THE PURPOSE OF TRIALS

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." (James 1:1-6)

The book of James was written by James, Jesus' brother, who was a leader of the church in Jerusalem; not James the Apostle. The book of James was one of the earliest letters written to the Christians (A.D. 50) who were once part of the Jerusalem church residing outside of Palestine. After Stephen was martyred (Acts 7:55-8:3), persecution increased, and Christians in Jerusalem scattered throughout the Roman world. Because these believers did not have the support of established Christian churches, James wrote to them to encourage them during those difficult times.

The book of James is a concise, how-to guide on being a Christian. He gets right down to the hart of what it is to serve the Lord. It is written specifically to believers. James is dealing with function, not theory. He wants to know more about our walk and less about our talk. He wants to know about how we produce as a Christian, not if we just profess that we are a Christian. He’s concerned about our demonstration, not our declaration. He’s concerned that many of us settle for milk, when we should be eating meat.

James deals with our responsibilities as believers. Many believers expect God to do all the work. Many believers say, "I guess God’s not ready, yet." James is saying, "No, you are not ready yet. You’ve got some growing up to do."

Teen age years are difficult years. But if we hang in there, we will reach maturity and grow up. But along the way, there are growing pains. Many people think that growing old is the same as growing up. Some have been a Christian for many years and are still in a spiritual nursery. Some of us have been Christians for a long time, and we handle problems the same way today as we did ten years ago. We haven’t grown up.

James says "Consider it joy when you face trials of many kinds." I have found that trials come into our lives with no warnings. There is nothing that tells you that you are going to get sick. Or, there will be unexpected layoffs. These trials always show up at the most inconvenient time. And once they come, there’s not very much you can do about it.

There are three types of people. The first are those who have just gotten out of a trial. The second are those who are in the middle of a trial. And the third are those who are about to enter into a trial.

TRIALS ARE DESIGNED TO CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE (1:2)

James opens his letter with "greeting" which literally means "I wish you joy". He then goes on to define what that joy is.

This verse does not say, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, "if" you face trials of many kinds." It’s not ‘if’ - it’s ‘when.’ If you are alive and breathing, you’re going to face trials. The only way to be exempt of trials is if you die. So, when we face trials, how must we respond? Consider it joy.

When you run into a trial, instead of complaining and crying you should know that God is up to something - consider it pure joy! This doesn’t mean to feel good about the pain of your problem.

Our natural response is to consider the situation and ask why? It doesn’t make sense. James says you are to evaluate your trials from the standpoint of joy. If we have the right attitude about these trials, then we will be able to say, "Lord, I don’t know why this has happened - but I know you are up to something - You’re trying to teach me something. And because I know You are up to something, I’m going to praise You - not because of the pain I’m having to endure, but because of how I will mature because of this." That’s what it means to consider it all joy!

Your outlook determines your outcome. Your attitude determines your actions. It’s not about your feelings; it’s about your choices.

A.  JOY IS A CHOICE

Happiness and joy are two different things. Happiness is based on circumstances. You get a raise, you are happy. Your favorite team wins, you are happy. Joy is not related to circumstances, it’s related to decisions. So, even if the circumstances in life leave you sad, you can still ‘consider it joy!’ v-3: "Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

B. CONFIDENCE COMES WITH KNOWING (I John 5:14-15)

Having the right attitude about trials means to "know" what you are facing. Some people do not know that God is trying to teach them something, and therefore lose perspective on the whole thing. When you are able to put your trials into proper perspective, then you will be able to control your trials, rather than having your trials controlling you. But to do that you must know. The problem today is that there are too many spiritual babies. When things don’t go their way, they throw a fit and cry.

TRIALS TAKE YOU TO A NEW LEVEL OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Trials are the launching pad for your next level of spiritual growth: "Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (v-3). The Word of God says that a trial is the testing of your faith. It’s a test. But it’s only a test.

Why don’t we like to take tests? Because that meant we have to study. The teacher knew that the only way to get you to learn the material was to give you a test. If we were never tested over the material, then we’d never study.

If you are going through a trial, then that means that God has already supplied you the information necessary to pass the test. If He’s going to test you on it, it means that it has been taught to you already. In life, you will be tested. Whether you’ve learned the Biblical principles of life or not, you will be tested. And it is your responsibility to pass the test. Teachers design tests to help us learn. And the joy of the teacher is for the student to pass the test. If the student passes the test, that means he has learned the material. The reason why some of us are still at the desk - taking the test - while many others have finished the test and left the room - is because we haven’t passed yet. If God has you in a test, He will not let you out of it until you score a passing grade. God wants to take you to the next level - but you must pass this test first. God wants you to graduate, but it won’t happen until you first pass the test. Why does God give us tests? There are three reasons:

A.  TESTS IMPROVE OUR WEAKNESSES

B. TESTS REMOVE IMPURITIES

When a goldsmith tests the gold, they would put it in the fire. The impurities rise to the top, and the goldsmith is therefore able to remove all impurities. Then, they keep it in the fire until the goldsmith is able to see his face- his reflection in the gold. When God tests us, His goal is to remove our impurities, and then to see Himself in you. When you begin to look like Christ, all will know that you’ve been through the fire and you’ve been tested.

C. TESTS DEVELOP PERSEVERANCE (vv 3-4)

This means that we must endure the trial until its purpose has been made complete. We must yield to the process like a doctor preparing us for surgery. You lay down on the operating table. The nurse comes in and preps you. You are scared and although you are tempted to jump up out of that bed and run out of that room, you don’t do it. Because you know that the procedure must be done. The doctor knows what he is doing. God performs spiritual surgery on us. These surgeries are called trials. You don’t have to run from them. The Doctor knows what He is doing. And even though you may not want to be there, this procedure must be done. It’s for your own good.

In the trials of life, don’t quit. Because if you quit and walk away, then it’s going to be so much harder on you when you have to work your way back to where you should be. Don’t walk away from the test that you are facing today - because it will do you more damage for tomorrow. Don’t quit - just keep on keeping on.

The butterfly - when it is ready to leave the cocoon has to fight and struggle. If you were to cut the cocoon too early, then it will never grow up. The pain that it endures to get out of the cocoon is what makes the butterfly beautiful, and enables them to fly. Let the butterfly go through the trial

TRIALS DIRECT US TO GOD

A. When we face a trial the first thing we should do is to turn to God. v. 5 "If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

B. Wisdom means practical discernment. Wisdom from above helps us respond in the right way. You see, most of the time, there is nothing you could do to change the circumstances that have led up to your trial. But you can sure do something about how you respond.

C. When the weight of your trial is too heavy, and you feel that you can’t keep it up, and you want to give up, God steps in and lifts the weight off of us. That’s what God’s grace will do in the middle of your trial.

TRIALS BRING US TO THE POINT OF DECISION (vv. 6, 7)

James addresses the issue of doubt. What is doubt? Faith says: "Yes," Unbelief says, "No." Doubt says, "Yes and no."

This is a double-minded man. This is a split-personality Christian. This Christian is unstable and perplexed. This is the Christian that wants to do it his way, and still want God to do it His way. It can’t happen, either you are the boss of your life, or Christ is.

TRIALS BRING US REWARDS (v. 12)

When we pass the tests of trials, we graduate. When we graduate, we walk across the stage, get a diploma and we get to wear a cap on our head. Verse 12 tells us what that cap is - what that reward is - it is the crown of life. God puts a graduation cap on our head.

I don’t know how long it will take you, but I do know He is faithful. God is waiting for you to pass the test. When you pass the test, then He’s going to reveal His plan to you.


A young man was in love with a girl and had a plan to make his move on her. He took her to the fair and convinced her to get on the big roller coaster, knowing that she didn’t like it. As the two of them took off in the seat of the roller coaster, the first sharp turn came and she quickly realized that she was in a trial. And it only got worse. With each sharp turn or sharp drop, she screamed louder and got a little closer to him. After six or seven turns, she was practically all over him. And he got what he wanted. God is in love with you and He has a plan. He allows you to face sharp trials and tests. You may scream and get very scared, but you also get a little closer to Him. And after a few difficult experiences, you are all over Him. God allows trials to come your way, so that you will be all over Him.

UNA VIDA LLENA DEL ESPIRITU

“No os embriaguéis con vino, en lo cual hay disolución; antes bien sed llenos del Espíritu.” Efesios 5:18

En la conversión recibimos la vida justificada. Somos hechos justos. Esto es seguido por una vida consagrada cuando reconocemos el dominio del Señor de nuestras vidas (I Cor. 6:19-20). En el altar de la consagración rendimos nuestra vida y nuestra voluntad a Dios (Mateo 26:39). Esto es seguido por la vida vacía cuando echamos a un lado el mal y el egoísmo. Pero no se puede vivir en el vacío. Su vida debe ser llena del Espíritu Santo. Este es un muy fuerte comando del Nuevo Testamento.

En la conversión estamos completos en Cristo, pero en general no se introduce en la plenitud de Su herencia espiritual hasta algún tiempo después. Al ceder el control de su vida Él nos llenará más y más de su Espíritu (Lucas 11:13). Aquí, somos enseñados a orar por la llenura del Espíritu Santo. El Pentecostés nos habla de la morada interior de Cristo, mientras que Lucas, aboga por el relleno y la plenitud del Espíritu Santo. ¿Es esta una experiencia de crisis por separado de la conversión? No tiene que ser, pero en muchos casos se trata de una lucha más difícil de entregar nuestra voluntad que de nuestros pecados.

Los discípulos tenían que permanecieran en Jerusalén en espera de Pentecostés (Lucas 24:49). Hechos 2:04 es el cumplimiento de esta promesa cuando el Espíritu vino a morar. Cuando somos bautizados en el Espíritu Santo, tenemos el Espíritu, pero el Espíritu no nos controla. Usted todavía tiene su propia voluntad. Usted puede orar o no, dar o no, testificar o no, rendirse o no. Puede obedecer o resistir y entristecer al Espíritu.

El acto culminante de la fe es cuando usted abdica su voluntad al Espíritu de Dios. Entonces, y sólo entonces puede usted ser lleno del Espíritu. El relleno se recibe cuando conscientemente reconoce que el Espíritu de Dios está en control total de su vida, completamente gobernando cada detalle de la vida.

¿Es esta experiencia maravillosa un lujo para unos pocos? ¡No! Debe ser la experiencia de cada creyente. Efesios 5:18 no es un comando opcional. El panorama que se presenta en este versículo es un contraste entre un hombre bajo la influencia, completamente dirigido por otro poder, ya sea vino (terrenal) o el Espíritu (celestial). El lenguaje griego esta en el imperativo progresiva, siga siendo llenado. Deje que el relleno sea constante y continuo en su vida. Cada día tiene su propio nuevo relleno.

Cada creyente necesita la llenura del Espíritu Santo. El relleno es para los pastores, predicadores, padres, madres y jóvenes. Cada uno de nosotros lo necesitamos para nuestro propio beneficio, con el fin de ser el mejor discípulo de Cristo. Sin ella no se puede lograr la voluntad de Dios para usted en cuanto a carácter y servicio.

El Espíritu Santo no puede iluminar nuestra mente, calentar nuestros afectos, purgar nuestra conciencia o energizar nuestra voluntad hasta que nos entregamos a Él y nos mantengamos rendidos.

A veces las cosas imprudentes, extravagantes y fanáticas se hacen en el nombre de la llenura del Espíritu Santo. Debido a esto algunos rechazan el relleno. La iglesia necesita creyentes llenos del Espíritu. Si el relleno no existe, la iglesia es plagada con desordenes, las disensiones, pleitos, murmuraciones, los celos y el escándalo.

El mundo espera que seamos llenos del Espíritu. Nuestra vida espiritual es doble: hacia Dios y hacia a nuestro prójimo. El mundo espera que seamos casi perfectos. Para cumplir con la norma imaginario del mundo cada creyente necesita desesperadamente ser lleno del Espíritu.

No puedes ser un testigo eficaz si no está lleno del Espíritu. Al hacer la obra del Señor en la energía de la carne sólo puede conducir a la decepción y el fracaso. Creyentes llenos del Espíritu, que viven la vida crucificada en relación con el mundo, son un medio eficaz en las manos del Señor para convertir y convencer a los pecadores.

CONDICIONES PARA SER LLENOS POR EL ESPÍRITU SANTO

A.  El deseo: Juan 7:37-39; Isa. 44:3

B. Fe: Juan 7:39; Gál. 3:13-14

C. La obediencia: Hechos 5:32

D. Oración: Lucas 11:13, Hechos 4:31

El secreto de ser lleno del Espíritu Santo es la entrega, entregando nuestra voluntad, cuerpo, posesiones y todos los aspectos de nuestras vidas a Su control.

RESULTADOS DE SER LLENOS DEL ESPÍRITU

A. Poder para testificar: Hechos 1:8

B. Poder para vivir victorioso: Hechos 20:22-24

C. Gloria para el Señor: Juan 16:14

La llenura del Espíritu es el requisito indispensable para toda vida santa. El Espíritu Santo vivifica el intelecto, los afectos, la conciencia, la voluntad y la personalidad.

No son reservorios, sino canales. Debemos desbordar. Bendiciones deben derrama se. Conversión primero, y luego llenura y desbordar. Recuerde que el relleno no es una experiencia una vez para siempre. Se debe repetir diariamente.

THE SPIRIT FILLED LIFE

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18

At conversion you receive the justified life. You are made righteous. This is followed by a consecrated life when we acknowledge the Lord's ownership of our lives (I Cor. 6:19-20). At the altar of consecration we yield our lives and our will to God (Matt. 26:39). This is followed by the emptied life when we cast aside evil and selfishness. But you cannot live in a vacuum. Your life must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a very strong New Testament command.

At conversion you are complete in Christ but generally you do not enter into the fullness of his spiritual inheritance until sometime later. As you yield the control of your life He will fill you more and more of His Spirit (Luke 11:13). We are taught here to pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost speaks of the indwelling of Christ while Luke, pleads for the filling and fullness of the Holy Spirit. Is this a crisis experience separate from conversion? It need not be, but in many cases it is a harder struggle to surrender our will than our sins.

The disciples were to tarry in Jerusalem waiting for Pentecost (Luke 24:49). Acts 2:4 was the fulfillment of this promise when the Spirit came to abide. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you have the Spirit, but the Spirit does not control you. You still have your own will. You may pray or not, give or not, witness or not, surrender or not. You may obey or resist and grieve the Spirit.

The crowning act of faith is when you abdicate your will to God’s Spirit. Then and only then can you be Spirit-filled. The infilling is received when you consciously recognize that God’s Spirit is in full control of your life, completely governing every detail of life.

Is this wonderful experience a luxury for a few people? No! It ought to be the experience of every believer. Ephesians 5:18 is not an optional command. The picture presented in this verse is a contrast between a man under the influence, completely directed by another power, either wine (earthly) or the spirit (heavenly). The Greek language is in the imperative progressive, keep on being filled. Let the filling be constant and continuous in your life. Each day needs its own new fullness.

Every believer needs the filling of the Holy Spirit. The filling is for pastors, preachers, fathers, mothers and young people. We each need it for our own benefit in order to be the best possible disciple for Christ. Without it you cannot achieve the Lord's will for you regarding character and service.

The Holy Spirit cannot illuminate our mind, warm our affections, purge our conscience or energize our will until we surrender to Him and keep surrendered.

Sometimes unwise, extravagant and fanatical things are done in the name of the filling of the Holy Spirit. Because of this some shun the filling. The church needs Spirit-filled believers. If the filling is lacking, the church is plagued with disorders, dissensions, strife, backbiting, jealousy and scandal.

The world expects us to be spirit-filled. Our spiritual walk is twofold: God ward and outward to our fellowmen. The world expects us to be almost perfect. To live up to the world's imaginary standard every believer desperately needs the Spirit's filling.

You cannot be an effective witness if you are not Spirit-filled. To do the work of the Lord in the energy of the flesh can only lead to disappointment and failure. Spirit-filled believers, living the crucified life in relation to the world, are an effective means in the Lord's hands to convict and convince sinners.

CONDITIONS OF FILLING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. Desire: John 7:37-39; Isa. 44:3

B. Faith: John 7:39; Gal. 3:13-14

C. Obedience: Acts 5:32

D. Prayer: Luke 11:13; Acts 4:31

The secret of being filled with the Holy Spirit is surrender, surrendering our will, body, possessions and every aspect of our lives to His control.

RESULTS OF BEING SPIRIT-FILLED

A. Power to witness: Acts 1:8

B. Power to live victorious: Acts 20:22-24

C. Glory to the Lord: John 16:14

The infilling of the Spirit is the indispensable qualification for all holy living. The Holy Spirit quickens the intellect, affections, conscience, will and personality.

We are not reservoirs but channels. We must overflow. Blessings must pour out. Conversion first, then filling and overflowing. Remember the filling is not a once-for all experience. It must be repeated daily.

     

¿DE DÓNDE VIENE LA CELEBRACIÓN DE PASCUA?

"Y oí otra voz del cielo, que decía: Salid de ella, pueblo mío, para que no seáis partícipes de sus pecados, ni recibáis parte de sus plagas." (Apocalipsis 18:4)

La Pascua es un día que se celebra por casi todo el cristianismo contemporáneo y se utiliza para celebrar la resurrección de Jesucristo. Este día de fiesta implica a menudo un servicio matutino al salida del sol, un banquete que incluya un "jamón de Pascua" y los huevos adornados. Aquellos que aman la verdad aprenden a hacer preguntas, y muchas preguntas deben hacerse con respecto al día de la de Pascua. ¿Es verdaderamente el día en que Jesús resucitó de entre los muertos? ¿De dónde vienen todas las costumbres extrañas, que no tienen nada que ver con la resurrección de Jesús?

Los cristianos no fueron los únicos que celebraron una fiesta llamada "La Pascua". "Ishtar", que se pronuncia "Pascua" fue un día que conmemoró la resurrección de uno de sus dioses que ellos llamaron "Tammuz", que se creía que era el único hijo engendrado de la diosa lunar y el dios sol. En aquellos tiempos antiguos, había un hombre llamado Nimrod, que era nieto de uno de los hijos de Noé llamado Ham. Ham tuvo un hijo llamado Cush que se casó con una mujer llamada Semiramis. Cush y Semiramis entonces tuvieron un hijo llamado "Nimrod". Después de la muerte de su padre, Nimrod se casó con su propia madre y se convirtió en un poderoso rey.

La Biblia habla de Nimrod, en Génesis 10: 8-10, de la siguiente manera: "Y Cus engendró a Nimrod, y comenzó a ser poderoso en la tierra, y fue un poderoso cazador delante de Jehová: por eso se dice, como Nimrod El poderoso cazador delante de Jehová, y el principio de su reino fueron Babel, Erech, Accad y Calneh, en la tierra de Sinar". Nimrod se convirtió en un dios-hombre para el pueblo y Semiramis, su esposa y madre, se convirtió en la reina poderosa de la antigua Babilonia.

Nimrod fue finalmente asesinado por un enemigo, y su cuerpo fue cortado en pedazos y enviado a varias partes de su reino. Semiramis reunió todas las partes, excepto una parte que no se podía encontrar. La parte que faltaba era su órgano reproductor. Semiramis afirmó que Nimrod no podía volver a la vida sin ella y le dijo a la gente de Babilonia que Nimrod había ascendido al sol y que ahora se llamaría "Baal", el dios sol.

La reina Semiramis también proclamó que Baal estaría presente en la tierra en forma de una llama, ya sea vela o lámpara, cuando se usa en la adoración. Semiramis estaba creando una religión de misterio, y con la ayuda de Satanás, se estableció como una diosa. Ella afirmó que fue inmaculadamente concebida. Ella enseñó que la luna era una diosa que pasó por un ciclo de 28 días y ovuló cuando estaba llena. Además afirmó que descendía de la luna en un huevo de luna gigante que cayó en el río Eufrates. Esto iba a ocurrir en el momento de la primera luna llena después del equinoccio de primavera. Semiramis se conoce como "Ishtar" que se pronuncia "Pascua", y su huevo de la luna se conocía como el "huevo de Ishtar".

Ishtar pronto se quedó embarazada y afirmó que eran los rayos del dios-sol Baal lo que la hizo concebir. El hijo que ella dio a luz fue llamado Tammuz. Tammuz fue considerado especialmente aficionado a los conejos, y se convirtió en sagrado en la antigua religión, porque Tammuz se cree que es el hijo del dios del sol, Baal. Tamuz, como su supuesto padre, se convirtió en cazador.

Tammuz fue asesinado por un cerdo salvaje. La reina Ishtar le dijo a la gente que Tammuz ahora era ascendido a su padre, Baal, y que los dos estarían con los adoradores en la vela sagrada o llama de la lámpara como Padre, Hijo y Espíritu.

Ishtar, que ahora era adorada como la "Madre de Dios y Reina del Cielo", continuó construyendo su religión misteriosa. La reina dijo a los adoradores que cuando Tammuz fue asesinado por el cerdo salvaje, parte de su sangre cayó sobre el tronco de un árbol de hoja perenne, y el muñón se convirtió en un árbol completamente nuevo durante la noche. Esto hizo que el árbol de hoja perenne fuera sagrado por la sangre de Tammuz. También proclamó un período de cuarenta días de dolor cada año antes del aniversario de la muerte de Tamuz. Durante este tiempo, no se comía carne. Los fieles debían meditar sobre los sagrados misterios de Baal y Tamuz, y hacer que el signo de la "T" delante de sus corazones como ellos adoraban. También comían pasteles sagrados con la marca de una "T" o cruz en la parte superior.

Cada año, el primer domingo después de la primera luna llena después del equinoccio de primavera, se hizo una celebración. Era el domingo de Ishtar y se celebraba con conejos y huevos. Ishtar también proclamó que debido a Tammuz fue asesinado por un cerdo, que un cerdo debe ser comido en ese domingo.

El paganismo se ha infiltrado en las iglesias "cristianas" contemporáneas, y más estudios indican que este paganismo vino por el Sistema Católico Romano. La verdad es que Pascua no tiene nada que ver con la resurrección de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. También sabemos que la Pascua puede ser de hasta tres semanas de la Pascua, porque la fiesta pagana siempre se establece como el primer domingo después de la primera luna llena después del equinoccio de primavera.

Sabemos que la Biblia nos dice en Juan 4:24, "Dios es un Espíritu; y los que le adoran, deben adorarle en espíritu y en verdad". La verdad es que los cuarenta días de Cuaresma, los huevos, los conejos, los bollos calientes de la cruz y el jamón de Pascua tienen todo que ver con la religión pagana antigua del misterio Babilonia. ¡Todas estas actividades son del anticristo! Satanás es un engañador maestro, y ha llenado la vida de cristianos bien intencionados y profesantes con idolatría. Estas cosas traen la ira de Dios sobre los hijos de desobediencia, que tratan de hacer las costumbres paganas de la adoración de Baal cristiana.

Debes responder por tus actividades y por lo que enseñas a tus hijos. Estas costumbres de la Pascua honran a Baal, que también es Satanás, y todavía es venerado como el "Sol naciente" y su casa es la "Casa del Sol Naciente". ¿Cuántas iglesias tienen "cultos matutinos" en el día de Ishtar y se enfrentan al sol naciente en el este? Cuántos usarán huevos de colores y historias de conejo, como lo hicieron en la antigua Babilonia. 

WHERE DID THE CELEBRATION OF EASTER COME FROM?

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelations 18:4)

Easter is a day that is celebrated by nearly all of contemporary Christianity and is used to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This holiday often involves a church sunrise service, a feast which includes an "Easter Ham" and decorated eggs. Those who love truth learn to ask questions, and many questions must be asked regarding the holiday of Easter. Is it truly the day when Jesus arose from the dead? Where did all of the strange customs come from, which have nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus?

Christians were not the only ones who celebrated a festival called "Easter." "Ishtar", which is pronounced "Easter" was a day that commemorated the resurrection of one of their gods that they called "Tammuz", who was believed to be the only begotten son of the moon-goddess and the sun-god. In those ancient times, there was a man named Nimrod, who was the grandson of one of Noah's son named Ham. Ham had a son named Cush who married a woman named Semiramis. Cush and Semiramis then had a son named him "Nimrod." After the death of his father, Nimrod married his own mother and became a powerful King.

The Bible tells of Nimrod, in Genesis 10:8-10 as follows: "And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad,and Calneh, in the land of Shinar." Nimrod became a god-man to the people and Semiramis, his wife and mother, became the powerful Queen of ancient Babylon.

Nimrod was eventually killed by an enemy, and his body was cut in pieces and sent to various parts of his kingdom. Semiramis had all of the parts gathered, except for one part that could not be found. That missing part was his reproductive organ. Semiramis claimed that Nimrod could not come back to life without it and told the people of Babylon that Nimrod had ascended to the sun and was now to be called "Baal", the sun god.

Queen Semiramis also proclaimed that Baal would be present on earth in the form of a flame, whether candle or lamp, when used in worship. Semiramis was creating a mystery religion, and with the help of Satan, she set herself up as a goddess. She claimed that she was immaculately conceived. She taught that the moon was a goddess that went through a 28 day cycle and ovulated when full. She further claimed that she came down from the moon in a giant moon egg that fell into the Euphrates River. This was to have happened at the time of the first full moon after the spring equinox.

Semiramis became known as "Ishtar" which is pronounced "Easter", and her moon egg became known as "Ishtar's" egg."

Ishtar soon became pregnant and claimed that it was the rays of the sun-god Baal that caused her to conceive. The son that she brought forth was named Tammuz. Tammuz was noted to be especially fond of rabbits, and they became sacred in the ancient religion, because Tammuz was believed to be the son of the sun-god, Baal. Tammuz, like his supposed father, became a hunter.

Tammuz was killed by a wild pig. Queen Ishtar told the people that Tammuz was now ascended to his father, Baal, and that the two of them would be with the worshippers in the sacred candle or lamp flame as Father, Son and Spirit.

Ishtar, who was now worshipped as the "Mother of God and Queen of Heaven", continued to build her mystery religion. The queen told the worshippers that when Tammuz was killed by the wild pig, some of his blood fell on the stump of an evergreen tree, and the stump grew into a full new tree overnight. This made the evergreen tree sacred by the blood of Tammuz. She also proclaimed a forty day period of time of sorrow each year prior to the anniversary of the death of Tammuz. During this time, no meat was to be eaten. Worshippers were to meditate upon the sacred mysteries of Baal and Tammuz, and to make the sign of the "T" in front of their hearts as they worshipped. They also ate sacred cakes with the marking of a "T" or cross on the top.

Every year, on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, a celebration was made. It was Ishtar's Sunday and was celebrated with rabbits and eggs. Ishtar also proclaimed that because Tammuz was killed by a pig, that a pig must be eaten on that Sunday.

Paganism has infiltrated the contemporary "Christian" churches, and further study indicates that this paganism came in by way of the Roman Catholic System. The truth is that Easter has nothing whatsoever to do with the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We also know that Easter can be as much as three weeks away from the Passover, because the pagan holiday is always set as the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.

We know that the Bible tells us in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." The truth is that the forty days of Lent, eggs, rabbits, hot cross buns and the Easter ham have everything to do with the ancient pagan religion of Mystery Babylon. These are all antichrist activities! Satan is a master deceiver, and has filled the lives of well-meaning, professing Christians with idolatry. These things bring the wrath of God upon children of disobedience, who try to make pagan customs of Baal worship Christian.

You must answer for your activities and for what you teach your children. These customs of Easter honor Baal, who is also Satan, and is still worshipped as the "Rising Sun" and his house is the "House of the Rising Sun." How many churches have "sunrise services" on Ishtar's day and face the rising sun in the East? How many will use colored eggs and rabbit stories, as they did in ancient Babylon.

¡NO ESTA AQUI, HA RESUCITADO!

“Pasado el día de reposo, al amanecer del primer día de la semana, vinieron María Magdalena y la otra María, a ver el sepulcro. Y hubo un gran terremoto; porque un ángel del Señor, descendiendo del cielo y llegando, removió la piedra, y se sentó sobre ella. Su aspecto era como un relámpago, y su vestido blanco como la nieve. Y de miedo de él los guardas temblaron y se quedaron como muertos. Mas el ángel, respondiendo, dijo a las mujeres: No temáis vosotras; porque yo sé que buscáis a Jesús, el que fue crucificado. No está aquí, pues ha resucitado, como dijo. Venid, ved el lugar donde fue puesto el Señor.”Mateo 28:1-6

¡Él no está aquí, ha resucitado! Estas siete palabras declaran la verdad más importante en la Biblia entera. ¿Usted puede preguntar, “Podía alguna verdad ser más importante que la verdad del nacimiento virginal de Cristo o, la verdad de la cruz de Calvario? ¿O los milagros que Cristo hizo, sanar los enfermos, dar la vista a los ciegos, y resucitando los muertos?” ¡Sí! ¡Porque, no importa lo que hizo Jesús, o quién era, si la muerte lo podría haber mantenido en la tumba, todo lo demás hubiera sido en vano! Pero si se predica de Cristo que resucitó de los muertos, ¿cómo dicen algunos entre vosotros que no hay resurrección de muertos?

La cruz y la resurrección de Jesús son inseparables, el uno demanda el otro. Si Jesús no hubiera muerto no habría por supuesto ninguna resurrección, de ahí ninguna fe, ninguna salvación, ninguna nueva creación; pero se no hubiera conquistado la muerte, el infierno, y la tumba Su muerte hubiera sido en vano. ¡Por lo tanto aquellos  que niegan Su resurrección más vale que nieguen que fue crucificado! “Porque si no hay resurrección de muertos, tampoco Cristo resucitó. Y si Cristo no resucitó, vana es entonces nuestra predicación, vana es también vuestra fe. Y somos hallados falsos testigos de Dios; porque hemos testificado de Dios que él resucitó a Cristo, al cual no resucitó, si en verdad los muertos no resucitan. Porque si los muertos no resucitan, tampoco Cristo resucitó; y si Cristo no resucitó, vuestra fe es vana; aún estáis en vuestros pecados. Entonces también los que durmieron en Cristo perecieron. Si en esta vida solamente esperamos en Cristo, somos los más dignos de conmiseración de todos los hombres” (I Corintios 15:12-19).

El diablo hizo todo en su poder de mantener a Jesús de la cruz. Él sabía que si Jesús alcanzara el Calvario, Su muerte en la cruz eventualmente traería la caída de su reino. Satanás reunió todas las fuerzas del infierno, en un intento de destruir a Jesús antes de que él alcanzara la cruz, pero la Biblia nos dice en Colosenses 2:15 que Jesús, “despojando a los principados y a las potestades, los exhibió públicamente, triunfando sobre ellos en la cruz.” Cuando Jesús oro en el Jardín de Getsemaní, Él vio todas las fuerzas del infierno aliados juntos para aplastarlo; pero un Ángel fue enviado para fortalecerlo y El obtuvo la victoria, poniendo al infierno a una vergüenza abierta.

El diablo trató de matar a Jesús cuando fue azotado por los romanos pero no lo logro. Él trató de matarlo bajo el peso de la cruz y falló. ¡Jesús vino al mundo para morir en la cruz, y ni el diablo y todas las fuerzas del infierno no podían pararlo!  Incluso después de que Él llegó a la cruz y murió allí, ellos pensaron que ellos podrían mantenerlo en la tumba por poniendo una piedra pesada en frente de la entrada, sellándolo con el sello imperial de Roma, y poniendo una guardia romana enfrente de ella. Pero ellos no habían tomado en cuenta el poder de Dios y el hecho que no era posible que la muerte lo detuviera porque Él era Dios mismo manifestado en la carne como dice el evangelio de San Juan 1:14; “Y aquel Verbo fue hecho carne, y habitó entre nosotros.”

¡No era posible que la muerte detuviera a Jesús! La muerte es el resultado del pecado, “Porque la paga del pecado es muerte” dice Romanos 6:23, “y el pecado, siendo consumado, da a luz la muerte” dice Santiago 1:15, pero Jesús no pecó; no había pecado en Él. Por tanto la muerte no tenía ningún derecho a Jesús. Jesús no murió como muere un mortal; Él no murió una muerte “natural.” Él entrego su vida por su propia voluntad, para volverla a tomar. El dijo en San Juan 10:17-18: “Yo pongo mi vida, para volverla a tomar. Nadie me la quita, sino que yo de mí mismo la pongo. Tengo poder para ponerla, y tengo poder para volverla a tomar.” Jesús es vida, y es imposible que la muerte retenga la vida. Él dijo en San Juan 11:25: “Yo soy la resurrección y la vida.” Él tomo un cuerpo para poder morir, dar Su vida, y mediante la muerte hacer posible la vida eterna a todos los que creen en Él, San Juan 3:16: “Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.”

¡Ningún hombre mató a Jesús! ¡Es cierto que los hombres demandaron Su muerte, los hombres lo detuvieron y lo condenaron, y las manos de hombres le clavaron en la Cruz, pero no nos equivoquemos, el hombre no tomo su vida! Jesús era Dios manifestado en la carne, y Dios no puede morir ni puede ser matado.   

Pilato dio el cuerpo exánime de Jesús a Nicodemo y José de Arimathaea. Ellos bajaron el cuerpo de la cruz y lo pusieron en la tumba nueva de José, ¡pero no era posible que la corrupción destruya Su cuerpo, y al tercer día después de Su entierro Jesús salió de la tumba en el mismo cuerpo que Nicodemo y José habían puesto en la tumba! Si Él no hubiera resucitado corporalmente no hubiera ganado la victoria total sobre la muerte.     

Sin Su resurrección corporal Él hubiera ganado solamente una victoria parcial sobre la muerte. Pero, Él si resucito corporalmente, y la Palabra de Dios declara: “Y cuando esto corruptible se haya vestido de incorrupción, y esto mortal se haya vestido de inmortalidad, entonces se cumplirá la palabra que está escrita: Sorbida es la muerte en victoria. ¿Dónde está, oh muerte, tu aguijón? ¿Dónde, oh sepulcro, tu victoria? ya que el aguijón de la muerte es el pecado, y el poder del pecado, la ley. Mas gracias sean dadas a Dios, que nos da la victoria por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo” (I Corintios 15:54-57).

Gracias a Dios que Él no se detuvo antes que ganar victoria total sobre el mundo, la carne, y el diablo, la muerte, el infierno, y la tumba. Tomo un cuerpo que era capaz de morir y en ese cuerpo Él murió y resucito. Su resurrección corporal es la garantía que conquisto todo lo que Él vino a conquistar, y Él ahora retiene las llaves del infernó y de la muerte. “yo soy el primero y el último; y el que vivo, y estuve muerto; mas he aquí que vivo por los siglos de los siglos, amén. Y tengo las llaves de la muerte y del Hades” (Apocalipsis 1:17-18).

Que todos los muertos van a ser resucitados a vida es enseñado en las escrituras, “De cierto, de cierto os digo: Viene la hora, y ahora es, cuando los muertos oirán la voz del Hijo de Dios; y los que la oyeren vivirán. Porque como el Padre tiene vida en sí mismo, así también ha dado al Hijo el tener vida en sí mismo; y también le dio autoridad de hacer juicio, por cuanto es el Hijo del Hombre. No os maravilléis de esto; porque vendrá hora cuando todos los que están en los sepulcros oirán su voz; y los que hicieron lo bueno, saldrán a resurrección de vida; mas los que hicieron lo malo, a resurrección de condenación.” (Juan 5:25-29). Dos cosas se enseñan en esta escritura. La primera cosa es que todos los que mueren van a ser resucitados a vida. La segunda cosa es que algunos van a ser resucitados a vida eterna mientras otros van a ser resucitados a vergüenza eterna y condenación.

Todos los que han vivido y han muerto van a resucitar de la muerte al fin de la edad. Ellos se levantaran a la vida eterna o a la muerte eterna. Lo que la persona hace con Cristo va determinar cuál de estos dos va ser su fin. “los otros muertos no volvieron a vivir hasta que se cumplieron mil años. Esta es la primera resurrección. Bienaventurado y santo el que tiene parte en la primera resurrección; la segunda muerte no tiene potestad sobre éstos, sino que serán sacerdotes de Dios y de Cristo, y reinarán con él. Y vi un gran trono blanco y al que estaba sentado en él, de delante del cual huyeron la tierra y el cielo, y ningún lugar se encontró para ellos. Y vi a los muertos, grandes y pequeños, de pie ante Dios; y los libros fueron abiertos, y otro libro fue abierto, el cual es el libro de la vida; y fueron juzgados los muertos por las cosas que estaban escritas en los libros, según sus obras. Y el mar entregó los muertos que había en él; y la muerte y el Hades entregaron los muertos que había en ellos; y fueron juzgados cada uno según sus obras. Y la muerte y el Hades fueron lanzados al lago de fuego. Esta es la muerte segunda. Y el que no se halló inscrito en el libro de la vida fue lanzado al lago de fuego” (Apocalipsis 20:56, 11-15).             

HE IS NOT HERE, HE IS RISEN!

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:1-6

He is not here, He is raised! These seven words declare the most important truth in the entire Bible. You may ask, “Could any truth be more important than the truth of the virgin birth of Christ or, the truth of the cross of Calvary? Or the miracles that Jesus did, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and restoring the dead to life?” Yes! Because, it doesn’t matters what Jesus did, or who He was, if death could have kept Him in the grave, All else would have been in vain!

The cross and the resurrection of Jesus are inseparable one demands the other. If Jesus had not died there would of course be no resurrection, hence no faith, no salvation, no new creation; but had he not conquered death, hell, and the grave His death would have been in vain. Therefore those who deny His resurrection might just as well deny that He was crucified! “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (I Corinthians 15:12-19).

The devil did everything in his power to keep Jesus from the cross. He knew that if Jesus reached Calvary, His death on the cross would eventually lead to the downfall of his kingdom. Satan assembled all the forces of hell, in an all-out attempt to destroy Jesus before He reached the cross, but the Bible tells us in Colossians 2:15 that Jesus, “Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He saw all the forces of hell allied together to crush Him; but an angel was sent to strengthen Him and He won the victory, putting hell to an open shame.

The devil tried to kill Jesus on the Roman whipping post and failed. He tried to kill Him under the weight of the cross and failed. Jesus came into the world to die on the cross, and all the forces of hell could not stop Him! Even after He reached the cross and died there, they thought that they could keep Him in the tomb by rolling a heavy stone across the door, sealing it with the imperial seal of Rome, and placing a Roman guard over it. But they did not reckon on the power of God and the fact that it was not possible for death to hold Him because He was God manifested in the flesh just as the gospel of St. John 1:14 tells us “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”

It was not possible that death could hold Jesus! Death is the result of sin, “the wages of sin is death” says Romans 6:23, “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” says James 1:15, but Jesus did not sin; there was no sin in Him. Therefore death had no claim on Him. Jesus did not die as mortals die; He did not die a “natural” death. He layed His life down of Himself, that He might take it again. He said in John 10:17-18, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” Jesus is Life, and it is impossible for death to hold life. He said in St. John 11:25: “I am the resurrection, and the life.” He took a body in order that He might die, lay His life down, and through death make eternal life possible for all who believe in Him. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

No man killed Jesus! It is true that men demanded His death, men arrested and condemned Him, and the hands of men nailed Him to the cross, but make no mistake, friend, man did not take His life! Jesus was God manifested in the flesh, and God cannot die or be killed.   

Pilate gave Jesus’ lifeless body to Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea. They took it down form the cross and placed it in Joseph’s new tomb, but it was not possible for corruption to destroy His body, and on the third day after His burial Jesus came forth from the grave in the same body Nicodemus and Joseph had placed in the tomb! If He had not risen bodily He would not have won total victory over death.

Without His bodily resurrection He would have won only partial victory over death. But He did rise bodily, and the Word of God declares: “When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to god, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (I Corinthians 15:54-57).

Thank God, He did not stop short of total victory, victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, death, hell, and the grave. He took a body that was capable of dying and in that body He died and rose again. His bodily resurrection is the guarantee that He conquered all He came to conquer, and He now holds the keys of hell and of death. “I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Rev. 1:18).  

That the dead are going to be raised to life again is taught throughout the scriptures, “Verily, verily, I say unto you,  The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:25-29).  Two things are taught in this Scripture. The first thing is that everyone who dies is going to be raised to life again. The second thing is that some are going to be raised to life while others are going to be raised to everlasting shame and damnation.

Everyone who’s ever lived and died is going to be raise from the dead in the end of the age. They will either be raised to eternal life or to eternal damnation. What a person does with Christ will determine which of these it will be, “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation  20:5-6, 11-15).