We will be transmitting live on the Web. Every Friday at 3pm on www.radioredencion.com

Estaremos transmitiando en vivo por la web. Todos los viernes alas 3pm @ www.radioredencion.com

Another day, other opportunity.

I love mornings, they are another way of our heavenly father saying, I've given you another opportunity at life. Yesterday's mistake should be today's victory. Stay positive, and focused my brother's, and sister's.

Christian family values

Building our families upon a solid foundation of Christian values and principles will give them security and power. This may seem like a daunting task, but if we follow the admonition of one ecclesiastical leader I heard speak, it makes things a little more doable. Simply step up.

Start with a basic principle or action and then step up as you get comfortable.

1. Read and study the scriptures

This is a great place to start because within these pages lie the truths that we need to raise our families with. All the lessons are in there. It is a great workbook, guide map and source of comfort.

Read scripture alone. Read as parents united in desire to rear a righteous family. Read scripture as a family. Setting aside a specific time each day will make this task easier. Do it for three weeks and you've developed a habit.

2. Prayer

Once you have developed the habit of studying scripture, add prayer to it. Here is a great pattern to follow:

Address God, our Heavenly Father.
Give thanks.
Ask for strength and the righteous desires of your heart.
Pray for each member of your family by name.
Close in the name of your Savior, Jesus Christ, acknowledging that it is through him that prayers are answered.
Be quiet for a few minutes and listen for answers.
3. Faith

Plant a seed of faith and watch it grow through obedience to the commandments.

4. Repentance

Realize that you and your family will always make mistakes and that no one is perfect. Teach your family the principle of repentance and about the forgiveness and freedom that comes from it.

Once you are comfortable and have developed these habits, move on to the acquisition of other Christ-like attributes, one step at a time.

Our good deeds

Our good deeds are not messured by how much we do, but by thee intentions we do them with.

JM

Grace, and Mercy.

What is the difference between the love, mercy, and grace of God? We read in Ephesians 2:4,5, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).” This is such a wonderful scripture because it combines all three: Paul says that God is rich in mercy, and because of His great love for us, He saves us by grace.
What is the love of God? Well, God is love. Before anything was created, God was love. Love is the nature of God; it is what is called an attribute of God. But the interesting thing is that the love of God never saved a sinner. The love of God caused God to move in the direction of mercy and grace; it caused Him to exercise mercy and grace.
What is the difference between mercy and grace? Dr. Chafer very exactly expresses it: “Mercy…is that in God which duly provided for the need of sinful man.” God is rich in mercy. Why is He rich in mercy? Because He is love. And because God is love, He, by mercy, provided for the need of sinful man. But mercy didn’t save man. Again, I quote Dr. Chafer: “Grace is that in Him which acts freely to save because all the demands of holiness have been satisfied.” God today is free to act in grace. You are a sinner who cannot provide anything for God. You haven’t anything to offer to Him. But grace means that God can come to you, a lost sinner, and say, “I am love, and I am rich in mercy. I love you, and I have provided by My mercy a Savior for you.” Now if you will trust Him, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
There is a fine distinction here between these words. Salvation all stems from the love of God, but God does not save by His love or His mercy. After all, our God is holy, and the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). You see, God did not so love the world that He saved the world — He didn’t do that. God so loved the world that by His mercy He provided a Savior for the world, and He can now save by grace.
There is something else here that is important to see. Salvation is not only the expression of the love of God, but it is also an expression of His justice and righteousness. We not only need John 3:16, but we also need Romans 3:26: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” In order to justify you when you trust Christ, God has to be righteous and holy and just. He cannot simply open the back door of heaven and slip you in under cover of darkness. You and I are not fit for heaven. We are alienated from Him. We have no fellowship with Him. Communication broke down in the Garden of Eden, and He is the one who renewed it. Because He must be just and righteous, His mercy provided a Savior, and it was because He loves you. He can be righteous and do this — “that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Reaching Your Destiny – Who Does It Depend On?

When God calls you, it is always to do something that will probably seem impossible or too big for you. Remember, Jeremiah certainly thought that when he was confronted by an incredible task.

We can see his reaction when he said: “Ah, Sovereign LORD, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” Jeremiah 1:6.

I have heard many Bible teachers responding to objections with the following argument: “Don’t worry, just respond to the call and the rest is up to God. Carrying out your calling does not depend on you, it all depends on God”

Well, that is only partly true. In fact, this concept taken by itself is close to a fallacy. A few years ago church went through a phase where in some circles almost all you heard was “believe it, confess it and you will have it”.

But there is a BIG missing ingredient in this theory This missing ingredient actually turns these theories into dangerous proclamations that have hurt many people who tried to follow them.

Missing Ingredient:
What is this missing ingredient?

Well in Jeremiah chapter 1:11-12, we find God telling asking Jeremiah what he saw. Jeremiah responded to the vision saying, “I see a branch of the almond tree”. God responds: in verse 12 saying: “You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.” (Amplified version of the Bible).

Then in the book of James, we are clearly told “Faith without works is dead”. (James 2:17). This means that faith is ACTIVE, not passive.

We are called to a walk of faith with God. Since real faith is active, this means our walk with God will be full of ACTION. This journey of faith will take us to our destiny as we respond by faith to the impressions God puts in our hearts.

So what is the missing ingredient? ACTION.

A true walk of faith is a journey of action. There will be no fulfilling of your destiny without ACTION. (Remember, in the last article we mentioned that God is asking us to trust and obey. “Obey” is an ACTIVE verb.)

Partnership.
Our faith walk is a partnership. Successful partners walk together with each of them pulling 100% of their weight. The great advantage of walking in partnership with God is that when you put your 100%, God also puts His :)

Of course the outcome of that is we can end up achieving great things that are far beyond our natural ability. This is because the strength of His 100% far outweighs the strength of our 100%.

Nevertheless, a true partnership is a TWO sided contract. Both partners play a part, not just one of them.

There IS one thing He expects you and I to do and that is to be ALERT and ACTIVE.

Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray – that word “watch” is translated from a greek word which means to be alert.

So does our destiny depend on us or on God?

God has already planned our destiny, and provided EVERYTHING we need to reach it. Our destiny is good and probably far beyond our wildest dreams. In Jeremiah 29:11, God reassures us that His plans for us are good and full of prosperity.

Now it depends on you and me to take what He has given us, use it and start moving towards our destiny or calling.