Death Comes To Us All

I recently attended a funeral of a 20 year old girl who was taken way before her time. It's hard to believe that such a young person can be taken away so soon. It puts life into perspective and makes you question if my life was taken today? What legacy or impact would I have made in this world? It also begs the question why did this 20 year old have to die so soon? In this article I am going to try to answer those two questions that are vital and important in my opinion. The truth is we all die. Whether young or old. Doesn't matter our race, religion, our social status or if we have money. Death doesn't care who you are...the truth is everyone dies. The Bible says it this way. Romans 6:23 the wages of sin is death and because we are born a sinner. That automatically puts us in the path leading to death. As I was sitting at the funeral, It made me realize that this young girl made an impact with her friends and family and it's really sad to say but how soon will her impact fade away. A prime example of that is after 9/11. I saw the country come together, flags were waiving everywhere, people generally banded together. But as time went on people went back to their daily lives. There weren't many flags on cars anymore and the impact was slowly fading away. What bothered me was that on the way to the cemetery in front of us was a story of a broken young girl who had a rough life and was gunned down by gang violence. But to everybody on the street that saw us driving along she was just another person that passed away. I didn't know the young girl, never met her, but through her death. She has made an impact on my life. I can't explain why people die so young. Some of it is because choices they make, some because of choices others make and some are just unexplainable. But the truth is everyone has a story!

Our stories are how we make an impact in the world. Our stories are what people will remember after were gone. We must decide how our stories are played out and how they are told. Our stories are what is vital to our time on Earth. Every day is a chance to make an impact using our story. If we are to call ourselves Christians. Then we must be witnesses of Jesus Christ. We need to tell people about His story. Because His story has made the biggest impact EVER. Even though everyone dies...His is the only story that brings life. The same verse I used earlier Romans 6:23 The wages of Sin is death BUT the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our Lord. You see His is the story you must tell people about. Here is the catch though not everyone wants to hear about Jesus. People you meet a lot of the time will be against anything having to do with Jesus. So how can you tell people about Jesus? Here is where your story comes into play. People are more likely to hear about your story rather than a story of a man that was crucified. People can relate to the struggles you go through and want to know how you handle them. People are more likely to hear you talk about God then go to a Church and hear a preacher talk about God. Why? Because real life isn't lived in a Church but in a home, at work, on the streets. Real problems begin in those settings more times than at Church. It's just the truth. So as Christians we need to know that it's not only the Pastor's job to save lives but that responsibility falls to every single one of us. At the end of the day we will make the greater impact in our social circle and our family than any Church can. The Church isn't a building but the people that occupy that building. Our legacy in this world will never be about the wealth we accumulate, or awards we have received. It will never be the homes, cars, or toys we have bought. It will ever be the job we have or the people we have met. It comes down to one simple word. JESUS! How many people did we point to JESUS? The Bible says He is the key to ETERNAL LIFE. The pastor at the funeral said it best. We must prepare for death. Whether we believe it or not one of our main goals in life is to use our stories to help save lives. Plain and simple. DEATH is a 5 letter word that takes away life. The hope of the world is found in another 5 letter word that even though DEATH COMES TO US ALL. We find life in J-E-S-U-S!

YESUS GITANO

CARLOS

FEED ME TO THE LIONS!

It's a bold statement! Can you imagine someone saying that? Did you know early Christians were fed to lions and stoned to death for saying they were Christians. These courageous Christians risked everything and knew full well that they could be put to death for what they believed in. Even today in some countries, you can be beat, tortured, imprisoned, and even put to death for saying you're a follower of Jesus Christ. It's hard to imagine someone dying for what they believe in. The question is why would you die? Or if faced with death just say I'm not a believer. Look at Peter when Jesus was facing trial and going to be crucified, he denied that he was a follower...to the point of cursing to prove it. You would think that when someone brings you an ultimatum of dying or denouncing your religion, that you would gladly say your right. I would rather live. It's easier to be Christian when you have no adversity. It's easier to say I love Jesus when you're not being stoned because of Him. The truth is that early Christians so strongly believed in Jesus and His Church that they fearlessly spread the gospel knowing full well the implications it had by doing so. They had a radical and sacrificial love for Jesus and for people. They allowed the Holy Spirit to come into their lives and transform them.

So how does this statement affect us today? We have a freedom in the United States that we can speak about our religion without any repercussions as far as being put to death. But do we? Are we like the early Church risking everything to help people get saved? I believe because we have that freedom that we don't want to offend anybody. We all know of people that are non-believers. We all have friends who we would like to see give their lives to Christ but at the risk of offending them or pushing them away, we don't! Compare this generation to that of the early Christians and I say we have a huge advantage over them. Why? Because of social networking. We have Twitter, Facebook, and Internet. Where we can reach people for Christ at a much faster rate. Facebook in particular; you have friends that do not know Christ yet you don't invite them to Church or tell them about Christ. You would rather preserve the friendship than trying to help them gain their salvation.

There are 3 things that I want people to take from this article. 1. Is that we need to be bold and courageous and speak up for God. Jesus said it himself "If you deny me in front of man. I will deny you in front of my Father" Matthew 10:33. 2. we need to have the same kind of radical and sacrificial love the early Christians had for Jesus, Church, and People. Not to be afraid to love someone that's different. The truth is that everyone needs love and all it takes is for you and I to show it. Take Jesus for instance. He washed His disciples feet. This is the Lord, God's own son, and our Savior washing feet. We need to demonstrate that same love for people. Lastly, we need to use what we have to influence others. The world cares about athletes, celebrities, politicians, and leaders to put on the news and magazines. But we have that same type of influence to the people around us. Again, going to Facebook you have the power to spread the Gospel and Impact lives. But, are you doing it or are you worried about saying something that will cause you to be dropped from your friends list? We need to stop being scared Christians and be willing to be stoned for what we believe in. "If the world hates you remember that it hated me first" John 15:18 Powerful words by Jesus Himself.

So what are you doing with your life? As for me I want to make such an impact for the Gospel and for what I believe in that if the enemy saw me they would FEED ME TO THE LIONS!

HANG ON

These are some very powerful words especially in a time where it's so easy to give up. It's so easy to throw in the towel when you're in a fight getting beat up. When you're stuck in a valley and every time you try getting out...you fall right back in. See what makes life so hard is that we have freedom of choice. Our choices sometimes make life great and sometimes put us in a ditch. We make decisions based on what we see and not what's ahead. What I mean is that we see a road filled with pot holes and we take a different route because we don't like facing obstacles. We want to choose the easy way because we don't want to struggle. Not knowing that those obstacles were put in front of you for a purpose. To make you stronger, to test you in life, and to make you a better person. If you never learn then you will never gain anything. When you hit rock bottom, you have two choices. Two choices that will decide who you are. You can choose to stay down or get back up. See I struggle with not seeing the road ahead and taking the detours. All the detours do in life is slow you down and take you off the main road. I also realized that when your in the basement, you can't go any lower. But, you can decide that it's okay to stay down there. God didn't create you to stay in a basement. He wants you in the living room being a light for everyone to see. Its not easy to try and get out of that ditch on your own and you're not going to make it to the top. Know that you can make it on your own but without God you will never make it to the top. I guarantee you! My good friend spent 16 years trapped in a jail cell. Many of us have never been to jail but we are trapped in a cell just the same. We are trapped because we keep taking the same detours. We keep falling for the same mistakes. We are trapped because we don't bring our struggles to God first or ask for His guidance. For me personally, most of the time I make decisions based on what I see rather allowing God to show me.

So what do you do when you don't know what to do? Hang On! It may rain today, tomorrow, and next week but sooner or later if you Hang On it will stop raining. Recognizing that when it rains sometimes it's better to stay indoors and let the rain pass. What that means is in our lives when struggles arise, we need to take time to slow down and evaluate the situation. There is a line in a movie that I think is a great line. I didn't make it rain, I just have the best umbrella. We can't stop the rain but we need God to be our umbrella to get through the storm. God can't be your umbrella if you're not Hanging On to Him. Hang on to His Word. You need God's Word to give you comfort and peace in your storm. Hang On to His Promise. He will never give you anything you can't handle. He will never give you anything you can't carry. Remember through the rain, you can be victorious. You can overcome. Hang On to His strength and courage. you can't be scared in life. You can't be scared to take some punches or to be knocked down. YOU WILL GET KNOCKED DOWN. But that can't stop you from trying again. You have to fight and work not to get what you need but to find victory. Lastly, Hang On to God's Love. He loves us so much that through our journey the ups and downs. In our darkness or in our victories, He never gives up on us. It's us who give up on Him. It's us who shut Him out. It's us who say we don't need Him or blame Him for the things that have happened to us. For everyone in a struggle...for everyone that is going through rough times...For everyone in a storm right now. You don't have to face life alone! You have a choice. HANG ON TO GOD!

YESUS GITANO

CARLOS

LOSS = LIFE

Have you ever lost something in your life and thought that you weren't going to make it through. Like the pain will never go away. You go through life hiding your emotions and everybody around you keeps saying that it's going to get better. Your tears contain the pain that nobody sees. Your heart struggles and every step gets harder and harder to take. I have experienced that in my own life and with every new day there are new challenges. The devil is great at putting you down and keeping you down. Sometimes God allows things to happen not because He wants to see you in pain but with suffering comes perseverance and then hope. God wants the best for you in any situation. You can be at the top and feel like your untouchable and in an instant lose everything. I became proud and thought I had everything I wanted because it was me not God who worked for it. I stopped giving praises to the only one in this world who should be receiving them above all. I stopped doing His will and started living my way. Our ways are never going to amount to anything unless we have God in charge. Yes I can plan anything, do anything, but if I don't include God guess what sooner or later I will be humbled. Again, God doesn't do it to be mean but sometimes it's to discipline us. Sometimes it's to protect us from a future event that could have been worse for us. I lost my house, my job, and my wife left. For any person in this world, that would've been enough misery to just want to quit. But God's plan is bigger than my plan. God's will is better than anything I can ever see. Yes I lost everything but I have gained something much better. I have an intimate relationship with God. God has seen me on my knees crying. He has seen my heartache. He has seen my suffering and He pulled me close to Him. He held my hand like any good father would and said "I'm here"! I became clay and I am being remolded by the creator of life. How can I view that as a loss? Yes my life is still a struggle and yes the pain is still very real but I have the creator of life with me. I have the Living God who moves mountains, who with the sound of His voice stars are born, massaging my back as I pray telling me it's okay. This great and huge God offers me grace for as long as I want.

When you give your life to Jesus nobody said that your life will get easier. I didn't go up to the pastor and say "So everything is downhill now right cause I have God on my side"? Doesn't work like that. I believe the devil has more fun trying to tempt Christians and making them backslide rather than non believers. Why? I know that non believers don't have the eyes of God so they view the world as normal. Drugs, alcohol, pleasures of sin it's all normal to them. They don't realize that those pleasures can cost them their salvation. So the devil doesn't have to work hard to keep them right where there at. Christians have spiritual eyes so they know what sin can cost them. Jesus said himself "Deny Yourself" Anyone who wants to follow me(Jesus) will lose his life. So what do you lose? When you come to Christ you have to deny yourself...the things that bring wickedness. The sinful nature is pleasure...but a temporary pleasure. The devil knows this and knows what buttons to press for every single one of us. That's why Jesus said "Deny Yourself". When you follow Jesus you can't live the way you used to. God is Holy and pure and in order to have an intimate relationship with Him we have to remain righteous. Does that mean perfect? Not at all...our flesh makes us weak...ALL OF US! Christians, Catholics, any religion. Doesn't matter who you are we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Can't help it...were not perfect. Jesus was the only one and because He died we can be righteous by asking Him to come into our lives and also for forgiveness. Jesus lost His life to make things new...We have to give up our old life to have a new one. It's still going to be hard and you will be on your knees crying and struggling. But you will NEVER have to face it alone. You might lose everything...you might be left with only God. But that's enough. With God in your life you will always have everything you will ever need. God take everything from me...your will is my command. Keep me in your arms and under your grace and I will be happy for all my life. I will praise you because you are always worthy. Take everything I have or all that I am...ALL I NEED IS YOU!

YESUS GITANO,

CARLOS

WAITING

Everyday people go through life waiting. Whether they are waiting for their food at a drive thru, there significant other to get ready, or even at a stop light. We can't avoid waiting but in our society people don't like waiting. People are always in a hurry. The speed limit for California is at 65mph but most drive faster than that and even get mad at people who actual drive the speed limit. There are two types of waiting that I want to talk about. Waiting for God's will in your life and waiting for God's direction in the path you take. So many times we rush into decisions or say something without thinking. So many times we want life to bend and go our way. So many times we don't see the whole picture and were only focused on the destination(thanks Rome). See the truth is that if we only see our destination we might miss out on divine appointments that God has put in our path. We might miss opportunities to really help or save someone. Not physically saving but spiritually or emotionally. We might make decisions that will hurt us more than help us. Life is hard there is no doubting it. But we didn't create life so it's hard to try to control it. Life is like a river. It will carry you to the end but you can't control or stop the current. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

So we must first wait for God's will in our life. I have so many questions regarding my life. What is my purpose? What should I do? What is my goal in life? I ask myself but really I have to trust God. Sometimes we rush the answers and we need to wait for Him. Like the song says I wait for You! If you don't wait for God believe me you will stumble. If you don't wait for His will to be shown in your life, you will never enjoy the fullness of His blessings. i believe that we were created with a purpose and God wants us to live out that purpose. God can take us at any given moment but if we are fulfilling our purpose He will keep us here till it's done(again thanks Rome). So how do we know what His will is in our lives? Simple you pray and wait. You fast and wait. You read His Word and wait. You go to Church and wait. YOU WAIT AND WAIT! God knows what He is doing and when He believes your ready He will show you His will. You have to wait for Him and above all you have to TRUST HIM!

So the second part of waiting that I want to discuss is waiting for God's direction in the path you take. God's will and His direction are two different things. God's will gives your life a meaning and purpose. It helps you understand what you should be doing. God's direction guides you and places you where you need to be. The truth is that God will place people in your life because He wants you to make an impact. A simple God bless you or starting a conversation, can work wonders. But we as a society hurry through our lives that when we say hi, we walk away before the other person can reply. I have seen a homeless man and I hurried up whatever I was doing because I didn't have change to give him. I believe if we see a person who might be down and we took an extra minute to talk to them and pray for them. Or also if we just took an extra second to open the door for someone and greet them with a God bless you. You are making God proud. He calls us to be disciples but many times we hurry up. So we can have more time to be at home relaxing or watching our favorite show. Whatever the case may be we need to be patient. We need to wait because God will direct our path in His time. We need to wait because He looks out for us and will always want the best for us. We need to wait because God will place opportunities in our lives to tell someone about Him. We need to wait because our voice or our actions can make a believer out of anyone. Lastly, we need to wait because God created life too short and to beautiful to miss it. My question is are you IN A HURRY OR ARE YOU WAITING?

YESUS GITANO,

CARLOS

Diamond in the Ruff

In life we are shown a vision that manipulates our minds. Television, movies, Internet has set industry standards that crush a person's self esteem. Losing weight is a billion dollar business. Why? Is it because everybody just wants to be healthy or is it because the world tells you. You can't find love unless you look good. Is it because the world tells you need to be skinny to wear these clothes. Now I like working out and eating right. Not because the world around me tells me to do so, but because I have little ones and I would love to see them grow old and still be able to play with them. I'm not saying don't work out. Life in general is hard but it's even harder when the world measures you by your accomplishments rather than your potential. Life is not about seeing problems but progress. It's not about obstacles but opportunities. Life was not meant to be easy. It was meant to be lived! My pastor spoke on Sunday and said we are to be mirrors. Everybody on this planet is related to someone one way or another. I believe we should all be mirrors. Everybody has special talents, they look different, and act different. I believe we all have the same heart though. God's heart! I'm Christian but you can't see that when you look at me. Unless I have a tattoo on my forehead that says I'm Christian you'll never know. I believe when you look in the mirror you see who you are. There is no hiding. Your past, present and future can be seen in the mirror. So my question is Who are you? Who am I?

People believe in different things but bottom line is everybody on the planet is a sinner. We can't deny that nor can we change it. There is no way we can ever be perfect. When i look in the mirror I see a sinner but I don't see failure. I see potential, I see greatness, and I see hope. I carry God's heart with me and it changes my perspective on life. No matter what the world tells me. God's heart shows me the truth! I'm not perfect. Don't have flashy clothes or a nice car. Not a model like you see in commercials. Don't have a lot of money. Wasn't born into a rich family or a great neighborhood. But, when you see me...you see my mirror! When you meet me, my reflection should bring you comfort and joy because I was meant to love. I was born to serve but I'm not a slave. I was born to save but I'm not a savior. My life can be simple with the basic necessities to live and I still have everything. I may never be famous or have my name in books except for one. Yet, God knows my name and I am written in His book! Being a Christian or non Christian your reflection should always be showing God's heart. I live life because God's purpose lives in me. His Word is my water. His Spirit is my guide and strength. I am in this world but not of it because I know the Truth. My mirror shows my life. Who Am I? I'M A DIAMOND IN THE RUFF!

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

BATTLE CRY!

When your standing on a battlefield starring at your enemy. Knowing that you are out numbered and can easily give up. There is one thing that gives you courage and motivation to push forward. One thing that gets rid of fear and brings intimidation to your enemy. A Battle Cry! See A Battle Cry is a word or a phrase that you say to fire you up. It is something that gives you the hope when your looking at an enemy that just wants to destroy you. The reality is that we are at war every day of our lives. We all fight battles every day and we all end up wounded. There are two sides to choose from. Good and evil. You take away one letter and add another and you have the two generals that lead the army. God and the Devil. I have fought for both sides and believe me when I say God's team is the only team you need to be on. Trust me though when I say when you choose God's team you will fight and struggle so much. When you choose the Devil's army you will have a life that is pleasurable, sinful and you can do whatever you want.

Now you may say to yourself why would I want to join the good side where I will have to fight daily? The reason is simple...THE CROWN OF LIFE. The only reason you will ever need to fight for God is the Crown Of Life. You are fighting for your future and your salvation. What does the Devil promise you if you fight for him. Sin, heartache, failure, wickedness, and eventually that leads to nothing. You have two sides to choose from. One promises life, blessings, and love and the other destruction. The reason why more people choose the Devil's side because it's the easy way out. It's the side where you can find pleasure but not satisfaction. You can find lust but not love. You can find a free ride but not to paradise. Being a God fighter is hard, hard work. No doubt! Those who endure temptation, those endure the struggle, those who endure the fight will get the reward. YESUS GITANO is my battle cry and It took a good friend to help me realize why I needed a battle cry. You need a battle cry to help you push forward. To help you stay in the fight and to know that what your fighting for is worth everything. What is your BATTLE CRY?

Yesus Gitano

Carlos

Am I Saved?

When I think of being saved. I picture somebody who is lost or in trouble and wants help. In a sense that is what it is like to be saved by Jesus Christ. See in life there are people that are saved and some that are not. What does it mean to be saved? Christianity is based on a center point which is Jesus Christ. In order to be saved you have to believe and trust Jesus is the Messiah and put Him first in your life. Many Christians that claim to be saved do not put Jesus first in there lives. They seen the glory and greatness of God but yet do there own thing. So are you saved? Am I Saved? Now if we believe in God and make Jesus the Lord of our lives but are not heading in the direction God appointed for us. Then no, I don't believe we are saved. How can we be saved if our lifestyle and our choices are not God focused. You see the moment you choose Jesus. BAM! Your life, your choices, and your mind should all be transformed. How do you know if your transformed? The people that know you and interact with you daily should be the best witness to your transformation. The moment you said yes, the world you live in should eat, sleep, and breathe God. Everything you say and touch should be inspired by God. WE CAN'T BE REDEEMED AND STILL BE A PART OF THE DEVILS PLAYGROUND.

Being saved means that all of God's love and grace flows through us for the world to see. Our lives should feed the Gospel to the hungry and bring the Living Water to the thirsty. God created us in His image to do good works in which He prepared in advance for us to do. Whether we take the wrong road or get stuck in the ditches on the right one. All it takes is for us to call on Jesus for help. That is what makes you saved. Having Jesus in your heart so much that anytime you need help. Turn to HIM. Every time you get tempted or feel the pressures of the world around you. Turn to HIM. You turn to Jesus not drugs, alcohol, porn, money or any other outlet you think will cure you. The devil is always out to confuse you and take away your salvation. It all comes down to choice. Is the pleasures of sin worth your freedom? Is sleeping with the devil worth losing your Savior? We will always be sinners and unholy. But we are loved more than we can ever imagine and that is why God give us grace. God loves us so much that He is willing to overlook our blemishes so we may enter His Kingdom. We are sinners by nature but we are saved by God.

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

J.O.Y. (JESUS ONLY YOU)

Christmas is right around the corner and as I look around while driving home I see lights that say Joy and Joy to the world. Joy means to be happy but it doesn't mean happiness. Why do I say that well because my life can be full of hardships but I can still have the Joy of the Lord in my heart. Joy for me means something else that I hope it will mean the same for you. It means Jesus Only You. Joy should stand for Jesus Only You for everyone. Since Jesus is the real reason we celebrate Christmas this should be on everybody hearts. Believers should always celebrate Jesus life daily. Joy also should have a special meaning for non believers and that is that JESUS OFFERS YOU. Jesus offers you the gift of salvation. It doesn't matter who you are, what situation you are in. God loves you just how you are and if you are broken even better because the Lord loves to fix things. I wish people would just open there eyes and see the beauty of Christ. The beauty of the Father and the greatness of His love. When I was a little kid I remember Christmas would be the best time of the year. I used to love the lights, the tree, the scene, and the presents. I remember people used to tell me lets see what Santa Claus is going to bring you this year. I hope you've been good so Santa Claus can bring you something nice. Now having kids of my own I don't want Santa Claus bringing me or my kids gifts because Jesus gave us the best gift of all. SALVATION! God is who I put my hope and trust in. Jesus is the big brother I look up to and live my life after. Jesus is my Lord! I want people to understand we are the same...doesn't matter rich or poor, black or white. We have the same heart, the same blood, the same emotions...BUT BEST OF ALL WE HAVE THE SAME JOY!

JESUS ONLY YOU!

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

Highway to Hell

This title was once a famous song and I believe the reason why it was so famous was because people believed in it. People believe that there final outcome is going to be hell. I have heard people that I met say were all going to hell so might as well do what I want. It pains me because they are so far from the truth. The truth is that there is a hell. The truth is that one day non believers will go there. Also this truth is the most important out of all the truths I just gave you and that is GOD WILL NOT SEND YOU TO ETERNAL DARKNESS. ONLY YOU CAN SEND YOURSELF TO THAT PLACE. I hate when people say God is love and merciful. He will never send anyone to hell...and they keep living the same way believing in that. Yes God is love and He is merciful. In fact all through your life God is giving you the chance to get into Heaven and avoid Hell. See God will never send anyone into hell. If you don't believe He simply will not let you into His house. What people don't understand is He has every right to do whatever He wants. God doesn't want to see people go to hell...He didn't create man just so He can condemn them. God gives us every chance to enter His Kingdom. My son Isaiah will always be my son till the end of time. I love him more than anything but if I told him never to steal and he goes out and steals. He goes to jail because of it, It is not because of me he is in jail. It was not my will to have him in jail. My son had every chance to do the right thing and simply chose the wrong one. By the way my son is only 9 and he was the only example I can think of. (sorry son) As you can see It's not God's will to see people in Hell.



There is a story of a man who was out hiking. He came close to a cliff because he wanted to look down. He slipped and lost his footing fell over the cliff but before he went down to far he was able to grab a branch. As he hung there on the branch he yelled and yelled for help but there was nobody around. Then suddenly at the top of the cliff there was a somebody who said I can help you, just let go of the branch and take my hand. The man puzzled said who are you? My name is Jesus I can save you if you just let go of the branch and take my hand. The man was losing his grip of the branch and said no I can't, you're not strong enough to lift me up. Jesus said please just trust in me, believe that I can save you and you will be saved. Yet the man on the branch still said No and then said is there anybody else up there. The world is always looking for the wrong Savior. Money, companionship with the wrong person, reliability in the wrong economy, and anything else they think can save them. Jesus is the truth, the light, and the way. NO ONE...NO ONE will get into Heaven unless it's through Him. So if that is you thats hanging on that branch waiting for somebody else. Think again before it's to late. Let Jesus save you and start taking the HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN.

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

Long Distance

Did you know that God is in another realm then we are. He is seated on the throne in Heaven. Seems like such a Long Distance away but in reality it's not. A lot of believers have a Long Distance relationship with God. What that means is they treat Him like a distant relative that visits once in a while. They get all excited when they feel His presence in Church but when they go home He is not involved in there lives. You will never see God from a distance. You will never see His face especially if you're trying to see Him from a distance. God speaks to us every day. He tries to be involved in our lives always. But if you're to far from Him. You'll never hear or see Him. I understand it gets tough to stay in constant connection with the Almighty. In our world it's so easy to reach for things that you see instead of reaching for Him that is unseen. I've been through it. I have had a Long Distance relationship with God. I have called out to Him from a far only to feel bad because I felt He wasn't listening. God is listening and He is answering but if you're to far from Him. It's pointless for Him to respond because you won't be able to hear Him. So how do you stay close to God?

How do you stay close to distant relatives? First step is to call on God. We don't need a phone to call Him. We can just close our eyes and believe in our hearts and begin to talk and we will be where He is. Best part is that there is no long distance phone bill. With God you always have free minutes and He always has FREE TIME TO TALK TO YOU! Second thing is to always pray. When you feel that God is not near or times are getting tough pray and He will answer. The Bible says ask and He may give it to you. Remember it doesn't say whatever you want it's yours. It says He may. May being the key word because God wants only the best for you. Thirdly is read the Word. Read your Bible. If you really want to hold God's hand...READ HIS STORY. The Bible tells you everything you need to know to be close to God. Lastly, serve God. Be a channel for God's blessings not a reservoir. Be ready to preach the Gospel. Be ready to help others. Be ready to just serve. When you serve God, it means you carry His heart. There is no better way to stay close to God then by carrying His Heart.

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

Limited Time Only!

This phrase is used when something is only temporary. For instance if you walk by a store window and it said that everything in the store was on sale but for a Limited Time Only. That would imply to hurry up and buy before the sale ends. For believers it something similar but yet different. There are two definitions I want to use for this phrase. The first is to imply that the pleasures of sin are a Limited Time Only. Sometimes sin feels good but it's only temporary. Sin doesn't take the place of joy and happiness. Sin doesn't drown out your problems or situations. Sin is an illusion orchestrated by the master of disguise the devil. I have gone one day in perfect harmony with God to the next day feeling guilty because I sinned and sinned. It is hard...believe me it is so hard to resist. I can begin my day praying in the morning and praising God only to have it go away in the afternoon when my boss says something or does something. The devil knows people. He knows exactly how to set them off or set them up. He puts the bomb in our hands and entices us to light the fuse. We as humans have the divine nature like our Father to create great things...but being human we also have a sinful nature and the capacity to destroy life. The Bible states that the wage of sin is Death.

The second part I want to emphasize is that Life itself is a Limited Time Only! Life can be over before you know it. Only God knows the place and time when He calls you home. So many of us live by time. I don't have time for this and that. Time is important but you have to use it wisely. You have to live for moments. Moments are pages that you write your life story on. When God looks back on your life...He doesn't look at the time you wasted but the moments you lived for. There was a story I heard about a man who was at the end of his life. He always wanted to climb the highest mountain around but never had the time. So one day he decided to climb the mountain only to die on the way up. Everybody criticized him and asked his son why did he climb the mountain to die? The son responded he didn't climb the mountain to die...He climbed it to live. Don't wait till the end of your life to really live. Life is a Limited Time Only! Live for God use the moments you have to make Him happy and I promise you that He will in return bring you Joy. God created life and humans to co exist in harmony. As Christmas approaches use moments to makes things right with family, friends, co workers, and acquaintances. Jesus was born not to condemn our moments but to bring LIFE TO THEM!

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

Radar

In war if you would happen to appear on your enemy's radar then you would be in trouble. The enemy would know where you would be at and send their forces to stop you. Being Christian if you are on the devils Radar then you are definitely doing something right. The more you are connected to God and ready to fight, the closer you are to the devils stronghold and the more you light up the Radar. The devil leaves you alone when your doing his work but the moment you open your eyes. You realize that his work only cause heartache and pain. Once you decide to get married to Christianity and say I do. You appear on the Radar! Your hardships and trials all depend on how much you appear on the Radar. The path of Righteousness involves a lot of trials and tribulations. The more you get tempted you should jump for joy because you are on the right path. The devil gets mad when you work for God...and the more overtime you put in just makes the devil furious. Which then means more temptations and trials. I know life gets hard and it seems like there is no way out.

Trust in the Lord to get you through anything. Stay on course and stay strong. It's only good and evil. Trust in the goodness of God. God will protect you and help you. Evil is going to throw everything at you when you appear on it's Radar. I admire Pastor's and Teachers of the Word because I know for every life they are trying to save. They move up the devils most wanted list and have bulls eyes on them where ever they go. Believe me if you have a bulls eye on you...rejoice because you are on the path to Heaven. Rejoice in every trial and tribulation that is thrown at you because that means you are standing up for God. It means that you are fighting a battle worth fighting. Every temptation, every trial, every battle the devil is trying to stop what your doing because he knows your winning. In war you try everything possible not to be noticed so you can sneak behind enemy lines. In the battle of good and evil being on the devils Radar is exactly where you need to be. The devil needs to see how many people are willing to stand up and fight. Imagine if the devil looks at the Radar and sees all the Christians in the world ready and willing to stand up and fight for God. It's so glorious! Remember the more trials and temptations you get, the closer you are to getting to God. STAY ON THE DEVIL'S RADAR!!

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

I'm Christian!

Being Christian isn't just showing up to Church on Sunday. It's more than just telling your neighbor you're Christian. You can actually be Christian without words because I can preach to someone without saying anything. A lot of people have the wrong idea about being Christian. They show up Sunday to Church ready to be Christian but during the week, there to busy to spend time with God. They pray once or twice a day or sometimes not at all during the day and call themselves Christian. Being Christian is to be plugged into God daily. A lot of people will say well I pray daily. Here is what I'm getting at. If you wake up and pray daily and the rest of the day is your time then you're not really plugged in. All you're doing is keeping a habit. The way to be Christian is to be Christ like. Jesus prayed all the time. He didn't have a set time when He prayed. His habit was to stay plugged in. You might say of course He was plugged in because He was God. What God requires for us to be called Christians is time. Time spent with Him, Time spent with the Word, and Time to share the Gospel. I am not trying to offend anyone with this article. I can say this because I call myself a Christian but don't spend a lot of time being a Christian. I am like the rest of the world wrapped up in distractions that I don't make time to spend with God.



Everybody looks to God when troubles arise but when the waters are calm they don't. Lets make this perfectly clear GOD IS NOT A GLORIFIED HANDYMAN! Somebody once told me that God fixes things for His love for people but He doesn't agree with the situation. I don't blame Him. If I knew someone that just came to me for money all the time but didn't want to spend time with me any other day. I would be upset to. I would help that person because I love people and I love to help but It would bother me. Being Christian is putting God first in everything. Not just on Sunday, not just when problems arise, or not when you feel like it. God is first in everything and above all. What makes you Christian is keeping an intimate relationship with God all the time. Praise God when your at your job, Praise God when your in your car, but Praise God all the time just because He loves you and He made you. Glorify God in everything that you have and do. Pray and talk to God all the time. Being Christian is hard at times but the reward will be worth it. So I encourage everybody to BE CHRISTIAN!



Yesus Gitano,


Carlos

Pulled Away

Every day we wake up is another day to be Pulled Away. Better believe it that you will get Pulled Away. When you have the devil against you life is hard. You see life is the heartbeat of God, the joy of a new song, the rhythm of a drum, the love of another. But Sin is the living trial, it's the pothole that flattens your tire, it's the bill you get with no money to pay, Sin is the vacuum that sucks you into darkness. Sin is what Pulls you away. See God says man will always sin and fall short. What we have to understand is that the pothole was always there but you never saw it. The bill you received came from something you did or bought and chose just to ignore it. We will always Sin but some of the sins can be avoided. We will always get Pulled Away but the question is how far away are you? Sin hurts God because He knows that when you sin the devil is what is pulling you away or trying to pull you away. God knows if we are going to sin or not before we do it...and God puts the pothole in the road to see if you notice it before it's to late. I have seen the pothole, been stuck in the pothole, only to go through the same pothole again. See you can't resist sin with human nature. It takes only divine nature to resist and defeat sin. That's why Jesus was so perfect every time the devil tempted Him. He was able to resist because He had divine nature.

It's our human nature to be Pulled Away but in order to resist the devil we have to ask God daily to give us divine nature. God gave us grace so we can go under His wing away from darkness. Here is where a lot of Christians stay and get comfortable. God also requires for us to come out from under His wing into darkness and bring light. But also where a lot of Christians backslide because they get Pulled Away so much that they get ashamed to come back under God's wing. Here is what I know it's okay to stay under God's wing until your ready to be a light. But without divine nature you are not going to be that light and you will be Pulled Away. I know it's hard to step out because of the potholes and things to pull you away from God but what I know from the depths of my heart is that God allows you to make mistakes so you learn and trust Him more. What I've learned is that when I got stuck in a pothole I looked to God and asked Him to show me where the potholes are so I avoid them. Sin is inevitable and getting Pulled Away is a part of life. But the Holy Spirit is the rope and Jesus is the lifeguard that walks on water ready to PULL YOU BACK!.

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

1 on 1

The only way you will ever get to know someone on a more personal level is by 1 on 1. In a crowded room you will only get the basic information about someone but in order to get to really know them. You would have to spend time with them. God requires that time with us. The creator of Heaven and Earth, the Almighty, the Alpha and Omega wants a 1 on 1 relationship with us. I never really had a relationship with my biological father like I would've liked to have. But God knows me, He knows my heart and what it desires. He takes care of my needs no matter how insignificant they may be compared to the rest of the worlds needs. He does it because He cares about each and every one of us. The Father only wants to see good things in your life but in order to be able to do that. You have to receive the blessings. Simple way means in order to win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket. Or to win a prize on the radio you have to listen and call in. The point is that in order for you to want a relationship with God and receive His blessings you have to look for Him. You have to seek God's presence in order to receive His presents. I'm going to do something a little different today. I wrote a poem that goes with what I'm talking about.


How to Build a Relationship With God

First we need FAITH to be our solid ground
Then the SAVIOR and LORD so that it doesn't fall down.
TRUST will be the roof to protect us from the rain
HONESTY and UNDERSTANDING will be our window pane.
PRAISE and WORSHIP will be the stairs that we will climb
COMMITMENT will be the wood to stand the test of time.
OUR HEART will be the door and only HE will have the key
The relationship is complete now, and now we can be FREE.
We will start a beautiful garden and plant LOVE to watch it grow
Our SINS are the rain, but His FORGIVENESS the rainbow.
GOD can be the fence made of steel as strong as can be
That way FOREVER and EVER we will always have security.

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

Flexible

One of the number one rules of being Christian is to be Flexible. The road to Heaven is hard and it requires sacrifice, hard work, commitment but also Flexibility. The reason being is that what my plans are, may not be God's plan. Like the song says I can plan a nice picnic but I can't predict the weather. Christians have to be able to adapt to any situation and in any environment. I can think that I'm going down the right path and God says nope and changes it. This is where a lot of Christians back slide because the path God lays before them is a path that seems to be to difficult for them. Being Christian you would think that because God is all powerful and all loving that He would just give us a path that is easy to handle. But what Christians don't realize is that it is easy to handle. It's harder to grasp but easy to handle. Yes the economy is bad, the world doesn't seem to be getting better, and it seems that people are getting more and more discouraged because of it. But I'm here! Were here! My Lord and Savior has taken care of me every day of my life. Situations I've been in...things that I went through. I'm still here! He has taken care of me to this very day and I have hope and trust that He is going to continue to take care of me.

Life is full of surprises sometimes there blessings and sometimes there hardships. But everything is God's will. If we are to remain strong, we rely on His might and His guidance. We trust Him because a true believer knows that the Father only wants what is best for His children. God only wants what's best for us...but sometimes what's best for us is not the easiest path. The reason being is God wants us to learn in life and He wants all of us to be saved and have Eternal life. He wants His people to look for Him in difficult times and He wants us to help each other along the way. Be Flexible and ready to take on any challenges that are presented before you. Rejoice in trials and tribulations because the Lord says to. Being able to adapt is key for Christians to survive in this world. Remember be of the world but not part of it. ABOVE ALL BEING FLEXIBLE MEANS WE ARE NOT BROKEN EASILY!

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

TD!

In American football when one team goes across the other teams goal line it's called a Touchdown. Or TD for short. It's the culmination of a lot of hard work, practice, and strategy. It doesn't matter whether the team wins or loses because during a touchdown the entire team celebrates. But for Christians TD means something different but should have the same type of results. For Christians it means TESTED DAILY. Every day Christians are tested. The Bible says God disciplines those He loves. We are tested because God loves us that He wants us to be strong and wise. He wants us to have the will to resist any opposition or any darkness. When my son doesn't do his homework, he faces a consequence which could be not going outside to play. For us as Christians not reading the Bible could lead to us falling easily to temptation. Disobeying God leads to a path of darkness and temptations. Did you know that in America marriages have a 69% percent of surviving. God said that when you get married it should last forever and with the same person. Marriages fail because they don't pass the test. Marriages are one test that Christians have daily. Marriage is something that takes hard work and understanding. Marriages need God's foundation and love in order to survive.

Christians are tempted daily by the devil. He knows our wicked ways and excels at exploiting our weaknesses to his advantage. Diets are a multi billion dollar seller not because people want to be healthy but because they want to look good. Jesus says that if your eye causes you to sin pluck it out because it's better to lose an eye then have your whole body go to hell. I rather be blind then constantly be bombarded with sex. Magazines, TV, movies, billboards it's all about looking good instead of feeling good. Everyday it's a new temptation and a new chance to fail the test. We get tested daily and we as Christians need to have the Word in our hearts, in our minds, and in our hands to avoid failing. I know that the road to righteousness is not always the easiest but believe me when I tell you that it has the best reward. God uses bumps in the road and turns them into blessings. When Christians are tested we as a Christan should rejoice when we pass the tests and we should encourage each other when we falter. We are TESTED DAILY because God disciplines us but we are TOUCHED DAILY because God LOVES US.

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

Illuminate

When Jesus came to this world He said He was the light of the world. If we are to follow Jesus our lives should reflect that light. Illuminate means brighten with light. If Jesus is to be the center point of your life...then your life should radiate bright light. You should be receiving bolts of lightning of the Holy Spirit that penetrate deep into your heart, mind, and spirit. Bolts that transform darkness into light, sin into righteousness, and despair into hope. When cockroaches are around and you turn on a light, they scatter because they are afraid of the the light. They are vulnerable because they are seen. Sin is afraid of light for that very same reason because when light shines upon sin...it is seen. A lot of people don't realize what there doing is a sin and that's why so many are lost. They don't see the light! We as Christians need to help people see the light. But we will never be able to show people the light, if we ourselves don't have the light living in us. We need to have the Light of God dwelling in us so much that we are ready to do anything for God.

What that means is we as Christians need to start being uncomfortable with ourselves and comfortable with God. The world has comfort zones they like staying in. It gives them peace and serenity. It's a little circle of happiness they build so they don't feel out of place. Some people go to Church on Sunday, read the Bible and pray occasionally. That is great but God calls us to a higher purpose. It seems like time is going by fast these days but Christians are maturing at a slow pace. What I'm trying to say is that if God calls you to preach in front of 100 people be comfortable with that. If God wants you to lead a Bible Study in your own home be comfortable with that. The point is that you will never be open to God's will until you Illuminate your life and your life will never Illuminate if you don't get rid of your comfort zone. Jesus died for us on a cross. He bled for us! I don't think He was comfortable doing that but He did it because it was God's will. Jesus allowed God's will to direct His life...His comfort zone was whatever God wanted. He was the perfect example of Illuminate. I pray God will Illuminate your life today, tomorrow, and forever.

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos

Thanks Given To God

Tomorrow everybody will be enjoying a nice big Turkey dinner. It will be a great time with family and friends and people you care about. I always enjoy the stuffing as well as the mashed potatoes. We have to remember though it's not the turkey we celebrate it's the Blood Of The Lamb that we give thanks for. It's the sacrifice that He made on that tree so we can be cleansed and made righteous. He gave up His throne to become a man. I never wanted to give up the remote control to my wife...I can't imagine giving up a throne to be crucified. Our lives are dedicated to Jesus because of what He did for us. We need to tell everyone we know what He did for them as well. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son. It's not like God had 3 or 4 Sons where He didn't mind losing one. But He sent the only one He had...That's major.

Remember be thankful for the food your going to eat, be thankful for the time spent with people you love, be thankful for the time spent with God always, be thankful that if you don't have anything, you probably still have more than others. Like my son once told me the man always complained about his shoes till he met a man with no feet. So if you don't have a job be thankful that you have freedom. If you don't have money, be thankful that you life. If you don't have food to eat, be thankful there are places you can go to help you. But especially if you don't have Jesus, be thankful that you can always accept Him and He will welcome you with open arms always. This thanksgiving be thankful because God loves you more than you'll ever know. It's not just one day but every day that THANKS GIVEN TO GOD!

Yesus Gitano,

Carlos