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La preparación antes de la revelación

December 30, 2010 by rosa · Leave a Comment 

Sammy Rodríguez Boletines -

Hubo en los días de Herodes, rey de Judea, un sacerdote llamado Zacarías, de la clase de Abías; su mujer era de las hijas de Aarón, y se llamaba Elisabet. Ambos eran justos delante de Dios, y andaban irreprensibles en todos los mandamientos y ordenanzas del Señor. Pero no tenían hijo, porque Elisabet era estéril, y ambos eran ya de edad avanzada. Aconteció que ejerciendo Zacarías el sacerdocio delante de Dios según el orden de su clase, conforme a la costumbre del sacerdocio, le tocó en suerte ofrecer el incienso, entrando en el santuario del Señor. Y toda la multitud del pueblo estaba fuera orando a la hora del incienso. Y se le apareció un ángel del Señor puesto en pie a la derecha del altar del incienso. Y se turbó Zacarías al verle, y le sobrecogió temor. Pero el ángel le dijo: Zacarías, no temas; porque tu oración ha sido oída, y tu mujer Elisabet te dará a luz un hijo, y llamarás su nombre Juan. Y tendrás gozo y alegría, y muchos se regocijarán de su nacimiento;  porque será grande delante de Dios. No beberá vino ni sidra, y será lleno del Espíritu Santo, aun desde el vientre de su madre. Y hará que muchos de los hijos de Israel se conviertan al Señor Dios de ellos. E irá delante de él con el espíritu y el poder de Elías, para hacer volver los corazones de los padres a los hijos, y de los rebeldes a la prudencia de los justos, para preparar al Señor un pueblo bien dispuesto.” (Lucas 1:5-17)

Amigos, es bíblica y teológicamente fundamental entrar en la obra de la Navidad, para crear el marco fundamental que viene a través de la vida de Juan el Bautista. Verá, Juan vino antes que Jesús, tanto en el nacimiento como en el ministerio. Juan fue la preparación y Jesús fue la revelación. Juan bautizó con agua, Jesús bautizó con el  Espíritu Santo y fuego (Mateo 3:11). Juan dijo: “Arrepentíos, porque el Reino de Dios está cerca” (Marcos 1:15). Jesús dijo: “Levántense porque el Reino de Dios está entre ustedes” (Lucas 17:21).
Siempre hay una temporada de Juan antes que la temporada de Jesús. Siempre hay un tiempo de preparación antes de la ¡temporada de la revelación! Prepárese, ya tuvo su Juan, ¡ahora viene su temporada de Jesús!

Esta comienza en los días de Herodes. Los días de Herodes representan los tiempos difíciles y turbulentos. El reinado de Herodes fue uno de grandes sufrimientos, persecución y angustia. La gente no sabía lo que venía después. Pero en medio del reinado de Herodes nació Jesús. Cada vez que hay un Herodes en su vida, cuando se encuentra rodeado de sufrimiento, persecución y angustia, prepárese porque por cada Herodes, ¡debe haber un Jesús!

El sexto verso dice que ambos eran justos. Lo cual sirve como plataforma para lo milagroso.Las personas justas atraen lo milagroso. Repita conmigo: “Declaro justicia sobre mi familia, mi vida y mi destino. Todo lo que estuvo mal, todo lo que fue pecaminoso, todo lo que fue empañado, hoy por la sangre de Jesús, ¡es justo!”. Entonces la Biblia dice: “Al que no cometió pecado alguno, por nosotros Dios lo trató como pecador, para que en él recibiéramos la justicia de Dios”(2 Corintios 5:21).
Permítanme explicarlo. Algunas personas confunden la justicia con la santidad, pero la justicia no tiene nada que ver con la forma de actuar. La santidad es su conducta; la justicia es lo que usted es, la naturaleza de Dios. La justicia significa literalmente estar a la derecha. Ahora, ¿quién está a la derecha del Padre? Jesús. Cuando usted es justo, significa que está a la derecha de Dios o en Jesús. Efesios 2:06 dice: “Y en unión con Cristo Jesús, Dios nos resucitó y nos hizo sentar con él en las regiones celestiales”.
No olvidemos que tenemos una doble nacionalidad. Primero que nada somos ciudadanos del Reino de Dios. No hay ciudadanos indocumentados en el Reino. Ser un creyente (estar en Cristo Jesús) lo hace a usted un ciudadano en el Reino de Dios y le da derecho a todo en ese Reino.
Dígase, ¡tengo derechos! Tengo el derecho a la vida que es eterna y abundante. Tengo el derecho de ir de gloria en gloria. Tengo el derecho a su presencia, su poder y su protección. Tengo el derecho a esperar más de lo que haya orado, porque Dios dijo que va a hacer extraordinariamente, en abundancia, por encima de todo lo que pueda imaginar o desear. Tengo el derecho a ser la cabeza y no la cola, y a ser llamado el hijo del Dios vivo. ¡Porque soy justicia de Dios!
 
El verso 7 dice que no tenían hijos porque ella era estéril y, además, eran mayores de edad. No sólo era estéril, sino que había circunstancias que excluían toda posibilidad de una explicación humana. Si esta mujer quedaba embarazada, la única razón era: ¡sólo Dios!  Porque sólo Dios puede hacer un camino donde no lo hay (Isaías 43). Solo Dios puede cambiar nuestro lamento en danza (Salmo 30:11) y dar gloria en vez de cenizas (Isaías 61:3). 

La Biblia dice que Zacarías trabajó en el templo quemando incienso. Entonces el ángel del Señor se apareció en el lado derecho del altar con una palabra. Verá, el trabajo de Zacarías era adorar. La adoración siempre atrae a una palabra. Una palabra del cielo siempre aparecerá a la derecha de nuestra alabanza. Por esta razón adoramos. Yo no alabo porque obtuve una palabra, recibí una la palabra porque alabé. 

 El obstáculo número uno para dar a luz a lo glorioso es el miedo. Cuando Zacarías escuchó la palabra, temió. El ángel le dijo que no temiera. Dios le está diciendo a usted: No tema. El miedo es el enemigo de la fe. El temor hace mirar hacia atrás en vez de hacia adelante. El temor tiene un hermano que se llama duda y juntos han tomado la fe como rehén.  Pero tengo una buena noticia que darle: “Dios no nos ha dado un espíritu de timidez, sino de poder, de amor y de dominio propio” ( 2 Timoteo 1:7), “No temas, porque yo estoy contigo” ( Isaías 41:10), “No tengan miedo; ustedes valen más que muchos gorriones” (Mateo 10:31). Si se combinan la justicia con la adoración y extrae todo temor, esta es la palabra que llega para usted, esto es lo que el ángel emitió desde el cielo, es lo que Dios le está diciendo hoy: Su petición ha sido contestada, su oración ha sido escuchada; Dará a luz  lo imposible; Tendrá gozo y alegría; Muchos se regocijarán con su nacimiento.

En esta época navideña recuerde que su temporada de dar a luz milagros está a la vuelta de la esquina.

 —Rev. Sammy Rodríguez, presidente de la National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.

Anti-Immigration Forces Take Page from Pharaoh’s Playbook

December 11, 2010 by rosa · Leave a Comment 

The Agenda

Anti-Immigration Forces Take Page from Pharaoh's Playbook | Robert Parham, Immigration

Anti-immigration forces are making infants of undocumented aliens in the United States cannon fodder in the war over immigration, Parham observes.

Anti-immigration forces have taken a page out of the Bible in their political power play: Punish the babies. Thats right: Make infants of undocumented aliens in the United States cannon fodder in the war over immigration.

 

The anti-immigration faction with faith credentials is targeting so-called anchor babies, the newborns of undocumented immigrants. The goal is to deny these newborns American birth certificates and thereby citizenship. Without birth certificates, goes the argument, they and their parents will be easier to deport.

 

Pharaoh and Herod, not Moses and Jesus, are the heroes of the anti-immigration forces.

 

Remember the biblical stories about Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and Herod, the Roman appointed king of Judea?

 

When overcome with dread of the increasing population of Hebrew slaves in Egypt, Pharaoh ordered midwives to murder newborn Hebrew sons. Then, he commanded Egyptians to cast the baby boys into the Nile. Saved by a courageous mother, Moses survived and became the one who freed the Hebrew slaves.

 

When gripped with political anxiety, Herod ordered all baby boys 2 years old and younger in the region of Bethlehem to be killed. Saved by an obedient father, who escaped Herods murderous rampage by fleeing to Egypt, Jesus was the messiah who announced justice, welcomed the children and gave the imperative to love neighbor.

 

Rather than listen to the biblical heroes of freedom and justice, the anti-immigration forces have embraced two of the darkest biblical figures figures who targeted children to pursue their fear-laden political objectives.

 

Isnt that what they are doing with their rhetoric about anchor babies and their promised laws to keep babies of undocumented immigrants born in this country from being granted birth certificates?

 

State Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Ariz.), the chief advocate of Arizonas controversial new anti-immigration law, has promised to introduce a bill this fall that would deny birth certificates to children born here to non-citizen parents, according to the Arizona Republic newspaper.

 

They are citizens of the country of their mother, said Pearce, a Mormon. Thats why they are called in some cases jackpot babies or anchor babies.‘”

 

Of course, his promised bill violates the U.S. Constitution. The 14th Amendment states: All persons, born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.

 

The Constitution hasnt stopped Rand Paul, Kentuckys Republican Senate nominee, from voicing his support of the movement to deny citizenship to babies born in America of undocumented immigrants.

 

Were the only country that I know that allows people to come in illegally, have a baby, and then that baby becomes a citizen. And I think that should stop also, said Paul, a Baylor University graduate and a Presbyterian church member.

 

Pauls position reflects the stance of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), an anti-immigration organization.

 

An anchor baby is defined as an offspring of an illegal immigrant or other non-citizen, who under current legal interpretation becomes a United States citizen at birth. These children may instantly qualify for welfare and other state and local benefit programs, reads a statement on the FAIR website.

 

FAIR warns that anchor babies burden schools, increase taxes and reward law-breakers.

 

A June 3 Rasmussen Report disclosed that 58 percent of U.S. voters say a child born to an illegal immigrant in this country should not automatically become a citizen of the United States.

 

The same telephone survey found that Fifty-two percent (52%) of Democrats think children born to illegal immigrants in this country should automatically become U.S. citizens. Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans and 60% of voters not affiliated with either major party disagree.

 

Given the meager interest among Democrats to support the 14th Amendment, one is not surprised that Democrats have lost their voice in support of children. Given the abundant support among Republicans for citizenship denial, one is not surprised that they have joined the campaign to target babies of unauthorized immigrants.

 

At the national level, Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) has introduced the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009, a bill that would remove the birthright to U.S. citizenship for babies born to undocumented immigrants. The bill would allow for citizenship if one parent is a U.S. citizen. The bill has 91 co-sponsors all Republicans and no Democrats.

 

The biographical page on the Deal for Governor website highlights his legislative effort to end automatic birthright citizenship as well as his membership at the First Baptist Church of Gainesville, where he has been both a deacon and Sunday School teacher.

 

The First Baptist Church of Gainesville is listed as a church affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

 

A bill co-sponsor is Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), who is a member of North Phoenix Baptist Church, a mega-church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

 

Franks said last year that he was considering a lawsuit against President Obama over his birth certificate.

 

At the Texas Republican state convention in June, delegates voted to end birthright citizenship.

 

Only a few years ago, the Republican Party of Texas affirmed that the United States is a Christian nation and pledged to dispel the myth of the separation of Church and State.

 

The record is clear. People of faith Christians and Mormons find it acceptable to punish newborns to achieve a political objective on immigration.

 

What is inexplicable is how Pharaoh and Herod became role models in faithful America.

 

Robert Parham is executive editor of EthicsDaily.com and executive director of its parent organization, the Baptist Center for Ethics.

The Agenda

Anti-Immigration Forces Take Page from Pharaoh's Playbook | Robert Parham, Immigration

Anti-immigration forces are making infants of undocumented aliens in the United States cannon fodder in the war over immigration, Parham observes.

Anti-immigration forces have taken a page out of the Bible in their political power play: Punish the babies. Thats right: Make infants of undocumented aliens in the United States cannon fodder in the war over immigration.

 

The anti-immigration faction with faith credentials is targeting so-called anchor babies, the newborns of undocumented immigrants. The goal is to deny these newborns American birth certificates and thereby citizenship. Without birth certificates, goes the argument, they and their parents will be easier to deport.

 

Pharaoh and Herod, not Moses and Jesus, are the heroes of the anti-immigration forces.

 

Remember the biblical stories about Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and Herod, the Roman appointed king of Judea?

 

When overcome with dread of the increasing population of Hebrew slaves in Egypt, Pharaoh ordered midwives to murder newborn Hebrew sons. Then, he commanded Egyptians to cast the baby boys into the Nile. Saved by a courageous mother, Moses survived and became the one who freed the Hebrew slaves.

 

When gripped with political anxiety, Herod ordered all baby boys 2 years old and younger in the region of Bethlehem to be killed. Saved by an obedient father, who escaped Herods murderous rampage by fleeing to Egypt, Jesus was the messiah who announced justice, welcomed the children and gave the imperative to love neighbor.

 

Rather than listen to the biblical heroes of freedom and justice, the anti-immigration forces have embraced two of the darkest biblical figures figures who targeted children to pursue their fear-laden political objectives.

 

Isnt that what they are doing with their rhetoric about anchor babies and their promised laws to keep babies of undocumented immigrants born in this country from being granted birth certificates?

 

State Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Ariz.), the chief advocate of Arizonas controversial new anti-immigration law, has promised to introduce a bill this fall that would deny birth certificates to children born here to non-citizen parents, according to the Arizona Republic newspaper.

 

They are citizens of the country of their mother, said Pearce, a Mormon. Thats why they are called in some cases jackpot babies or anchor babies.‘”

 

Of course, his promised bill violates the U.S. Constitution. The 14th Amendment states: All persons, born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.

 

The Constitution hasnt stopped Rand Paul, Kentuckys Republican Senate nominee, from voicing his support of the movement to deny citizenship to babies born in America of undocumented immigrants.

 

Were the only country that I know that allows people to come in illegally, have a baby, and then that baby becomes a citizen. And I think that should stop also, said Paul, a Baylor University graduate and a Presbyterian church member.

 

Pauls position reflects the stance of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), an anti-immigration organization.

 

An anchor baby is defined as an offspring of an illegal immigrant or other non-citizen, who under current legal interpretation becomes a United States citizen at birth. These children may instantly qualify for welfare and other state and local benefit programs, reads a statement on the FAIR website.

 

FAIR warns that anchor babies burden schools, increase taxes and reward law-breakers.

 

A June 3 Rasmussen Report disclosed that 58 percent of U.S. voters say a child born to an illegal immigrant in this country should not automatically become a citizen of the United States.

 

The same telephone survey found that Fifty-two percent (52%) of Democrats think children born to illegal immigrants in this country should automatically become U.S. citizens. Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans and 60% of voters not affiliated with either major party disagree.

 

Given the meager interest among Democrats to support the 14th Amendment, one is not surprised that Democrats have lost their voice in support of children. Given the abundant support among Republicans for citizenship denial, one is not surprised that they have joined the campaign to target babies of unauthorized immigrants.

 

At the national level, Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) has introduced the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009, a bill that would remove the birthright to U.S. citizenship for babies born to undocumented immigrants. The bill would allow for citizenship if one parent is a U.S. citizen. The bill has 91 co-sponsors all Republicans and no Democrats.

 

The biographical page on the Deal for Governor website highlights his legislative effort to end automatic birthright citizenship as well as his membership at the First Baptist Church of Gainesville, where he has been both a deacon and Sunday School teacher.

 

The First Baptist Church of Gainesville is listed as a church affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

 

A bill co-sponsor is Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), who is a member of North Phoenix Baptist Church, a mega-church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

 

Franks said last year that he was considering a lawsuit against President Obama over his birth certificate.

 

At the Texas Republican state convention in June, delegates voted to end birthright citizenship.

 

Only a few years ago, the Republican Party of Texas affirmed that the United States is a Christian nation and pledged to dispel the myth of the separation of Church and State.

 

The record is clear. People of faith Christians and Mormons find it acceptable to punish newborns to achieve a political objective on immigration.

 

What is inexplicable is how Pharaoh and Herod became role models in faithful America.

 

Robert Parham is executive editor of EthicsDaily.com and executive director of its parent organization, the Baptist Center for Ethics.

By: Robert Parham
Posted: Sunday, June 27, 2010 10:24 pm
Section: Editorials

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Anti-immigration forces are making infants of undocumented aliens in the United States cannon fodder in the war over immigration, Parham observes.

Anti-immigration forces have taken a page out of the Bible in their political power play: Punish the babies. That’s right: Make infants of undocumented aliens in the United States cannon fodder in the war over immigration.

 

The anti-immigration faction with faith credentials is targeting so-called “anchor babies,” the newborns of undocumented immigrants. The goal is to deny these newborns American birth certificates and thereby citizenship. Without birth certificates, goes the argument, they and their parents will be easier to deport.

 

Pharaoh and Herod, not Moses and Jesus, are the heroes of the anti-immigration forces.

 

Remember the biblical stories about Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and Herod, the Roman appointed king of Judea?

 

When overcome with dread of the increasing population of Hebrew slaves in Egypt, Pharaoh ordered midwives to murder newborn Hebrew sons. Then, he commanded Egyptians to cast the baby boys into the Nile. Saved by a courageous mother, Moses survived and became the one who freed the Hebrew slaves.

 

When gripped with political anxiety, Herod ordered all baby boys 2 years old and younger in the region of Bethlehem to be killed. Saved by an obedient father, who escaped Herod’s murderous rampage by fleeing to Egypt, Jesus was the messiah who announced justice, welcomed the children and gave the imperative to love neighbor.

 

Rather than listen to the biblical heroes of freedom and justice, the anti-immigration forces have embraced two of the darkest biblical figures – figures who targeted children to pursue their fear-laden political objectives.

 

Isn’t that what they are doing with their rhetoric about “anchor babies” and their promised laws to keep babies of undocumented immigrants born in this country from being granted birth certificates?

 

State Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Ariz.), the chief advocate of Arizona’s controversial new anti-immigration law, has promised to introduce a bill this fall that “would deny birth certificates to children born here to non-citizen parents,” according to the Arizona Republic newspaper.

 

“They are citizens of the country of their mother,” said Pearce, a Mormon. “That’s why they are called in some cases ‘jackpot babies’ or ‘anchor babies.’”

 

Of course, his promised bill violates the U.S. Constitution. The 14th Amendment states: “All persons, born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.”

 

The Constitution hasn’t stopped Rand Paul, Kentucky’s Republican Senate nominee, from voicing his support of the movement to deny citizenship to babies born in America of undocumented immigrants.

 

“We’re the only country that I know that allows people to come in illegally, have a baby, and then that baby becomes a citizen. And I think that should stop also,” said Paul, a Baylor University graduate and a Presbyterian church member.

 

Paul’s position reflects the stance of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), an anti-immigration organization.

 

“An anchor baby is defined as an offspring of an illegal immigrant or other non-citizen, who under current legal interpretation becomes a United States citizen at birth. These children may instantly qualify for welfare and other state and local benefit programs,” reads a statement on the FAIR website.

 

FAIR warns that anchor babies burden schools, increase taxes and reward law-breakers.

 

A June 3 Rasmussen Report disclosed that 58 percent of “U.S. voters say a child born to an illegal immigrant in this country should not automatically become a citizen of the United States.”

 

The same telephone survey found that “Fifty-two percent (52%) of Democrats think children born to illegal immigrants in this country should automatically become U.S. citizens. Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans and 60% of voters not affiliated with either major party disagree.”

 

Given the meager interest among Democrats to support the 14th Amendment, one is not surprised that Democrats have lost their voice in support of children. Given the abundant support among Republicans for citizenship denial, one is not surprised that they have joined the campaign to target babies of unauthorized immigrants.

 

At the national level, Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) has introduced the “Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009,” a bill that would remove the birthright to U.S. citizenship for babies born to undocumented immigrants. The bill would allow for citizenship if one parent is a U.S. citizen. The bill has 91 co-sponsors – all Republicans and no Democrats.

 

The biographical page on the “Deal for Governor” website highlights his legislative effort “to end automatic birthright citizenship” as well as his membership at the First Baptist Church of Gainesville, where he “has been both a deacon and Sunday School teacher.”

 

The First Baptist Church of Gainesville is listed as a church affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

 

A bill co-sponsor is Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), who is a member of North Phoenix Baptist Church, a mega-church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

 

Franks said last year that he was considering a lawsuit against President Obama over his birth certificate.

 

At the Texas Republican state convention in June, delegates voted to end “birthright citizenship.”

 

Only a few years ago, the Republican Party of Texas affirmed that the United States is “a Christian nation” and pledged “to dispel the myth of the separation of Church and State.”

 

The record is clear. People of faith – Christians and Mormons – find it acceptable to punish newborns to achieve a political objective on immigration.

 

What is inexplicable is how Pharaoh and Herod became role models in faithful America.

 

Robert Parham is executive editor of EthicsDaily.com and executive director of its parent organization, the Baptist Center for Ethics.

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