Category: christian living

Silence Is Not An Option

On By joshnnomiIn christian living, Uncategorized1 Comment

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I took part in our state wide March for Life this weekend. I must say it was encouraging to see the many voices fighting for life at every stage in the human experience. At the same time, I wish I had seen more. Prolifers have been waging this battle for hearts and minds for over forty years now. When people are in a struggle for that long, there is a tendency to become apathetic to the mission. WE MUST NOT BECOME APATHETIC.

Silence is not an option. I was reminded of this Sunday morning through this passage in the book of Proverbs,

If you faint in the day of adversity,
    your strength is small.
 Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
    hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
    does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
    and will he not repay man according to his work? (Prov. 24:10-12)

We are living in a culture of adversity when it comes to the issue of abortion. Our adversity ranges from the government to your friend or coworker. But where there is adversity there is opportunity. We must take advantage of the opportunity to defend life. We must take advantage of the opportunity to shine the light of truth on the dark deception of abortion.

This passage in Proverbs is calling us to action. Look at the words the writer of Proverbs uses, rescue, hold back, those are some powerful words. There are many ways to take part in the rescuing and holding back when it comes to the issue of abortion. We must take a stand and not grow faint, we must not allow our strength to be small. Here are a few ways you can help,

  • Find a pregnancy resource center in your area and support it financially, resources and volunteering
  • Be ready to defend the pro life position with decency and respect, we win this battle one heart at a time
  • Election has consequences, vote for Pro Life candidates
  • Offer the hope, love and forgiveness found in Christ to those who have had abortions
  • Call elected officials and let them hear our voice
  • Teach Teach Teach the truth
  • Contact your Right to Life organization

There are many ways and avenues we can spread hope and life. Get involved, we must not be silent

Until Next Time

Soli Deo Gloria

 

 

The Christian and the Confederate Flag

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

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For the past week or so there has been an uproar to “take down that flag”, in reference to the Confederate flag which flies in many places across the Southern States. The cry comes from Democrats and Republicans, from liberals and some conservatives, even Dr. Russell Moore President of the ERLC of the Southern Baptist Convention issues the call to take down the flag.

Now we all know a flag didn’t make a young man shoot people in a church prayer meeting, it was his beliefs which led him to commit such a heinous action. His worldview corrupted his thinking when he open fired on the church prayer meeting. His worldview was his overarching passion at that instant and it caused him to open fire.

I currently reside in Arkansas, a transplant to the South via California. My love for Southern living is abounding everyday. I also know some very godly down to earth Southern folks who see the Confederate flag, not as a sign of racism but a symbol of Southern pride, a heritage marker which says I am a Southerner and proud of it.

Yet on the other side we have hate groups which have embraced the Confederate flag as a symbol of hate and white supremacy. A symbol of a race war, which unfortunately is the predominant message. Before I moved to the South, that is exactly how I viewed the Confederate flag as an Hispanic American. When I moved here I was offended to see the flag flying proudly.

Until I met some of these Southern people, who have loved and embraced my family and I. People who do what they can to help you when your in a bind. People who love and embrace my children as their own.

As I sit back and contemplate on all the fuss concerning the Confederate flag, I see it from three perspectives now. There are people who view the Confederate flag as just a people proud to be from the South. Where people are extremely polite, the tea is good, and the Southern food is great, among other things. To them it’s a marker which says, I am Southern and I am proud of it.

At the same time their are those who use it as their symbol of racism and hate. A symbol for a race war. Hate is what they are selling and the Confederate flag is their brand. There is no denying this.

There is yet another perspective, I believe Paul the Apostle helps us in this area, when writing to the church in Phillipi, he begins warning them about those who say you need Jesus + circumcision for salvation. Paul tells them,

though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (ESV) Philippians 3:4-8

Paul says you think you have confidence in your circumcision, let me tell you my heritage, because if any one should have confidence it is me.

1) Circumcised on the eighth day
2) Of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews
3) As to the law, a Pharisee
4) As to zeal, a persecutor of the church
5) As to righteousness under the law, blameless

If anyone can take pride in his heritage, it is Paul. He was the standout, the Hebrew of Hebrews, as he puts it.

Now I know most Southerners out there don’t believe they need Jesus + their Southern heritage for salvation. But look what Paul says in verse 7,

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Did Paul gain from his heritage? Sure he did, if all the Old Testament points to Christ, there must be gain from his heritage. Is there gain being raised in the Bible belt of the South? Sure there is, but notice the very next phrase, I count it as loss.

Why?

Christ is so much more than the heritage you bring to the table.

Paul goes on to say he counts all things, his heritage, money, wealth, fame, future, all things loss because knowing Jesus is worth more than anything. The joy of knowing Christ surpasses anything you bring to the table, by far, there is no comparison.

Paul not only says Christ is worth so much more than all things. Paul goes on to say all things are rubbish and are worth giving up for Christ. The ESV translates the Greek word Skubalon as rubbish but other translations use dung, or as I say, it is all a pile of poo compared to knowing Christ.

Paul says everything I perceive as gain is skubalon, now here is an even bigger statement, in order that I may gain Christ. Paul, very clearly, points out I must give up whatever I put my pride and rightousness in, to gain Christ. As believers, our identity is in Christ, and everything else is a distant second to Him. Christ becomes what defines who we are, above being a Hispanic American, father, husband, wife, mother, or even a Southerner.

For the Christian, Christ is our supreme pleasure and the proclamation of the Gospel is our mission.  If this is true of believers, then we must decide to take down the flag because it is “stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother (Rom. 14:13) ”  I would also contend, not only is it offensive to some of our brothers and sisters in Christ, it may prevent an unbeliever from hearing the Gospel.

Paul continues in Romans 14, “For if your brother is grieved by what you eat” or by what flag you fly, “you are no longer walking in love (Rom. 14:15).” Love for our neighbor becomes the motivation of the Christian. We must be Gospel people who are uncompromising when it comes to the truth of God’s Word. We also must be Gospel people who submit to God’s word by loving our brothers and sisters in Christ who are deeply offended by the Confederate flag.

Why?

For the Christian, the flag which should be fying above all others is the Gospel which has granted us access into God’s kingdom. Every other flag is secondary to Christ and the Gospel. Here is what Paul says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking” or which flag you fly “but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit… So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food (or a flag), destroy the work of God (Romans 14:17-20).”

Remember it’s all skubalon compared to the privilege of knowing Christ.

Until Next Time

Soli Deo Gloria

Precious in the sight of the Lord

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

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Tonight as my family and I sit at home, we recieved a message concering my Tio (uncle) Marin Cantu Jr, his battle with cancer came to an end. While he is in Fresno, CA and we are in Pine Bluff, AR, my wife and I are struggling with not being able to be there with our extended family to love and comfort them in this time of mourning. We love you all deeply and are mourning with you from afar.

As my wife recieved the latest update, we sit in tears.

But as we mourn, the Lord brought to mind a beautiful passage in Scripture,

Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints (Psalms 116:15 ESV)

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As Christians pass from this life into the next, to the Lord it is precious. As I sit and meditate on why it is precious, a few reasons flow through my mind at this time.

1. The curse of sin is finally defeated. As we pass from this life into the presence of the Lord the struggle between the Spirit and the flesh is over. The battle with our sinful passions is gone, victory over the flesh becomes an eternal reality. This is precious.

2. The good fight of faith is over, the race is completed. I have recently taken up jogging for excercise, each time I finish my regimen or complete a goal there is a part of me which celebrates. When the fight of faith is completed and the race of faith is over, when the believer crosses the finish line of mortality to immortality, there will be a celebration like never before. This is precious.

3. Reuniting with those who have gone before us. When we pass from this life into the next we will reunite with those believers which have died before us. My Tio Marin is wrapping his arms around his father, brother, sister, and the many other believers who have gone before him. This is precious.

4. Death is defeated, it is swallowed up in victory. The curse of death is upon us all. When we are born we begin to die. For many death is to be feared. But for the Christian, death is victory. God takes the curse of death and uses it as the avenue in which we close our eyes here and are ushered into the arms of our Savior for forever. O death where is your sting? O death where is your victory? This is precious.

5. When we close our eyes for the final time, the believer will finally see, what we have only seen through the eyes of faith, the welcoming nail pierced hands of Jesus. We will worship like never before. We will fall at the feet of our Savior and cry Holy Holy Holy is the lamb which was slain. Then he will pick us up, look right into our eyes, with a voice full of love and grace He will speak the words we’ve long to hear, “well done, good and faithful servant.” This is the most precious of all.

Tia Norma and family, our hearts mournfully celebrate with you. We love you very much.

In loving memory of Tio Marin Cantu Jr, Son, Husband, Father, Brother, Tio, Friend, Combat Vetern, Hard Worker, Bivocational Pastor.
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Until Next Time

Soli Deo Gloria

My Experience At A City Wide Martin Luther King JR Church Service

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

Sunday night, Watson Chapel Baptist Church (my home church) hosted a city wide Martin Luther King service. This service is designed to bring the community together to honor God first and foremost. We also honor the manner in which God used the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr to bring change in our nation. This event is to be a way to bring our city together, a city of people from different backgrounds and cultures to worship and fellowship together as the body of Christ.

The Positives

My family moved from the west coast to Arkansas, every church our family attended on the west coast was culturally and racially diverse. When we moved to Arkansas we experienced a culture shock. I must say our family wasn’t prepared to see the segregation of most churches on a Sunday morning. There are white churches, black churches and a few hispanic churches and very few of those churches are diverse. So one of the positives from last night was the opportunity to worship with people of different races, backgrounds and cultures. To worship together and experience a very small glimpse of heaven. My heart longs for the day when all churches in my community are diverse every Sunday.

Another positive was the music, it was great. There was a choir, quartet and an acapella solo of His Eye Is On The Sparrow that was simply amazing. Everyone who led worship in song was simply outstanding and the room rejoiced in the worship of our God collectively.

The participation from the various Pastor’s in our area was also good to see. To be ministered to by the reading of the Word, prayer and music from people of a different race and background is always good. Our nation, state and city needs to see the out-flowing of the Pastors working together for a better community.

The support from the City Officials and Representatives of our city and state was good to see also. Our nation, state and city needs to see them work together too. We need to see them put aside differences and worship together and last night we did.

We cannot honor the legacy of Dr. King without listing the various injustices and out right evil he fought against. It is always good to remember from where we have come for two reasons. The first to avoid going back and the second to learn where we can improve. The world we live in has some serious issues. Our nation has some serious problems from drugs to economics. There are a plethora of topics we can list and our keynote speaker addressed the problem, the human condition. We are born in this world with the problem of sin, it is a part of us. A fallen world will breed fallen problems, but the Gospel is the remedy.

Things To Work On

There were so many positives, I really didn’t want to write anything negative. Our keynote speaker brought up issues that would divide the room from voter ID laws to police shootings in our area. I am not one that wants to avoid these issues, these issues should be discussed and talked about. We need to as the body of Christ learn to empathize with each other and understand where we come from. We should no longer avoid the issues of our brothers and sisters in Christ who feel like they are being profiled or discriminated against. We must seek to understand why they feel that way. At the same time we must also seek after the truth in every problematic situation, Jesus Christ says the truth will set you free (John 8:32) Truth is a liberating agent, but only if we accept it. We can know what is true, reject it and remain in bondage. As believers we must always allow truth to rule the day, even if it doesn’t fit our agenda, motivations or worldview.

With that being said, a service that is designed to unite the community, should do just that. There is a time and a place to discuss controversial problems of our day. This service wasn’t the right time to address these issues, but we should address them and when we do we should do it from various viewpoints. An added round-table discussion to this event may or may not be helpful. But as members of the Body of Christ we must learn how to come together and discuss the problematic issues of our day, understand we may leave the table disagreeing with each other but we must continue to love each other for the sake of the Gospel.

Next Year 

Overall i enjoyed the event and I plan to attend next year. Even though I disagreed with the speaker on some points, I still enjoyed to hear from were he was coming from. I pray we have more events like this in our city.God knows we need them.

Until next time

Soli Deo Gloria

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? ‘Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me; and did I not give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? ‘Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’ “Therefore the LORD God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the LORD declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed. (2 Sam. 2:27-30)

How many times do we read in the Bible that “obedience is better than sacrifice”? To be honest I am not quite sure, but it is quite a bit. As I was doing my devotions this morning in 1 Samuel, I began reading about the sons of Eli. The NASB version of the Bible calls them “worthless” but I can imagine if we were to see them on the streets where we live we would call them thugs. The sons of Eli were taking advantage of the sacrificial system in Israel, eating the the portions they were not suppose to and taking advantage of the people. Abusing their power and position the Lord gave them.The Lord had enough of Eli’s sons and sent some one to deal with them. Which leads us to this portion of Scripture and a powerful lesson for us who are followers of Christ.

Did I Not Reveal Myself?

The first question the Lord asks is “did I not reveal myself?” If you are not familiar with the Old Testament, the books of Leviticus and Numbers are pretty clear and specific how the priests were to approach the Lord on behalf of the people. God revealed to them how he wanted things done, very specifically. But the sons of Eli were disregarding God’s revelation and doing things their own way. In Hebrews 1 we read that in the past God spoke in various ways but is now speaking to us through the life of Christ and in 2 Timothy 3 Paul tells us God speaks through His Word, the Bible, God’s revelation to us. So did God reveal Himself? Yes. 

God goes further and reminds them, not only did I reveal myself to you, I also delivered you from the bondage of Egypt. I gave you a land for your own possession. Then I chose you, the tribe of Levi to serve me as priests before the people. Have I not provided for you? You sons of Eli are privileged to serve in my tabernacle. As believers could not God, say the same of us? Have i not delivered you from sin? Have I not chose you to be my witnesses of the Gospel? Am I not a God that provides for you? 

Why Do You Kick At My Sacrifice?

If I have done all this for you why do you kick at my sacrifice? In our day, it could read, why do you spit in My face? Eli’s sons did whatever they wanted and Eli did not correct them. By their disobedience to God’s revelation, God said they were kicking God’s sacrifice and offerings. They were spitting in the face of God and saying what I want is more important than what you want, selfism. Now before we judge Eli and his sons, how often do we put what we want before what God has revealed in Scripture? How often do we disobey God’s eternal truths for temporal enjoyment?

Why Do You Kick My Son?

Obedience is better than sacrifice? God doesn’t want some external religious rituals, He desires that we serve Him from the heart. When God says “obedience is better than sacrifice” is He saying His sacrifices are worthless or his commands are not important? Of course not! God is saying I want you to follow me from an obedience that flows from the heart. I want you to follow my Son and obey Him, with an obedience that is from the heart. Why? Because if the Lord has your heart He has you. As we live our life and are confronted with decisions to follow Christ or disobey Him, remember God wants an obedience from the heart and only God can bring a heart transformation. I know when I am faced with a decision to trust God and obey or do what I want and disobey, I will heed this passage and hear a voice with the question, do you want to kick the sacrifice of my Son with your disobedience?

 

 

 

 

Great Insight From Ed Stetzer: Rightful Revelry: Cautions Concerning Combining Patriotism and Worship | The Exchange | A Blog by Ed Stetzer

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

I appreciate articles like this and I am sometimes uncomfortable about how much we sing about America during these holidays. With that being said I am grateful for the country I live in and the men and women that have fought and died for our freedoms.

 I think that Christians in all those places need to be careful about mixing their faith and worship with their patriotism and nationalism.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/july/rightful-revelry-cautions-concerning-combining-patriotism.html

Christians+Conflict+Facebook=?

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

Lately, I have been using Facebook and Twitter more and more. I must admit I was late on the social media scene. I told my wife when Facebook started that it was just a fad, like Myspace, and soon it will be replaced by something else. Boy was I wrong! Now that I am on there I find that all these social media tools can help people connect in ways that were unthinkable 20 years ago. These tools are also being used by churches and ministries to glorify God.

But recently as I was  on Facebook just looking at all the updates, I read about someone squabbling with someone else. Leaving subliminal updates on their page about the conflict. Not mentioning by name the person, but if you know them and what is going on you know who they are talking about. I know you have read messages like this too. Normally, i would read it and ignore it or just blow right by it. But when I read it, something just bothered me. I was thinking “this doesn’t seem right.” The reason I was thinking this is because the squabble was between Christians on Facebook for all their friends to see. As I read this John 13:35 kept repeating in my mind “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV)


Now at the same time I was reading this stuff on Facebook, I was also writing a paper for class on a passage in Matthew 18. In Mathew 18:15-20 we read the guidelines we are to follow if a fellow Christian wrongs us. Now as all this was going on I was thinking “in our social media world how does this apply to us now?” To be forthright, the same way it applied to the early church, it applies to us. Jesus, knowing that we would offend each other, gave us guidelines to follow as Christians to deal with conflict when it arises. The guidelines are pretty straightforward deal with it one on one, if that doesn’t work deal with it with 2 or 3 witnesses, if that doesn’t work go before your church elders. I have only seen it go to the last step once! After many attempts the person was removed from church membership. After a couple of years the person repented and was restored to the church fellowship.

I understand that things get sticky when we have people from different churches in a conflict. There is another time and blog for that. But it doesn’t benefit anyone to place subliminal messages or in your face messages on Facebook when Jesus clearly outlines how we are to deal with conflicts. More importantly, how are we showing all people that we are His disciples by posting our conflicts for the world to see on Facebook, Twitter or Google +? I am not advocating for Christians to just ignore conflicts, but what I am asking is for Christians to follow the Biblical model that Jesus left for His followers and not to hurt the testimony of Christ with your Facebook, Twitter or Google + postings.

In this age of social media Christians really need to develop a Social Media Theology and follow it. If we wouldn’t say it in the presence of Christ then we probably shouldn’t hit “post” or “tweet” and I am not sure what they do on Google + but, you get the point. Let us as Christians, with the help of the Holy Spirit, live up to the words of Jesus, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV)