God’s Answers To Our Thoughts

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly, but don’t lose heart. God is constantly and consistently at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. For all the negative things we may say to ourselves, God has a positive answer.

We say, "It's impossible.”

God says, “All things are possible.” (Luke 18:27)

We say, "I'm too tired."

God says, “I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

We say, "Nobody really loves me."

God says, “I love you.” (John 3:16)

We say, "I can't go on."

God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

We say, "I don’t know which way to turn."

God says, “I will direct your steps.” (Proverbs 3:6)

We say, “I can't do it."

God says, “Through Him we can do all things.” (Philippians 4:13)

We say, "I'm not able."

God says, “I am able.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

We say, "It's not worth it."

God says, “It will be worth it.” (Romans 8:28)

We say, "I can't forgive myself."

God says, “I forgive you.” (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

We say, "I can't manage."

God says, “I will supply all your needs.” (Philippians 4:19)

We say, "I'm afraid."

God says, “I have not given you a spirit of fear.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

We say, "I'm always worried and frustrated."

God says, “Cast all your cares on ME.” (1 Peter 5:7)

We say, "I don't have enough faith."

God says, “I've given everyone a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

We say, "I'm not smart enough."

God says, “I give you wisdom.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

We say, “I feel all alone.”

God says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

David Barberis
U Be The Change

METHAMPHETAMINES

Recently during my morning walks I was walking behind a young man who kept turning back to his left as well his right even going to the point of pulling his backpack and holding it in a menacing offensive manner as he continued looking back towards me. I realized the young man was suffering the effects of methamphetamine use one of paranoia, mind you I was not following him at all. To my surprise he walked towards a close building and was watching me all the time, I just put him in my prayers at that very moment.

Now this morning there was a car in front of me when I pulled out my phone to read a message I had just received when the driver of the car came to a stop and in a very threatening manner accused me of following him and taking his information, he even told me what he would do as he would kick my posterior. Earlier in my life I would have probably reacted in a very defensive manner and taken things into my hands, but I leaned on my Lord and my experience and just moved on, now I was concerned so I called a friend and asked that she remain on the phone in case this person came back and to call 911 if she heard anything.

After praying on the matter I did see the individual when he came back to his place and I did approach him first to assure him that I have no reason to follow him nor to report him to the authorities if he is not doing something wrong and as a matter of fact that I was there to help him not hurt him and that I had a message for him, well it lead to my being allowed to pray for him and offer my services to him. Thanks be to God for using me and allowing me to react in this manner and win another soul.

Because of that experience I would like to offer the following on the topic of Methamphetamine use in our society;

Methamphetamine is a very strong stimulant. With some methods of administration, there is a fast “rush” of euphoria followed by a long period of less intense euphoria. When meth is ingested, there is no rush but the high may last for as long as ten hours.

The user has more energy than normal and will not be able to sleep until the drug wears off. If he has plenty of the drug, he may continually re-dose until he has been up for days. If he runs out of the drug, he will crash and sleep around the clock. He will not have an appetite, meaning that he will probably lose a lot of weight. Heavy meth users become gaunt and look pale and unhealthy. He or she will probably appear unusually active but may also act nervous and anxious.

The user’s body temperature will go up and he may appear hot and sweaty without the environment being hot or his having been physically active. Pupils will be dilated and blood pressure will go up. He or she may become sexually excited.

Meth abuse results in the following adverse effects:

• Deterioration of appearance 
• Irregular or rapid heartbeat 
• Erratic, changeable moods 
• Aggressive behavior 
• Paranoia that can become severe 
• Confusion 
• Insomnia 
• Damage to teeth 
• Rough skin with sores 

Meth is highly addictive. Some people have stated that just one or two uses was all it took for them to become addicted.

David Barberis
U Be The Change

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Today I bring the topic of the Christmas Tree since last year I received some comments on a posting on Facebook about my home getting ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ criticizing me for having a pagan symbol in my home and imploring me to read Jeremiah 10:3-4.

With all due respect the first thing I have to say is that when we quote a biblical verse, we should cite it in the context in which it was written and complete.  That text I will quote below:

Jeremiah 10:1-5 (NKJV)

Idols and the True God

“Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.  Thus, says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are [a]futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; They must be carried, because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.”

In this context, Jeremiah is referring to a form of Idolatry practiced at the time in the Judean community which wanted to predict their future (as many would like to know today) and to discern "the signs of in the heavens" worshiping those Idols and creating their likeness with the wood but cut from the forest.  Very clearly the Prophet refers here to the images chiseled and adorned in wood or clay.

I have seen a pastor criticize having a Christmas Tree in the house and the habit of exchanging gifts as pagan customs, and during the study, before that same service his wife initiated a collection for the pastor’s Christmas gift (hypocritical is it not) then the pastor is preaching his great criticism about the Christmas Tree in the houses without mentioning the three Christmas Trees behind him in the pulpit, the pulpit!

In my humble opinion we should practice what Paul teaches us in Romans 14:1 to 15:13 as today as in the early church, Christians often disagree with each other and create problems for each other. In Romans 14:1 — 15:13, Paul addresses this issue. First, it deals with differences of opinion regarding rules on food and days (14:1-12). Then he asks Christians not to stumble among themselves (14:13-23). He then tells them to focus on pleasing the other person instead of themselves (15:1-6). And finally, he makes it clear that the Gospel is for Jews and Gentiles alike (15:7-13).

For this Paul is more concerned about the way we deal with differences than the fact that we have differences. Christ does not oblige us to agree on every subject, what He does do is call on us to love each other. In chapters 14-15, Paul provides guidance on the actions that love Christians should take, even when they disagree.

Paul does not mention Jews or Gentiles until the end of this section. Having done it before would have further polarized the Jewish and Gentile Christians he was writing to, and his goal was and still is to bring us all together instead of driving us apart even more.

In this 21st century, the issues that divide Christians are different from those of the first century, but divided we are and every day more. The guide Paul gave Roman Christians would serve us very well today if we pay attention. Paul calls us to welcome those with whom we have differences (v. 1) — not to stop each other in contempt or to judge each other (VV. 4, 10). He calls us to recognize our essential connection as brothers and sisters in Christ (VV. 10 FF.) — to recognize that each of us is responsible to God (V 12) — and to trust in God because He does his perfect work.

Given the Great Gap Existing In the church today, particularly on topics such as the celebrating of Christmas, it is very difficult to do what Paul calls us to do. It is very difficult not to believe that our position is correct and the other is wrong, terribly wrong. It is very difficult not to judge other Christians and to hold them in contempt. It is very difficult to welcome Christians who don't think, praise or act different than us as Christian brothers and sisters, and accept the possibility that God will welcome them as well. It's very hard to love them. It's very difficult not to demonize those on the other side.

For my part, I celebrate with my tree the blessings that the Lord gives me, as the opportunity after so many blows to be alive and enjoy the people who He has placed in my life, I give grace for that special person He sent me to complete my life, my children, family and friends, and those around me, I prefer to go out and smell the sheep and be able to bring those derailed to salvation.  That is what to me that Christmas Tree symbolizes, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in this human flesh as a man, a man who gave us the greatest of gifts, dying on that cross to pay for our sins and give us eternal salvation , that is the greatest gift we can have in this and every Christmas, as for the rest of us let’s pray for those who do not know Him.

David Barberis

U Be The Change

Waxahachie, TX

I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

OVERCOMING THE PAST

2 Corinthians 5:17 With God we can overcome the past...

The past is locked away in a vault. The vault of the past cannot be fully opened. We can see in the vault. We can, through numerous means, sift through the contents of the vault. However, we cannot fully unlock the vault because the past is not with us in the here and now. The past is gone and gone forever. We cannot change the past. We cannot remake the past. Much as we might want to go back and make things over, we can never go back. Tragically, we can live every day thinking "If only I…", "If only I hadn't...", "If only I could have..."
"If only I weren't..."

We can spend time trying to overcome what we did or did not do in the past but what we cannot do is change what we did or did not do. What we can do is focus on the here and now and change what we do in the here and now. We cannot change what happened in the past but we can change the way we deal with what happened in the past.

If the obstacles of your present life are obstacles from your past, your best chance of success are dealing with your present obstacles in the here and now. You can only live today, not yesterday, not last week, or last year, or ten years ago. You can only fix problems you have now, even if your present problems are from ten years ago.

Change what you can change today because you cannot change what you did or what happened to you yesterday. For example, today you can forgive in order to erase the hurt from yesterday.

If these words have been a blessing to you please forward them to a friend.

David Barberis
Be The Change

Waxahachie, TX

DESPIERTA AMERICA

“La justicia engrandece a la nación; Mas el pecado es afrenta de las naciones.”  (Proverbios 14:34 RVR1960)

Me encanta el olor de la tierra cuando comienza la lluvia, este olor despierta nuestros sentidos especialmente en la mañana. La esencia que emane de nuestra tierra es una señal increíble que nos despierta anunciando un nuevo comienzo con el proceso de la limpieza.

Es hora de que América despierte y huela esa esencia ya que al mirar los acontecimientos de los tiempos finales en la Biblia encontramos la superpotencia reinante en la faz de la tierra, América no está inmune a la cadena de eventos en los últimos días.

Encontramos a las naciones de Israel e Irán, y creo podemos hacer bastante buen caso que Rusia y tal vez China se encuentren en ese profético escenario, pero no encontramos allí a América.

Toda nación tiene un comienzo, un mediado y un fin, todas las naciones tienen un tiempo útil. Babilonia solo duro 86 años y Persia un poco más con 208 años.

A los 268 años Grecia fue superada y la poderosa Roma gobernó por casi nueve siglos.  El imperio Británico estuvo en poder durante 250 años y en estos momentos América ya tiene unos 235 años. Toda nación tiene sus días contados.

Proverbios 14:34 nos dice “La justicia engrandece a la nación; Mas el pecado es afrenta de las naciones.”

No nos apartemos de la rectitud, porque al apartarnos de Dios estaremos invitando duras consecuencias. Si abandonamos a Dios, si lo olvidamos tendremos aquí en América también consecuencias que pagar.

David Barberis

El Perdon de Dios

El perdón de Dios

En este día de la resurrección de nuestro Señor Jesucristo presento este mensaje acerca del perdón por nuestros pecados y actitudes por la justicia por Cristo a todos los confiamos en Él come el hijo de Dios, quien con su sangre pago por nuestros pecados, faltas e injusticias.

Empecemos con uno de los versos mas poderoso en la Biblia.

1 Juan 1:9 – “Si confesamos nuestros pecados, él es fiel y justo para perdonar nuestros pecados, y limpiarnos de toda maldad.”

Ya que Dios nos ha perdonado tanto, es importante razonar que es fundamental que aprendamos o que escojamos perdonar a los demás, tal vez estos versículos bíblicos sobre el perdón de Dios nos ayuden a ser capaces de perdonar a los demás más fácilmente. En el libro de 1 Juan, leemos sobre el hecho de que todos somos pecadores. El apóstol Juan menciona nuestra purificación de pecados, pero este versículo (1 Juan 1:9) se coloca justo antes y después de una clara declaración sobre que somos pecadores, y que "Si decimos que no tenemos pecado, nos engañamos a nosotros mismos, y la verdad no está en nosotros" (1 Juan 1:8) , y de nuevo, " Si decimos que no tenemos pecado, nos engañamos a nosotros mismos, y la verdad no está en nosotros." Entonces el primer paso a seguir para poder ser perdonado es reconocer el hecho de que somos pecadores necesitados de perdón, ya que “Si decimos que no hemos pecado, le hacemos a él mentiroso, y su palabra no está en nosotros.”  1 Juan 1:10.

La Biblia en Efesios 1:7 nos dice “en quien tenemos redención por su sangre, el perdón de pecados según las riquezas de su gracia”.

El perdón o la purificación que Juan escribió acerca en 1 Juan 1:9 sólo es posible debido a la redención que recibimos a través de la sangre de Cristo cuando murió en la carne en la cruz. Ninguna acción que hagamos nosotros nos sirve a ser redimido, como nos dice Pedro en 1 Pedro 1:19 " sino con la sangre preciosa de Cristo, como de un cordero sin mancha y sin contaminación”. Esta es la razón por la que Jesús vino. Él dijo en Marcos 10:45 que " Porque el Hijo del Hombre no vino para ser servido, sino para servir, y para dar su vida en rescate por muchos. Adicionalmente el Profeta Isaías escribió en Isaías 1:18: “Venid luego, dice Jehová, y estemos a cuenta: si vuestros pecados fueren como la grana, como la nieve serán emblanquecidos; si fueren rojos como el carmesí, vendrán a ser como blanca lana”, entonces aquí puedo presentarle que está es la misma justicia de Cristo ofrecida a todos los que vienen a él y confían en el hijo de Dios.

Confesemos a Él, nuestros pecados en este día de Resurrección para que se pueda cumplir en nuestras vidas ese perdón por nuestros pecados prometido en 1 Juan 1:9 y confirmado por la sangre derramada en aquella cruz.

Celebremos hoy la victoria de Cristo en nuestros nombres al vencer al pecado.

Amen