As I spend more time reading the epistoles of Paul in the Scriptures and learn about the "mysteries kept in dark for ages to humanity and revealed to us his children in the present days" as Paul said (paraphrasing), in which salvation is a gracefully God-given gift to all wether Jewish and non-jewish, it calls my inmediate attention the fact that after Christ resurrected from his cruel death inflicted by his own people (which was long ago predicted), all the ceremonial law and different rituals came to pass for good. He himself was made curse for all of us and upon giving up his life and blood he paid the price one time and for all for our sins. We are no longer hopelessly separated from God, therefore, we are no longer bounded to rituals and the ceremonial law which only managed to put us into perspective against our rotten life and much needed of a permanent solution to our moral situation, for no matter how hard we tried to live a holy life, we would always sin miserably and therefore we would always deserve to be punished for our faults. When Christ gave up his spirit in the cross that day and exclaimed "Father receive my spirit" among the different events that happened inmediately thereafter, one has an important connotation which the people on that day could not understand. The veil of the holiest place in the temple, the very core of the Jewish religion, tradition and ceremonial rites, where no one was allowed to even peak into against loosing their own life, that veil was torn apart from top to bottom. Christ completed the purpose of the moses law with his own life, with his voluntary sacrifice he abolished all rituals and ceremonies and men intents to reach forgiveness and purpose. Now no longer we are condenmed by the ceremonial law, but we have been granted freedom of our sinful nature by the grace of the supreme Lord Jesus. It's a gift which we accept or we deny. Once accepted, we committ to live our life, out of love for all he made, to glorify and magnify his name.

Since few days ago, an important event is taken place in the world, "Ramahadan", I have seen many of my friends starting fasting and living a more "honorable" life during this month. My first thought was "wao", irregardless of our extremely hard job (cruise ship) where we all work 12 and above hours daily, they take the decision to fasting. If only christians around the world would committ themselves to live a holy life throughout the year knowing that we worship the only One, the One who said to be the "path the truth and life" the one who proved it by resurrection from the death, the One who said "whoever have seen the Son has seen the Father" the One who said "whoever comes to me shall never again be thirsty" the One who said will be back for his church one day........what a different world this would be. Second it makes me sad that many many christians won't show interest and love for these so loved people by God. Millions of people are heading towards eternal condemnation, most of them sincerily thinking they are right and we christians around the world are so worried about who has the most beautiful church building, who has more influence over others, who has the biggest church, salary increase, bigger house and many other trivial and un-important things which has no eternal consecuence. It makes me sick that so easily, so many times I myself get entangled in these same pointless issues when millions of people out there need someone to be fighting the battle in the spiritual sphere by kneeling down in prayers, fasting and economically supportting the missionaries out there who are willing to give up their neck for Christ while we sit confortably in our fine cars and go to the beach and relax and enjoy life thinking that we sincerily deserve all this. May we repent and wake up from this horrible mistake and may God forgive us and give us many chances to reinvindicate before it's too late for others. Amen.

To Grandpa

One of the most memorable memories I have about my grandpa was perhaps when I was 7 or 8. Like usual during those early years of my life, during vacation time, my parents would have our grandparents babysit us. That day, I was sort of sad, hurt and angry towards my aunt, cuz I don't know if it was that I was a troublemaker or what that I was given a hard treatment by her and granny for several days. I came into my grandpa's room quitely, as to not to upset him (he was known to be dead serious and stubborn in his decisions, so people somehow feared him), so as I entered and sat down in his chair, I broke down in tears and cried like a baby. He came closed to me and wiped out with his hands the tears and told me in an unused tender tone of voice, "don't cry", everything is going to be fine and then offered me a delicious sandwich. I knew for a fact that he wasn't given to show tender emotions towards his children and relatives, perhaps for the life he had and the way he grew up, so somehow this event stayed in my mind after all these years.
Grandad passed away 3 days ago, and though we all knew it was soon to happen, I guess you can never be totally prepared to face the departure of a closed and loved one. To him the family owes part of the heritage (positive and not so positive) which we have learned to deal with. Grandad grew up almost without his parents' guide and support, made his living out of hard work and discipline, grew up his family with a hard hand and left a legacy of perseverance and effort in all. Towards the end of his life, he would be more receptive and open to listen and accept the Word of God and there was a visible change in his life. Praise God for his life who through endurance and hard work raised up my mom and my other uncles into what they came to be, praise God for his life and positive traits we learned through his life.
My prayer in these days is with my relatives and family who are mourning for this our human lost. I pray that this will bring closer to God those who haven't made up their minds and hearts to accept Christ and secure their present and future in Him.

Today I decided to do something which I had stopped doing for a while and which is one of my favorite hobbies. Watch the sun rise up from the far horizon and get lost in my own thoughts. I guess I have been caught up in many job related things during the mornings that I have not been able to witness sunrises as often as I used to. Among my thoughts, one kept on jumping above the rest. God is good and consecuently, life is so. Like pastor Piper puts it simplier: (quoting) "God is most glorified in us when we are more satisfied in Him". But of course, the purpose of our life is not merely look after happiness, however no one can object that it is escencial in ones life. It's pretty interesting to realize the importance of not letting your surroundings shape permanently your feelings and state of mind. I mean, job can be exhausting, monotonous, challengeness and yet one can be able to feel an inner joy and peace of heart and mind. International news can be depressing and saddening and yet one can be able to keep a hope for that which one can't see but is convinced about it. Relatives can get sick and eventually die and yet one can be able to feel a joy about their better whereabout afterdeath. Friends that you have learned to appreciate and love might not know and accept Jesus as of yet, and althought it can be a terrible thought to imagine they can depart this world without it, yet our trust in the Word of God that our intersecion prayers can open closed doors and can close opened doors and that the heaven's windows would be opened to pour down his blessings upon those who seek Him in spirit and truth, just make me shiver with joy that one day he'll change their hearts and they will come to be co-partners in the heavenlies. I just wish I could be better prepared to make disciples like Jesus asked us. This thought is really going around my mind and keeps on jumping high. I need to be better prepared while the time is ticking away.