Metanoia 7
Evangelists
Christ's Ambassadors
The 5 signs of a Believer
The 3 duties and glories of a Christian
The Cross of Christ
Cross
of the Christian -
Value of Suffering
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Suffering --
Remedy for Suffering: Faith
Sin: the
Cause of All Our Problems!... as persons, families, institutions, nations...Worst
Sins in the Bible,
Lists of Sins in the Bible
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Sin in the Bible:
The greatest evil of a
Christian... and of a Pagan!,
the Worst sin in the Bible - Horror of Sin
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Christian Sins -What
to do when we sin, confession of sins -
Conditions for a good confession,
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--Sin,
Metanoia 8:
Sin:The
Greatest Evil, The Worst Sins, Theological and Moral Sins, The Lamb of God, What
to do when we Sin, confession of sins
Christ's Ambassadors:
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors (2Cor.5:20).
Yes, every Christian is an Ambassador of Christ on Earth... what an assignment!... we are the Body of Christ on earth, His hands and feet and brain and heart...
We are on earth to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to help people to go to Heaven, starting with our own family... to be evangelists, missionaries...
And proclaim it with our word and life: Using any way we can: Speech, Bible, papers, books, internet, radio, television... and mainly with our life lived in Christ... at home, at work, in the street...
And this is not an option, it is a commandment, an order of Jesus for every Christian:
There are two Commandments of Jesus:
1- Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them
to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age. (Mt.28:19-20)... it is His Great
Commission of Jesus for you!
2- A new command I give you: Love one
another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will
know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (Jn.13:34-35,
15:12,17).
The Greatest Love for a person is to help him to go to
Heaven... your child, spouse, neighbor... and this is pure evangelization!.
Paul cries out: Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
(1Cor.90:16)... metanoia!
These 5 signs will accompany those who believe:
This is the Great Commission of Jesus as reported by St. Mark (reported also in Matthew 28:19-20):
The 5 signs described will accompany every believer... not just a bishop or a priest or a pastor or a holy person... they should accompany you!.
15He said to them, "Go into all the world
and preach the good news to all creation.
16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17And these signs will accompany those who believe:
In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when
they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their
hands on sick people, and they will get well." (Mark 16:15-18).
These are the 5 signs that will accompany those who believe in Jesus... You and me!:
1- In my name they will cast out demons
(Mk.16:17):
These are the usual demons in our midst: Alcohol, Drugs,
Smoking, Gluttony, Homosexuality, Masturbation, Fornication, Pornography,
Adultery, Lies, Stealing, Anger, Pride, Hate, Avarice... The Occult: Horoscope,
Witches, Magic, Spiritism... Errors, Heresies...
Are you a believer in Christ?... did you cast out any demon last week in the
name of Jesus?.
Notice well: Jesus here is not asking you "to pray" for the alcoholic but "to give an order" in the name of Jesus to the demon of alcohol, as Paul did when he confronted a woman with a bad spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. (Act.16:18)... as Jesus always did, He didn't pray for the person with bad habits, with bad spirit, He just cast them out!
The main problem is that most of us Christians do not even try to cast out demons... we leave this job to the Witches and Magicians!...
The Witches and Magicians do it with the power of the devil, but you and I, any Christian, is more powerful than the best Witch or Magician, because you and I do it with the power of God, who is a million times stronger and wiser than the devil.
I even met some Christians who go to the Witch, (el Brujo in Spanish), to take care of their problems and sicknesses, and to Church to take care of their soul... no!.. no!.. you Christian have more power than any Witch!... never seek to solve your problems or healing through any of the occult methods which put a person in contact with evil spirits rather than with the Spirit of God. While some physical relief might be obtained on occasions, the psychological and distress that comes with it makes it a very bad proposition... and the devil only wants you to go to Hell!...
Some witches do what the demons did in the gospels, they proclaim Jesus "the Holy One of God", "the Son of God", deceiving many (Mk.1:24, Mt.8:29).
Christian, whoever you are, start practicing yourself the work of casting out demons... it is a great work you can do to your relatives and friends... and even to yourself... it is one of your glorious rights and duties as a Christian!... metanoia!
This is always "in the name of Jesus", says the Bible... and I like that!... Paul says that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend in Heaven, on Earth, and in Hell (Phil.2:10)... so, when I say "Jesus" all persons in Heaven and in Hell bend their knees... all demons, and Satan himself, kneels to God when I pronounce "Jesus"... so I like to repeat it... Jesus, Jesus, Jesus... and every time all the demons kneel!, praise the Lord!... the persons in Heaven do it continually with great joy, and each one of us will eventually do it always, either in Heaven or in Hell... it will be good if all of us start to do it now on earth.
Again, the great problem is that most of us Christians do not do it!... when was the last time you drove out a demon?...
Lets do it!... in the name of Jesus!... When you meet an alcoholic or a liar or a heretic, do it!... he needs your help... and do it to yourself!... we all have some demon bothering us!... we all have some bad habit!... see For You and Me
A hint: Jesus does not say the demon will be cast out right away, or in a month, or in 10 years... and does not mention the way it will be done, by an instant miracle, or by the care or compassion of many... that's God's work!... let him do it the way he wants and whenever he wants...
The Book of Exodus is a model of deliverance, and it took 430 years of prayer of the Israelites to be delivered from the slavery of Egypt... may be the deliverance you do will take less than a month!.
Instant miracles may occur, but the usual way is a struggle... a struggle with the wicked demons of the air (Eph.6:12)... and it may be a great battle for weeks or months, or even for years...
... Our glorious duty is just to cast out demons in the name of Jesus... always Jesus is the focal point, not the demon... and always trust in Jesus to do it His way!... the name of Jesus should always be in our mouth, the demons kneel every time we pronounce it!, praise the Lord!... if the deliverance has to be repeated, always keep on repeating in the name of Jesus, Jesus God, Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Lord... until the demon gets sick of it and takes off, praised be Jesus!.
If you meet an alcoholic or a drug-addict or a homosexual, cast out his demon, in the name of Jesus!... that's the greatest help you can do to that person... you and I have the glorious honor and duty to do it as a Christian.
And what happen if the alcoholic keeps on drinking?... you just do it!... the next step is the job of Jesus... but Jesus needs you and me to take the first step... and most of the time we don't do it... let's do it!, in the name of Jesus!.
Next time you meet someone who claims to be a Christian, but denies that Jesus is God, don't argue with him, that's got to be a work of a demon, just cast out the demon... that's the problem of the Jehovah's Witnesses...
If a Christian is talking bad about the Mother of Jesus, don't argue with him, just cast out the demon is oppressing him, only a demon can say I love Jesus but I hate his Mother!...
I have seen demon obsessions that could not even say the words "Virgin Mary", but the instant they said it, they were delivered!... in the name of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus...
2- They will speak in new tongues
(Mk.16:17):
The tongues of love and joy and peace... these tongues are
understood by anybody... if you have joy, anybody will notice it and understand
it, even the one who speaks Chinese or Japanese... and it is contagious!... and
the tongue of love and peace... and all the rest of
the 9 fruits of the Spirit of Galatians 6:22: Patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Are you a Christian?... do you speak these tongues every minute of every
day?...
3- They will pick up snakes with their hands... an they will
not hurt them at all (Mk.16:17):
The jealousy of a wife or the drunkenness of a husband are
worse than snakes... but they won't hurt you!... nothing and nobody can take
away your joy and love and peace in Jesus Christ (Rom.8:38-39).... the rebellion
of a child is a very bad serpent, and so it is the neighbor who calumniates you,
and the boss who mistreats you, and the teacher or the friend or the fellow
Christian who hurt your feelings, or may even betray you...
... But none of those snakes will hurt you... and
still more: You will take them in your hands, and cast them away, like you do
with bad demons!...
You don't even have to defend yourself... just be a good Christian, and let Jesus do it!... the one who speaks bad about you will receive in himself that poison, and you will be delivered from it, with a thousand more of honor or glory or even human power... Jesus knows and will do it!.
4- And when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them
at all (Mk.16:17):
Your failures in life, your depressions, your doubts, are often deadly
poisons... but they won't hurt you!... you will always be with joy and love and
hope and peace, no matter what!... a sickness of a child or relative is often a
bad poison... your anger, vanity, hate, resentments, are bad poisons... but even
your homosexuality, or masturbation, or alcohol or tobacco habits, which are
deadly poisons, won't hurt you!, praise the lord!.
And even you can cast them out!... and you will!... in the name of Jesus!.
Important Note:
Whenever you have a storm in life and you pray, God always
answers with a big YES in either of these two ways:
1- He will calm the storm in days or weeks, heal the
sick... so the storm is over.
2- Or God will calm you, and you will be in peace or even
with joy through the storm...and if your child or spouse die, you will give
thanks to God with joy that they went to eternal Heaven.
5- They will place their hands on sick people, and they will
get well (Mk.16:17):
When was the last time you placed your hands on a sick person
and got well?...when was the last time you just place your hand on a sick
person?... never?... are you a Christian?...
Are you a Christian?... and none of these five signs accompany you?... what kind of Christian are you?... Metanoia!... we have to change!.
Notice well: Here Jesus is not telling us "to pray" for the sick but "to place our hands on the sick", as he always did... and they will get well... that's His promise!
Next time you go to a hospital, don't just talk about nothing, talk about Jesus, and in his name, place your hand on your friend or relative who is sick... next time your child or husband is sick, place your hands on him!...
One hint: Jesus doesn't say the time nor the way: He doesn't say he will get healed immediately or in three months... nor he does say that he will get cured by a miracle or by a Doctor's job... he just says, "he will get well!... let Jesus do it His way!... you just place your hand on sick people!.
... You may have a question: What about if the sick person dies?: It is the job of God!... the thoughts and ways of God are as far of our thoughts and ways as Heaven from Earth, says Is.55... and the reason is that God lives in Heaven and things always in Heaven's way, and we live on Earth, we think we are to be here for ever, and we thing in Earth's way... if we start thinking more in Heaven, we will understand God a little more...
Often we say, poor child who died with leukemia at age three!... when we should say as a Christian: What a lucky child, who was brought to Heaven so soon!...
Of course, in many occasions the sick person will die after you place your hands on him!... we all have to die!...may be at that moment the best way for the person "to get well", or "to recover", as other Bibles translate, is to die, to go to Heaven!, praise the Lord!... don't argue with Jesus, and don't try to be God... just place your hands on sick people, and they will get well... any way God wants... it is God's job, not yours!... you just trust in Jesus!.
... I am a Medical Doctor, and this year 2003 is the 37th
anniversary of my private Medical Office in New York... as a Doctor, I always
end up losing, like all the Doctors, because eventually the patient is going to
die... however, after treating over 100.000 patients of all kinds, lungs, heart,
cancer, AIDS, kidneys, liver, leper, tuberculosis I did not have to sign a death
certificate!... I know it is not because of my knowledge and skills, but Jesus
takes care of me!... and my Mother Virgin Mary!, praise the Lord!.
Cross... not Glory nor Honor nor Power... just Love:
I have a friend who decided to exercise the deliverance and healing powers because he sow a good way to become famous, and honored... wrong!... completely wrong!:
Jesus exercised these powers and was crucified... Peter did it and he was crucified with the head down... the rest of the Apostles did it and all were martyred...
Paul did it and he was beheaded, because he was a Roman citizen!...
Paul talks on 1 Corinthians about the Cross of Christ and in 2 Corinthians about the Cross of the Christian... who dares to go on horse when his Captain carries a Cross?
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2Cor.4).
4Rather, as ministers of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; (2Cor.4).
Read also 2 Corinthians 11:21-28.... incredibly glorious!
A last thought: Baptism:
Before Jesus gave these promises of Mark 16, he said: "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mr.16:15-16).
If you believe in Jesus, you do what Jesus orders to do, among other things, you preach the good news and you get baptized in His Church!.
But if you say "I believe in Jesus", but you don't preach the gospel, and you are not baptized in His Church, you actually don't believe in Jesus, as you don't believe in your Doctor if you don't take the prescriptions he gives to you.
Gift of Tongues, Interpretation of
tongues:
Deliverance and Healing
Nothing New:
These teaching and promises of Jesus are nothing new, they are all over the Gospels and the Bible:
- The ministry of Jesus in his last three years on earth was to preach and teach the Gospel, to cast out demons, and to heal the sick (Matt.4:23-24, 9:35, 15:30, 19:1-2, Mr.6:55-56, Lk.4:24,40, 6:17-20, Jn.6:2, 14:12-13...
- Jesus sent his disciples to do the same: To preach the
Gospel, to cast out devils, to heal the sick (Matt.10:1,8, Lk.9:1, 10:9, 17-18,
Mr.16:17-18, Jn.14:12-13...
... Here, Jesus makes a great promise:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I
do; and greater works than these will he do" (Jn.14:12)... do you
believe in Jesus?... just anyone who believes!... have you done greater things
than Jesus?... or at lest the works Jesus did?...
- - The disciples did what Jesus did: The Acts of the Apostles is full of wonders and miracles... of "actions", that's why it is called "Acts", not just "Words": First Peter and John (Acts 4, 5:12-17, 9:33,40, 12:5-9... then Stephen (6:8), Phillip (8:6-8), Paul (9, 14:8-20, 16:16,25-26, 19:11-12, 28:9).
The 3 duties and glories of a Christian:
Once you are a Christian, the Bible tells us you have 3 main duties and glories: To be a "prophet", a "priest" and a "king", on earth! (Rev.5:10, 1Pet.2:9).
In fact, in the Catholic Church, when you are baptized, you are proclaimed officially a prophet, a priest and a king in Christ... and when you receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, you are officially Confirmed by the Bishop as prophet, priest, and king.
A big problem for many Christians is
that they don't know what they have to do as a prophet, a priest, or a king...
and some they don't even know they are prophets, priests, and kings...
tell them!
1-
To be a "Prophet":
To be a "Prophet" is "to talk to
men about God" with our words and deeds... when you teach you child to prayer,
you are a Prophet!... when you bring him to Baptism or to church, you are a
Prophet of God... you are a
missionary, you are a Christ's Ambassador! Metanoia!
Those who prophesy speak to other people, for their building up,
encouragement, and solace, they build up the church, says Paul (1Cor.14:3-4)...
every Christian is an evangelist by nature, a missionary, a minister, an
ambassador of Jesus
Christ.
2-
To be a "Priest":
To be a "Priest" is "to talk to
God about men", to pray for your family and friends... any Christian, before
being a Prophet, has to be a Priest; before talking to men about God, has to
talk to God about men.
And still more, a Priest not only talks, but acts, "offers his body as a
living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God", like Christ! (Rom.12:1)... to
help others to go to Heaven.
Metanoia!.
An "ordained Priest" in the Catholic Church is not only different in
"grade", but in "essence", because he has received the "Sacrament of Orders",
and thus, he only can offer the Mass and receive Confession... to be an
"ordained Priest" is the most a man can be on earth, and in Heaven.
3-
To be a "King":
To be a "King", is to live on earth with
the "dignity" of a King, with the love, joy, and peace of Jesus, that nobody and
nothing can take away... with the "dignity" of a child of God, the son of the
multimillionaire in money, health, power... being envious to nobody because he
has everything in his Father-God, who cares for him so much that even the hairs
of his head has counted (Rom.8:28-39, Mat.10:30).
It is to have the "power" of God to conquer the
devil, the flesh and the world: To cast out the devil of vices and bad habits,
in himself and in others, to heal the sick like Jesus, to calm the tempests of
life (Mr.16:16-18).
A Christian is more powerful than all
the witches put together, because the witches have the "power of the devil", and
a Christian has the "power of God"... the only big problem is that some
Christians do not exercise this "power" in their daily life... exercise your
"power"!... "you have made them a kingdom and priests serving our God, and
they shall reign on earth" (Rev.5:10)
Yes, Metanoia!, we have to change!
Quotations:
NIV at the Bible Gateway
Continuation: Metanoia 8