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Cómo tener una conversación desafiante con un ser querido

Seamos honestos. Nadie busca tener una conversación desafiante con un amigo o familiar. La mera idea de decir algo que pueda herir sus sentimientos provoca escalofríos. Y así, en lugar de afrontar el problema, sigues evitando la conversación y acabas tirándolo a un lado con los demás asuntos sin resolver.

Pero pregúntese: ¿evitar las conversaciones difíciles con un ser querido mejora o perjudica mis relaciones?

Como cristiano, no es sabio reprimir tus sentimientos o evitar expresar lo que sientes sobre algo con alguien que amas, especialmente si hay un problema que obstaculiza tu relación. Una relación auténtica es la que se construye sobre la base de la honestidad y una actitud abierta.

Así que, sea cual sea el reto o la dificultad que tengas con un ser querido, aquí tienes cinco prioridades a seguir que te motivará a tener esa conversación incómoda.

Primera prioridad: orar antes de la charla difícil

Quizá pienses que la primera prioridad parece un poco obvia. Y tienes razón. La oración es evidente porque es esencial. Sin embargo, muchos cristianos se saltan la oración y se meten de lleno en lo que les preocupa. Sin embargo, la Biblia dice muy claramente: “Por nada estéis afanosos; antes bien, en todo, mediante oración y súplica con acción de gracias, sean dadas a conocer vuestras peticiones delante de Dios” (Fil. 4:6 LBLA). Cuando tú y tu amigo (o familiar) se reúnan para hablar de algún asunto delicado, orar juntos ayudará a calmar los nervios y a trasladar el foco de atención al Señor. También es importante que se expresen mutuamente su gratitud y pidan a Dios que les dé sabiduría y entendimiento para solucionar las cosas.

Segunda prioridad: conversar, no dar lecciones

Cuando alguien te hace daño, lo natural es atacar a la persona que te ha herido. Pero, según 1 Pedro 3:8, como cristiano debes ser “…de un mismo sentir, compasivos, fraternales, misericordiosos y de espíritu humilde”. Por lo tanto, lo último que quieres hacer (no importa lo inocente que te sientas) es adoptar un tono acusador con tu amigo. Tu enfoque es honrarlo como una persona hecha a la imagen de Dios, no despreciarlo si no se ajusta a tu punto de vista. Tu punto de partida no es “voy a ponerte en tu lugar por hacerme daño”. Debería ser: “quiero entender por qué hiciste lo que hiciste porque te amo”.

Tercera prioridad: mostrar respeto

Como seres humanos, anhelamos el respeto. Una buena técnica cuando se entabla una conversación difícil es centrarse en honrar a la otra persona por encima de uno mismo. Cuando honras a alguien (1 Pe. 2:17), eso no sólo actúa como difusor sino que también invitará a la otra persona a dirigirse a ti con respeto. Piénsalo así, honrarse unos a otros lleva a un diálogo respetuoso.

Cuarta prioridad: ser abierto y honesto

De ello se desprende que, si se emplean adecuadamente las tres primeras prioridades, la cuarta probablemente se acomodará. Sin embargo, hay muchas perspectivas aterradoras que pueden obstaculizar la vulnerabilidad: inseguridades, fracasos, miedo al rechazo y problemas de confianza. Sin embargo, ambos tienen que estar dispuestos a expresar una emoción real y la voluntad de resolver las cosas para que los dos puedan progresar. Esto llevará tiempo, así que asegúrate de no apresurarte ni fingir.

Quinta prioridad: pedir perdón

Jesús dice a sus seguidores: “Por tanto, si estás presentando tu ofrenda en el altar, y allí te acuerdas que tu hermano tiene algo contra ti, deja tu ofrenda allí delante del altar, y ve, reconcíliate primero con tu hermano, y entonces ven y presenta tu ofrenda” (Mt. 5:23-24). La palabra “reconcíliate” transmite una respuesta inmediata para hacer las paces con la persona ofendida. En lugar de excusarse por sus acciones, siempre es mejor asumir la responsabilidad de cualquier mala acción y resolver rápidamente los asuntos antes de que se vayan de las manos.

Recursos recomendados en Español:

Robándole a Dios (tapa blanda), (Guía de estudio para el profesor) y (Guía de estudio del estudiante) por el Dr. Frank Turek

Por qué no tengo suficiente fe para ser un ateo (serie de DVD completa), (Manual de trabajo del profesor) y (Manual del estudiante) del Dr. Frank Turek

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Jason Jiménez es el fundador de STAND STRONG Ministries y miembro de la facultad de Summit Ministries. Es un pastor, apologista y orador nacional que ha ministrado a las familias durante más de veinte años. En su extensa carrera ministerial, Jason ha sido pastor de niños, estudiantes y universitarios, y es autor de cerca de 10 libros sobre temas relacionados con la apologética, la teología y la crianza de los hijos.

Fuente Original del blog: https://bit.ly/3DBp0Gy

Traducido por Jennifer Chavez

Editado por Monica Pirateque

November 4, 2022/by Guest

5 STEPS TO LIVING A JOY FILLED LIFE

Culture CrossExamined, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian Apologetics

By Jason Jimenez

In a recent conversation with a Christian friend, he shared how several unexpected killjoys had sprung up in his life and dragged him down to a dark place. Since then, my friend has struggled to find joy in his life.

What about you? Are you finding it hard to be joyful in life?

The reality is, we could all use more joy in our lives. Which leads me to share with you the first of five steps to living a more joyful life.

The first step is to seek joy from God.

Joy is a gift from God. It doesn’t come from people or objects in the world. You might get temporary relief or happiness. But the joy the Bible speaks of is so much more. As we read in the Bible, joy has to do with a deep state of gladness, cheer, and contentment. In the Lexham Bible Dictionary, “joy” is “closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice.”

David declared that it’s in the presence of God that there is “fullness of joy” (Ps. 16:11). In Nehemiah 8:10, we read that we find strength in “the joy of the Lord.” In Galatians 5:22, Paul lists “joy” as a byproduct of the Holy Spirit.

If you want more joy in life—look no further. Look to God.

The second step is to acknowledge and cherish the eternal blessings you have as a child of God:

You are forgiven and have peace in Christ– “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” (Ephesians 2:13-17).
You are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit – “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).
You have a living hope in Christ – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).

The third step is bringing balance into your life.

You’ve heard the saying, don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s next to impossible to appreciate the joy you have as a Christian if you live a hurried-up life filled with stress. In the book of Philippians, Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:6-7).

We can’t overlook that Paul wrote the words “don’t be anxious” while in prison. Despite the various trials and the ups and downs, Paul still found joy amid some of his darkest hours. That, my friend, is joy!

It would be great that every time you feel worried or anxious, you simply pray for it to go away, and just like that, it’s gone! But, as you very well know, that’s not reality. We may not like it, but it’s in hardships and feeling depressed that God’s joy is made so much more real to us.

So, offer up prayers of thanksgiving to help eliminate any worry or stress that might be preventing you from living a life of joy.

The fourth step involves setting boundaries with certain people who suck the joy out of you.

Setting boundaries is a hard thing to implement for anyone. Starting with the fact that no one likes confrontation. And secondly, most of the “joy suckers” in our lives are people we have no choice but to be around. They can be a family member—a co-worker.

So, the obvious thing is not to overreact and pull away from everybody. What you want to do is assess your relationships and determine who is the most self-centered, critical, argumentative, and who tends to push your buttons. In a nutshell, who leaves you feeling drained and discouraged most of the time?

Once you’ve realized who the “joy suckers” are, the next challenge is to draw the necessary boundaries to protect you from allowing this person to steal your joy. As mentioned in step one, joy is a choice. You may not always have a choice who you are around. But you do have a choice how you interact with them and they with you. So, make sure you bathe your relationships in prayer and seek wise counsel before setting certain boundaries.

The fifth step is to enjoy life today!

It’s easy to take for granted what we have in our lives. I’ll admit that when I get impatient with people or with work-related stuff, I can miss out on enjoying life. Just the other night, I told my wife how I needed not to lose sight of enjoying the simple moments in life. Whether it be throwing the football with one of my kids or sipping a cup of coffee with a friend. I need to be more sensitive and aware of counting my blessings every day.

How about you? What are some blessings you’ve received from God that you need to appreciate more?

As you seek to implement these five steps to achieving a more joyful life, seek to add the prayer from Paul below to enrich your motivation.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Part 2: Overcoming

Apologetics for Parents

By Jason Jiménez

This article is adapted from Jason’s book Abandoned Faith.

“Inevitably we carry some amount of parental regrets. Freedom from regret comes when we admit our weaknesses before Jesus. No one is perfect. Our imperfections, though, shouldn’t become a wall between God and us or our children and God. At the cross we can lay down our regrets over our failures and move on. Remember that even the great heroes of the Bible did things they regretted.” — Mary DeMuth, Building the Christian Family You Never Had: A Practical Guide for Pioneer Parents.

Holding on to regrets prevents you from experiencing true freedom in Christ. It’s hard not to think back on all the moments you should have acted differently.

The would-of-could-of-should-of attitude does not help. It only makes matters worse between you and your millennial child. The key is not to regret having regrets. It will only bring on more regrets. What you need to do is give your regrets over to God and allow His healing power to take control of your life. Like the old saying goes, you can’t change the past, but you can learn from it.

Being tossed around by waves of regret is actually where Satan wants you to be. He doesn’t want you to let your regrets go. He wants you to drown in them. And every time you see your son or daughter making bad choices—Satan wants you to feel regret. He wants you to blame yourself for their sinful choices. But like the apostle Paul, you need to gain the assurance of saying, “One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13).”

Stop living in the past. Rather, look forward to how God can use you in the life of your millennial right now. Take your focus off of fear-driven parenting, and turn it to a faith-driven parenting.

The Psalmist says those who look to God will reflect His glory and will not be ashamed. Every parent needs to hear that. They need to know that they don’t have to live a shameful life. What they need to do is let it go, and trust that God will restore their family.

When we’ve done that, we can become excited about what lies in store. God has uniquely equipped you to minister to your children. One of the greatest ways to be a conduit of grace is by living it out for others to see. Paul declared, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27).”

When a Christian parent lives out his or her faith in a way honorable to God, it will have a lasting impact on their children!

Release Your Children

Moses’ parents saw how special their baby boy was and did not fear the Pharaoh’s edict. Rather than be stricken by fear, they released their son to God. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Children are a gift. But they are also on loan. You don’t own your children. They may have your DNA. But they are made in the image of God. You would lay your life down for your kids. But Jesus laid His life down and rose again so that your kids may have eternal life.

Give each of your children completely and totally over to God. You will be glad you did.

Part 1: Unspeakable Pain

Apologetics for Parents, Culture CrossExamined

By Jason Jimenez

This article is adapted from Jason’s book Abandoned Faith.

Many millennials have said that although they were raised in a Christian home, Christianity was never at the core of everything they did. I remember one college student tell me, “I think the only reason my parents go to church is to feel better about themselves.” Another said, “The only time we learned about the Bible was when we went to church.”

Millennials are saying the gospel was not at the center of their home. Millennials may have received a degree of faith from mom or dad, but it wasn’t enough for them to see the value and importance faith has in their own lives.

This is a painful reality for parents. Painful because their millennials are right. Faith went as far as going to church. Sure, you throw in a few extra-church activities, a few family devotions, and lectures about doing the right thing. But the truth is, many parents feel they failed in leading their children spiritually.

Furthermore, parents have become so overly protective that we have neglected the protection of God over our children. We love our children, but God loves them so much more. We know our children better than anyone, yet God knew them before they were born.

Too often we pick on the millennial for being lazy or too dependent on mom or dad. In reality, the actual problem is often mom and dad. The fear-driven parenting creates an unhealthy level of dependency. Out of fear, mom and dad never adjusted their level of attachment in their kid’s lives as they got older.

The church pews are filled with parents experiencing deep pain. Pain over the fact that their child is no longer living for Christ. Pain over the fact that they may be to blame.

Many parents will tell you they are hurting. Hurting over the bad choices their adult children are making. Hurting over the lost intimacy they once had with their son or daughter.

Often times we are so worried about the spiritual state of millennials that we have neglected to care for the condition of parents. The amount of pain experienced by parents is overwhelming. They are getting hammered. Take this email I received from a mother about her son:

When your children were younger, it was so much easier to involve yourself in their lives. But when they get older and leave home, it’s much more difficult to know your place. When your child pushes you away and makes their own bad decisions and then wants your help, only to disregard it again, breaks your heart. As a parent, instead of looking forward to talking with your adult children, you begin to dread the calls because you know that there will be another issue to deal with. You want to be the hero and have all the answers. But you know no matter what you say, they won’t always listen. It’s a tough place to be in because you feel disrespected, and angry—and on top of it all…you feel like you failed your child. When all I want is to have mature and healthy relationship with them. All I want is for my children to need me in their lives.

What a moving email. The heart of this mother captures what many more parents feel. If we are going to win millennials back to Christ—we first need to win parents back to hope and healing.

Stay tuned for part 2 to see how parents can overcome this painful reality.

We Need More Sound Biblical Doctrine Taught in the American Church

Apologetics for Parents, Culture CrossExamined, Theology and Christian Apologetics

By Jason Jimenez

We’ve all heard and seen the numbers that show how biblically illiterate Christians are in America. For example, the reputable Barna Group cites only 6% of identified Christians possess a biblical worldview. This is (more or less) verified by Pew Research Center and LifeWay Research.

No matter how many times I’ve studied statistics on biblical illiteracy in the American church—it always causes me to swell up with tears.

But why? Why are over 90% of Christians unfamiliar with the Bible and incapable of articulating the doctrines of the Christian faith?

As a pastor, I realize the bulk of discipleship is on the parents, not the church. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul commands fathers to raise their children in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord.” But the critical training ground for families, especially for dads and moms, is the church. We see again in Ephesians the duty of spiritual leaders within the church is to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry” and to “build up the body of Christ (4:12). The Greek word for “equip” is katartismos, which carries the idea of “adequately qualifying or preparing someone to accomplish something with sufficiency.”

Unfortunately, this form of equipping Christians in the Word of God and theology is no longer a high priority for most American churches. Rather than being a place where Christians are trained thoroughly in sound biblical doctrine, the Western church has capitulated to a water-down gospel presentation that seeks to entertain rather than raise up an army of soldiers capable of advancing the kingdom of God amid a dark and perverted world.

However, not only has a lack of teaching sound biblical doctrine contributed to the decline of biblical literacy, but it also has created an absence of godliness in the church and a decline in the overall attendance in denominations across the country.

This (and many more reasons) is why pastors and church leaders need to get back to teaching sound biblical doctrine instead of feeding their congregations a bite-size version of Christianity.

The great Bible teacher, Warren Wiersbe, had this to say, “Churches are not built up and strengthened through man-made programs, entertainment, recreation, or “drives.” The church is a body and must have spiritual food; this food is the Word of God.”

Wiersbe is right. The church’s primary service isn’t to offer programs once or twice a week for families. Instead, the church is meant to be a place where Christians can come and get grounded in the Word of God as they grow in their love for Jesus and love for one another (see Hebrews 10:24-25).

Notice how Paul described what the Word of God does for a believer: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Did you catch that? When churches and Christians spend time learning God’s Word and unpacking the rich doctrinal truths that make up the Christian faith—they will be complete and able to fulfill the will of God. As physical exercise is beneficial for your body, so too is the Word of God profitable for Christians as they are trained on how to form proper habits of behavior so that they are qualified and able to live out their faith every day.

So, if you are a Christian leader in your church, ask yourself, how effective am I in teaching sound doctrine to the people God has called me to shepherd? If you are currently not serving in your church, ask yourself, what can I start doing to be a part of the solution to train up more Christians in the Word of God?

The Three Fatal Flaws of Equity

Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics

By Jason Jimenez

All this talk about more equity in our institutions seems like a good thing, right?

Not so fast.

On the surface, equity seems to be fair, just, and impartial. But upon further investigation, you find that the outcome of equity is anything but fair, just, and impartial.

There are undoubtedly those within the debate over diversity, inclusivity, and equity who genuinely try to reduce discrimination and attempt to unite people of different backgrounds. That’s a good thing. But let’s not be fooled into believing that we must embrace the Left’s dangerous views of equity hook line and sinker.

To prevent you from believing the secular lies of equity, I’ve put together three areas that expose the faulty thinking and the dangerous results that come with this unchecked justice referred to as “equitable treatment.”

The Unequal Treatments of Equity

Equality, as we’ve known it to mean, is treating everyone the same. But that’s no longer the case. Instead, the Left has hijacked equality by socially engineering it into something predicated on equal outcomes (i.e., equity), not based on equal opportunity.

The Austrian-British economist, Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992), distinctively communicated the difference between equality and equity by writing, “There is all the difference in the world between treating people equally and attempting to make them equal. While the first is the condition of a free society, the second means, as De Tocqueville described it, a new form of servitude.”

The idea of a “new form of servitude” is to mistreat the fortunate to treat the less fortunate fairly. But how is that just and fair? If equity is about the “systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals,” how is the unequal distribution of benefits to low-income individuals considered equitable? This equitable posture is the classic “fair share” philosophy that has its roots in socialism.

Just because inequities exist doesn’t give the government or some social justice system the right to step in and attempt to level the playing field so that everyone ends up in the same place. That, my friends, is not equality, nor is it following the impartial mandates of the law.

The Injustice of Equity

In his book, Prosperity and Poverty, Calvin Beisner proves this point, “The only way to arrive at equal fruits is to equalize behavior, and that requires robbing men of liberty, making them slaves.”

The truth is equity (according to the Left) doesn’t promote fairness, equal opportunities, or equal outcomes. As a matter of fact, it snubs individuality, stifles creativity, cheapens competition, steals from hard earning workers, lowers the standards of achievement, and actually advances partiality—and often, promotes racism.

On his blog, Neal Hardin writes, “In order for total uniformity of results to be achieved, there would have to be a uniformity of our characteristics and desires. In other words, true equality of outcome could only result if there were no meaningful differences among human beings or the choices we would make, which seems to go completely contrary to the diversity which God intended in creation. Clearly, on some level, God created us with these diverse characteristics and desires expecting different outcomes.”

To ignore each person’s uniqueness, giftedness and not to embrace diversity is in itself an injustice that (if left unchecked) leads to more discrimination and oppression.

The Inconsistencies of Equity

“Black Lives Matter stands in solidarity with Palestinians,” the protest group declared in a tweet. The tweet went on to say, “We are a movement committed to ending settler colonialism in all forms and will continue to advocate for Palestinian liberation (always have. And always will be).”

But here’s the thing. If BLM is for equity, then why don’t they stand with Israel?

Or how about female athletes (who have XX chromosomes) that are losing to transgender athletes (who have XY chromosomes)? How is that equitable treatment? From the start, women athletes are being placed at a disadvantage and have no real chance to arrive at an equal outcome. Where’s the equity in that?

What about Mayor Lightfoot of Chicago? In the spirit of equity, she, a black woman, only gave interviews to black and brown journalists in celebration of her two years in office. Say what? How is that being fair while discriminating against white journalists? Not to mention is that honest journalism?

Here’s the bottom line. No one denies there are disparities among people. We come from different backgrounds, ethnic groups, families, etc. But just because we are created equal doesn’t mean we are all created the same. We are not all the same. And it is feasibly impossible to make everyone end up at the same place.

Individual freedom doesn’t guarantee equal outcomes. It does, however, provide equal opportunity for people to succeed in life. Our nation was founded on the solid conviction that equality of humanity retains and sustains the essence of human rights in a civil society. That’s the kind of equity Christians should support and defend.

However, when the culture measures human rights based on color, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, that culture will not survive. The more America moves further away from God and his truth, the deeper our nation will slip into spiritual corruption and generate more inequalities and inequities within society.

As Christians, we are to honor the fact that each human is made in the image of God. We need to remember that God has made each of us diverse in color, ethnicity, and personality and learn to appreciate the uniqueness and difference in each of us.

¿Hay profetas en la Iglesia hoy en día?

Español

By Jason Jimenez

Turn on your television and you will surely come across religious programs with someone claiming to speak for God. Go to your local bookstore, and there, I am sure you will find several books written by people who claim to have received divine revelations from God. Go on YouTube, and you will definitely see videos of preachers proclaiming, “Thus saith the Lord.”

This bombardment of “prophetic words” from thousands of voices has undoubtedly caused confusion for many Christians. In one group, you have Christians who get caught up in the sensationalism of the prophetic words espoused by the Word of Faith movement. In another group, you have Christians who doubt prophecy altogether, because they lack the faith to understand its purpose in the body of Christ. And still there are those who do not know what to believe.

So, let’s go back to the Bible to see what it has to say about prophets.

The first thing we notice about Paul is that there are prophets in the Church today. In Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul mentions the office of prophet in the church. Not only that, but Paul also describes the gift of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 12:10. In fact, the gift of prophecy is mentioned more than any of the other spiritual gifts. You can find it in these passages: Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:27-29; 13:1-3, 8; 14:6, and in Ephesians 4:11.

That said, it is vital to understand that the office of prophet in modern times is not the same as that of the Old Testament prophets. Before Jesus came to earth, God raised up prophets (Hebrew: nabi, “to utter”) or seers (spokesmen) as national leaders who spoke with specificity and 100% accuracy in their prophecies (Deut. 18:20-22; Jer. 23:28, 31-33). But after Christ’s ascension to heaven and the completion of the written Word, God uses His modern prophets differently than He did Samuel, Daniel, and Isaiah. The writer of Hebrews makes this clear when he opens his letter with these words: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake long ago unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds” Hebrews 1:1-2 (NASB).

Furthermore, according to 1 Corinthians 14:3-4, the primary function of a prophet now is to edify, comfort, and encourage the Church. However, that does not mean that predictive prophecy is not exercised among some prophets of God. Like Agabus (in Acts 11:27-28), there are times when a prophet will give a prophetic word from God about the future. That is why we must not neglect prophecy in the Church (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). But again, the primary purpose of the gift of prophecy, in the Church age, is to encourage and exhort one another (1 Cor. 14:31). Prophets are not called by God to generate visions that others in the church cannot judge (1 Cor. 14:29).

Therefore, we should not look to the prophets for a new revelation, but for an exhortation in accordance with the illumination of the Scriptures.

Finally, the following six indicators will help you distinguish between a true prophet and a false prophet.

The word of a true prophet will be fulfilled. The word of prediction of a false prophet will not be fulfilled (Deut. 18; Jer. 23).
A true prophet never gives a word that contradicts the Bible. A false prophet will twist Scripture to validate a dream or vision he has had. For example, false prophets will take prophecies explicitly intended for Israel and apply them to the United States, directly contradicting God’s promises in the Bible.
A true prophet does not boast or have a profit motive. A false prophet boasts of having received a “prophetic word” or a vision from God as if he were divinely anointed and exploits the church for financial gain.
The ministry of a true prophet aligns with what the Bible teaches. A false prophet speaks more of his heavenly visions and “prophetic words” than what the Holy Bible contextually teaches. “Your prophets saw for you false and foolish visions, and did not reveal your iniquity so that you might return from your captivity, but they saw for you false and deceptive oracles” (Lamentations 2:14).
A true prophet builds up the church and points people to Jesus Christ. A false prophet does not call people to repentance but shares messages that appeal to their needs and desires. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV), “For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to myths.”
The defense of a true prophet comes from the Holy Spirit. A false prophet continually tells people that he is not a false prophet.

Recommended resources in Spanish:

Stealing from God ( Paperback ), ( Teacher Study Guide ), and ( Student Study Guide ) by Dr. Frank Turek

Why I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist ( Complete DVD Series ), ( Teacher’s Workbook ), and ( Student’s Handbook ) by Dr. Frank Turek

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Jason Jimenez is president of STAND STRONG Ministries and the author of Challenging Conversations: A Practical Guide to Discuss Controversial Topics in the church. For more information, visit www.standstrongministries.org .

Original Blog: https://cutt.ly/9mwmCNy

July 2, 2021/by Guest

Why Does the Media Give A Pass To Biden’s Faith?

Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics

By Jason Jimenez

Biden, the 46th president, is America’s second Catholic President. The first was John F. Kennedy—when he became President in 1961.

From the start of his campaign, Biden wanted everything to be about his faith. A favored campaign slogan for the Biden camp was the “battle for the soul of the nation.”

It didn’t matter the media outlet. They all loved reporting on how Biden was a “deeply devout Catholic” and that his faith is a huge factor in “shaping his politics.” Even Speaker Pelosi publicly praises Biden’s faith and willingly admits that his Catholic faith has shaped his career and public policies. An article in The New York Times stated, “President Biden, perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century, speaks of how his Catholic faith grounds his life and his policies.”

Interesting, isn’t it? How the media and every single big-time progressive politician have no problem mixing Biden’s faith with politics. But suppose you are a Christian who is pro-life and not in favor of the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage. In that case, the response you get from the Left is the complete opposite. How was Judge Amy Coney Barrett (also a deeply devout Catholic) treated during the Senate confirmation hearings? Senator Dianne Feinstein and her colleagues didn’t praise Judge Barrett for her faith. Instead, Senator Feinstein expressed her concern about how Judge Barrett’s faith might influence her decisions by stating, “The dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern.” But if the Left is so concerned about a person’s faith interfering with their public service, why isn’t the Left disparaging Biden from talking about how his faith shapes his public policies?

The main reason? Because President Biden is as much of a progressive as he is a Catholic. He is what I refer to as a “Progressive Catholic.” Don’t believe me? Listen to what he said in his book, Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics, “I’m as much a cultural Catholic as I am a theological Catholic.” Biden continues, “My idea of self, of family, of community, of the wider world, comes straight from my religion. It’s not so much the Bible, the beatitudes, the Ten Commandments, the sacraments, or the prayers I learned. It’s the culture.”

Because Judge Barrett is a conservative Catholic and not a progressive, liberal Democrats are concerned about her “dogmatic” positions embedding on her judgment. Therefore, she must be censored at all costs. However, in President Biden’s case, he gets a pass because he’ll keep on advancing progressive policies like the Equality Act (which will eviscerate religious freedoms in America), government funding of abortion, and the Green New Deal.

It’s not a question of whether President Biden has a right to express his religious beliefs. He has that right under the Constitution. It’s really about charging the media for being inconsistent by not allowing conservatives to do the same.

Let’s hope the media will admit to their intolerance and learn to be more receptive to Americans who hold conservative viewpoints.

Are There Prophets In The Church Today?

Theology and Christian Apologetics

By Jason Jimenez

Turn on your T.V., and you are bound to come across a religious show with someone declaring they speak for God. Go to your local bookstore, and there I’m sure you will find several books written by people who say they have received divine revelations from God. Jump on YouTube, and you will definitely see videos of preachers proclaiming, “Thus saith the Lord.”

This barrage of “prophetic words” from thousands of voices has undoubtedly caused many Christians to become confused. In one camp, you have Christians who get caught up in the sensationalism of prophetic words espoused by the Word of Faith movement. In another camp, you have Christians who doubt prophecy altogether because they lack the faith to understand its intended purpose in the body of Christ. While still, some don’t know what to believe.

Therefore, let’s turn to the Bible to see what it has to say about prophets.

The first thing we notice from Paul is that there are prophets in the church today. Recorded in Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul mentions the prophet’s office in the church. And not only that, but Paul also describes the gift of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 12:10. As a matter of fact, the gift of prophecy is mentioned more than any of the other spiritual gifts. You can find it in these passages: Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:27-29; 13:1-3, 8; 14:6, and in Ephesians 4:11.

That said, it’s vital to understand that the prophet’s office in modern times is not the same as Old Testament prophets. Before Jesus came to earth, God raised up prophets (Hebrew, nabi, “to utter”) or seers (spokesmen) as national leaders who spoke with specificity and with 100% accuracy in their prophecies (Deut. 18:20-22; Jer. 23:28, 31-33). But after the ascension of Christ to heaven and the completion of the written Word, God utilizes his modern prophets in different ways than he did with Samuel, Daniel, and Isaiah. The writer of Hebrews clears this up when he opened his letter with these words: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (1:1-2).

Furthermore, according to 1 Corinthians 14:3-4, a prophet’s primary role now is to edify, comfort, and uplift the church. However, that does not mean predictive prophecy is not exercised among some prophets of God. Like Agabus (in Acts 11:27-28), there are times when a prophet will give a prophetic word from God about the future. That is why we are not to neglect prophecy in the church (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). But again, the primary purpose of the gift of prophecy in the church age is to encourage and exhort one another (1 Cor. 14:31). Prophets are not called by God to generate visions that others in the church cannot judge (1 Corinthians 14:29).

Therefore, we are not to look to prophets for new revelation but for exhortation according to Scripture’s illumination.

In closing, here are six indicators to help you distinguish between a true prophet and a false prophet.

A true prophet’s word will come to pass. A false prophet’s predictive word will not come to pass (Deut. 18; Jer. 23).
A true prophet never gives a word that contradicts the Bible. A false prophet will twist Scripture to validate a dream or vision they had. For example, false prophets will take prophecies explicitly intended for Israel and apply them to the United States—directly contradicting God’s promises in the Bible.
A true prophet does not brag or is greedy for gain. A false prophet brags about receiving a “prophetic word” or vision from God as if they are divinely anointed and exploits the church for financial gain.
A true prophet’s ministry aligns with what the Bible teaches. A false prophet talks more about their heavenly visions and “prophetic words” than they teach contextually from the Holy Bible. Lamentations 2:14, “Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.”
A true prophet edifies the church and points people to Jesus Christ. A false prophet doesn’t call people to repentance but shares messages that appeal to their wants and desires. 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
A true prophet’s defense comes from the Holy Spirit. A false prophet continually tells people they are not a false prophet.

How To Be Friendly To People Who Oppose You Politically

Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian Apologetics

By Jason Jiménez

Christians can get so worked up over politics that they can sometimes blow their witness.

Sadly, this is something we see more frequently on social media. It seems like no matter what your political views are, someone will be offended or will publicly attack you over your support of a candidate they feel is dangerous to the American way of life.

A big reason for Americans’ aggressive behavior is because their views run deep into what is referred to as “identity politics.” Politics is no longer about aligning with a specific political party. Nowadays, people’s political views are intertwined with their religion, race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and social or economic status.

If left to its own devices, identity politics can bring out the worst in people. That’s why Christians shouldn’t rush to placate political labels at church. It can send the wrong message and cause a rift with other church members.

Without question, the American church is at a crossroads between faith and politics, which is very disturbing.

So then, what can you do to overcome this contention and bring some clarity and unity back into the Christian community?

Well, for one thing, when you’re knee-deep in a discussion about politics, don’t let secondary issues impede your progress in finding common ground. It’s possible for Christians to have thoughtful debates over politics without biting each other’s heads off.

To avoid letting a conversation surrounding politics from getting too heated, follow these three steps:

Step number one, be cordial. Peter wisely states, “Show proper respect to everyone” (1 Pet. 2:17). It’s okay to critique the other person’s political views as long as you don’t turn into a disrespectful critic of their political party. Avoid getting defensive and cutting the other person off. Your ultimate objective is not to prove the other person wrong but to improve the relationship. No progress can occur if you’re not willing to show respect and listen to the other person.

Step number two, be biblical. Much of the time, political conversations consist of citing a political pundit to back up an opinion. You might be right positionally, but make sure your argument is based primarily on biblical truths rather than from sources that feed your ideological position. As a follower of Jesus Christ, make sure politics do not overshadow the gospel and doctrinal truths. In so doing, you will keep the main thing the main thing and find more important areas of agreement.

Step number three, be reasonable. If you love people and good ideas, you will spend adequate time sharpening your arguments and learning from others. As you debate with someone who holds to a dramatically different political opinion, you will want to be clear and logical when presenting your positions; while, at the same time, remaining teachable (see Phil. 4:5; Js. 3:7).

No matter how intense a political debate may get within the four walls of the church, make it your goal never to let politics ruin your relationships with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

By applying these three steps, you are sure to have friendly interactions with those who don’t share your political views.

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