Idolatry is not simple

It is easy to dismiss 1 Cor. 10 as something that does not applies to us, today. Who of us is involved in idolatry, as the ancient Jews were? But a closer analysis of the text will reveal that we are at the same risk as they were, of setting our own gods after our own corrupted image, based on our own desires.

The first clue is the repeated phrase “[do not do]…as some of them did”. With this repetition, Paul is bringing to the attention of the church in Corinth, the reality of falling into idolatry, if in a different form than the past, never the less, with the same results.

God’s help is ever present in times of trouble. Paul reaffirm God’s provision of a way out, when His people are facing temptation. This way out is not an end to temptation, but a way to endure it. This way out comes in a two parts: God’s power to flee from idolatry, and God’s power to desire to do things for His glory.

Where does this power come from? How can one access it? The key is living our life in total dependancy of Christ. Paul said it, at the beginning of chptr 11.

 

1 Cor. 7 The Home Front

In this chapter, Paul writes about the implications of holiness at home, with married people, singles, engaged, and widowers. Reading this chapter, one gets the right idea that all these status are defined in more than just ‘convenient’ or ‘inconvenient’ situations for one particular person. God’s work in our heart should give us a wider perspective of our future marital status, at the same time that provides for us a clear focus for our here and now.

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En este capitulo, Pablo escribe sobre las implicaciones de la santidad en el hogar, con casados, solteros, comprometidos, y viudos. Leyendo este capitulo, uno obtiene la idea correcta de que todos estos estatus maritales son definidos en mas que solamente una situacion ‘conveniente’ o ‘inconveniente’ para una persona en particular. El trabajo de Dios en nuestro corazon nos da una perspectiva mas amplia de nuestro futuro estatus marital, al mismo tiempo que provee un enfoque claro de nuestro aqui y ahora.

 

New Location – Nueva Ubicacion

Starting this coming Sunda, November 1, we are going to be at Summerour Middle School, in Norcross. We will have the same hours for our worship service (10:00 – 11:45 AM), and we will have a little more room for our children. The service will be at the cafeteria for the school. Hope to see you there!

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Este proximo Domingo, Noviembre 1, estaremos en la escuela Summerour Middle, en Norcross. Tendremos las mismas horas para nuestro nuestro “>servicio de adoracion (10:00 – 11:45 AM), y tambien tendremos un poco mas de espacio para nuestros niños. Tendremos nuestro servicio en la cafeteria de la escuela. Espero verlos ahi!

 

 

Leading a Small Community @ Christos

At our church, our vehicle for discipleship is the small community. In these groups, believers and unbelievers share their lives, allowing those who are exploring Christianity to see what it is all about, and those who are already followers of Christ to continue with their journey of spiritual transformation.

Our process for discipleship is the same as the mission of our church. We want people to see, enjoy, and share the beauty of Jesus Christ in diversity. Now, from the SC leader perspective…

…how would people see the beauty of Christ? Love them! Invite them into your world, and visit theirs.

…how would believers enjoy the beauty of Christ? Give them opportunities to serve! Support their efforts to study a Core Value, and practice a Spiritual Discipline.

…how would you share the beauty of Chrit? Guard your own heart! Be intentional introducing God’s Word and God’s people to those you are serving. Be in contact with the elders of the church.

 

Another crazy idea

OK, here we go… what if the church would have a place, let say at an office park, that could be use on Sundays for worship, but during the weekdays, it could be a place from where to launch micro-businesses? Almost like an incubator! Every so often, a new business would be launch. And we could even have some of our members buying ’stocks’ of the businesses being launched.

 

Funciona la cristiandad en la vida real?

Esta es una pregunta hecha por muchos, incluyendo personas que han estado caminando en la fe por mucho tiempo. Creo que es una pregunta valida, y a la cual la Biblia no pretende ignorar. El principal problema es la dicotomia articifial que hemos creado entre la fe y la razon. La razon humana, apartada de la guia provista por una relacion intima con Dios, es un gran enemigo de nuestra santificacion. Nuestra razon esta deformada a un grado superlativo, debido a nuestra rebeldia en contra del dominio de Dios. Esta rebeldia se conoce como pecado. Dios no esta oculto, alejado de nosotros, y tan removido de nuestra realidad, que su presencia tiene muy poco impacto e influencia en nuestros asuntos diarios (i.e. problemas de la vida). Al contrario, nuestro Dios se revela a si mismo de una manera clara y suficiente para restaurar nuestra condicion de rectitud delante de El. Es esta realidad, es el hecho de que El nos adopta a su familia, es el hecho de que le pertenecemos a Aquel a quien pertenece todo (1 Cor. 3), lo que debe de guiar nuestra respuesta ante los problemas de la vida.

Si le pertenesco a Jesucristo, y El es Dios mismo, entonces como debo de reaccionar ante la vida temporal en esta tierra?

 

Economic Micro-Development for Immigrants

Do you want to hear a crazy idea? Here it is: let the church establish a fund to provide micro-loans (up to $1500) to individuals who want to start their own very small business.

Here are the requirements to receive a micro-loan:

1. Action plan according to The Art of the Start.
2. Tax documents in order.
3. Checking & saving accounts in order.
4. Schedule to payback micro-loan.

What do you think?

 

Nos satisfacemos muy facilmente

1 Cor.2:6-16

En estas lineas, el Apostol Pablo les dice a sus lectores sobre una de las realidades mas grandes de la vida cristiana: Dios el Espiritu Santo esta en nosotros! La manera en que Pablo describe esta tan grade bendicion es bastante bonita:

Cosas que ojo no vio, ni oído oyó, ni han subido en corazón de hombre, son las que Dios ha preparado para los que le aman

Y al final del pasaje, el Apostol nos dice que debido a esta relacion tan sercana con Dios mismo, ahora tenemos la mente de Cristo. Esta relacion tan profunda con el Dios del Universo es el misterio al que Pablo se refiere aqui, y en otros lugares del Nuevo Testamento. Esta verdad es algo que en el Antiguo Testamento solo se presento de manera indirecta, pero ahora esta claramente descrita. Y sin embargo, debido a nuestro pecado, gracias a que aun estamos peleando con la carne, nosotros nos damos por bien servidos con otras ‘bendiciones’. Dios nos muestra aqui que la bendicion mas grande es darse a si mismo. El es la bendicion mas grande!!!

 

We get satisfied with so little

1 Cor.2:6-16

In these ten verses, Paul shares with his readers an incredible fact of the Christian life: God the Holy Spirit is in you! This level of intimacy was suggested in the Old Testament, but for Israel it was case of too-good-to-be-true kind of promise. I love the way Scripture phrases it,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”

And this passage ends with the assertion that we have the mind of Christ! What God is revealing here is the fact that His work in us is as secured as if it was already completed. He is giving us the biggest blessing that there is: Himself. But due to our sin, to the struggle with have now with the flesh, we sadly get settle for lesser blessings. Or even worst, we do not believe that the blessing of having Him in us occurs in this life.

When facing this life, and all the issues it brings to us, we need to ask God for the power to access the eternal life unto which we have been called.

 

Just give me Jesus?

1Cor.2

What is the advise, here, from the Apostle Paul? Is he advocating the disregard of theologically sound knowledge? Is he saying that teachings (i.e. doctrine) about the Holy Spirit, the incarnation, eternal decrees, and the sort are not important for the spiritual transformation of a true disciple? Claro que no! Precisely because the person and the work of Christ are the pinnacle of what is tough in Scripture, Paul wants nothing else to distract him; he has no resources left to invest in sources of wisdom that are powered by something else.

When facing problems, then, the two questions we need to ask are:
1. How is this situation helping me to understand better who Jesus Christ is?
2. How is this situation allowing me to appreciate His work, in a deeper manner?