Danza crepuscular

Nadie sabe por qué lo hacen. Sin embargo, cada otoño miles de estorninos danzan bajo el crepúsculo en Gretna, Scotland. Millones de estos pájaros migran desde Rusia y Scandinavia, escapando del fuerte frío, y se reúnen en rebaños, llamados murmullos, para formar figuras aéreas en movimiento y cambiantes. Complicados algoritmos no han podido explicar sus asombrosas acrobacias, que dependen de rapídisimas reacciones por dejabo de los 100 milisegundos para evitar chocar entre sí -y los depredadores-.  

**

No one knows why they do it. Yet each fall, thousands of starlings dance in the twilight above Gretna, Scotland. The birds gather in magical shape-shifting flocks called murmurations, having migrated in the millions from Russia and Scandinavia to escape winter’s bite. Scientists aren’t sure how they do it, either. Even complex algorithmic models haven’t yet explained the starlings’ acrobatics, which rely on the tiny bird’s quicksilver reaction time of under 100 milliseconds to avoid aerial collisions—and predators—in the giant flock.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Fuente: http://twentytwowords.com/2011/11/04/thousands-of-starlings-perform-a-remarkable-shape-shifting-aerial-dance/

Diciembre

Palabras

Siento nostalgia cuando veo cómo las palabras van perdiendo su valor.  No me convence esa extraña costumbre que estamos adoptando de repartir sin prestar valor a nuestras más preciadas palabras. ¿Cómo está eso de amar unos zapatos, una película o una canción? ¿De odiar un mal peinado, el puré de papas o un libro? ¿Tan inconstantes seremos en carácter que debemos recurrir al tesoro de nuestros adjetivos, sustantivos y verbos para convencer cuando hablamos? No sé,  por lo menos en lo tocante a mí, me sobran dedos de una mano para contar las cosas que amo. Me gustan muchas sí, y espero para mi interlocutor un “me gusta” o un “muy padre” basten. ¿Y de provocarme odio? No las anotaré aquí. “No me gustó” es más que suficiente.

Quizá por eso siento respeto por quienes piensan antes de hablar. Por quienes me obligan a meditar en la importancia de sus palabras porque precisamente se pronuncian con énfasis y se alternan con silencios.

Yo sí extraño no dudar de las palabras, y me desilusiona la contradicción entre los rostros y labios.  

Foto: http://blogs.ya.com/bellaspalabras/c_4.htm

La introducción de la luz

La introducción de la luz disipa las tinieblas. La introducción de la luz a mi vida, a través de Jesucristo reconocido como mi Salvador y Señor, me lleva también a un gran combate de padecimientos. En la iluminación de mi intelecto que se ve en la disyuntiva de modificar sus pensamientos a los de Dios; en el área de los sentimientos que se inclinan a adoptar su sentir y no el mío, engañoso. Su sentir que ve a las multitudes con compasión. Se sujeta, en sabiduría, a la mente y a la voluntad. Y en este combate de padecimientos, mi voluntad es iluminada. Nunca obligada a decidir por el camino de Dios; pero sí enseñada y prevenida de las tristes consecuencias de no tomarlo.

De la meditación La introducción de la luz trae un gran combate de padecimientos, de Héctor Valay. 27 de noviembre, 2011.

Imagen: http://minimalexposition.blogspot.com/2011/08/anthony-mccall-solid-light-2.html

I Can See Your Love

Más de 30 veces, sin exagerar, de escuchar esta canción. Espero también te guste.

Lluvia de hojas

Me debo a la sinceridad, todo lo demás se vomita por falso. Disculpa mi inicio grosero, pero como que me hace falta café. Decía, ayer le pregunté a una joven foránea residente en Tijuana qué opinaba de mi Tijuana. Tuve que hablar con verdad cuando la vi titubear. Visualmente hablando, sé que no ofrece mucho, dije. Tendrá sus atractivos un tanto abstractos, por así llamarlos; tampoco la pueda desdeñar sin darle oportunidad para defenderse. Más si como para la que escribe tiene un punto de vista tan parcial, naciendo y habiendo crecido en esa ciudad. Tijuana se compone de una fascinante multiculturalidad, de exquisita comida, y es punto estratégico para otras ciudades (Ensenada, Rosarito, San Diego, etc.), pero a la vista, reconozco queda corta; excluyendo su playa.

Pensaba en esto cuando, fuera de la Baja, caminaba en medio de un perfecto otoño de hojas rojizas, amarillas, y anaranjadísimas lloviendo del cielo. Concluí que estaba recibiendo de Dios un tour individual de su obra personal. Me mantuvo, resta decir, completamente atenta en ojos y oídos por no menos de una hora. Al final no supe qué decir más que gracias. En cambio recibí un simple y franco de nada.

Espero perdones mi fascinación al contarte mi experiencia del crujir de las hojas cuando paso sobre ellas, pero comprende vengo de un lugar desértico que, vaya la redundancia, imposible es que se preste a este escenario. Simplemente no deja de maravillarme la grande y maravillosa creación de Dios. Si tan solo nos prestásemos a observarla con detenimiento quedaríamos... felizmente asombrados.

“Los cielos cuentan la gloria de Dios, y el firmamento anuncia la obra de sus manos.” Salmo 19:1

Made for another world

"Most people, if they really learned to look into their own hearts, would know that they want, and want acutely, something that cannot be had in this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise...if I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).

I give painful

evidence every day.

I experience it in

predictable and unpredictable

moments.

I guess I should know

better,

but I am often

caught off guard.

There is an

insatiable longing

inside of me,

a thirst that never

seems to be

quenched.

This deep hunger

doesn't go away

no matter how busy

I get

or how hard I work to be

distracted.

I long for

Justice

Love

Hope

Peace

Perfection

Satisfaction

Mercy

Contentment

Rest

Harmony

Joy

and none of these

longings

ever gets fully

satisfied.

And so in my quest

for more

I am faced with

the incontrovertible

daily evidence

that this simply is not all

that there is

and the sure truth

that I was

hardwired

for another world.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/paul-david-tripp/listening-to-lewis/265640476811556

Foto: http://escritosdeazaharys.blogspot.com/2010/04/sobre-las-nubes.html

Sublime gracia: favor de elevación extraordinaria

Un par de velas

Nos aventuramos a la calle para ver qué veíamos en medio de la oscuridad. Sí, así empieza mi torpe texto porque la longitud de nuestras vistas llegaba a muy poco sin postes de luz funcionando, letreros comerciales ni semáforos para apoyarla. Es muy fácil olvidar lo que es la verdadera oscuridad cuando se vive en una ciudad donde gracias a la contaminación lumínica es casi imposible apreciar las estrellas. Se aprende a dormir y despertar con luz. Pocas veces en la vida he tenido la experiencia de tener mi mano a escasos centímetros mis ojos sin poder distinguir ni una sola de sus sombras; sin estar consciente que ahí está frente a mí solo porque la siento, la puedo mover de aquí a allá. El apagón del pasado 8 de septiembre en el norte de B.C., el sur en ciertas zonas de California, y un poco más allá en nuestro vecino Este produjo una muy interesante confusión. La gente como sin saber qué hacer con tiempo en sus manos no sabía si prestarse a dejarse llevar por el temor o aparentar un perfecta calma; total, estos apagones siempre duran menos de un par de horas, es lo que la mayoría pensaba –me imagino-. Pero esta vez pasaron las horas y seguíamos en la penumbra. Las personalidades, sin las comunes máscaras, y como siempre sucede en los tiempos de inquietud, brotaron maravillosamente: desde los que en compras de pánico hicieron largas filas en las hieleras parar cargas bolsas y más bolsas de hielo en sus cajuelas, los que llamaron a cada uno de sus familiares para preguntar si estaban bien, hasta los que simplemente se sentaron en las salas de sus casas a disfrutar de un café a platicar con su familia con la luz que un par de velas puede aportar. Pero lo que estoy casi segura la mayoría experimentó fue un profunda reflexión, bueno, dejémosle en reflexión, sobre si sabríamos cómo actuar en una crisis mayor. No quiero ni pensarlo, pero quizá un terremoto, o cualquier otro desastre natural. A quién acudiríamos si resulta que un día no solo nos faltara luz sino también el agua, la comida… y ni siquiera mencionarlo: el internet (anoto la palabra “sarcasmo” para que no me definan como insensible). Cuando estuviéramos experimentando lo que vemos en las notas periodísticas les sucede a tantos, a la mayoría, que simplemente día a día perdieron lo llamado por la humanidad “una vida digna”.

No deseo invocar nada, ni menospreciar todos aquellos avisados que han sabido armar y guardar sus botiquines de primeros auxilios y supervivencia. Solo recordar que no estamos exentos de nada y que de nuevo la vida nos demuestra no es de confiar la aparente estabilidad que nos ofrece el hombre. Yo por lo menos desearía siempre invocar al que no duda en socorrer al que se lo pide de corazón. A los justos que han reconocido tiene todo señorío y pueden beneficiarse de su protección pues pertenecen a su amado Hijo Jesús.

“¿De dónde vendrá mi socorro?

Mi socorro viene de Jehová,

que hizo los cielos y la tierra.”

Salmo 121: 1 y 2

Debes saber… seguro, debes saber

No sé si está por terminar o se prolongará por un tiempo más esta temporada que me ha tenido básicamente y en dos simples palabras: sentimentalmente enajenada. Qué más quisiera si al final de cuentas soy mujer, pero seamos realistas: este mundo no es ni fue diseñado para ser un cuento de hadas. Bueno, en este caso: una eterna y perfecta novela romántica. Tengo varias semanas repasando, porque habrá tiempo atrás que las había hojeado sin curiosidad, las clásicas novelas de Jane Austen. Una semana aseguro no podré enamorarme más de alguien diferente al señor Darcy y recuerdo al pasar las hojas de la novela de Emma el carácter y proceder del señor Knightley, y no sé al final por quién decidir; me convenzo por fin puedo inclinarme por los dos. De Eduardo o del Coronel Brandon en Sentido y Sensibilidad no caí desmayada al piso, de eso mínimo me puedo enorgullecer. ¡Ah!, aquellos tiempos cuando la sociedad aplaudía los resultados del amor cultivado; cuando la base del galanteo espiritual y mental ocupaban su justo sitio para ser fortalecido, a su tiempo, por el carnal. Cuando se estimulaba una mujer fuera respetada y amada por su vigor, su inteligencia y después por su belleza externa. Creo que más satisfecho no se puede quedar con un historia de amor proyectada en cine que Orgullo y Prejuicio versión 2005, y sin ningún beso (verdadera hazaña para nuestra época). Versiones de estas historias llevadas a televisión no sé cuántas vi, las de cine, todas, creo.

Pero a quién engaño, o pocos quizá, sé que este tiempo de enamoramiento terminará: mi persona siempre se inclina al negativismo. No al de Shakespeare que dejaría todo por amor, que conduce al suicidio. El veneno antes que vivir sin el “amor romántico” (porque debemos aclarar cuál tipo). Negativa en que conozco que todos estos personajes son idílicos, pertenecen al fino y perfumado papel en el que fueron escritos y no a carne y hueso. Nos lo corrobora el mismo ejemplo de la misma Austen que nunca se casó. Llegará el tiempo en que la sensación al que elevan este tipo de novelas cederá su curso natural para descender. Pero quizá… tal vez mi sueño no necesariamente deba terminar tan bruscamente: no seré tan extremista, debo admitir que las mujeres tenemos el confort de conocer un poco del señor Darcy en unos cuantos varones de por ahí, de tener a nuestra disposición de un pequeño tanto del señor Knightley en varios de nuestro alrededor. Ante mí, por lo menos (y refiriéndome a lo más) siempre tendré al más caballeroso de los caballeros, a Jesús, extendiéndome su gentil mano diciéndome, así como el señor Darcy le dijo a su amada Lizzy al final de la versión de cine de Orgullo y Prejuicio: “You must know… surely, you must know it was all for you”/ “Debes saber… seguro, debes saber que todo lo que hice fue por ti” (mi propia vida por ti). Esta sí es mi más íntima y romántica realidad.

Feliz cumpleaños a mi bella amiga

Galletas para celebrar

Hace un mes, y un día, que cumplí el primer año en esta mi tercera década de vida. Me gusta, debo ser sincera. No solo por reconocer la cada vez más evidente gracia de mi Dios al concederme más vida (como bien dijo ayer un amigo que por estos días cumplió otro más: “porque yo nací con tifoidea, le doy gracias a Dios por mantenerme hasta aquí”; bueno, más o menos fue dicho así, si no, parafraseo). Es muy gratificante ver como en cada año que cumplo puedo desprenderme con mayor facilidad, o mínimo la ilusión y el intento están, de las cosas de niños. Niñez entendiéndose como aquella persona que obra con poca reflexión y advertencia. Atisbar el peligro, la inconveniencia de antemano que pueden llevar a caminos de frustración. Gratificante conocer como Dios con mayor insistencia me anima e instruye a cargar con una mente inconforme, aguda y sensata que sea capaz de luchar por su reino aunque cueste siempre “nadar contracorriente” (como diría Marcos Vidal). El verdadero gozo no está en ningún otro lugar.

Inicié mi nuevo año con unas ricas galletas hechas en casa por mi prima, por aquella que hace pocos meses nos acaba de regalar a la familia una preciosura que está estrenando sus dos primeros “incisivos”. Celebrando así en un caluroso y quieto parque pensé: me encanta… sí, me encanta comprobar cada año que mi Dios ha sido, es, y será siempre bueno.

Jesús prometió

Jesus promised his disciples three things—that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble. — G.K. Chesterton/ Jesús le prometió a sus discípulos 3 cosas: que intrépidos serían, absurdamente felices y vivirían en constantes problemas. – G.K. Chesterton

Driven to Grace

Paul Tripp

Perhaps, sometime recently you’ve been thinking, "Life is hard. I don’t know if I have what it takes to live God's way.” Or maybe you’ve wondered how in the world you can do what God calls you to do as a husband or wife, a parent, friend, relative, worker, neighbor, citizen, or member of the body of Christ in the middle of the busyness of your schedule and the catalog of other responsibilities you carry. Maybe you’ve been thinking, “It seems exhausting just to maintain the status quo let alone working to make things in my life better!” Maybe God's street-level call of daily self-sacrificing love for God and neighbor has left you a bit hopeless and discouraged. Or maybe you’ve had to face the fact that you simply don’t have it inside you to fight the good fight in this fallen world. Perhaps yesterday's failure has left you despondent and discouraged. Maybe a situation, relationship, conversation or a book has given you a lens on yourself and, sadly, you’ve realized that things aren’t what you thought. Perhaps you’re feeling the standard is too high and the work too hard.

Maybe all this has revealed how selfish your heart really is and left you feeling weak and unable. Well, I am about to say something that will surprise you. If this has been your response, then you’re in a very good place. Let me remind you that this is one of the uncomfortable gifts that God is working to give you. He’s designed the right here, right now situations of life to expose the neediness of your heart and, in so doing, to bring you to the end of yourself. Why does God do this? He does it because he knows that its only when you abandon your own wisdom, strength, and righteousness that you’ll begin to get excited about his grace.

What is your hope? This may seem strange to read at this point, but it must be said: the hope of your life isn’t all the principles, insights, and perspectives found in Scripture. No, the hope of your life can be captured in one glorious, powerful, and transforming word—grace. Without rescuing, empowering, forgiving, transforming and delivering grace, the principles of the Bible would only leave you discouraged and overwhelmed. God’s grace guarantees that you, in your struggle, will never be alone. God’s grace assures you that when you’ve blown it, there’s forgiveness to be found. Grace means that there’s strength available when you’re weak. Grace assures you that there’s wisdom for the moments when you don’t know what to do. Grace gives you hope when there seems little to be found. Grace enables you to get up and move forward when inside you want to quit or run away. Grace reminds you again and again that you’re not alone.

You see, God knows that this side of heaven there are ways in which we all are weak and unable. There are ways we all fall below his standards. So he’s given us the only thing that will rescue, restore, and mobilize us. He’s given us himself! In his grace he invades our situations, locations and relationships. He comes with power we don’t possess, wisdom unnatural to us, and love beyond anything we’ve ever known. He’s willing to let you see how weak you actually are so that you’ll begin to seek what you can find only in him. What you should be afraid of in your life isn’t your weakness; being needy is a good place to be. No, what you should be afraid of are your delusions of arrival and strength. When you think you’ve arrived, and when you’re convinced you’re strong, you don’t reach out for the incredible resources of grace that God freely offers, which will give you what you need to live in a way that by yourself you could never live.

Jack and Shannon were exhausted and discouraged because they had no hope; nothing they did made things better. They felt helpless and alone with no place to turn. Jack knew that he shouldn’t be so angry, but he was. Shannon knew she shouldn’t be bitter and judgmental, but she didn’t know how to deal with her disappointment. There were moments of peace, but those moments were increasingly infrequent and fleeting. The distance and tension between them seemed to grow every day. Their home was no longer a refuge to either one.

Rather than doing the hard work of dealing with their problems, Jack and Shannon developed the skill of working around their problems. But as their problems grew, it became impossible for them to work around them anymore. Their marriage was no longer peaceful and enjoyable. Their home was no longer a place of rest and retreat. So they sat in front of me, exhausted and discouraged. But I knew that it was the exhaustion and discouragement of grace. I knew that God hadn’t turned his back on them but was with them, in them, and for them. And I knew that God had their attention in fresh and new ways.

I didn’t start by laying on them all the insights and principles about marriage that Scripture contains. I knew that that would leave them even more overwhelmed. No, for the first few weeks we met together, I did only one thing: I worked to help them see Jesus. I knew that when they began to see and trust his presence, promises, power, and faithfulness, they would begin to think that maybe they could hope to experience what marriage was designed to be, and they would be willing to do the hard work that would get them there. I knew that they would live with the assurance that God would always give them what they need in order to do what he called them to do.

Jack and Shannon didn't need a lecture in God's law. They knew their marriage was a mess and that what they were doing was wrong. What they needed was a fresh vision of God's grace; a vision of grace so huge and glorious that their problems would seem tiny in comparison. It was God who drove them to the end of themselves so that they would do the one thing they hadn't done for a long time, reach out for his transforming grace.

Are you reaching out?

http://paultrippministries.blogspot.com/

Foto: http://www.desdecuba.com/generaciony/?p=5199

Oh Jehová... redentor mío

Una señorita que pasó la noche en el patio de una cárcel dibujó un cuadro parecido a éste de Daniel en el foso de los leónes. Daniel reposaba su cabeza sobre sus rodillas mientras las abrazaba con sus brazos. Se le ocurrió que quizá Daniel haya dormido sentado así, como ella aquel día en la cárcel. A pesar de esta posición, cuenta la señorita que pudo dormir muy bien pues confió en que así como a Daniel su Señor Jesucristo podía traerle seguridad y tranquilidad DONDEQUIERA que se encontrara.

Imagen: http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/laske_oskar_danielinderlowengrube.htm

Obituary for the American Church

JULY 5, 2011

by Mike Breen

From time to time I will have the people I’m discipling write out their own pastoral obituary. I ask them to write out how our enemy would take them out, rendering them unable to serve their family and communities. As you can imagine, the answers vary, but always serves as a really helpful exercise as they are forced to confront issues of character, etc.

Now last week I did a post looking at some of the things the Church is doing well. Today, let’s do something different. You see, taking the same exercise I’ve used with pastors, for the past year I’ve been thinking how the enemy would/might be trying to take down the American church. Now what I’ve noticed is that the original temptations Jesus faced (which can best be boiled down to Appetite, Affirmation and Ambition) are somehow warped and insinuated into the culture. As each culture is distinct and different, a smart enemy would come at each culture in subtle ways, tempting them in ways they don’t see or expect, and with things that would look different from culture to culture.

For instance, the issues the European church deal with are actually quite different than the ones the American church is dealing with…even though often times they are put under the same broad umbrella of “Western Church.” Sure, there are some similarities, but the attack is different. More nuanced.

But those original temptations of Appetite, Affirmation and Ambition are slowly insinuating themselves into everything we call CHURCH. We just often don’t recognize it or see it.

And so this is how, if our enemy gets his way, the American church could be taken out:

A culture of CELEBRITY (affirmation)

A culture of CONSUMERISM (appetite)

A culture of COMPETITION (ambition)

CELEBRITY

The idea of celebrity is deeply woven into American culture and values. All you have to do is look at the ridiculous nature of Reality TV and you see how Americans are constantly craving celebrity (either to be a celebrity or to find the next celebrity and stalk there every move). Now there is nothing dark or sinister about “celebrity” in and of itself. You can’t find an argument that says Jesus wasn’t a huge celebrity in his day. However, there is a difference between beingfamous and being significant. If Jesus was famous, it’s because he was doing something significant. The problem with many pastors is they make decisions, develop personas and define success from the lens of what will make them a celebrity/famous (even if they don’t know it or see that they are doing this). So in American church culture, it’s pretty easy to become a celebrity: Grow a HUGE church. Now all in all, it’s not terribly difficult to grow to be a giant church if you have the right tools at your disposal…but that doesn’t mean the ends justify the means of getting there. For instance, though Jesus was a celebrity in his day, he was willing to say things that ran people off in droves. In fact, the book of Mark chronicles the way (from about the mid-point of the book on) how people left Jesus to where, at the end, virtually no one was left. NO ONE wants to be associated with him for fear of the consequences. That’s a Charlie Sheen-esque flameout (obviously without the character issues!). That’s not something you see too often in American churches. I suspect it’s because riven deeply into the American psyche is the desire to be a celebrity. And American pastors are very susceptible to this. Many subtle things happen in people who desire to this kind of celebrity status: They can disengage community and isolate themselves, setting themselves up for moral failure. They can make decisions that are numbers driven and not always Kingdom driven. They can skew to a shallow understanding of the Gospel as opposed to a holistic one that leads people to discipleship. They can put the good of their church (their personal Kingdom) over the good of God’s Kingdom. Question: In what ways are your decisions made by a subtle undercurrent of ambition and a hope for celebrity?

CONSUMERISM

We live in a culture that revolves around consuming. Every TV commercial, every store, every credit card company, every bank, every TV show or movie, every piece of clothing, car or product, every website, every restaurant…every everything is tailored to fit your desires, needs or personal preference. We are easily infuriated when things don’t happen exactly as we want them. We exist in a place that implicitly says this: “We are here to serve you and meet your every whim and desire. Let us take care of you.” What’s more, it’s never enough. Eventually the house or the car get older and we want new ones. The clothes aren’t as fashionable and we want something more in style. That restaurant is getting boring, we must find another. Our favorite TV show is wearing thin, so the search begins for the next favorite. And on and on and on. This is how we are wired to think in the United States. And it is all backed up by this rationale: You’re worth it. You deserve to have what you want, how you want it, when you want it. And for the most part, the church plays the exact same game. We do as best we can to provide as comfortable an experience as humanly possible, using every means at our disposal to attract them in (and then keep them in). So we tailor what we do around their wants and desires. That’s Marketing 101, right? The problem is at the end of the day, the only thing that Jesus is counting is disciples. That’s it. He doesn’t seem to care too much about converts, attendance, budgets or buildings. It’s about disciples. And, by nature, disciples are producers, not consumers. Yet most of our churches are built around feeding consumers. I’d argue 90% of the church’s time, energy and resources are linked to this. But the issue is this: The means you use to attract people to you are usually the means you must use to keep them. In other words, if you use consumerism to attract them to your church, it often means you must continue using it to keep them…or else they will find another church who will meet their “needs.” And yet…that consumer mentality is antithetical to the Gospel and to the call of Discipleship. Disciples aren’t consumers, they are producers. Jesus cared about disciples more than anything else. Question: In what ways is your church community using consumerism as the means to draw people to a Gospel that is, in and of itself, anti-consumerism?

COMPETITION

You will never find a more hyper-competitive culture than you do in the United States. As a foreigner living in this land, I can attest to that with the utmost respect. Americans love to win, they love the struggle of the journey and love holding up the gold medal of victory. Now don’t hear me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with being competitive, it’s just how competition has become warped and twisted within our culture. And it’s that, at least in the church, we are competitive about the wrong things. Much of the American church finds itself competing with the church down the road. “Are we bigger than them? Do we have more influence than them? Do we have the best/biggest youth group in town? Do people like to get married in our church building? Do people like our church better than theirs?” The fact of the matter is that there is a battle, we do have an enemy and we should be competitive…but against our enemy! What we haven’t seen is how crafty he is. This seems to be the alliance he has struck with the American church: “I’ll let a good chunk of your churches grow…just not at the expense of my territory.“ And so what happens? 96% of church growth is due to transfer growth and not churches striking into the heart of our enemy’s territory. We’ll consider it a win because we have the new service or program that is growing…but that growth is mainly from people coming from other churches. That’s not a win! That’s a staggering loss. Furthermore, for many pastors, we don’t think we’ve won until we’ve won AND someone else has lost. Seriously?! For sure, we have an enemy and we should be competitive, but we should be competing against our enemy, knowing that the final battle has already been won, and not competing against our own team members. So gifted and skilled is our enemy, so conniving is he, that he has convinced us that beating the people on our own team is victory while he stands back and laughs, rarely having to ever engage in conflict, protecting his territory. He is beating us with a slight of hand, with a clever distraction, turning us against ourselves. Question: In what ways are you competing (both in actuality or simply in your mind) against people who are on your own team?

In all honesty, it isn’t that the American church will ever truly die or cease to exist. It will always be there. But it is entirely possible that if these three critical issues aren’t addressed and dealt with, it will be a hallow shell that is spiritually listless.

If we think through Celebrity, Consumerism and Competition, the anti-body against all of these is sacrifice. Learning to lay down what builds us up and giving to others instead. “Learning to serve, rather than to be served.” Looking for anonymity rather than celebrity. To build a culture of producers rather than a consumers. To live in a vibrant, sacrificial community fighting a real enemy rather than competing against the same community God has given us to fight WITH rather than AGAINST. It’s about sacrificing what we want for the glory of God and the advancement of his Kingdom, regardless of our advancement or desires. Clearly this is what Paul was getting after in Philippians 2:6-11 when describing the attitude of Jesus as taking on the attitude of a servant, willing to sacrifice all acclaim and equality with God. It was a willingness to set aside and sacrifice celebrity, consumerism and competition at the altar of the incarnation.

Fifty years ago, as these three subtle threads were being woven into the American church, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., serving as a prophetic voice, said this:

If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century.

We are now into the second decade of the 21st century and we find ourselves still, for the most part, refusing to sacrifice what we want for what God is asking of us and his Church. Will we have the courage to sacrifice as Christ sacrificed? Will we do the things that cost us so that his Kingdom may advance?

http://mikebreen.wordpress.com/2011/07/05/obituary-for-the-american-church/

Dios puede librarnos

Entre dibujos con colores brillantes, buscando significados claros para poder explicar las palabras de los versículos para memorización. Entre momentos de tranquilidad como distraída sacándole punta a los lápices, que luego compiten por el que la tenga más puntiaguda, pero pensando en algún ejemplo de introducción, atrayente, que sirva para captar el mayor porcentaje de su atención. Entre tararear “yo te alabó de corazón, yo te alabó con la voz. Y si me falta la voz, yo te alabo con…” Y entre pedirle a Dios me dé gracia, concentración para abarcar los puntos más importantes que deban sembrarse en sus corazones, con la esperanza de que en un futuro den su fruto y marquen con firmeza sus caminos; y orando por humildad para ser un simple instrumento que no pretenda contaminar el mensaje de vida con ideas de hombres, me encuentro estos días para con los niños en las clases dominicales. Dando vueltas y vueltas en mi cabeza el ejemplo específico de la edad y el gran testimonio de los jóvenes en el libro de Daniel. Tenían alrededor de 30 años cuando decidieron por Dios y como consecuencia el horno de fuego antes que postrarse ante otro ídolo. Treinta años… y sigo maravillada. Se analiza que sobre este gran ejemplo observado en Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego el pueblo judío hasta hoy día nunca ha vuelto a adorar ídolos.

Y no es coincidencia que precisamente hasta hoy pude conseguir el libro Más que un carpintero de Josh McDowell. Tenía tiempo deseándolo leer y llega a mis manos en este momento de compartir con los niños. Pero como siempre sucede, al final el maestro termina aprendiendo más que los alumnos. Más para mí porque me hace ver que para dejar huella de Dios en este mundo, no debemos de descuidar amar a Dios con el corazón sí, pero igual de importante con la mente. Porque nuestra fe no es una ciega, una que no requiere de lógica, inteligencia y raciocinio exhaustivo. La obediencia sobre todo y el alinear el corazón, fuerzas y mente para que como aquellos jóvenes cautivos en Babilonia, obtener sobrenatural sabiduría y valentía; declarar con toda seguridad ante el rey Nabucodonosor que nuestro Dios es capaz de librar del horno del fuego. Confiar de esta forma en el verdadero y único Dios que es digno de todo, y esto incluye nuestras propias vidas.

Sinceramente te recomiendo este libro.

“…sino santificad a Dios el Señor en vuestros corazones, y estad siempre preparados para presentar defensa con mansedumbre y reverencia ante todo el que os demande razón de la esperanza que hay en vosotros…” 1 Pedro 3:15

Foto: http://www.dansfriends.com/dansfriends.shtml

No te vengo a pedir

Noble corazón

Hace poco tuvo que sacrificar a su mascota más pequeña, a la amada Josefina de su Napoléon. Sí, esos son los nombres de su querida pareja de perros. Qué podía decirle más que lo siento mucho. Sé cuánto la quería. Nunca olvidaré el primero que tuvo. El que escabando un hoyo en tierra se fue sin despedirse. Cuánto le lloró.

Y ahora es su cumpleaños, bueno técnicamente en un par de horas para un 18 de junio. Año 28 de mi hermana. La de noble corazón. La que ha llorado sí, pero por esa misma razón ha aprendido a sonreír en mayor medida.

Nuestro Dios te bendiga siempre.

Psalm 73: Judgment Day

By Paul Tripp

"For behold, those who are far from you will perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you." (v.28)


To transgressing of your boundaries
You will put an end.
To human thoughts of autonomy
You will put an end.
To delusions of self-sufficiency
You will put an end.
Grace forbids these going on forever.
To acts of violence and deeds of greed
You will put an end.
To the burn of lust
You will put an end.
To injustice and inhumanity
You will put an end.
Grace prohibits these going on forever.
To the silent writing of my own law
You will put an end.
To using others for personal pleasure
You will put an end.
To robbing you of divine glory
You will put an end.
Grace won't tolerate these going on forever.
To disobedience to parents
You will put an end.
To gossip and slander
You will put an end.
To the worship of comfort
You will put an end.
Grace wars against these going on forever.
To self-aggrandizing pride
You will put an end.
To self-oriented envy
You will put an end.
To subtle daily idolatries
You will put an end.
Grace will not permit these going on forever.
To desire-driven lawlessness
You will put an end.
To attempts at self-sovereignty
You will put an end.
To denial of what is true.
You will put an end.
Grace restricts these going on forever.
To denial of You and the elevation of self
You will put an end.
To mockery of what is good
You will put an end.
To the love of what is foolish
You will put an end.
Grace will not allow these going on forever.
What is now will not go on
forever.
This world is marching toward
an end.
We can embrace the hope of
justice.
Final judgment is coming.
Grace requires evil to die forever.
Those far from You will
perish.
Those unfaithful to You will
come to an end.
I have been unfaithful to you.
I have chosen to be far from you.
I have broken each of your laws.
But I am not afraid of what
You will put to an end.
Grace has drawn me near to you.
Grace has paid for my unfaithfulness.
Grace has made me clean in Your eyes.
Grace put my stripes on Jesus
so I would not face them
when you put what is now
to an end.

http://paultrippministries.blogspot.com/2009/04/psalm-73-judgment-day.html

Photo: http://raptureofthedeep.org/index.php/2010/07/29/drowning-silent-killer-read-whyand-save-life/

Cómo, dónde sin Ti

“Jesús, el manantial de mi vida, la fuente de mi alegría”.-Rojo, grupo musical

Foto: http://pixdaus.com/?sort=tag&tag=fountain

Believing Better

By Tullian Tchividjian

Remembrance vs. Spiritual Surveillance

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in “accountability groups” where there has been little to no attention given to the gospel whatsoever. There’s no reminder of what Christ has done for our sin—“cleansing us from its guilt and power”—and the resources that are already ours by virtue of our union with him. These groups produce a “do more, try harder” moralism that robs us of the joy and freedom Jesus paid dearly to secure for us.

When the goal becomes conquering our sin instead of soaking in the conquest of our Savior, we actually begin to shrink spiritually. Sinclair Ferguson rightly points this out:

Those who have almost forgotten about their own spirituality because their focus is so exclusively on their union with Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished are those who are growing and exhibiting fruitfulness. Historically speaking, whenever the piety of a particular group is focused on OUR spirituality, that piety will eventually exhaust itself on its own resources. Only when our piety forgets about us and focuses on Jesus Christ will our piety be nourished by the ongoing resources the Spirit brings to us from the source of all true piety, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sin: An Identity Crisis

The Puritans used to say that far too many Christians live beneath the level of their privileges. Therefore, I need to be told by those around me that every time I sin I’m momentarily suffering from an identity crisis: forgetting who I actually belong to, what I really want at my remade core, and all that is already mine in Christ. The only way to deal with remaining sin long-term is to develop a distaste for it in light of the glorious riches we already possess in Christ. I need my real friends to remind me of this—every day. Please tell me again and again that God doesn’t love me more when I obey or less when I disobey. Knowing this actually enlarges my heart for God and therefore shrinks my hunger for sin. So, don’t let me forget it. My life depends on it!

Believing Deeper, Not Behaving Better

Christian growth, in other words, does not happen first by behaving better, but believing better—believing in bigger, deeper, brighter ways what Christ has already secured for sinners. I need my family and friends to remind me of this all the time.

The bottom line is this, Christian: because of Christ’s work on your behalf, God does not dwell on your sin the way you do. So, relax and rejoice…and you’ll actually start to get better. The irony, of course, is that it’s only when we stop obsessing over our own need to be holy and focus instead on the beauty of Christ’s holiness, that we actually become more holy! Not to mention, we start to become a lot easier to live with!

Will someone please keep reminding me of this?

http://theresurgence.com/2011/06/13/accountability-groups-the-tyranny-of-do-more-try-harder?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheResurgence+%28The+Resurgence%29

Foto: http://churchofallnations.net/default.aspx

Vive en mí

No es que me he olvidado de este espacio, simplemente, creo que a eso se debe, muchas cosas sin llegar a su definición, giran en mi cabeza. Empiezo un texto, varios quizá, muchos, la verdad, y ninguno llega hasta aquí. Tal vez sea lo mejor, porque hay que tenerle respeto a las palabras. Pero una cosa sí sé, una que lucho por verla y mantenerla clara: la permanencia de Jesús en el principio de mi razón y en el termino de mi acción. Vaya cosa es que te presenten, cada vez con mayor intimidad, a tu ser corrompido.

Para este fin de semana les comparto este canto, no tan nuevo en creación, pero lleno de frescura hoy día para el alma.

No conocemos el Evangelio

Amé a Jehová

¿Te habrás preguntado por todos aquellos niños con quienes compartiste en las clases dominicales?, ¿qué ha pasado con ellos?, ¿qué será de sus vidas?, ¿seguirán caminado con Cristo? Yo sí, y en varias ocasiones. No sé, ¿será que satanás los habrá engañado al hacerles pensar que una vida junto a Cristo es una llena de reglas?, ¿una donde solo nos corresponde cerrar los ojos, dejar a un lado todas nuestras inquietudes y peguntas más profundas, y obedecer?, ¿estamos en las manos de un Dios que cruzado de manos nunca nos escucha y mucho menos actúa para beneficio nuestro? Sí, sí que vivir en este camino es más difícil. Sí, quizá es más seguro vendrán sobre nosotros más problemas, pero… pero lo habremos ganado a Él. ¡Lo habremos ganado a Él! , y si el está con nosotros ¿quién… quién contra nosotros?

“Amo a Jehová, pues ha oído mi voz y mis súplicas; porque ha inclinado a mí su oído; por tanto, le invocaré en todos mis días.” Salmo 116: 1y 2

¿El que Dios incline a nosotros su oído no sobra como razón?, ¿pues que no lo habremos ganado ya todo?

Foto: http://www.thejournal.ie/22-children-have-died-while-under-state-care-since-march-report-2010-12/

Something has gone deeply wrong with humanity

Cuando todos los recursos fallan

Llegué a este texto con la noticia de que el autor de éste falleció ayer. Otro personaje que me propongo conocer un poco más; tengo a varios en mi lista. Pero mientras cumplo mi tarea, te lo comparto ya que me fue de mucho ánimo... espero sirva al mismo propósito contigo.

Por David Wilkerson

To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and is most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those that do believe and have not seen” (John 20:29).

Blessed are those who believe when there is no evidence of an answer to prayer—who trust beyond hope when all means have failed.

Someone has come to the place of hopelessness—the end of hope—the end of all means. A loved one is facing death and doctors give no hope. Death seems inevitable. Hope is gone. The miracle prayed for is not happening.

That is when Satan’s hordes come to attack your mind with fear, anger, overwhelming questions: “Where is your God now? You prayed until you had no tears left. You fasted. You stood on promises. You trusted.”

Blasphemous thoughts will be injected into your mind: “Prayer failed. Faith failed. Don’t quit on God—just do not trust him anymore. It doesn’t pay!”

Even questioning God’s existence will be injected into your mind. These have been the devices of Satan for centuries. Some of the godliest men and women who ever lived were under such demonic attacks.

To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.”

Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail—his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.

Foto: http://bad---blood.xanga.com/740523884/item/

Regalo

Hace unos días me tocó escuchar la entrevista a un pastor sobre una campaña de reuniones de debates que está por lanzar junto a un ateo. Resalto, además de la interesante perspectiva creo este evento traerá al juntar dos mentes muy brillantes pero lejanas en cuanto a su perspectiva de Dios, que me quedé ensimismada en la última respuesta de esta corta entrevista. Le preguntaban a este pastor, básicamente, qué consideraba es ser un cristiano, el responde inmediatamente y con total seguridad: un regalo. Así y nada más. Vino a mi mente otra lección, de hace varios meses, que conocí de Noé. Recalcaba esta enseñanza que Noé no se salvó del diluvio por su natural y buena esencia, por poseer un corazón digno que a diferencia del resto de la humanidad, debía preservarse y después multiplicarse una vez la tierra vacía. Sucedió que Dios decidió proteger su vida por gracia. Porque abrió la mente y el espíritu de Noé para que reconociera que era sensato y bueno recibir su regalo de salvación. No porque “el bueno de Noé tenía que salvarse”. En Dios estaba el poder de entregarle ojos espirituales, de hacerle atravesar esa nube que lo tenía cegado y perdido.

Me encantaron las palabras de este pastor en aquella entrevista pues me llevó a recordar 1 Tesalonicenses 2: 13 que nos recuerda: “…. dar siempre gracias a Dios respecto de vosotros, hermanos amados por el Señor, de que Dios os haya escogido desde el principio para salvación, mediante la santificación por el Espíritu y la fe en la verdad…”

Cómo no llorar de alegría al reconocer y VER esta realidad. Siempre demos gracias, y más gracias.

Foto: http://soulfoodmovies.blogspot.com/2011/03/apr-4-8-jesus-movies-on-vision.html

Un 10 de abril

Hace un año que en este fecha orábamos para que estuviera despejado el cielo durante la ceremonia y, como sucede cuando Dios escucha las peticiones de sus hijos, nos regaló de mucho más de lo esperado: un Sol brillantísimo que nos prestó de su calor y luz espectacular para presenciar su matrimonio. Felicidades a mis queridos hermanos.