My Personal Road to Christianity

My Road to Christianity

Originally published on 12/21/09

Even as I youth I was always in search for the truth.

In keeping with the overall theme of my blog, for the next couple of posts I will write about how and why I found my way back to Christianity. I will start with my high school years. Like many teenagers I had internal questions about which was the true faith. Catholicism, although many will not agree, is still Christian, but it is Christianity in its rawest form. Unfortunately, it did not give me all the answers my spirit was seeking. Chicago is a spiritual melting pot and I was exposed to many beliefs which included faiths like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Islam.

Although I was born into it, Catholicism did not afford me guidance.

I studied with a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses for about two years. A high school friend introduced me to them. We would meet weekly in the Albany Park Library. But I never became a Witness because I saw many red flags about their teachings. First, they claim that all the translations of the Bible were wrong, except theirs. So you could not read any other version. Second, they played too much with the prophetic years of 1914 and 1975 and what they were prophesying never came to pass. Third, they did not want to be part of many traditions and customs of this world. You could not celebrate birthdays with birthday cakes because they considered it a pagan custom. Also, I have yet to see a Kingdom Hall building with any windows. What are they hiding? What gives??? Fourth, they did not believe in decorating your home with Christmas ornaments and/or Christmas trees. Fifth, they did not believe in blood transfusions--even to save a life because they believe that God forbade the eating of blood. When I raised the issue that eating involved the act of chewing and swallowing, and not eating through a vein, they did not agree. And neither did I agree with their beliefs. The organization makes millions of dollars a year.  I don’t understand why their followers fail to see this. So much for not wanting to be part of this world.

Soon after my break up with this group a different friend introduced me to Islam.

Why Am I a Christian?

Why am I a Christian?

Why not? Why shouldn't I be a Christian? I am a Christian because God has abundant grace. I fall everyday. But God never fails to pick me up. I am my own worst critic. I know sin is wrong but like an addict I keep taking it in. And like an addict I feel the all-consuming sting of guilt and remorse. To tell you I am perfect is not telling you the truth. That would be concealing a greater deception. A greater lie. I am imperfect. That is why I need Jesus Christ. His love and mercy restores the health of my soul. He forgives me and He never loses faith that one day...one majestic, merciful day... I will never fall again.

Coming Home

By Juan Fernandez

I have come home. No. I’m not referring to coming back home from the Philippines after a two months hiatus. I am referring to finally finding my ‘spiritual home‘. Today was my first time visiting The Moody Church in Chicago. I did not think that I was going to like it. But I did. After so many years of searching for a place of worship coming to Moody felt just right.

Appropriately Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer’s message was based on Acts-27-28, which described how Paul and his followers survived a very tumultuous storm in the sea. Dr. Lutzer stated that in our own lives we will always face storms that toss us around, from side to side, up and down. I felt that his message was speaking to me.

For many years I had been in a boat, roaming the sea aimlessly. Always enduring, suffering pain and anguish through many storms of my life. I traveled to many cities in the US, even other countries like Mexico and the Philippines, trying to find a place of worship I could call my own. Yet, I did not know that God always wanted me to come back home--to Chicago. The first time I saw The Moody Church was when I was 14 years old and I came to see Gremlins the movie, in the now closed Village Theater.

As I got older I would drive by this same neighborhood when going downtown. In 2004 my dream came true, I was part of a major art exhibit in the Chicago Historical Museum. Amazingly, four years earlier I attended the exhibit of my all time favorite artist, Norman Rockwell.

The Chicago History Museum as Moody Church casts a shadow

When I came to the Norman Rockwell exhibit there was Moody Church, just across the street. I remember gazing at the church building as I entered and left the museum. I cannot imagine how different my life would have been had I paid attention. Everything would have been so very different.

This is the bus ride that took me to the door steps of the Moody Church

But still I am so very happy. Overjoyed at the future prospects. I thank God for bringing me home…

“….Precious Lord, I love Your name, when I look back from whence I came;
Sometimes stumbling, sometimes falling, sometimes alone.
Friends and loved ones I love so dear---many are gone, but still I’m here.
Take my hand, precious Lord, and lead me on.”
---Thomas A. Dorsey

Exercise with True Results

Manila Skyline

I cannot believe I now weigh 155 lbs. When I first started this blog I documented that at 5' 7", I weighed in excess of 165lbs. That was back in the Spring. However much of my workout was done inside our apartment because the weather was terrible until last week, when it started to get warm. My basic "every-other-day" workout routine consisted of 300 steps, 100 sit-ups, 100 jumping jacks and 100 push-ups. A few times I was too lazy to even exercise. So last week I jogged 15 minutes everyday along the lake. What has been startling for me is that although I did exercise with my stepper, push-ups, and sit-ups, I really did not push myself. I'm happy with the results thus far. I'll maintain my weight at the point when I loose most of my "lovehandles".

On another note, we may be heading out to the Philippines some time soon. I hear that there are some new missionary outposts helping the natives. If I'm close enough to them I will visit and take some pics and report back.

Natural Healing Cures from God

I'm messed up--so to speak. Well, not too bad. It's just that I have a few physical conditions I need to shake up. I have a foot fungus and stretch marks I need to fix. As a teacher I work in an environment which does not help my nail infection heal. It has gotten better over the past few months, but when the hot weather comes around. Bang! It's like going to square one. Additionally when I was high school age I used to do a lot of sit ups. These sit ups created some nasty stretch marks on my back.

This morning when I noticed that my toe nail fungus was returning, I took some Vitamin E oil and drenched it. Additionally I used it on my stretch marks. Health nuts claim that it works. We'll see.

I know God has given us the cure to everything on this earth, but if we don't study the Bible and read it everyday, our spirituality, like our health, dwindles. So one lesson I learned is to keep at it.

This morning I also ordered a slew of health products:

Cinnamon--which is good for diabetes, inhibits bacteria growth, blood clots and arthritis
Garlic--fights fungus, hypertension, and vampires.
Arnica Cream--better than that autrocious stuff called Ben-Gay
Aloe Vera Gel--for styling my hair. I' no longer putting that crazy petroleum based gel made with cancer causing chemicals.

Toady we were invited to a Christina couples conference close by our house. We are going to learn about Christ and to strengthened our marriage. I hope to report what happened in my next post. Until next time

Virtues of a Christian Spouse

I used to go to a Korean church in Chicago that believed in arranged marriages. They called it “marriage by faith”. The way it worked was that your bible teacher or head pastor would recommend someone for you to marry and you were strongly encouraged to marry them. This Korean church was very authoritarian. They followed a Confucius concept of obeying. I did not believe in that. That is one of many reasons why I left this church. I always had the desire to marry someone that God placed in my path.

It was very important for me to marry a Christian woman. It really did not matter to me what denomination, as long as they were Christian and God fearing. As a Christian couple, like many other marriages, we go through our ups and downs. It is not easy. But I cannot imagine how much harder it is to marry someone who is not from your faith. It is even worse I believe, if they do not even believe in God. 

I married a Christian because of the following reasons.

Honesty, helpfulness and caring.

A calmer temperament.

Most likely no promiscuous behavior prior to marriage (although no one is perfect).

No alcohol or use of drugs

Not materialistic.

Faithful, loving, family oriented.

Prayerful

Most Christians should adopt the qualities of Jesus Christ. Jesus is loving, sacrificial, tender, peaceful, patient, kind, resolute and above all, forgiving. These are just a few of the qualities of a Christian spouse. To those who are seeking or young, do not rush things. Have faith in God. He will give you the desire of your heart. I got married in my early 30’s. It was God's time--the perfect time.

Addiction: Alcohol and Meth

Gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or intoxicants to the point of waste.

This past Wednesday, before going to work I had to stop by a Jewish school to get some books they were donating to our school library. I had to park in a parking meter but because I had no change with me to feed the meter I ran to the nearest Walgreen’s. To my dismay sitting in front of the store was a homeless young man begging for money. He was no older than 25 years, wearing black shorts and a gray shirt with stubble on his face. As I passed by him he asked me for money and when I ignored him he said something that perturbed me “God bless you sir.”

Upon my return I had to ask him about his situation. Normally I do not talk to people on the streets but I just needed to know why he was there. “What is wrong with you?” I asked him. “You are young and in this condition?” Thinking that he was going to try to lie he was instead very blunt. He told me he was a "meth" addict. His addiction had caused him to lose his job and his home. He also got thrown out of the rehab clinic and he was begging for money to support his eleven dollar a day habit. He said “I’m f---ed up, man.” I did not know what to say. I was thinking that he was just a lazy bum. But instead he had a very bad addiction that had ruined his life. Thoughts raced through my head. What would Jesus do in this case? How could Jesus help someone who was addicted to chemicals? It sounded like a very tough situation.

But then God made me think. Why am I judging this man? None of us are perfect. Most of us will not be addicted to illegal drugs. But I do not think anyone is exempt from being addicts to the things that cause us to sin and separate us from God. Even non-drug addictions have the potential to destroy our lives. Some people may be addicted to watching television, listening to music, gambling, drinking, eating, porn and even blogging. For sometime I too was caught in the clutches of addiction. It took me awhile before I managed to take control of my situation. I needed to identify my problem and then ask God to help me. At times reading the bible helped me a little. Going to church also helped me. But it was not enough. Then, all of a sudden I just had to turned to Jesus, as trivial as it may sound to some, that is what I did. I said, “Jesus, you are the only one that has the power to set me on the right track. I don’t know what else to do.” Up until this day whenever temptations start to lurk I just think about Jesus Christ and my temptations leave. It is true.

I was not able to share this with the young man because he saw a Chicago Police car and he had to leave the place or risk getting arrested. Although I did learn a valuable lesson. Even chemical addictions may sound too hard to overcome but God has power we cannot comprehend. A key verse that surmises all of this is Eph 5:18-20 which says "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” If we allow the Holy Spirit to help us, he will. He will keep all the bad addictions away.

I'm Not Sorry for Being a Christian!

I’m not going to apologize to anyone for being a Christian. For what? Why should I apologize to the world? Should I apologize for loving Christ because he died for my sins and he saved a wretched like me? Should I apologize for knowing Jesus Christ and experiencing great freedom deep within my heart and soul? Have I committed a crime for not compromising my faith, or reconciling it with other faiths?

Society as a whole has reprimanded us Christians by telling us not to wear Christianity on our sleeves. It is bad---they say. You might offend those that are not Christian. They say "don’t pray, don’t say to anyone at work or in the street that you are Christian." Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior openly preached in the streets. He was outnumbered, but he did not care about what the people would say. If Jesus was not apologetic, neither will I be!

People are being beaten publicly within an inch of their lives for petty legalisms. Unborn babies are being killed by the hundreds and thousands across the world. Kids are shooting each other in the streets. And we should apologize for being Christian? Let’s be for real! Let us shout to the world that we are Christian and that we follow the true Prince of Peace. Accept no cheap imitations!

Amen

The Swine Flu and Christianity

The first school in Chicago to report swine flu case.

With the spread of the H1N1 virus one of the things I have been thinking a lot about is infestations in the church. All the churches in Mexico have been closed. Some schools across the country have been closed as well. One of these schools is Kilmer Elementary in Chicago, which I might add is a few blocks away from where we live and reported the very first case of swine flu in Chicago. Loyola University which is also in Rogers Park had a student with swine flu. So these cases are really hitting home.

The last time I was in the Baptist Church of Rogers Park, we did the handshake thing, as well as communion, where people eat a small wafer and drink from small cups. When I was growing up Catholic back in the 70’s I would see about 100 people all drink ‘wine’ from the same cup! Even at that young age seeing that grossed me out. Maybe that is why I’ve never participated in Holy Communion. But then again what are other Christians to do during these times? I do not have an answer. Just many questions. I’ve been avoiding large gatherings like the plague--pun intended. Including church.

My Princess strolling through the courtyard.

About two years ago my daughter got very sick with what the doctor said was hand, foot, and mouth disease, caused by the Coxsackie virus. Seeing my princess suffer through such an ordeal broke my heart to pieces. She had painful blisters and a high fever for at least 5 days. When thinking about it, she either got it at the playground (highly unlikely because it was winter time) or the play toys in another church we used to attend. I was very upset to say the least. And that is the thing, most people are careless and inconsiderate. And unfortunately, we Christians are not exempt from these bad habits. We should know better. If I had a penny for every time I saw an adult sneeze or cough in front of me without covering their face I would be a rich man. Truly disgusting! If the swine flu becomes a true pandemic, God forbid, I hope people start getting arrested on the spot for spreading their germs.

It may sound trivial but President Barack Obama was right, the key to stopping the spread of these communicable diseases is for people to have common sense, common courtesy and at least a trickle of decency for hygiene. Just a trickle. Because asking for more is just asking for too much.

When I Ruled the World!

This morning while driving to work I was listening to the song Viva la Vida by Coldplay. I thought it was very apropos about my life. Funny how songs, even if they are secular speak about many truths. This song as I heard it brought to me so many memories, so many emotions of the past, some good, many bad.

Before totally accepting Christ I had become everything--I was an animal, peace and human rights activist, an environmentalist, community organizer---and exceptional butt kicker of injustices everywhere, or so I thought. The only thing I never did was pimp or sell drugs. (Thank God.) And when I was turning 27 years old or so, it all came to an end when I confronted a group of socialists. They wanted to stop me from making a public speech were I was going to make many references about Jesus Christ. I was not going to compromise Christ for anyone, including them! Karl Marx and his satanic minions could go back where they came from. I hope to write about my past life in future posts and as a Christian male how I came back to Christ. For now review, enjoy the song and its melodious lyrics.

Viva la Vida

By Coldplay

God is Bigger

Oh, no! The swine flu is starting to be called a pandemic. Hundreds of people have been infected, dozens have died and Mexico City has been completely shut down. The media has a nice way of scaring people don’t they? We know that these things must occur because the Bible said they would over 2,000 years ago. But we do not need to run in fear thinking that we are going to die. When I went to visit my fiancée the SARS epidemic was hitting Asia. No threat of a deadly virus was going to stop me from visiting my true love. I wore a mask to be cautious from California all the way to the Philippines. I did so because I did not know what else I could do. Years later I have found out that there is an answer for these pestilences. It is too obvious not to have noticed them. The Black Plague that swept across Europe killed millions of people. But not all of them died. There were millions of people that did not die.

Having good health is based on the measures we take to take care of ourselves. It does not surprise me that this swine flu started in Mexico City. Mexico City has the worst pollution of any other city in the planet. Pollution destroys the body’s ability to defend itself against deadly strains of viruses. Many medical doctors will say that there is no cure for these viruses. They say that virus cannot be killed. Below is a list of herbal supplements that have been reported to kill viruses and they are all natural. I’ve used many of them myself. Another thing that we should consider is that Jesus Christ, God, is bigger than any doctor, media conglomerate, the government and disease. He loves us so much that I believe in earnest that he has given us everything we need to fight sickness. Take precautions as needed and continue to worship our Lord and Savior.

Oregano Oil

Olive leaf extract

Cinnamon

Organic virgin coconut oil

Echinacea

Hypericum Mysorense and Hypericum Hookeranum
(don’t know what this is yet, but it was discovered in India)

Signs of Faith

When I repented and accepted Jesus Christ it happened very naturally. I did not see any heavenly sign or felt a metaphysical experience. As I was growing up, I was told by various groups that I would see a sign or that the heavens would literally open through a vision, a dream or feeling. I was hoping that it would happened, but it never did. One day, my schizophrenic friend told me to pray about it, to ask God for a sign. He asked me to pray an istikhara. I did. The following day he asked me “did you dream about anything“? I said, “no,” To his chagrin. He explained to me that most people of his faith saw the color green in their dreams. That would be God’s way of answering my prayers. I do not know why I was never privileged to experience these signs. (Actually, I do know but I am just being facetious.)

I remember reading how the teachers of the law were asking Jesus for a sign if he indeed was the Christ. Jesus told them in Matthew 16:4 “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign.” To me this means that God does not encourage the idea of sign seeking. And I believe that this is true because otherwise it would be too easy to be deceived by fake signs and visions, which I believe occur thousands of times a day throughout the world. When Jesus was being tested in the desert He said, “…Do not put the Lord your God to the test” Matthew 4:7.

Before my youngest nephew was born, members of my sister’s church believed wholeheartedly that they had seen a vision from God showing them that my nephew would instead be a niece--a baby girl. The doctor had already determined through an ultra sound that there was an 80% chance the baby would be a boy. But these women were so sure of their vision that for the baby shower, they even decorated the house all in pink. They caused such a scene that they chastised us for questioning their supposed vision. So when the new baby boy was born…their visions was proven false. And they were all left speechless. In 2 Corinthians 11: 14 the Bible says “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angle of light…”

I have therefore concluded that sign seeking has the potential to be self edifying. And it is therefore not the best way to build faith in God.

Schizophrenia and the Delusion of Religion

Today I have decided to write about a topic that afflicts many people but it is often very hard to diagnosed. And above all I believe it affects people who have very strong faiths. Today I am going to talk about schizophrenia. According to the Webster’s dictionary schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder characterized by loss of contact with the environment…expressed as disorder of feeling, thought (as delusions), perception (as hallucinations), and behavior. I believe that some of the greatest religious leaders in the world were afflicted with this brain disorder. Throughout history many people have claimed to have heard God speak to them or they have seen angels or other paranormal activity. Their belief in having these experiences are so real that persons affected with this illness cannot tell the difference between reality and delusion.

I had a friend once that used to tell me some very outlandish claims he swore to me they were true. To me of course they sounded so far fetched that there was no way I could possibly believe in them because there was no evidence to support his claims. One day he told that he had been a witnessed to a student being thrown out of a moving school bus in the middle of a highway. On another occasion he said that during one of his missions he had been asked to fly a helicopter, even though he had never taken any flying lessons! In spite of the fact that I drilled him about both stories---never admitted to me that they were false. And that is what a schizoid will always do--deny reality no matter how much evidence you present to them that it is false. My friend’s other side was that he was very devoted to his religion. He was ultra dedicated---many would say fanatical. Most schizophrenic people find refuge within their religion. To them their religion is very comforting. And it can be therapeutic, which is what they sometimes do need. However, there is a dangerous side to this. I believe that Jim Jones was a schizophrenic. He made thousands of people believe that his teachings, although contrary to the bible, were true and the only way towards salvation. It is very easy for the average truth seeker to fall prey to these wolves in sheep’s clothing. The bible says that in the last days, the very elect would be deceived by them.

Jesus Christ was a Man of sound mind, sound spirit and sound character. Jesus could have easily come to this earth and take advantage of every person. But instead he gave us unconditional love and a healthy mind to discern the truth from the many lies we would be exposed to. A healthy dose of Christian living is not delusional. True Christian living is grounded in reality.

Fruit of the Earth

A funny thing happened this winter. Actually it is not funny, but rather very revealing. I did not get sick with the flu. Every year it never failed. The flu bug would always put me out of commission for several days, even if I took vitamins. But this year, all I got was a mild cold. Then I realized that one lifestyle change I made was that I ate more fruit. Our daughter also got hit with the flu every year, but this year it was not that bad either. In my line of work I meet and greet over 1,000 people every week. Getting deathly ill was becoming a natural process of winter.

I believe that fruit began to get a bad rap when Adam and Eve ate fruit from the forbidden tree. Who is to say it was not Satan’s way to keep humankind from eating fruit so that their natural defenses would be weak? I even have a strong hunch that some fruit, like figs and apples may even cure deadly diseases such as cancer.

Other than the story of the Garden of Eden, I cannot recall fruit getting any bad publicity in the Bible. The word fruit actually is very good. Jesus said, “By their fruit you shall know them.” It applies to everyone. Including any future spouse being considered for life. If your potential mate is an alcoholic, or has violent predispositions, he will never change---unless of course he becomes a repentant Christian and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. In Jesus there will always be hope for a better tomorrow. Eat more fruit.

Mopping the Floor

I was down and out for the last two days due to a cold. I took care of it the best way I know how. I took herbal supplements like Echinacea and it was not as bad as it usually is. God is so good with us. He gave us the remedies to help us combat almost any ailment. The small setback however took me away from my exercise routine. So today when I felt better I mopped the entire apartment. Mopping is a very good form of exercise. As a matter of fact I timed myself and did a little research on the Internet to find out how many calories I burned. I used a couple of online calorie counters to find out that I had burned 265 calories. I was surprised I burned so many calories. The calorie counters are very good because they calculate your calories using a several factors such as your height, weight, and amount of time it takes to do your specific exercise. Through the calorie counter I found out that 10 minutes of shoveling snow burns as much calories as one hour of mopping! When I use my stepper the most I burn is about 30 calories per 20 minutes of exercise. I rinsed the floor and the mop several times. I like our floors to be very clean and not leave any residue. By doing this I believe I caught up with lost time. Later this week, I will weigh myself and see if I lost any weight. Just please remember that I am not doing this out of vanity. I just want to grow old gracefully and healthy. I want to live as long as God wants me to live.

God bless you.

Marriage: The Male Perspective

Our Wedding Bands

I got married at age 33. Contrary to popular belief--most normal men do want to get married and establish a happy family. A normal, stable family is every decent man's desire. That was one of my goals in life. I do not believe in the "live-in" concept. I am not a piece of meat. We do not want to marry women who are party girls. Party girls send us bad signals. We also want to marry women who are religiously healthy--women who love and fear the Lord. Many years ago a friend of mine who was a Jehovah’s Witness, gave me an ultimatum. She told me "If you love me. You will believe in MY religion." It would have been better for her to say, "If you love God and or Jesus Christ, I hope you will love me too." But she did not. I don't think she meant to cause any harm, but I never looked back.

However, for some men there is a rush to get married. The younger the better is the thought. If men are going to get married, they should not do it younger than 25 years. At this age, we are just starting to outgrow our childlike mentality. It’s true. When I finally met my lovely wife I knew it was the right time. When you preserve yourself from sin and great temptation not only are you doing it for your spiritual well-being, but you are also doing it for your future family. God will bless you tremendously for it.

A Gloomy Day

Loyola Park Beach, Rogers Park--Chicago IL

In being true to my very first post, today I exercised for about 30 minutes. Our apartment/condo is very small. So I don't have the weights or tread mills necessary to get a true workout. What I do have is three portable exercise machines--a stepper, push up handles, and the Ab Rocker, which my wife bought for me as a gift a few months back. They do the job of giving me a good work out.

Loyola Park Beach, Rogers Park--Chicago IL

I should have taken the time to go for a jog, since this is the first day of my Spring Break, but the day was cold, windy and very gloomy looking. We live steps away from Lake Michigan and reports estimate that the waves were as high as 10 feet. It is not my ideal weather to job, or surf. (Incidentally, when the weather is better I have seen some people try to surf and para sail on the lake. Doesn't quite work like Hawaii, but people still keep trying!)

Loyola Park Beach, Rogers Park--Chicago IL

Before I knew Christ, these gloomy days would really affect me in a bad way. My spirit would also be gloomy. Now that I know Christ, He is the sunlight in my heart. I am not kidding. I sure wish, Spring behaved like Spring, but God is the source of my happiness. Nothing can get me down.

Trampled Upon

"And we thank God continually because when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, you accept it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe."---1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

I went back to church after several months of inactivity. I consider myself a non-denominational Christian but I usually visit the Rogers Park Baptist Church, willingly. I don't feel pressured when I come to this church...I feel as if they let me be me. Today was Palm Sunday and I did not even know it. That is what you call an atypical Christian.

I have the desire to become a better husband and a better father, a better follower of Christ. We however are always being bombarded by temptation and sin. This modern society has it harder than the ancients, I believe. Wherever a person may go you can't escape it! Television, billboards, the Internet. There is sin large and in living color. About two weeks ago our four year old daughter reminded us about going to church. She sounded very disappointed when we did not go. And I felt bad because I let her down. It was almost as if God was telling me to go to church, if not for me...at least for her sake, our daughter's sake.

As I sat there I could not help to notice that the more I visit churches the more I like the songs they sing. One of the songs that was very meaningful to me went like this: Crucified, laid behind a stone. You lived to die rejected and alone like a rose trampled on the ground, you took the fall and thought of me, above all!

Trying to live according to God's standard is hard. It gets even harder when you try your best to help people, but even your best is not enough. Whether it is at work, at home or even in the street. People are always on the defensive. This is a thankless society. The nicer you are the more they trample on you. But I guess that is what Jesus did for us. He was the first to take the fall for us so that we may be saved. I have the belief and faith that change is possible.