Christian Male/Hombre Cristiano/基督教男子/क्रिश्चियन आदमी/رجل مسيحي/

Tim Tebow: Standing Up for Christ!

2011-12-16T23:53:00.006-06:00

Tim Tebow, Public Domain, United States Army

Tim Tebow is doing something that most Christians are afraid to do---to publicly stand up for God. When Tebow was born I was entering high school. 24 years later...God has created a phenom no one was expecting. Tebow's life story is quite amazing...his mother got sick while pregnant in the Philippines and she refused to abort him. Years later God has shown how he rewards the faithful. Every time he does something amazing on the football field, Tebow kneels down with one knee and prays. He is not afraid of being ridicule or criticized. He has said to public outlets that his expression of faith is part of his way of life. His "Tebowing' is going global. I pray that God may continue to use this young man for his glory and that he may protect his steps wherever he goes. This old geezer is being inspired by a new modern day hero. Thank you for teaching me not to be ashamed. I pray to God that I too can find the courage to stand up for God.

My Hernia Story (DRAFT)

2011-11-30T22:43:00.008-06:00

This is the story of my hernias and how I came to treat them.

One day, where I work, I was asked to move some library furniture...and I did. I was told by my principal that we would be creating two new branch libraries that would be extensions of the main library. After the two beautiful libraries were created we broke for summer vacation. It was during our vacation when I started feeling intense pain on my lower abdomen---aching pain that would not go away. The pain was a nuisance. But because it would not go away, I prayed to God to help me find a away to diagnose what I had. Soon enough I was looking through the Internet for a urologist. When I thought I had found one in Chicago I called the office and set up an appointment. Somehow I had set up an appointment with a urologist located in North Lake, Illinois---not Chicago. But I thought "Oh, well. It must be God's way of guiding me to the right path."

It was late August when I went to see Dr........ At his office I was rather shy. But I mustered the courage to tell him my problem. After a second or so he told me the big news. He said to me I had a hernia---that he could feel it as I coughed and it pressed down my abdomen. I was dumbfounded. But relieved that it was nothing more serious. Just when I was beginning to get calm he told me something else. Dr. ----said I actually had two hernias. I chuckled and thought to myself, "two for the price of one." "Oh, boy. Now what will I do?" I thought. Dr.----told me not to be too worried that he had one himself until he got it fixed and that over time the pain had gone away. So Dr.... referred me to another general surgeon in the same suburb, whom I went to see and within less than a week he was going to do the procedure--the dreaded double hernia patch!!! I was thankful to God for having PPO Insurance.

Once I was admitted into the hospital, I was prepped up. I changed to the hospital clothes, and was nervous about the whole thing. The nurses noticed my emotion and tried to calm me down. At nearly 40 years old they reassured me that I would be alright since I was fairly young and still in very good health. They injected a couple of drugs to calm me down and for me to go under local anesthesia..but I still passed out..or went to sleep. From that point on I do not remember a thing. Except that I remember being wheeled back into the recuperating room. The procedure itself only took 45 minutes, and in less than an hour I was riding back home. As I left the hospital I felt real good. No pain whatsoever. It was not until a day later had passed that I really started feeling all the pain associated with this procedure.

Stayed tuned for the second half and visuals..............

The Christian Cross

2011-11-12T23:15:00.005-06:00

Today, while attending the Persecuted Christians: Affliction or Privilege? The Impact of Islam in the East and West Conference at Moody Church, I was saddened to hear how a 17 year old boy named Ayman Nabil Labib was killed in Egypt by his classmates and teachers for refusing to take off his Christian cross. What in the world is happening to people? Do people hate the symbols of Christianity so much that a small cross offends them? This incident reminds of the time when my classmates laughed at me for having a pocket size bible.

I also heard in the conference how Christians in the United Kingdom are being discriminated upon for the same reasons. They are afraid to come out and profess their faith in public. But we must be brave and courageous to take a stand. We as Christians should not hide from the world who we are. We must come out and show the world that we are Christians and we are proud---proud to be Christians and have Jesus Christ live in us. It has been years that I do not wear a cross. But if people hate Christ so much all the more I will show them that I am not ashamed of the Gospel or Jesus Christ. There is a great web sites that sells wonderful silver jewelry and I highly recommend it. http://www.solarisclyzyfashionsquare.com/ I will be buying a cross directly from them.

How Do You Remember 911?

2011-09-10T08:32:00.010-05:00

Public Domain Photo. U.S. Department of Defense.

How do you remember September 11? This is how I remember it---

Dead bodies. Dead and dismembered bodies laid everywhere. As I was walking through the devastation, my soul could not comprehend the horrific cruelty and lose of life I was seeing in front of me. I was shaking with dread asking who could have done this to other human beings? Many of the dead were Mexican, and as one of their race…I thought to myself who would hate Mexicans enough to kill them so merciless? It hit me very hard. All of a sudden, I woke up from this nightmare. But like the biblical visions of old, I felt as if it was a warning of a future time to come.

The day before 911 as I was driving to work, I looked up at the beautiful sunny and peaceful sky. It was so peaceful and still….it was unnerving. For whatever reason, time seemed to have slowed down. I noticed that even the pigeons streaking across the sky were flying in slow motion. How odd? I thought. But, like the millions of Americans, for me the day before 911 was just like any other day.

The next morning Fox 32 was reporting a crash of an airplane into one of the towers. The rest became part of history. Because of 911 my perceptions of life and faith have changed forever. Human cruelty in the name of God convicted my heart beyond understanding. As fate would have it. A month or so later I was invited to attend a seminar at Yale University. 911 was still very fresh in our minds. With a school colleague we ditched Connecticut that night and we took the train into New York.

It was my first time ever being in New York. I had always wanted to visit due to my youthful fascination with superhero lore. So we visited Ground Zero and the post devastation I saw was surreal. I was speechless. As I was standing looking into the big empty hole, how I wish I could have had real superpowers to rescue the people. How I wish I could have stopped the buildings from falling, or stopped the airplanes from crashing. But the only realization I got from paying my respects at Ground Zero was how utterly useless I was to do anything about it. Thank God for my Christian faith. Thank God that in spite of the hate someone may show me, as a Christian I must still demonstrate love and forgiveness.

It really makes me wonder how other people are dealing with the Dreadful Day of 911. How do you remember September 2011? How did it change your life?

You Too Can Experienced Powerful Prayer

2011-09-05T07:38:00.008-05:00

Public Domain "Jesus praying to God the Father in Gethsemane," Heinrich Hofmann, 1890.

On Sunday July 31, we finally took Moody Church’s offer to walk down to the pulpit and ask one of the prayer partners to pray for us. As a family we were going through a lot of uncertainty: I was due for bilateral hernia surgery, had problems at work, and my wife’s childhood friend back in the Philippines had lupus. My wife was very worried about her friend. She was expecting the worst. When faced with these kinds of dilemmas you can’t take it anymore and want some kind of divine intervention. So I asked my wife if we could go down after the service to have one of the prayer partners to pray for us.

So we walked down the aisle and I asked a sister who was in casual conversation with another brother that we needed prayer. She couldn't pray for us at that moment so she asked someone else, who was also engaged in casual conversation and we were told to wait. Feeling a little uncomfortable I told my wife to forget about the whole thing and leave. Seeing my discouragement my wife asked me to wait. She looked around and saw a young man, in casual attire, doing prayer with others. After we waited for our turn my wife asked him if he could pray for us. Bob, who was his name did not hesitate. As we bowed down our heads for prayer and he started to pray it felt that he was right on target with each request. (And at the end of his prayer I told him that.) We thanked him for his graciousness and we all departed feeling a little bit better.

I am very happy to testify that my surgery went better than expected, we have a new network leader at work which looks like it is for the best, because after introducing her self to the staff she said “I know God sent me here, “ and my wife found out that her friend did not have lupus!! For me the last one was hard to believe, because my wife was very sure her friend had lupus and because all of the telltale symptoms of lupus wer there, and her original tests by different doctors revealed she had lupus. But when she went to her final test--it came back negative! It totally blew me away.

I am so grateful to God for intervening in our lives. We can face tomorrow with greater hope that he is within the sound of our voice. I am also thankful for Bob, who was there at the right place and the right time to pray for us.

Asia Bibi: Christian Mother Condemned to Die

2011-08-29T22:44:00.007-05:00

It is not often I get political. As a matter of fact I don't like politics. But this is not about politics. This is about how the whole world is turning a blind eye to the persecution of Christians. Christian persecution is very real. Hundreds, if not thousands of people are under the threat of execution because they are Christian. One such person is the mother--Asia Bibi. I'm posting this so that any one who comes across this blog as a frequent reader or accident can take action and sign the petition to save her life. Please watch the video about this courageous Christian woman and her family. God bless you. Pass the word around and let us help save her.....

The Passing of a Good Friend

2011-07-16T22:30:00.007-05:00

1948-2011

The passing of my good friend Bernardo Peña has been very hard. I can't believe he is gone. He passed away on the morning of July 4 after heart surgery. A day after my wedding anniversary. July 8, 2011 was his funeral. I'm writing this because his memory should not be forgotten and it will not. It would be a travesty of justice not to remember him. Ben, or "Gozilla' as many of his close friends knew him, was so full of life and joy. He always brought a smile to a person's face. And he cared so much for everyone. Young or old. He was always looking out for the best interests of others. As an educator and school administrator, you don't have people like him anymore.

Teaching is such a rewarding experience. But in today's environment people would not bat an eye to throw you under the bus. Ben however was a fighter and hero of the underdog. He had such a wit for legal issues nobody could mess with him. Oddly enough we began to 'bond' around 2000. Four years after I began working at the school. But once we connected it was as if we had been long lost friends. That year as I was ready to go for summer break he asked me in the school's office about what I was planing to do. Surprised and hesistant that anyone would ask me that I told him I would be going as a short-term missionary to Mexico. At that point he told me that he too was Mexican and he was originally born in Arizona. He always referred to himself as BP Arizona--including "Godzilla 1,2, 1, 2". (When he said that I would jokingly tell him, "What you forgot to count to three?")

The first time I got into the car with him I was shocked by how wreckless he drove. I still remember the drive east on Foster Avenue with the a U2 song playing full blast. Overtime at my request his driving calmed down considerably. It was a sign that although he was always very jovial and friendly--he lived his life on the fast lane. He would often tell me he drove aimlessly acrosss the states, and then would come back home to Chicago before the break of dawn. Driving was his passion. But I deduced that it was a sign that he was trying to run away from something else. As a youth he had a real rough life. He had a lot of bent up remorse and frustration stemming from his past. Overtime I counseled him---asking him to let go of the past and forgive those that hurt him--even though it was hard. I was only able to do that because I would always appeal to his Christian faith. He studied theology in college. So he knew what I was talking about. If as Christians we cannot forgive others, as Christ taught us, we ourselves can never be free. He always told me how much he appreciated me. But he in turn also gave me invaluable advice. He always told me--"Homie, don't underestimate yourself. Do not let anyone take advantage of you. Your work is under valued and unappreciated. Don't let anyone abuse you." Valuable advise I will never forget.

The next summer he asked me what I was going to do. When I told him I was planning to go to Lake Jackson, Texas to visit the gravesite of Selena Quintanilla Perez, he asked me if he could come with me. When I agreed he laid out a well thought out plan. He also addeded another state to the list, California. This was very memorable. When we got to Houston Texas, we rented a car and drove all the way to Lake Jackson. We were looking for the Days Inn Hotel, were Selena was shot. We had no clue and no map--mind you GPS was not available. And then I never realized Lake Jackson was such a huge metropolis with winding highways going across the entire city. I thought, "Where are we going to exit?" After several minutes of driving--I just went on instict, I told him turn right. And a few other streets we turned---and lo and behold we stopped exactly at the Days Inn Hotel. It was amazing! Because we got there past midnight--we freaked out the reception lady. We probably looked like a couple of serial killers. We asked her if this was the hotel where Selena was shot, and when she confirmed our guess, we told her we would be staying. During these few days we visited Selena's grave, her monument near the ocean, her school and her boutique and museum (which we spent hours trying to locate). On one occasion there was a floating sea food restaraunt where he wanted us to eat. He was very excited about ordering all kinds of sea food. When I ended up ordering a burger for myself--instead of sea food, his jaw dropped and he flipped! He could not believe it.

From there we went on to Los Angeles. We caught the release of the movie Fast and the Furious. We also visited Universal Studios--which is overrated. And we drove to San Juan Capistrano, where my mom's relatives lived. I did not bring any of their addresses, and I really did not want to visit them. But I walked along the park streets---thinking that my grandfather who had died a few years earlier would have walked those same streets. We also visited Sea World in San Diego and from there we went to Tijuana, Mexico. We were also very close to Ben's sister, who lived in the area. When I told him we should visit her, he said---"No, she is going to kill me that I did not let her know I was coming." (Jokingly I would always threatened Ben that I was going to tell his sister about the trip.) He would always freak out. She never found out.

Suffice to say my friend Ben leaves a big legacy behind. There was no one else with a heart as big as his. His memory will endure forever. I will always remember the following sayings he made popular.

“Every time, I hit my pockets, sand flies out.”

“Today, I took a bath.”

When asked how he was in the morning he would always reply “Sleepy.”

When pretending to be angry he would say “Let's take this outside.”

“Don't leave the country.”...

Sadly he did. The last time I went to visit him at Swedish Memorial Hospital he told me that he did not want to die. He felt that there was still a lot more things to do. He was very hopeful his heart procedure would work. Sadly I was told he passed away while recuperating in the ICU. A few days before, my most fondest memory of them all was that we prayed together in the name of Jesus Christ for what would be the last time.

Rest in peace brother and see you in paradise...

Vitriol from the Rocking Chair

2011-06-25T10:28:00.011-05:00

Before I begin a response to Chuck Colson's commentary "Pro-Child, Pro-School" published on June 9, 2011, I will have to admit that sometimes his commentary is insightful. But every so often while listening to his Breakpoint commentary I can't help to think that he is off his literal rocker. And in his commentary regarding public education reform, he totally fell off! So I did a little research on Colson and was surprised to find out that he was one of the original seven implicated in the Watergate Scandal of Richard Nixon. How many sincere Christian know that? That explains his right-wing political views that do not reflect Christianity or the teachings of Christ. And that is how you truly come off Chuck: A deceiver using the Word of God to support your political views.

In your education reform commentary you are completely out of touch with reality. Perhaps it is senility. Perhaps it is dementia. Teachers are not against education reform. Teachers are against Big Business coming in and taking over an American institution every citizen has a right to---which is high quality public education. Your commentary generalizes and paints all teachers as being bad. Is every policeman a bad cop? Is every doctor a bad doctor? The answer is emphatically, NO!

Furthermore, have you ever stepped inside a classroom? I'm not talking about a classroom in the Hampton's or Beverly Hills. I'm talking about a classroom in an inner-city school such as New York and Chicago? I don't think you ever have. The real reason why students are not learning is because of socio-political reasons. About one-third of students in every classroom come from broken homes, broken families. And the number is increasing. Did you hear the story about the two children who witnessed their aunt being raped by an uncle and she in-turn killed him with a knife to the throat? Have you hear of parents using crack cocaine while their children are trying to do their homework? Or the story about a father or mother abandoning the family? Can a child learn under those circumstances? Society today is not a Leave-it-to-Beaver, Walton family wonderland.

And who is in the trenches, day in and day out? The teachers of the inner-city! Did you even know that 80% of the teachers who teach in the inner city are Christian? If they left public schools it would mean the end of American society---the very one you profess to love. The teachers who are currently teaching in public schools are there because they really care for the students. They nurture a hurting child. They provide the support that a child desperately needs to survive and does not get at home. Your "Pro-Child, Pro-School' commentary was an attack to those children and their teachers.

And as far as Unions and teachers supporting the so-called "status-quo"? That is a bunch of baloney. The status quo is not determined by them, it is determined by elitists like Bill Gates, your new hero, and political pundits such as yourself.

The Super Christian in YOU!

2011-05-30T10:59:00.007-05:00

Public Domain, Fleschier Superman, 1940

Superman is a Christian. I just realized this earlier this week. True, he was created by two Jewish boys--but like every person on this earth he was converted into Christianity. Everything Superman does and believes in is Christian. Superman believes in protecting everyone. There is no evil in his heart. His forgiveness is Christ-like. No other superhero has such a high moral character. It is against Superman’s nature to lie and he always tells the truth. And just like Jesus Christ, Superman is willing to sacrifice himself, even his own life to save the life of others. To my knowledge his comic book creators have never acknowledge his Christianity---but they never had to. Like a true Christian Superman’s way of life, what he has practiced all of his life, is Christian.

His powers also show his connection to Jesus. Superman can walk on water, just like Jesus did. Superman can move at superhuman speeds. In one instance Jesus Christ, without a boat, beat his disciplines in crossing the other side of the sea. Superman can turn coal into a diamonds. Jesus Christ turned water into wine. Jesus once said that with great faith a person can move a mountain. Superman moves mountains. When Superman died at the hands of Doomsday, he came back to life; just like Jesus was resurrected after his crucifixion.

And what about that big iconic S symbol on his chest? His symbol are two fishes drawn next two each other. A fish is a symbol which represents Christianity. Additionally, the S represents Savior, Saved, Salvation, Son, Spirit, and Sacrifice. Above all the symbol represents “hope”. Just like the cross of Jesus which represent life, hope, love and peace. The great difference is that Superman is a fictional character. Jesus Christ is real. When life is to hard to handle. When I cannot take the pain and suffering anymore, I can turn to Jesus Christ with great confidence and He will rescue me. There is no other superhero like Jesus Christ---not even a superman.

Christians With Superpowers

2011-05-25T16:39:00.005-05:00

Christians with Superpowers

As a kid I used to think that having superpowers would be the coolest thing. Most boys imagine themselves flying like Superman, or having a sixth sense like Spider-Man. It turns out that most Christians do have powers, but they are called Spiritual Gifts. I honestly did not know about this until I took the class “Discovering Your Gifts” at Moody Church. These spiritual gifts are wisdom, healing, leadership, prophecy, wisdom, discernment, faith, teaching, miracles, word of knowledge, interpretation, and mercy---just to name a few of the 23 that are described in the Bible by the Apostle Paul and others.

After completing several assessments I discovered I had up to five gifts/powers! I have the spiritual gifts of discernment, word of knowledge, mercy, faith and creativity. The description of each is as follows---

Discernment: To distinguish between truth and error. Differentiating between good and evil, right and wrong. Christians who have this gift are able to identify deception. They can recognize inconsistencies in a teaching, prophetic message or interpretation. They are also able to sense the presence of evil. (Ooooh! This is probably the coolest.)

Word of Knowledge: Brings the truth to the body through a revelation or biblical insight. Christians who have this gift are able to search the Scriptures for insight, understanding and truth. They gain knowledge that is not attained by natural observation or means. They are inquisitive and spiritually sensitive.

Mercy: To cheerfully and practically help those who are suffering or in need, having compassion that is moved to action. Christians who have this gift concern themselves with individual or social issues that oppress people.

Faith: Act on God’s promise with confidence and unwavering belief in God’s ability to fulfill his purpose. These Christians go forward when others will not. They ask God for what is needed and trust him for his provision.

Creativity: Ability to communicate God’s truth in a variety of art forms.

I tend to believe these choices are true of me because I would have wanted to have the gift of healing, or performing miracles--but the assessments did not score these high enough. Additionally I did not know or want the gifts of mercy or creativity---but they showed up very high on the independent assessments made by three people who know me.

Several points the teacher made clear was that these gifts are given to Christians after they receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. They do not manifest themselves before conversion. They are also meant to glorify God and not ourselves. So after all, I do have my own spider-sense! That means that no one should try to pass any wool over my eyes. What do you think?

Day Against Christophobia

2011-05-18T00:09:00.007-05:00

International Day Against Christophobia May 18, 2011

Public Domain, Father Miguel Pro executed by Mexican Government on November 23, 1927

I cannot take the hypocrisy anymore. I cannot just sit here and not try to do anything about what is happening to our values, and families as Christians. Today, I openly declare that it is the International Day Against Christophobia--- the fear, discrimination and intolerance against Christians.

As Christians we do not hate anyone. Jesus Christ clearly told his followers to love one another, including those that hate us. If we speak against an immoral acts or behaviors, we disapprove of the act or behavior, not the person. But many groups have taken upon themselves to misinterpret the tenements of our faith.

There is a world wide movement against Christians sweeping the globe. Christians are not permitted to talk openly about their faith. Secular society is quick to stop Christians from professing their faith to others for fear of offending non-Christians. But no matter where you go in the United States, whether you are a Buddhist, Hindu, or Wiccan--nobody tells these and other religious groups from showing-off their faiths.

As Christians we know that we will face persecution in many forms but as the body of Christ we are all one. The Bible says that if one part suffers the whole body suffers. So if you are a Christian, or sympathize with Christianity in the most remote sense, let us come together and start our own movement to bring awareness that Christian persecution must stop all over the world.Please spread the world, share this movement with all of your church groups, friends and family members. Because Christians come in many different denominations, races, and walks of life, wear any color ribbon turned horizontally either to the right or left because it resembles the Christian fish symbol. Wear your ribbon every day of the year, because Christian persecution is daily and will culminate every May 18. Thank you. Be blessed in Jesus Christ!!

Facts against Christians

Vandalism--churches are burned, defaced, or broken into.
Violence--Christians are beaten, or killed for believing in their faith.
Music---death metal, pop, often declare hatred against Christ, the Church or Christians
Government--Over 50 countries have laws written in their Constitutions banning the practice of Christianity.

Statistics Against Christianity

150,000 Christians are killed world wide for their faith.
75 out of every 100 people killed for religious hatred are Christian.
Over 1 million children are the victims of Christian persecution.

Countries that persecute Christians the most

North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Maldives, Yemen, Iraq
Uzbekistan, Laos, Pakistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan, China, Cuba, Egypt

© 2011 All Rights Reserved JFS

God's Joy

2011-03-30T23:19:00.005-05:00

Last week’s performance of Jennifer Hudson on American Idol was mind-blowing. I did not know she could deliver a song with such power and raw emotion. For me the best line of her song of “Where You At” is when she sings “And I stood there... in the freezing cold! And I waited for you, but you never showed.”

It gave me a deep realization that when all is said and done, we will all come to experience that feeling of abandonment. But at the same time---when we place God first, He will never abandon us. I am so happy also because last Saturday I felt an overwhelming rush of warm emotions cursing through my body. My wife, our daughter and I went for a 3D ultrasound of our second child. Seeing our baby’s tender face made everything worthwhile. I am elated with love and awe. God has always been so good to me. I told my wife the other day---I am the most blessed man in the world--to have you, our daughter and now our boy. Thank you God for all the blessings. Through all the trials and tribulations we’ve endured we can’t wait to see the birth of our newest baby.

My Comic Book Project

2011-01-22T21:23:00.007-06:00

As a public school teacher I have seen first hand when there is no God in a child’s family. The reason why education is so dismal is because many of our children come from broken homes. The numbers are quite staggering. We have children that come from single family homes, one or two parents may be in jail, they may be abused by their caretakers, or drugs and violence is the norm. These situations are prevalent in all public schools. The bright side to this is that the Gideons have a ministry were they distribute pocket size bibles to high schools across the United States. Not only do they leave bibles in hotel rooms, but they also target high schools. Because of this a few years ago I contact the Gideons to see if they could distribute these bibles outside of our elementary school. To my utter dismay they told me that they could not! “What?" I thought. “How could this be?”

I begged them to reconsider. I could not shake them. It made no sense to me that they only passed out bibles for high school students but totally excluded elementary schools. This was a couple of years ago and it has always been in the back of my mind. That is why before I launch my full fledged career as a comic book creator the first thing I am going to do is make a comic book about Jesus Christ. To date I have finished three pages. God gave me the foresight to do what the Gideons were not willing to do. I am glad it had to happened this way because if God gave me the talent to illustrate it should be used to glorify Him.

But I do need a lot of prayer so that I can continue to work on the next 21 pages. So please pray for me that I can finish this work. Sometimes there are too many distractions. Sometimes there is no time. And sometimes I am too tired to open up my computer. I am posting the second page of the comic book for your feedback. The story will be a biographical account of Jesus' miracles. I have to finish the other pages. Thank you for your encouragement. God bless you.

Christian Warrior

2011-01-16T21:08:00.010-06:00

It is official. Today I became a member of Moody Church. About 15 of us were publicly welcomed in front of the congregation. God meant this to happened. Unbeknownst to me, last night before I went to sleep, I picked up my bible and randomly turned to the book 1st Peter. I even read it out loud to my wife and daughter as we laid in bed. As I read it, it dawn upon me that it was God speaking to me about my upcoming church membership. I kept telling my wife, “Wow. Peter is deep. I never knew he was this deep. Very deep.”

Fast forward to this morning. As I sat in front of the congregation, I opened the Church bulletin and lo and behold! Pastor Lutzer’s message was going to be about 1 Peter!! “Oh my,” I thought. to myself. “What are the chances that the same book I was reading last night, would be the lesson for this Sunday?” It was no coincidence. My wife too was very surprised. She thought I had preplanned it. But I reassured her that I did not know in advance..

And it was no coincidence that Pastor Lutzer said that we are living in an era of dire times. The moral fabric of this country is crumbling “as the levies during Katrina.” Additionally he said (and I have always believed it) Christianity is under attack by all worldly forces. Everyone who is not a Christian is offended by Jesus Christ.

I used to be obsessed about standing up for defending our civil liberties, but by the year 2000 I had lost all of my spunk. Over the years I tried to dig deep and bring back my fighting spirit. But I was never able bring it back no matter how hard I tried to will myself. But after today, I feel its resurgence. God was saving it for this moment. I am once again feeling the “power of the Spirit.” I feel as if there is nothing I can’t do! The Apostle Paul said that Christians are fighting against principalities and unseen forces. This is a spiritual war. We are heading towards a head-on collision with the coming storm. I was born for battle. This Christian Warrior is ready.

New Year's Baby Boy

2011-01-01T11:33:00.002-06:00

This past Thursday we were elated to learn that our unborn baby would be a boy. God blessed us with a baby girl that is now 5 years old. We tried to have another one within the past two years but we suffered two miscarriages. We were very afraid to get pregnant again and when we did we were on pins and needles.

Our main concern when my wife had the ultrasound was that the baby had all of its fingers and toes. Whether or not it was a boy or girl didn’t matter as much. Ideally we did want a boy but we left it up to God.

But deep within my heart I always knew that our next baby would be a boy. About two months ago I had a dream where I met a little boy. When I saw this baby boy in my dream I did not recognize him, but some instinct told me that it was my son. My dream was similar to the promo of the Adam Sandler movie “Big Daddy.” In my dream, out of nowhere a small boy stood next to me. I think it was God’s way to telling me that he would answer our prayers and give us a boy.

We are so excited. Our baby is scheduled to be born sometime in mid May. We are frantically looking for a very special name. We will pray to God to help us find a very meaningful name that will glorify Him.

Church Membership Interview

2010-12-14T17:23:00.005-06:00

On December the 5^th I finally made it to my membership interview for Moody Church. It felt like the culmination of a lifetime came full circle. The interview was very straightforward. The most important question was also the most memorable. The deacon asked me, “If you were to die today, why should God allow you to go to heaven?” My answer was “I believe in Jesus Christ. If I can’t make it through Jesus Christ, then there is no other way.”

I was told that my name would go on the bulletin for a couple of weeks before I was presented as a new member. I have no rush. I’ve waited a lifetime for this moment. I feel very good about joining Moody Church. Moody Church is different and it is the kind of church all other churches should be like. No one forced me to join. No one was pressuring me or breathing down my neck trying to convince me to join. No one intimidated me that I would be going to hell if I did not join them. No one told me that Moody was the best church there is. For me it is about no more cults, no more false teachers, or deceptions. Since I was kid many wolves in sheep's clothing came wanting to devour me, but all these years God kept them at bay.

I will pray that God guides me in this new phase in my life and that God uses me to continue to share his love and saving grace with others.

My Greatest Regret!

2010-02-21T13:10:00.004-06:00

MY GREATEST REGRET!

When I was a young man, I experienced many regrets in my life. But no regret is greater that the regret of not dedicating my life to serving God and doing his work. Actually, I do not regret losing my friends or missing the big time career opportunities. I don’t regret becoming a world famous artist---my life long dream. What eats me deep inside is that when I was young I wasted so much valuable time not serving the Lord.

It is not like I did not have the chance to do so. I had many chances, but I blew them all off! Reflecting on my past, I was so blind! My eyes were literally blindfolded and I did not even know it. I can’t believe it. I was so utterly dumb. I was drowning in a pool of my own sinful idleness. I look back and think that I could have done so much to serve the Lord. I should have listened. And my deepest regret comes from knowing that I cannot turn back the clock. If I were young again, I would rewrite history. How I wish I can do that now. But I can’t.

If I could give some advice to young people between the ages of 18-30, it would be “don’t waste your time with friends, going out, listening to secular music, or admiring false idols.” Don’t waste your time in getting involved in activities that do not lift up the Lord. The Preacher in the Bible said everything in life was vanity. He was so right. All of the things that preoccupy young people are a complete waste. Meaningless. Today, I am hoping it is still not too late to make up for lost time.

Christian Freedom-Personal Road to Christianity Part IV

2010-01-24T23:52:00.013-06:00

Christian Freedom

I felt like a prisoner!

Today my family went to evening church service. The sermon was based on Colossians 2:16-23. One thing that I like about Moody Church is that the pastors don’t try to insult your intelligence. Pastor Eric Naus’ sermon focused on the importance of rituals. For me, in any religion I came across, rituals were a stumbling block. For me, rituals were and are a great hindrance. In this passage the Apostle Paul addressed the importance of rituals---

16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day….
20Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

During my years of spiritual struggle I came across different faiths demanding their followers to observe and place too much importance on rituals. Some did not want me to take blood transfusions; others did not want me to eat pork; others wanted me to write up a personal testimony, share it with someone, and attend bible studies every day of the week; others wanted me to pay a guilt offering so that God would forgive me for my sins, and others did not want me to miss a day of worship service or Sabbath. (On top of that I was expected to eat kimchi and like it!) And God help me if I failed to observe any of these rituals! I knew in my heart something was wrong. Such high expectations placed too much pressure on me. I began to feel like a slave to the church leadership. I felt that I was shackled with a wrecking ball. I could not move or even breath. I would remember that Jesus said that his yoke would be light. If that was supposed to be true it sure did not feel like it!

Free at last. Free at last. Thank God all mighty, I am free at last!

Back in 2001 I broke away from all of these shackles. No one was going to force me to do anything I did not feel comfortable with. This was the year I broke away from many of these legalistic rules and regulations imposed by humans. If Christ himself did not imposed them, why would I need to observe them? I had won my freedom.

The Gift of God

2009-12-19T07:22:00.011-06:00

Public Domain , "The Deposition" Caravaggio 1604
THE GIFT OF GOD

This past December 13, we attended The Moody Church’s 38th Annual Christmas Festival. It was a very pleasant evening of song and praise. I felt very good about enjoying this moment of worship with my family and over 2,000 other Christians. It was our family’s first. Yet, the most meaningful moment for me was when pastor, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, shared a story with us. Dr. Lutzer told us that in an African village, there was a great fire which was burning down a hut. In the burning hut was a baby. The fire occurred at night time and it was very dark. Just when the baby was going to be burned alive, a man risking his own life, ran into the hut and rescued the baby. In the morning many people came wanting to adopt the child. One wise man said that he should be the one to adopt him. Another wealthy man said that he should adopt the baby because he was very wealthy. Everyone was laying claim to the child, until another man came, and stated that he should be the father. When they asked him why he should have the right to the child, the man showed them his burnt hands and arms. He had been the man that rescued the baby.

This story moved me very deeply. In our lives, Jesus Christ is that Man. He came to this world to rescue us from the impending fire of hell. At that moment I asked myself a personal question, “Who do I owe my very life and allegiance to?” Do I owe my life to Buddha, Confucius, or Muhammad? Do I owe my life to the Church? Do I owe my life to the Pope? Or even the Apostle Paul? Many want to claim us for themselves. But no one can lay claim to us, other than Jesus Christ. If God is the one that is feeding us, and he is the one that rescued us from sure sin and death---He is the ONLY one that has the right. He owns me. My obligation is to Him. No one else.

Drowning in your Love

2009-11-29T23:34:00.007-06:00

Life. My life, at least, has as been one great disappointment after another. I am realizing that I can't will myself to live. My spirit seeks more that the worldly routine. So, I went to church today, alone. My wife and my baby overslept. I did not want to wake them up. It is funny how sometimes when you least expect it, the sermons made by the preacher apply to you. And what did I learned? I learned a lot today. I mainly learned that nothing else matters as long as God is with me. My number one priority is to walk with God. My second priority is to look over my family.

I used to think I did not need to go to church. That I could wing-it by simply reading the Bible on my own. Bad mistake! D.L. Moody said that going to church is like blood transfusion for a dying man. I was almost spiritually dead again, until I found my way to this church. I cannot believe how many times over the years, I passed by the Moody Church, never realizing God was calling me to the hospital. Today’s sermon was based on baby Jesus. The God which became a human. Dr. Lutzer said that when Jesus died, God did not die…Jesus the human being died. Makes perfect sense. Wonder why I never thought of that? He also said that we needed God to die for our sins. There was no other way to do it. Dr. Lutzer stated, “When a person is sick, he needs medicine from a doctor. When a person is drowning, he needs a lifeguard to rescue him. When a person is dead--he needs God to save him.” The more I come to this church the more I love it. I have been all of those hopeless individual cases. I’ve been totally feeling like drowning, especially within these past two days.

Dr. Lutzer’s postlude remark stated--”Our number one priority is your walk with God.” This is one of the most sincerest statement I have ever heard from any church. I’m telling you. I’m loving it.

Why Am I a Christian?

2009-10-25T00:31:00.010-05:00

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

2009-09-06T21:58:00.017-05:00

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

Virtues of a Christian Spouse

2009-05-16T08:49:00.012-05:00

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. It must be a living nightmare married to people who don‘t have these qualities!

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.

I'm Not Sorry for Being a Christian!

2009-05-05T20:01:00.009-05:00

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

When I Ruled the World!

2009-04-30T22:11:00.014-05:00

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

Marriage: The Male Perspective

2009-04-10T21:17:00.003-05:00

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 New Beginning in the Life of JFS

2009-04-04T08:42:00.004-05:00

Hi, and hello. I am JFS. A Christian, artist and educator living in the Midwest. I'm starting a new blog were I can address personal themes . I hope to share thoughts and ideas about how an atypical Christian male lives his everyday life. There are many blogs for example covering the Christian woman perspective, but I have not come across too many addressing the needs of the Christian male. As Christian men we have many issues affecting us too. The major ones have to do with faith and family--the two F's. As men of faith we have to juggle the two, and in most cases it is not very easy since we have to be the strong figures in the family.