder this amazing find in the Bible, I drift off to sleep. I'm not sure how long I slept with my dogs cuddled on my lap, but when I woke, my desire to renew my mind with a fresh reading of God's word was stronger than ever before. I am thankful for the unfamiliar and the sweet conviction of the Holy Spirit which brings me to a place of humility before my Lord Jesus as I am washed clean by the water of His word.
Sometimes we are too comfortable. We have confidence in what we know, and it cripples us.
I must disagree with the idea that "The Message" translation of the Bible is only good for new believers or people who want to get the gist of its message.
I am convinced it is also good for those of us who have read and reread the Bible--especially for those of us who have a special one we call our own.
It is important to have a teachable spirit; one that is open to the new things God has for us. The word of God is alive and active, it convicts, encourages, and challenges those of us who claim to follow Jesus.
I want to remember that God Eats Pop Corn. Reading a different translation on occasion just might be the solution.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Aug 12, 2008
A Conjunction, An Adverb and Preposition--What do These Have to do with Writing?
The other day someone sent me an email in response to something I had written. He said I was an encouragement to him and he was looking forward to reading more from me. No harm here, this made me feel good. The problem is he went on to tell me that I was a prolific writer.
What in the heck is that? I had to ask someone at work the other day, because I was too lazy to pull out my dictionary. Sure, I have heard this word before and though it is somewhat of a sophisticated word, it never applied to me, so why look it up? Now that I know it means abundant, or continuous, or more of--is it even a compliment?
This was three days ago and I haven't been able to get it off my mind. It is time for me to confess; I have no business writing. What was I thinking? I mean really, I don't even know the basics.
What is a preposition? What is a conjunction? Should these words be capitalized? Let's see, noun equals person, place or thing-okay, well the last time I checked prepositions and conjunctions were "things", so I suppose I should have capitalized them.
The only thing I remember about conjunctions is the old Saturday morning cartoon, "Conjunction-junction, what's your function….something, something…phrases and clauses." What is a clause? Does it have something to do with Santa?
Have I mentioned that I failed English class three times? It was the teacher's fault, I'm sure. The tests were ridiculous--seriously; allow me to give you an example:
Instructions: Please breakdown the following sentence.
"Hector was outside playing with his brown Chi-Wawa."
Um, well, there is this boy and his name is Hector and um, he is outside playing with his brown Chi-Wawa.
I got an F. What other way can you breakdown this sentence? What didn't I get?
Eventually I passed the class--thanks to Tim, who sat in front of me, and willingly shared his answers in exchange for a back rub. It was a small price to pay.
So here I am, all these years later. What is the deal? If I would have known then, what I know now. Would I pass the test today? Um, well, I think his name is still Hector, and unless he went inside, he is still playing outside with his brown Chi-Wawa. Although, Hector is probably an old man by now and his Chi-Wawa must be dead, so does it really matter?
Okay, fine--I won't be lazy. Let's see what my trusty dictionary has to say.
Conjunction = A joining; or being joined together; union; association."
What? This sounds like marriage to me. What does this have to do with proper grammar? No wonder I failed.
As for an adverb, "Any of a class of words used generally to modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase, or a clause…"
Gee, thanks Mr. Webster, of the New World, it's all making sense now.
Finally, the preposition "In some languages, a relation or function word, as English in, by, for, with, etc."
So let me see if I have learned anything new:
Hector = Noun
Was = Preposition
Outside = Adjective
Playing = Verb
With = Preposition
His = Pronoun
Brown = Adjective
Chi-Wawa = Dog
How did I do? What can I say, writing is a gift.
© Teresa Ortiz
What in the heck is that? I had to ask someone at work the other day, because I was too lazy to pull out my dictionary. Sure, I have heard this word before and though it is somewhat of a sophisticated word, it never applied to me, so why look it up? Now that I know it means abundant, or continuous, or more of--is it even a compliment?
This was three days ago and I haven't been able to get it off my mind. It is time for me to confess; I have no business writing. What was I thinking? I mean really, I don't even know the basics.
What is a preposition? What is a conjunction? Should these words be capitalized? Let's see, noun equals person, place or thing-okay, well the last time I checked prepositions and conjunctions were "things", so I suppose I should have capitalized them.
The only thing I remember about conjunctions is the old Saturday morning cartoon, "Conjunction-junction, what's your function….something, something…phrases and clauses." What is a clause? Does it have something to do with Santa?
Have I mentioned that I failed English class three times? It was the teacher's fault, I'm sure. The tests were ridiculous--seriously; allow me to give you an example:
Instructions: Please breakdown the following sentence.
"Hector was outside playing with his brown Chi-Wawa."
Um, well, there is this boy and his name is Hector and um, he is outside playing with his brown Chi-Wawa.
I got an F. What other way can you breakdown this sentence? What didn't I get?
Eventually I passed the class--thanks to Tim, who sat in front of me, and willingly shared his answers in exchange for a back rub. It was a small price to pay.
So here I am, all these years later. What is the deal? If I would have known then, what I know now. Would I pass the test today? Um, well, I think his name is still Hector, and unless he went inside, he is still playing outside with his brown Chi-Wawa. Although, Hector is probably an old man by now and his Chi-Wawa must be dead, so does it really matter?
Okay, fine--I won't be lazy. Let's see what my trusty dictionary has to say.
Conjunction = A joining; or being joined together; union; association."
What? This sounds like marriage to me. What does this have to do with proper grammar? No wonder I failed.
As for an adverb, "Any of a class of words used generally to modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase, or a clause…"
Gee, thanks Mr. Webster, of the New World, it's all making sense now.
Finally, the preposition "In some languages, a relation or function word, as English in, by, for, with, etc."
So let me see if I have learned anything new:
Hector = Noun
Was = Preposition
Outside = Adjective
Playing = Verb
With = Preposition
His = Pronoun
Brown = Adjective
Chi-Wawa = Dog
How did I do? What can I say, writing is a gift.
© Teresa Ortiz
Jesus: A Rebel with a Gracious Cause
Someone asked, "Would Jesus break the law to help someone?" The short answer is yes--not only did He break it, He encouraged others to do the same. In addition, He spoke well of one who broke the law in time past.
I cannot go on without saying that this question is incomplete; the complete question, and perhaps the key in answering more accurately is this:
"Would Jesus break the law to help someone, and if so, which law?"
With this in mind, the short answer is worth further investigation and opens the door for a multitude of discussions. With any kind of luck, it will effect change in our own lives.
So which law did Jesus break? Doesn't this go against His teaching? I thought He said we should obey the laws of the land. These are fair questions, so I'll get to the point regarding these. Yes, Jesus told us to obey the laws of the land, and yes, He would have defied His own teaching, IF the laws of the land were the ones He broke.
In every way, Jesus obeyed the laws of the land--right down to paying those dreaded taxes, never mind how he got the money to pay for them. This is another story.
Instead, Jesus broke the religious laws that the Pharisees set in place. In every sense of the word, He was a rebel-a rebel with an incredibly gracious cause.
In the book of Exodus chapter 34, it is recorded that God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. The forth commandment reads,
"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest." Ex. 34:21 (See Ex. 20:8 for details).
Such a simple law designed for the health and protection of the people-very simple; rest from labor.
Over the years, however, the religious leaders, known as the Pharisees complicated this law to an extreme degree. There were many other additions; six hundred and some odd laws they invented out of the ten. (Sounds a lot like what modern day churches have done.)
I mention this particular law because it has everything to do with our topic. Let us fast-forward a few thousand years to a scene that shows just how indignant Jesus was to the religious law of His day--In this case, the Sabbath.
"Now it happened on the second Sabbath that He [Jesus] went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them, 'Why are you doing what is not lawful to do in the Sabbath?' But Jesus answering said to them, ‘Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how they went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those who were with him, which is not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat?...But if you would have known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would have not condemned the guiltless.'" Luke 6:1-5; Matt 12:7
Jesus went on to explain that He was the Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In other words, if you are hungry eat; there is no law against that. The Labor God is referring to is a job. (By the way, the principle of the Sabbath is for us today.)
As we read on in the book of Luke, we are told that Jesus is in the temple the following week, again on the Sabbath. His heart was moved with compassion when he saw a man who had a withered hand.
"..So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Arise and stand here.' And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or destroy?' Luke 6:6-9
Jesus went on to heal this man's hand and then he questioned the Pharisees, asking them if one of their sheep were to fall into a well, would they do "work" to get it out? They were so angry and immediately began to plot on how they would destroy Him. I suppose there anger toward Jesus was a result of the conviction they felt.
They were so caught up in the rules and regulations of their religion, they put it above the basic love laws of God. I would recommend a fresh reading of the Gospels to see just how rebelious Jesus was against the religious laws.
One last thought (for now), on the "love" law of God; Today, if Jesus were at a red light and ahead he saw someone in need, I would venture to say he would look both ways and as soon as it was safe, he would "floor it" to reach them. In this respect, yes, Jesus would break a "governmental" law.
I believe we could learn a few things from Jesus and like him, become a rebel with a gracious cause. Are you willing to set aside your religious beliefs to help someone in need? I would like to think I would be willing to get a traffic ticket for a good cause. I have a feeling you would as well.
Come on; say it with me--I want to be like Jesus, I want to be a rebel with a gracious cause.
© Teresa Ortiz
I cannot go on without saying that this question is incomplete; the complete question, and perhaps the key in answering more accurately is this:
"Would Jesus break the law to help someone, and if so, which law?"
With this in mind, the short answer is worth further investigation and opens the door for a multitude of discussions. With any kind of luck, it will effect change in our own lives.
So which law did Jesus break? Doesn't this go against His teaching? I thought He said we should obey the laws of the land. These are fair questions, so I'll get to the point regarding these. Yes, Jesus told us to obey the laws of the land, and yes, He would have defied His own teaching, IF the laws of the land were the ones He broke.
In every way, Jesus obeyed the laws of the land--right down to paying those dreaded taxes, never mind how he got the money to pay for them. This is another story.
Instead, Jesus broke the religious laws that the Pharisees set in place. In every sense of the word, He was a rebel-a rebel with an incredibly gracious cause.
In the book of Exodus chapter 34, it is recorded that God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. The forth commandment reads,
"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest." Ex. 34:21 (See Ex. 20:8 for details).
Such a simple law designed for the health and protection of the people-very simple; rest from labor.
Over the years, however, the religious leaders, known as the Pharisees complicated this law to an extreme degree. There were many other additions; six hundred and some odd laws they invented out of the ten. (Sounds a lot like what modern day churches have done.)
I mention this particular law because it has everything to do with our topic. Let us fast-forward a few thousand years to a scene that shows just how indignant Jesus was to the religious law of His day--In this case, the Sabbath.
"Now it happened on the second Sabbath that He [Jesus] went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them, 'Why are you doing what is not lawful to do in the Sabbath?' But Jesus answering said to them, ‘Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how they went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those who were with him, which is not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat?...But if you would have known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would have not condemned the guiltless.'" Luke 6:1-5; Matt 12:7
Jesus went on to explain that He was the Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In other words, if you are hungry eat; there is no law against that. The Labor God is referring to is a job. (By the way, the principle of the Sabbath is for us today.)
As we read on in the book of Luke, we are told that Jesus is in the temple the following week, again on the Sabbath. His heart was moved with compassion when he saw a man who had a withered hand.
"..So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Arise and stand here.' And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or destroy?' Luke 6:6-9
Jesus went on to heal this man's hand and then he questioned the Pharisees, asking them if one of their sheep were to fall into a well, would they do "work" to get it out? They were so angry and immediately began to plot on how they would destroy Him. I suppose there anger toward Jesus was a result of the conviction they felt.
They were so caught up in the rules and regulations of their religion, they put it above the basic love laws of God. I would recommend a fresh reading of the Gospels to see just how rebelious Jesus was against the religious laws.
One last thought (for now), on the "love" law of God; Today, if Jesus were at a red light and ahead he saw someone in need, I would venture to say he would look both ways and as soon as it was safe, he would "floor it" to reach them. In this respect, yes, Jesus would break a "governmental" law.
I believe we could learn a few things from Jesus and like him, become a rebel with a gracious cause. Are you willing to set aside your religious beliefs to help someone in need? I would like to think I would be willing to get a traffic ticket for a good cause. I have a feeling you would as well.
Come on; say it with me--I want to be like Jesus, I want to be a rebel with a gracious cause.
© Teresa Ortiz
Aug 10, 2008
What will you be Doing While the Nation Rages Against Nation?
I'm not much of a debater, never have been and probably never will be. Nevertheless, sometimes things get under my skin and I cannot remain silent.
I was listening to one of my favorite Musicians the other day, and since then, a specific song has been playing repeatedly in my mind. The more I hear it the more I think; have we fallen so far as away from a fundamental and universal belief in love? I'm going to share these lyrics with you; some of you may know the song, it's an oldie. I don't know maybe it's just me, but let me know what you think, as a follower of Christ, am I being to sensitive? On the other hand, am I justified in what I will share?
While the Nations Rage
Why do the nations rage; why do they plot and scheme
The bullets can't stop the prayers we pray
In the name of the Prince of Peace.
We walk in faith and remember long ago
how they killed Him and then how on the third day He rose.
Things may look bad; things may look grim
but all these things must pass except the things that are of Him.
Where are the nails that pierced His Hands?
Well the nails have turned to rust
But behold the Man; He has risen and He
reigns in the hearts of the children rising up in His name.
Where are the thorns that drew His blood; the thorns
have turned to dust but not so the love He has given and remains
in the hearts of the children who will love-while the nations rage.
The Lord in heaven laughs. He knows what is to come
While the chiefs of state plan their big attacks against
His Anointed One.
The church of God she will not bend her knees to the gods
of this world though they promise her peace. She stands her
ground stands firm on the Rock.
Watch their walls tumble down when she lives out His love
Chorus
Music and Lyrics by Rich Mullins/Psalm2/Isaiah 40:12-17/Isaiah 8:11-17
~~~~~~~
So what happened, "church"? Have we not bent our knees to the gods of this world? We have compromised by reasoning away God's holiness for the sake of the peace this world promises. Where has this gotten us as a people-Red, Yellow, Black or White?
We have not seen the walls in the hearts of our chiefs' tumble down because we are not living out His love. We give them more criticism than prayer. I have read more articles in the newspaper and on-line which ridicule instead of lift up and encourage our leaders. We condemn the Pastors who are willing to meet with our leaders and offer them Godly council despite personal disagreements.
We want God to bless America-just stay out of our schools, please. I could go on, but I don't want this to be a rant, but rather a call to the church as a whole. And not only the church. After all, we are not the only hypocrites to walk the face of this planet. There are other non-religious people who claim love, peace, acceptance and tolerance who bash our leaders and the very people that give their lives so that we have these freedoms in the first place. (Oops, I ranted, didn't I?)
Let's stand in the gap together; let's build up, encourage and pray for the leaders of all nations so that their walls will tumble to the ground. I for one will not settle for false peace but I desire true and lasting peace meant for all humanity from the Prince of Peace.
Heavenly Father,
I humbly ask your forgiveness as I repent of being complacent and inattentive at times. Just as our founding fathers thought it wise to seek your wisdom, I do the same now, asking for your grace and love to fill the hearts of all leaders for all nations. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that you would work in our hearts as individuals so that our first thoughts toward our leaders would be that of prayer for wisdom and not words that speak negativity, for that accomplishes nothing. I am making a commitment to keep my lips from speaking anything but good toward those who make the decisions that will affect our nation. And I pray, that those who claim to know you will once again, stand their ground, stand firm on the Rock and have the courage to straighten their knees before the gods of this world. All who agree, say Amen.
© Teresa Ortiz
I was listening to one of my favorite Musicians the other day, and since then, a specific song has been playing repeatedly in my mind. The more I hear it the more I think; have we fallen so far as away from a fundamental and universal belief in love? I'm going to share these lyrics with you; some of you may know the song, it's an oldie. I don't know maybe it's just me, but let me know what you think, as a follower of Christ, am I being to sensitive? On the other hand, am I justified in what I will share?
While the Nations Rage
Why do the nations rage; why do they plot and scheme
The bullets can't stop the prayers we pray
In the name of the Prince of Peace.
We walk in faith and remember long ago
how they killed Him and then how on the third day He rose.
Things may look bad; things may look grim
but all these things must pass except the things that are of Him.
Where are the nails that pierced His Hands?
Well the nails have turned to rust
But behold the Man; He has risen and He
reigns in the hearts of the children rising up in His name.
Where are the thorns that drew His blood; the thorns
have turned to dust but not so the love He has given and remains
in the hearts of the children who will love-while the nations rage.
The Lord in heaven laughs. He knows what is to come
While the chiefs of state plan their big attacks against
His Anointed One.
The church of God she will not bend her knees to the gods
of this world though they promise her peace. She stands her
ground stands firm on the Rock.
Watch their walls tumble down when she lives out His love
Chorus
Music and Lyrics by Rich Mullins/Psalm2/Isaiah 40:12-17/Isaiah 8:11-17
~~~~~~~
So what happened, "church"? Have we not bent our knees to the gods of this world? We have compromised by reasoning away God's holiness for the sake of the peace this world promises. Where has this gotten us as a people-Red, Yellow, Black or White?
We have not seen the walls in the hearts of our chiefs' tumble down because we are not living out His love. We give them more criticism than prayer. I have read more articles in the newspaper and on-line which ridicule instead of lift up and encourage our leaders. We condemn the Pastors who are willing to meet with our leaders and offer them Godly council despite personal disagreements.
We want God to bless America-just stay out of our schools, please. I could go on, but I don't want this to be a rant, but rather a call to the church as a whole. And not only the church. After all, we are not the only hypocrites to walk the face of this planet. There are other non-religious people who claim love, peace, acceptance and tolerance who bash our leaders and the very people that give their lives so that we have these freedoms in the first place. (Oops, I ranted, didn't I?)
Let's stand in the gap together; let's build up, encourage and pray for the leaders of all nations so that their walls will tumble to the ground. I for one will not settle for false peace but I desire true and lasting peace meant for all humanity from the Prince of Peace.
Heavenly Father,
I humbly ask your forgiveness as I repent of being complacent and inattentive at times. Just as our founding fathers thought it wise to seek your wisdom, I do the same now, asking for your grace and love to fill the hearts of all leaders for all nations. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that you would work in our hearts as individuals so that our first thoughts toward our leaders would be that of prayer for wisdom and not words that speak negativity, for that accomplishes nothing. I am making a commitment to keep my lips from speaking anything but good toward those who make the decisions that will affect our nation. And I pray, that those who claim to know you will once again, stand their ground, stand firm on the Rock and have the courage to straighten their knees before the gods of this world. All who agree, say Amen.
© Teresa Ortiz
Why Did Jesus Come?
Not long ago, there was an e-mail that went around entitled "Gonna Be A Bear" It goes like this:
In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that. Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too. When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that. When you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that. If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat. Yup, gonna be a bear." (Author unknown)
While this story is funny (I certainly sent it to all the girls in my address book), it does beg the question, is this the best one has to hope for in the next life? I certainly hope not. If so, you need to meet Jesus, because without Him, hairy legs and excess body fat will be the least of your worries in the next life!
As Christians, our hope in the next life is sure. 1 John 5:13 says "these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is a wonderful promise; one that we can hang on to when life gets rough.
But still, is being a Christian only about what we have to look forward to? I don't believe so. When I consider Isaiah 61:1-3, I cannot hold back the tears of gratitude and joy I feel because God has allowed me to hear His voice call out to me. Let's read it together:
"The Spirit of the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
WOW! What a testimony of God's love. I am amazed that He would send His Son to a lost and dying world. As we look at two of the things Jesus came to do, we see that they are for this life. When we receive all Jesus came to do, we can count on the promise that came from Him in John 10:9-10 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."
In this passage of Scripture, we also have the promise that without Jesus, the thief, who is Satan, will surely come and steal our life until we are destroyed. The final result would be eternal separation from God in the next life, which is hell. Therefore we would do will to receive the gift of Jesus in this life. There is no other opportunity. Hebrews 9:27 says "And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."
As a Christians, we do not have to go through this life feeling defeated and only looking forward to heaven. For the one who receives Christ, heaven begins the day they gave their life to Him.
(VS 1) He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.
Has life been hard on you? Is your heart broken because you have been let down? Your Father has left you; you are going through a divorce, or perhaps it's been very bad and there has been abuse and you suffer from extreme insecurities and it has caused you to shy away from relationships? The good news is Jesus came to heal your broken heart. What good would healing be if it only came in the next life? It wouldn't do any good at all. But we have a promise from God. If we call out to Jesus and surrender all of our heart and our anger to Him, He will heal us. Granted, healing may not always come instantly, but Jesus, being God, has the power to heal us. Pretty soon, we find our worth in Him and knowing that the God of all creation loves us gives us the security we need to develop real and lasting relationships. What we come to learn is that people, (including ourselves) are not perfect and they will fail us - yet God is not like man and He never breaks His promises. Spend time with Him, get to know Him better and your heart will be healed.
(VS 1) To proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Have you made some decisions that led you to a place you would have never dreamed of in a million years? Do you find yourself bound by guilt? Do you suffer from addictions that are destroying your life? We are told in this passage that Jesus came to free us for the guilt of our past or from our current situation. He will release us from our personal prison. Sure it may take some time, but when we cry out to Him, we are filled with His Spirit and He will give us the strength to overcome. God has an amazing way of bringing people into our lives who will encourage us to continue in our walk with Jesus. It is His promise. Give it a try.
"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trust in Him" Psalm 34:8
Whether a non believer, new believer, or a seasoned Christian, this brief look at Isaiah 61:1-3 should bring hope, joy and security to our hearts. I pray that you will be encouraged to get to know the Lord in a deeper way.
I am thankful that God took my life and gave me beauty for ashes. He will do the same for you.
Yup, knowing Jesus is better than being a bear.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that. Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too. When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that. When you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that. If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat. Yup, gonna be a bear." (Author unknown)
While this story is funny (I certainly sent it to all the girls in my address book), it does beg the question, is this the best one has to hope for in the next life? I certainly hope not. If so, you need to meet Jesus, because without Him, hairy legs and excess body fat will be the least of your worries in the next life!
As Christians, our hope in the next life is sure. 1 John 5:13 says "these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is a wonderful promise; one that we can hang on to when life gets rough.
But still, is being a Christian only about what we have to look forward to? I don't believe so. When I consider Isaiah 61:1-3, I cannot hold back the tears of gratitude and joy I feel because God has allowed me to hear His voice call out to me. Let's read it together:
"The Spirit of the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
WOW! What a testimony of God's love. I am amazed that He would send His Son to a lost and dying world. As we look at two of the things Jesus came to do, we see that they are for this life. When we receive all Jesus came to do, we can count on the promise that came from Him in John 10:9-10 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."
In this passage of Scripture, we also have the promise that without Jesus, the thief, who is Satan, will surely come and steal our life until we are destroyed. The final result would be eternal separation from God in the next life, which is hell. Therefore we would do will to receive the gift of Jesus in this life. There is no other opportunity. Hebrews 9:27 says "And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."
As a Christians, we do not have to go through this life feeling defeated and only looking forward to heaven. For the one who receives Christ, heaven begins the day they gave their life to Him.
(VS 1) He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.
Has life been hard on you? Is your heart broken because you have been let down? Your Father has left you; you are going through a divorce, or perhaps it's been very bad and there has been abuse and you suffer from extreme insecurities and it has caused you to shy away from relationships? The good news is Jesus came to heal your broken heart. What good would healing be if it only came in the next life? It wouldn't do any good at all. But we have a promise from God. If we call out to Jesus and surrender all of our heart and our anger to Him, He will heal us. Granted, healing may not always come instantly, but Jesus, being God, has the power to heal us. Pretty soon, we find our worth in Him and knowing that the God of all creation loves us gives us the security we need to develop real and lasting relationships. What we come to learn is that people, (including ourselves) are not perfect and they will fail us - yet God is not like man and He never breaks His promises. Spend time with Him, get to know Him better and your heart will be healed.
(VS 1) To proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Have you made some decisions that led you to a place you would have never dreamed of in a million years? Do you find yourself bound by guilt? Do you suffer from addictions that are destroying your life? We are told in this passage that Jesus came to free us for the guilt of our past or from our current situation. He will release us from our personal prison. Sure it may take some time, but when we cry out to Him, we are filled with His Spirit and He will give us the strength to overcome. God has an amazing way of bringing people into our lives who will encourage us to continue in our walk with Jesus. It is His promise. Give it a try.
"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trust in Him" Psalm 34:8
Whether a non believer, new believer, or a seasoned Christian, this brief look at Isaiah 61:1-3 should bring hope, joy and security to our hearts. I pray that you will be encouraged to get to know the Lord in a deeper way.
I am thankful that God took my life and gave me beauty for ashes. He will do the same for you.
Yup, knowing Jesus is better than being a bear.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
What is in a Name?
I have been reading a book by Ann Spangler. It is entitled "Praying the Names of GOD" I have to tell you, it has brought such warmth and an attitude of gratitude in my heart for the Lord. Over the years, I have studied God's names in sporadic form. Usually when Scripture points out the very meaning of His name, but I have never studied them all together at once and in such depth. If it has been awhile for you, or you have never done this, I encourage you to do so.
I never thought I could fall more in love with my Lord, but I was wrong. Understanding His names (or titles) in a real way, has opened my eyes to His character in a bigger way. God just keeps getting bigger!!! And the love just keeps getting stronger!!!!
One of His names (or titles) is Adonay. It means LORD MASTER - it implies relationship. God, the Creator is Lord and we are His servants. Now this probably sounds basic, most Christians know this, but the challenge comes in practicing this truth.
The examples that Ann gives in her book, brought this challenge to me:
When I call Jesus my Lord, what I am saying is that I am His servant. But do I live as a servant? Am I always ready to do His will at all costs? Do I trust Him in the things that He is asking me to do? Unfortunately, not all of the time.
Understanding this truth has caused me to consider such Scriptures as:
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" Matthew 15:8-9
"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say? Luke 6:46
Ouch! Over the years, the Lord has asked me to do many things; things I have put them off -making excuses or waiting for a more "convenient" time to do them. Who then, is my Lord? Perhaps, it is myself? God forgive me!
My prayer is that I would do what my Lord Jesus tells me to do with zeal and excitement. After all, He knows best and my desire is to be more like Him. Yet how can this be, if I continually put my will above His.
What is God calling you to do? Give up some TV time and spend more with Him, turn away from those TV shows that do not glorify God or share His love with someone who you do not normally hang out with?
Whatever it is, if we do not lay our lives down before Him, we have no right to call Him Lord.
God has many names:
Elohim, El Roi, El Shaddai, Yahweh Nissi, and many, many more. As we take a closer look, our hearts will be sure to change.
Thank you Father, that You are Creator, the God who see me, the God who provides for me, The God who redeems me. You gave me Jesus, He is my Lord and I am His servant. Help me to live what I believe! In the name of Jesus, Amen.
If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, I pray you do so now. All of the promises of God are for His children and the children of God are those who believe in and receive Jesus Christ as Savior. (John 1:12-13)
What is in a Name? EVERYTHING!
(C) Teresa Ortiz
I never thought I could fall more in love with my Lord, but I was wrong. Understanding His names (or titles) in a real way, has opened my eyes to His character in a bigger way. God just keeps getting bigger!!! And the love just keeps getting stronger!!!!
One of His names (or titles) is Adonay. It means LORD MASTER - it implies relationship. God, the Creator is Lord and we are His servants. Now this probably sounds basic, most Christians know this, but the challenge comes in practicing this truth.
The examples that Ann gives in her book, brought this challenge to me:
When I call Jesus my Lord, what I am saying is that I am His servant. But do I live as a servant? Am I always ready to do His will at all costs? Do I trust Him in the things that He is asking me to do? Unfortunately, not all of the time.
Understanding this truth has caused me to consider such Scriptures as:
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" Matthew 15:8-9
"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say? Luke 6:46
Ouch! Over the years, the Lord has asked me to do many things; things I have put them off -making excuses or waiting for a more "convenient" time to do them. Who then, is my Lord? Perhaps, it is myself? God forgive me!
My prayer is that I would do what my Lord Jesus tells me to do with zeal and excitement. After all, He knows best and my desire is to be more like Him. Yet how can this be, if I continually put my will above His.
What is God calling you to do? Give up some TV time and spend more with Him, turn away from those TV shows that do not glorify God or share His love with someone who you do not normally hang out with?
Whatever it is, if we do not lay our lives down before Him, we have no right to call Him Lord.
God has many names:
Elohim, El Roi, El Shaddai, Yahweh Nissi, and many, many more. As we take a closer look, our hearts will be sure to change.
Thank you Father, that You are Creator, the God who see me, the God who provides for me, The God who redeems me. You gave me Jesus, He is my Lord and I am His servant. Help me to live what I believe! In the name of Jesus, Amen.
If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, I pray you do so now. All of the promises of God are for His children and the children of God are those who believe in and receive Jesus Christ as Savior. (John 1:12-13)
What is in a Name? EVERYTHING!
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Diving Into Baptism: Baptism of the Gentile Part 4
During our study of John's baptism, we noted the importance of his message and that was the message of repentance to prepare the way for the Messiah.
In this study, we will see an important shift in the message--from Repentance to Salvation, and in the timing of water baptism. This baptism is physical and most notably, comes after the message of salvation is received and after the Holy Spirit is given to the one who receives the message.
Looking back for a moment, we remember that John said he baptizes with water unto repentance(which will lead to the remission of their sin) , but He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." And so it was, that each Jew (Israelite) who received the message of preparation, and was baptized in water, later received the Holy Spirit after the death of Jesus.
So why the shift and why is it important? Because this baptism takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the message of salvation was opened to the Gentiles (Any peoples who are not Jews). Furthermore, in my opinion, it tells us that water baptism is not a requirement to receive the Holy Spirit, thus salvation, as many teach and believe.
The book of Acts is a book commonly referred to as a book of transition. It records for us the transition from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant. Keeping this thought in mind, helps to keep the teaching on baptism in perspective and I believe, clarifies what seems to be a contradictory teaching.
The first of converted or "saved" Gentiles is recorded for us in the book of Acts. Let's go to Acts 8:26, where we pick up the story.
"Now an angle of the Lord spoke to Philip [a disciple], saying, "arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."…And behold a man from Ethiopia, a Eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury had come to Jerusalem to worship…He was reading Isaiah the Prophet…So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" "How can I unless someone guides me?"
The place in the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation, His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth." (Acts 8:26-33)
It goes on to say the Eunuch asked Philip of whom the prophet was speaking. At this, Philip began to share Jesus and the message of salvation to him as they walked along the road. The Eunuch responded to the message. Continuing their walk, the Eunuch saw water and asked Philip if there was anything to hinder him from being baptized.
"Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may". And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."…And they both went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:37-38.)
We see here that the requirement for baptism is believing with all one's heart that Jesus is the Son of God. This is confirmed repeatedly throughout the New Testament. Interestingly, we never read again about a baptism of repentance. We only read of baptism that follows receiving the message of Christ. This again, is because the death and resurrection accomplished and fulfilled every law under the Old Testament in which the Jews were required to follow.
"But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preached): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made under salvation." (Romans 9:8-10.)
The second example of a Gentile who was saved is in chapter 10 of the book of Acts.
God came to Peter with a vision to prepare him to go and preach to a Gentile. This God did, because he knew the hearts of his people were stubborn and couldn't imagine they should keep company with Gentiles (This is another story with many other lessons), but suffice it to say, unless God made it abundantly clear, Peter would not have gone, nor would have the men he chose to go with him.
Cornelius was a Gentile man who believed in God, prayed, and did the best he could with the information he had. God saw his heart and He chose to send Peter to preach the Gospel of Salvation to Cornelius and his family. (Read chapter 10 for the complete account.)
Peter goes to his home as commanded--where Cornelius was anxiously awaiting his arrival. Once there, Peter began to preach the message of salvation.
"And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He [Jesus] who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision [Jews], who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also…Then Peter answered, Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10:42-48)
The account of the Eunuch and Cornelius reveal to us the transition that took place between the Old Covenant-which in short, is having faith in the coming Messiah and the requirements that follow, to the New Testament, which in short, is having faith and trust that Jesus was and remains the Messiah.
The Jews had to wait for the remission of their sins until Jesus resurrected; for those who believed after the resurrection, it was instant. It had nothing to do with baptism.
What can we conclude? It seems that water baptism follows a change of heart and putting faith and trust in Jesus. We also see that having faith in God is not enough. God made it clear to this wonderfully righteous man named Cornelius that He needed to receive the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of salvation, by having faith in Jesus, the Son of God.
It also shows us that all who are sincere in their desire to know the truth about God, will be blessed with those who will help them. It was true for me. It is very encouraging to know that God will send us someone to lead the way to Jesus. The question is-will we respond?
These accounts of Gentiles being converted and baptized are a wonderful example of one of the many things God did by sending His Son to pay the price for the sin of mankind-that is he made a new race of people. He did this by breaking down the wall that separates Jews from Gentiles. For in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, only His children--the body of Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-21)
This subject will be addressed in The Baptism Into Christ - part 5 of this series which will follow shortly.
© Teresa Ortiz
In this study, we will see an important shift in the message--from Repentance to Salvation, and in the timing of water baptism. This baptism is physical and most notably, comes after the message of salvation is received and after the Holy Spirit is given to the one who receives the message.
Looking back for a moment, we remember that John said he baptizes with water unto repentance(which will lead to the remission of their sin) , but He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." And so it was, that each Jew (Israelite) who received the message of preparation, and was baptized in water, later received the Holy Spirit after the death of Jesus.
So why the shift and why is it important? Because this baptism takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the message of salvation was opened to the Gentiles (Any peoples who are not Jews). Furthermore, in my opinion, it tells us that water baptism is not a requirement to receive the Holy Spirit, thus salvation, as many teach and believe.
The book of Acts is a book commonly referred to as a book of transition. It records for us the transition from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant. Keeping this thought in mind, helps to keep the teaching on baptism in perspective and I believe, clarifies what seems to be a contradictory teaching.
The first of converted or "saved" Gentiles is recorded for us in the book of Acts. Let's go to Acts 8:26, where we pick up the story.
"Now an angle of the Lord spoke to Philip [a disciple], saying, "arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."…And behold a man from Ethiopia, a Eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury had come to Jerusalem to worship…He was reading Isaiah the Prophet…So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" "How can I unless someone guides me?"
The place in the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation, His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth." (Acts 8:26-33)
It goes on to say the Eunuch asked Philip of whom the prophet was speaking. At this, Philip began to share Jesus and the message of salvation to him as they walked along the road. The Eunuch responded to the message. Continuing their walk, the Eunuch saw water and asked Philip if there was anything to hinder him from being baptized.
"Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may". And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."…And they both went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:37-38.)
We see here that the requirement for baptism is believing with all one's heart that Jesus is the Son of God. This is confirmed repeatedly throughout the New Testament. Interestingly, we never read again about a baptism of repentance. We only read of baptism that follows receiving the message of Christ. This again, is because the death and resurrection accomplished and fulfilled every law under the Old Testament in which the Jews were required to follow.
"But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preached): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made under salvation." (Romans 9:8-10.)
The second example of a Gentile who was saved is in chapter 10 of the book of Acts.
God came to Peter with a vision to prepare him to go and preach to a Gentile. This God did, because he knew the hearts of his people were stubborn and couldn't imagine they should keep company with Gentiles (This is another story with many other lessons), but suffice it to say, unless God made it abundantly clear, Peter would not have gone, nor would have the men he chose to go with him.
Cornelius was a Gentile man who believed in God, prayed, and did the best he could with the information he had. God saw his heart and He chose to send Peter to preach the Gospel of Salvation to Cornelius and his family. (Read chapter 10 for the complete account.)
Peter goes to his home as commanded--where Cornelius was anxiously awaiting his arrival. Once there, Peter began to preach the message of salvation.
"And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He [Jesus] who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision [Jews], who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also…Then Peter answered, Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10:42-48)
The account of the Eunuch and Cornelius reveal to us the transition that took place between the Old Covenant-which in short, is having faith in the coming Messiah and the requirements that follow, to the New Testament, which in short, is having faith and trust that Jesus was and remains the Messiah.
The Jews had to wait for the remission of their sins until Jesus resurrected; for those who believed after the resurrection, it was instant. It had nothing to do with baptism.
What can we conclude? It seems that water baptism follows a change of heart and putting faith and trust in Jesus. We also see that having faith in God is not enough. God made it clear to this wonderfully righteous man named Cornelius that He needed to receive the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of salvation, by having faith in Jesus, the Son of God.
It also shows us that all who are sincere in their desire to know the truth about God, will be blessed with those who will help them. It was true for me. It is very encouraging to know that God will send us someone to lead the way to Jesus. The question is-will we respond?
These accounts of Gentiles being converted and baptized are a wonderful example of one of the many things God did by sending His Son to pay the price for the sin of mankind-that is he made a new race of people. He did this by breaking down the wall that separates Jews from Gentiles. For in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, only His children--the body of Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-21)
This subject will be addressed in The Baptism Into Christ - part 5 of this series which will follow shortly.
© Teresa Ortiz
Diving Into Baptism: Baptism of John Part 3
The focus for part three of this series will be the baptism of John-or rather, the baptism of repentance that he preached.
This study comes with great controversy because of its nature. It is a water baptism and it is literal and by full emersion. As I mentioned in the introduction, this baptism had a specific purpose for the Jew, which is different from the Gentile. (This will be discussed in the study of water baptism for the Gentile.)
I believe this is one of the many reasons there is such confusion as to whether or not water baptism is a requirement for salvation.
It is easy to be confused if we take a few passages of Scripture as proof texts for this teaching without investigating all texts regarding the subject of water baptism and salvation. It is important for us to remember that this particular baptism was designed for the children of Israel and that this was before the death and resurrection of Jesus, so they were still under the Old Testament Law.
With this in mind, I hope that you will join me in this study and in the end, see that water baptism has two purposes: preparation for the Jew and salvation from a bad conscience toward God for the Jew and the Gentile (not salvation of our soul). In no way, does it cleanse our sin--only the blood of Jesus can do this. (1 Peter 3:21)
The first step in understanding this baptism is knowing who John was and what his purpose in preaching was.
John was the promised son of Zachariah, the priest and Elizabeth. We find the detailed account of John in the Gospel of Luke, with other references and summaries in Matthew, Mark and John.
"But the angel [Gabriel] reassured him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John….He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah…to make ready a people prepared for the LORD." (Luke 1:13, 16b.)
So Gabriel tells Zacharias what John's purpose will be and a bit later, Zacharias explains that John will be a prophet of the Most High and that he will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways and to give knowledge of salvation to God's people by the remission of their sins. Furthermore, Zacharias, says that John will guide their feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:76-70.)
As we read on, we see that John grew strong in the Spirit while in the desert, awaiting the appropriate time to begin his ministry of preparing the people to receive the Messiah.
"…the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins…I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."( Luke 3:3, Matthew 3:11)
This passage of Scripture tells us that this water baptism had nothing to do with salvation, but it was a physical act of repentance, which prepared them to receive Jesus, who would later baptize them with the Holy Spirit, which is salvation. In the Gospel of the Apostle John, we read again how John the Baptist emphasized that his baptism was only to prepare them for Jesus.
When John sees that the Pharisees and Sadducees where coming to be baptized, he rebukes them because he sees that they thought all they had to do was get in the water. They were relying on the fact that they were Jews, and not on the fact that they needed to repent and live a changed life. (Matt. 3:7-9) (This will be discussed in our study on the baptism of fire, which is final judgment.)
As we continue in the Gospel of John, we read the words of Jesus, where he tells us that he will give them the Holy Spirit when He departs and returns to heaven. However, he did seal his disciples with the Holy Spirit, before His ascension- John 20:21-23, (Which is different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit- Acts 1:4-8).
This leads to the most controversial passage on baptism in the Bible. Jesus spoke these words after His resurrection:
"And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 15-16.)
What are we to make of this passage? At first glance, it contradicts everything I just said. However, I think a closer look reveals differently. In my opinion, the verses that follow are the key to understanding this passage.
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues." (Mark 16:17)
Two important details come to mind:
1) Jesus did not say, "But he who does not believe and is not baptized will be condemned". He only said, "But he who does not believe will be condemned."
2) Jesus did not specify water baptism.
Verse 17 tells us that signs will follow the one who believes. Most Christians would agree that power to cast out demons or the ability to speak in tongues comes from the Holy Spirit.
So what can we conclude? It would seem to me that Jesus is speaking of another baptism. On the other hand, He could be referring to water, but his second statement makes it clear that it is belief that brings freedom from condemnation. Furthermore, if water baptism were necessary for salvation, then the thief on the cross could not have been saved. Yet we read in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23:39-43, that after professing faith and remorse for his sin, Jesus told him that he would be with Him in paradise that same day.
This passage should be viewed in light of all the other passages of Scripture that talk about salvation. It is a gift of God, made available by grace through faith, as taught in the book of Acts through the book of Revelation. Paul discusses this at length throughout the entire book of Romans, Ephesians and Colossians.
The literal baptism of repentance for the children of Israel is a picture of our need to acknowledge our sin before Almighty God, receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, thereby being sealed with the Holy Spirit as our promise for eternal security. (Eph 2:8-9.)
There are many lessons to learn from this story and much more to be discussed. I invite you to share your biblical perspective on this subject.
Father, continue to give us wisdom and understanding of your word. Open our hearts to the truth, especially when it goes against our pre-conceived ideas or what we have been taught to believe. Help us to be as the Bereans and search your word for ourselves. Lord, forgive me when I put the traditions of men above your word and give me a discerning spirit so that I would recognize it when I do. In the name of Jesus, Amen
Part four – Water baptism for the Gentile, will follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
This study comes with great controversy because of its nature. It is a water baptism and it is literal and by full emersion. As I mentioned in the introduction, this baptism had a specific purpose for the Jew, which is different from the Gentile. (This will be discussed in the study of water baptism for the Gentile.)
I believe this is one of the many reasons there is such confusion as to whether or not water baptism is a requirement for salvation.
It is easy to be confused if we take a few passages of Scripture as proof texts for this teaching without investigating all texts regarding the subject of water baptism and salvation. It is important for us to remember that this particular baptism was designed for the children of Israel and that this was before the death and resurrection of Jesus, so they were still under the Old Testament Law.
With this in mind, I hope that you will join me in this study and in the end, see that water baptism has two purposes: preparation for the Jew and salvation from a bad conscience toward God for the Jew and the Gentile (not salvation of our soul). In no way, does it cleanse our sin--only the blood of Jesus can do this. (1 Peter 3:21)
The first step in understanding this baptism is knowing who John was and what his purpose in preaching was.
John was the promised son of Zachariah, the priest and Elizabeth. We find the detailed account of John in the Gospel of Luke, with other references and summaries in Matthew, Mark and John.
"But the angel [Gabriel] reassured him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John….He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah…to make ready a people prepared for the LORD." (Luke 1:13, 16b.)
So Gabriel tells Zacharias what John's purpose will be and a bit later, Zacharias explains that John will be a prophet of the Most High and that he will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways and to give knowledge of salvation to God's people by the remission of their sins. Furthermore, Zacharias, says that John will guide their feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:76-70.)
As we read on, we see that John grew strong in the Spirit while in the desert, awaiting the appropriate time to begin his ministry of preparing the people to receive the Messiah.
"…the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins…I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."( Luke 3:3, Matthew 3:11)
This passage of Scripture tells us that this water baptism had nothing to do with salvation, but it was a physical act of repentance, which prepared them to receive Jesus, who would later baptize them with the Holy Spirit, which is salvation. In the Gospel of the Apostle John, we read again how John the Baptist emphasized that his baptism was only to prepare them for Jesus.
When John sees that the Pharisees and Sadducees where coming to be baptized, he rebukes them because he sees that they thought all they had to do was get in the water. They were relying on the fact that they were Jews, and not on the fact that they needed to repent and live a changed life. (Matt. 3:7-9) (This will be discussed in our study on the baptism of fire, which is final judgment.)
As we continue in the Gospel of John, we read the words of Jesus, where he tells us that he will give them the Holy Spirit when He departs and returns to heaven. However, he did seal his disciples with the Holy Spirit, before His ascension- John 20:21-23, (Which is different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit- Acts 1:4-8).
This leads to the most controversial passage on baptism in the Bible. Jesus spoke these words after His resurrection:
"And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 15-16.)
What are we to make of this passage? At first glance, it contradicts everything I just said. However, I think a closer look reveals differently. In my opinion, the verses that follow are the key to understanding this passage.
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues." (Mark 16:17)
Two important details come to mind:
1) Jesus did not say, "But he who does not believe and is not baptized will be condemned". He only said, "But he who does not believe will be condemned."
2) Jesus did not specify water baptism.
Verse 17 tells us that signs will follow the one who believes. Most Christians would agree that power to cast out demons or the ability to speak in tongues comes from the Holy Spirit.
So what can we conclude? It would seem to me that Jesus is speaking of another baptism. On the other hand, He could be referring to water, but his second statement makes it clear that it is belief that brings freedom from condemnation. Furthermore, if water baptism were necessary for salvation, then the thief on the cross could not have been saved. Yet we read in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23:39-43, that after professing faith and remorse for his sin, Jesus told him that he would be with Him in paradise that same day.
This passage should be viewed in light of all the other passages of Scripture that talk about salvation. It is a gift of God, made available by grace through faith, as taught in the book of Acts through the book of Revelation. Paul discusses this at length throughout the entire book of Romans, Ephesians and Colossians.
The literal baptism of repentance for the children of Israel is a picture of our need to acknowledge our sin before Almighty God, receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, thereby being sealed with the Holy Spirit as our promise for eternal security. (Eph 2:8-9.)
There are many lessons to learn from this story and much more to be discussed. I invite you to share your biblical perspective on this subject.
Father, continue to give us wisdom and understanding of your word. Open our hearts to the truth, especially when it goes against our pre-conceived ideas or what we have been taught to believe. Help us to be as the Bereans and search your word for ourselves. Lord, forgive me when I put the traditions of men above your word and give me a discerning spirit so that I would recognize it when I do. In the name of Jesus, Amen
Part four – Water baptism for the Gentile, will follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
Diving Into Baptism: Baptism of Israel Part 2
In this study, we will see that the baptism of Israel into Moses was a metaphor and picture of what it would mean to be in Christ. Their physical deliverance from slavery by following God is an example of how each of us can have spiritual deliverance from the bondage of sin by following Jesus.
Anytime we study the Bible, we need to prepare our hearts to receive the message God has for us (Psalm 119:33-35).Therefore, I believe it is necessary to seek to the Lord's wisdom and ask His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth-and so I do:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your faithfulness to give us your word that we would know you and what your will for our life is. I ask your blessing on this and each of the studies that will follow. Teach us what we need to know. You promised that those who seek you with their whole heart will find you and this is what we are doing now. So Father, open our hearts and minds to receive a greater understanding of your word and give us a greater measure of your Spirit that we will come through a changed people because we have answered your call. I pray for those who are new in Christ, or haven't fully surrendered to you, yet find themselves following this study. Bless them Lord and bring them to a place of sweet surrender that they may know you and the power of the resurrection in their lives. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~
The Background:
The Israelites found themselves slaves in Egypt. Some 430 years prior to this event, they were welcomed in the land of Goshen, just outside of Egypt because Joseph, Israel's [Jacob] favorite son was second in command over all of the land. However, the latest king of Egypt had other plans...
"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and It happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.' But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew, so the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor." (Exodus 1:8-10, 12-13.)
God at work behind the scenes:
"Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives...and he said, ‘When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, then she shall live'. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them but saved them alive…and so it was because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them." (Ex.1:15-1, 21.)
Enter Moses:
"So the woman conceived and bore a son…But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him and put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank…and the Pharaoh's daughter found the child…and he became her son and she called him Moses." (Ex. 2:2-3,10.)
The Cry:
"Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God remembered His covenant with Isaac, and Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel and God acknowledged them." Ex.2:23-24.)
God's plan revealed:
As we read on in Exodus, we see how God was bringing all things together to work for good. Moses grew and left the care of Pharaoh's daughter. He made a bad decision which led to murder and the need to flee Egypt. While in Midian, God called to Moses and told him of His plan to use him to deliver the children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh, resulting in the 10 plagues.
These plagues were brought on by God for three reasons; to punish them for their wicked treatment toward His people, for their idol worship and rejection of the Creator God, and to show the Egyptians that He makes a distinction between His children and the wicked (Ex. 8:22).
After the 10th plague, the death of the first-born Egyptian male--man and cattle, Pharaoh agreed to let the children of Israel go. However, God knew that Pharaoh would change his mind and pursue His children so He led them to the Red Sea.
The baptism of Israel
By this point, the children of Israel had seen the hand of God deliver them; they witnessed His mighty power displayed in his protection for them throughout each plague, especially in the Passover. As long as they followed God's instructions to put the blood of the spotless lamb over the door posts of their homes, they were under the blood, thereby protected and passed over by the death angel. (Ex. 12.)
Nevertheless, it only took one incident to send them into a panic and doubt. Let's pick up the story in Exodus chapter fourteen, verse ten:
"And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold the Egyptians marched after them, so they were very afraid and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord…And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.' And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward." (Ex. 14:10,13-15)
"And the Angel [Jesus] of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one [Egypt] and it gave light by night to the other [Israel], so that the one did not come near the other all that night." (Ex. 14:19-20.)
"So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (Ex. 14:22.)
"So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses". (Ex. 14:31.)
How is this baptism?
Fast-forward to the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians chapters nine and ten.
In this corrective letter, Paul is warning the Corinthian believers of the dangers of carnal and compromised living; they were following the culture of their environment while professing a faith in God-sound familiar? At the end of chapter nine, we see that Paul was admonishing them to discipline their bodies and he goes on to give them encouragement on how they can do this and in this, we find our explanation for our journey through Exodus:
"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the red sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." (1 Cor. 10:1-6.)
This passage leaves no room for doubt or dispute that the children of Israel had been baptized. It was a baptism into Moses because Moses was their leader.
Remembering the meaning of baptism, we see that they surrendered to the will of God; they trusted Moses and followed him all the way through the walls of water. There was no other way. They could not go around, but they had to go through, trusting God to keep the way open for them and trusting in the fact that they were engulfed in His protection. It was not their own plan that spared them; it was God's.
As Paul tells us, this ultimately points to the fact that the pre-incarnate Son of God was present with them. (Just one of many.) It was a picture of how future generations would need to trust in the coming Leader. The Messiah who is Christ Jesus--the Eternal King.
What can we learn?
We see that trusting God and obeying His voice, despite leadership demands, will give us favor with God and He will provide for us just as He did the midwives.
God's instructions are specific and have a purpose. If we do not follow them, then we have chosen to take ourselves out of His protection. If the children of Israel did not go all the way through to the other side, they would have been over-taken by the enemy. So it goes with us today. Are we going to choose God's way of deliverance and surrender our will to Christ, or are we going to do it our own way and suffer the consequences. The choice is ours.
Partial baptism is not only impossible, it is also ineffective. Each person had to go all the way through; one could not go through for the other. The same goes with a commitment to God. Jesus said, "You are either for me or against me." (Matt. 12:30.) There is no in between . One cannot have faith for another--one cannot speak on behalf of or be baptized for another. Each person must walk for themselves.
It is God's desire that we follow the example of the baptism of the children of Israel. The learning curve is endless; take this information and build upon it. Read the entire book of Exodus and Chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians. Ask the Lord what He would have for your personal walk with Him.
Please share your thoughts, as I desire to build upon my understanding.
May the Holy Spirit be with all who desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus and remember, He will stand between you and the things that desire to over take you.
Part three - The Baptism of John to follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
Anytime we study the Bible, we need to prepare our hearts to receive the message God has for us (Psalm 119:33-35).Therefore, I believe it is necessary to seek to the Lord's wisdom and ask His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth-and so I do:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your faithfulness to give us your word that we would know you and what your will for our life is. I ask your blessing on this and each of the studies that will follow. Teach us what we need to know. You promised that those who seek you with their whole heart will find you and this is what we are doing now. So Father, open our hearts and minds to receive a greater understanding of your word and give us a greater measure of your Spirit that we will come through a changed people because we have answered your call. I pray for those who are new in Christ, or haven't fully surrendered to you, yet find themselves following this study. Bless them Lord and bring them to a place of sweet surrender that they may know you and the power of the resurrection in their lives. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~
The Background:
The Israelites found themselves slaves in Egypt. Some 430 years prior to this event, they were welcomed in the land of Goshen, just outside of Egypt because Joseph, Israel's [Jacob] favorite son was second in command over all of the land. However, the latest king of Egypt had other plans...
"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and It happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.' But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew, so the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor." (Exodus 1:8-10, 12-13.)
God at work behind the scenes:
"Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives...and he said, ‘When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, then she shall live'. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them but saved them alive…and so it was because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them." (Ex.1:15-1, 21.)
Enter Moses:
"So the woman conceived and bore a son…But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him and put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank…and the Pharaoh's daughter found the child…and he became her son and she called him Moses." (Ex. 2:2-3,10.)
The Cry:
"Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God remembered His covenant with Isaac, and Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel and God acknowledged them." Ex.2:23-24.)
God's plan revealed:
As we read on in Exodus, we see how God was bringing all things together to work for good. Moses grew and left the care of Pharaoh's daughter. He made a bad decision which led to murder and the need to flee Egypt. While in Midian, God called to Moses and told him of His plan to use him to deliver the children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh, resulting in the 10 plagues.
These plagues were brought on by God for three reasons; to punish them for their wicked treatment toward His people, for their idol worship and rejection of the Creator God, and to show the Egyptians that He makes a distinction between His children and the wicked (Ex. 8:22).
After the 10th plague, the death of the first-born Egyptian male--man and cattle, Pharaoh agreed to let the children of Israel go. However, God knew that Pharaoh would change his mind and pursue His children so He led them to the Red Sea.
The baptism of Israel
By this point, the children of Israel had seen the hand of God deliver them; they witnessed His mighty power displayed in his protection for them throughout each plague, especially in the Passover. As long as they followed God's instructions to put the blood of the spotless lamb over the door posts of their homes, they were under the blood, thereby protected and passed over by the death angel. (Ex. 12.)
Nevertheless, it only took one incident to send them into a panic and doubt. Let's pick up the story in Exodus chapter fourteen, verse ten:
"And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold the Egyptians marched after them, so they were very afraid and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord…And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.' And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward." (Ex. 14:10,13-15)
"And the Angel [Jesus] of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one [Egypt] and it gave light by night to the other [Israel], so that the one did not come near the other all that night." (Ex. 14:19-20.)
"So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (Ex. 14:22.)
"So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses". (Ex. 14:31.)
How is this baptism?
Fast-forward to the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians chapters nine and ten.
In this corrective letter, Paul is warning the Corinthian believers of the dangers of carnal and compromised living; they were following the culture of their environment while professing a faith in God-sound familiar? At the end of chapter nine, we see that Paul was admonishing them to discipline their bodies and he goes on to give them encouragement on how they can do this and in this, we find our explanation for our journey through Exodus:
"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the red sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." (1 Cor. 10:1-6.)
This passage leaves no room for doubt or dispute that the children of Israel had been baptized. It was a baptism into Moses because Moses was their leader.
Remembering the meaning of baptism, we see that they surrendered to the will of God; they trusted Moses and followed him all the way through the walls of water. There was no other way. They could not go around, but they had to go through, trusting God to keep the way open for them and trusting in the fact that they were engulfed in His protection. It was not their own plan that spared them; it was God's.
As Paul tells us, this ultimately points to the fact that the pre-incarnate Son of God was present with them. (Just one of many.) It was a picture of how future generations would need to trust in the coming Leader. The Messiah who is Christ Jesus--the Eternal King.
What can we learn?
We see that trusting God and obeying His voice, despite leadership demands, will give us favor with God and He will provide for us just as He did the midwives.
God's instructions are specific and have a purpose. If we do not follow them, then we have chosen to take ourselves out of His protection. If the children of Israel did not go all the way through to the other side, they would have been over-taken by the enemy. So it goes with us today. Are we going to choose God's way of deliverance and surrender our will to Christ, or are we going to do it our own way and suffer the consequences. The choice is ours.
Partial baptism is not only impossible, it is also ineffective. Each person had to go all the way through; one could not go through for the other. The same goes with a commitment to God. Jesus said, "You are either for me or against me." (Matt. 12:30.) There is no in between . One cannot have faith for another--one cannot speak on behalf of or be baptized for another. Each person must walk for themselves.
It is God's desire that we follow the example of the baptism of the children of Israel. The learning curve is endless; take this information and build upon it. Read the entire book of Exodus and Chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians. Ask the Lord what He would have for your personal walk with Him.
Please share your thoughts, as I desire to build upon my understanding.
May the Holy Spirit be with all who desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus and remember, He will stand between you and the things that desire to over take you.
Part three - The Baptism of John to follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
