720_English by Impacto Evangelistico

January 2014 / Edition 720 / www.impactoevangelistico.net

The magazine that edifies your life

evangelistic OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT

Devotional

Wanted: A prophet to preach to the preachers Testimony

God rescued him from the wrong path

The Universe is

God’s work A clear example of the Creator’s power

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EDITORIAL

Conviction 2014 Rev. Gustavo Martínez International President of W.M.M.

Conviction is the strength that keeps us adhered to the truth. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

ONVICTION is the surety about the truth, the certainty about what you think or feel. Conviction is acting according to this certainty, demonstrating with facts what you really think. The expression that the writer to the Hebrews used is derived from Greek ελεγχος (elegjos), which means certainty, verification, proof and surety. This way, when talking about conviction I mean the confidence and the complete certainty that a person has in God and His Word, the founded belief, the assurance that God has enough power to do what He said. But the term also means acting, demonstrating our convictions through our acts. A person lives and acts according to his/her convictions. Abram is an example of conviction. He believed in God, left his land and his relatives, and though he was old and his wife was barren, he believed in the promise that God would give him a son. Even when God asks him to sacrifice his son, he did not hesitate and obeyed (Genesis 12:2). What can we say about Joshua, who warned the people of Israel, sunk in straying and idolatry, to choose whom they will serve (Joshua 24:15). And about Joseph that even though he died in the land of Egypt, he mentioned the departing of the children of Israel, and his conviction was so great that he made them promise to take his bones out of Egypt and bury them in the promised land (Hebrews 11:22). And also

about Paul, who affirmed with confidence and certainty, that nothing would ever separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35-39). Our convictions define who we are, reveal what is important to us. We live in a time in which many believers are governed by their preferences, rather than having biblical convictions that root themselves in God, His will and His plan. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy and said that immature people without convictions must not be called as elders, but people who can have a faithful Word according to the sound doctrine and can teach others (1 Timothy 1:3-7). Beloved, if we do not learn to reject everything that undermines the sound doctrine, we will lose and yield gradually to the deceptions of Satan. Dear ministry fellow, a man of firm convictions do not mix his own opinions or feelings when preaching or teaching the Scriptures, because he will end up leading the people to erroneous and contaminated beliefs. If we aspire to the survival of future generations in this corrupt society without principles and values, it is time to build our lives and the lives of God’s people with solid foundations based on the Word of God. May God help us to put into practice this lovely teaching and remain strong. Amen u january 2014

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Founder Director: Rev. Luis M. Ortiz January 2014 / Edition N° 720 (USPS 012-850) OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT The World-Wide Missionary Movement, Inc. is a non-profit church with a vision to plant new churches in the United States of America and its territories, and also with a missionary vision to plant new churches wherever God opens new doors all over the World. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY Movimiento Misionero Mundial, Inc World-Wide Missionary Movement, Inc San Juan, Puerto Rico Washington, D.C. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936

POSTMASTER: send address changes to Impacto Evangelístico P.O. BOX 363644 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-3644 Phone (787) 761-8806; 761-8805; 761-8903

INTERNATIONAL BOARD MEMBERS OF WMM INC. Rev. Gustavo Martínez President Rev. José Soto Vice President Rev. Jorge Álvarez Secretary Rev. Rodolfo González Treasurer Rev. Álvaro Garavito Director Rev. Margaro Figueroa Director Rev. Rómulo Vergara Director Rev. Rubén Concepción Director Rev. Humberto Henao Director CHURCHES ESTABLISHED IN: Germany India Argentina England Aruba St. Andres Island (Col.) Australia Saint Martin Island Austria Island of Mauritius Belgium Rodrigues Island Belize Canaries Islands (Spain) Bolivia Hawaiian Islands (U.S.A.) Bonaire Israel Brasil Italy Cameroon Jamaica Canadá Japan Chile Kuwait Colombia Madagascar Congo Malaysa Costa Rica México Curacao Myanmar Dinamarca Nicaragua Ecuador Nigeria El Salvador Panamá Spain Paraguay United States Peru The Philippines Portugal France Puerto Rico Gabón Dominican Republic Ghana Sweden Guatemala Switzerland Equatorial Guinea Surinam French Guiana Trinidad and Tobago Guyana Inglesa Uruguay Haití Venezuela Holland Honduras Legal deposit made on the National Library of Peru Nº 2011-02530 Christian Pentecostal Church-Worldwide Missionary Movement: Av. 28 de Julio 1781 - Lima 13 - Peru Printout: Quad/Graphics Perú S.A. Av. Los Frutales 344 - Lima 03 - Peru

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The Worldwide Missionary Movement is a religious nonprofit organization duly registered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and in the federal capital, Washington DC, with headquarters in both cities and in every state of the United States and other countries where we have established missionary Works. Important The offerings and donations in cash, equipment, real estate and bequests by will, in the benefit of the Worldwide Missionary Movement, Inc.’s Work, are deductible from the income tax, and receipts issued by the WMM are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the Federal Government of the United States of America and of the Free Associated State of Puerto Rico. n

Visit our website Obtain uplifting information about God’s Work and keep up with the latest news. A customized access from anywhere in the world: www. impactoevangelistico.net n

If you wish Write to us at our postal address: Worldwide Missionary Movement, Inc. PO Box 363644 San Juan, P. R. 00936-3644 n

Copyright © 2009 Impacto Evangelistic Movimiento Misionero Mundial, Inc. (World-Wide Missionary Movement, Inc.) All content of this magazine and each subsequent edition are duly registered at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC USA. All rights reserved. Total or partial reproduction in any form and translation into other languages without prior permission of the Director are prohibited. Under international copyright agreements, they are crimes punishable by law. n

Doctrinal Statement The Worldwide Missionary Movement adheres to the fundamental doctrines of Scripture, such as: n

• The inspiration of the Holy Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21. • The Adorable Godhead in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Matthew 3:16-17, 17: 1-5; 28:19, John 17: 5, 24, 26, 16:32, 14:16, 23, 18:5, 6, 2 Peter 1:17,18; Revelation 5. • Salvation by Faith in Christ: Luke 24:47, John 3:16, Romans 10:13, Titus 2:11, 3:5-7. • The New Birth: John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23, 1 John 3:9. • Justification by Faith: Romans 5:1, Titus 3:7. • Water Baptism by Inmersion, as commanded by Christ: Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:36-39. • The Baptism in the Holy Spirit subsequent to salvation, speaking in tongues according to: Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4, 8, 2:4. • Divine Healing: Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 8:16, 17, Mark 16:18, James 5:14, 15. • The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. • The Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:22-26. • Sanctification: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:15, 16, 1 John 2:6. • Ministry and Evangelization: Mark 16:15-20, Romans 10:15. • Tithing and Maintenance of the Work: Genesis 14:20, 28:22, Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:21-26, Malachi 3:7-10, Matthew 10:10; 23:23. • The Rapture of the Church: Romans 8:23, 1 Corinthians 15:5152, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. • The Second Coming of Christ: Zechariah 14:1-9, Matthew 24:30, 31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7, Titus 2:13, Jude 14, 15. • The Millennial Kingdom: Isaiah 2:1-4, 11:5-10, Zechariah 9:10, Revelation 19:20, 20:3-10. • New Heavens and New Earth: Isaiah 65:17, 66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1.

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God has constructed the universe in a truly marvelous way.

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COVER

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Impact Evangelístico magazin

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This book brings together the lectures that Charles H. Spurgeon, the renowned nineteenth century English preacher, addressed to his students. This is a vital work to know about the pastoral vocation.

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Last November, Associated Press (AP), the prestigious international news agency, released a news highlighting the evangelization progress in Peru thanks to the Worldwide Missionary Movement (WMM).

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Charles Wesley, was a Christian poet, a great writer of hymns, and a tireless preacher. He was a man dedicated to his faith and to spread the Gospel.

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Juan Carlos Cedillo was a feared gunman. He joined the best-known bands of the crime in Lima, Peru. Near death, submerged in crime, Dios extended their hands to rescue him.

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51 52 53 54 55 “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him… Lord God…made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:18-24).

56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 Events in: Concordia, Guatemala, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Italia, Panamá, Komaki, Colombia, México, Peru and Paraguay.

Letters.

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A campaign developed by a group of young people seeking to maintain the respect for the divine institution of marriage, for the family and for the society. january 2014

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The Wonderful

Universe God has constructed the universe in a truly marvelous way. As we study it, the universe continually surprises and delights us by challenging our understanding of how things work.*

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Foto ESO/H. Dahle

COVER

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ne of the wonderful things about astronomy is that it is so different from our everyday experience. Things are not what they might seem at first glance. Who could have guessed that those tiny little specks of light in our night sky are actually “suns” hundreds of times larger than Earth? Who would have suspected that the “evening star” is actually a rocky planet about the same size as our own? How unexpected to find that the solid earth beneath our feet is actually moving at 67,000 miles per hour around the sun, all the while spinning like a top!

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? Psalm 8:3,4, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." Psalm 19:1

Our solar system is a great example of this. We can actually see much of the solar system on a cloudless night. Most of the planets are visible to the unaided eye—appearing as tiny points of light. In reality, they are enormous spheres, some comparable in size to the earth, while others are much larger. The sun and moon are visible as small circles in our sky. Yet, in reality the moon is as large in diameter as the continental United States, and the sun is 400 times wider than the 8 Impacto evangelistic

COVER

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moon. The stars, sun, moon, and planets rise and set with clockwork precision. They seem to pay tribute to the earth as they respectfully circle around their master. But the truth of the matter is that Earth rotates as it moves around the sun. Every new discovery in astronomy is a surprising and delightful revelation that 10 Impacto evangelistic

God is even more amazing, creative, and powerful than we previously supposed. The solar system consists of the sun and everything that orbits the sun. Orbiting bodies include the eight planets, asteroids, comets, centaurs (1), trans-Neptunian objects, and dust. The largest and most massive object in the solar sys-

tem is the sun itself. It is a sphere of hydrogen and helium gas, held together by its own gravity. With a diameter of 865,000 miles, the sun is 110 times wider than Earth. It constitutes 99.8 percent of all the mass in the solar system. Yet, from our view on Earth, we can easily cover the sun with one finger held at arm’s length (2). The

COVER Pluto as a “dwarf planet” or trans-Neptunian object, leaving Mercury with the title of “smallest planet.” All eight planets orbit the sun in the same direction (counterclockwise as viewed from Earth’s North Pole) and are very nearly in the same plane. This plane is called the ecliptic. The four planets nearest the sun are called terrestrial (“earthlike”). They are relatively small worlds with dense, rocky compositions. In order of increasing distance from the sun they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The remaining four planets are called gas giants or Jovians (“like Jupiter”). They are much larger than terrestrials, but are comprised primarily of hydrogen and helium gas rather than dense materials like rock. As with the sun, these balls of gas are held together by their own gravity. As we move away from the sun, the gas giants are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The outer two planets, Uranus and Neptune, are smaller than Jupiter and Saturn and are sometimes called ice giants instead of gas giants due to their high abundance of various forms of ice (3). sun only appears so small in our sky because it lies at an amazing distance away from us—93 million miles. A car travelling at 60 miles per hour would take 176 years to travel such a distance. It boggles the mind. THE PLANETS

The next largest objects in the

solar system are the planets. Jupiter is the largest planet, with a diameter of 86,881 miles, or about 11 times the diameter of Earth. Saturn is the next largest, followed by Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, and Mercury. Older textbooks list Pluto as the smallest planet, but most astronomers now classify

SOLAR SYSTEM DISTANCES

Distances in the solar system are often listed in terms of astronomical units (AU). We define 1 AU as the average distance between the earth and the sun, which is about 93 million miles. Astronomical units are much more convenient for conveying distances within the solar system

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g than miles or kilometers, which can become unwieldy to contemplate on such vast scales. Mercury is only 0.39 AU from the sun, whereas the distance of Venus is 0.72 AU. The orbit of Mars averages 1.52 AU from the sun. So, the terrestrial worlds are all within 3 AU of each other at all times. But the gas giants orbit considerably farther out. Jupiter orbits at 5.2 AU, and Saturn is 9.54 AU—putting it at around 1 billion miles from the sun! Uranus is 19.1 AU from the sun, and Neptune lies at a distance of 30 AU—almost 3 billion miles—30 times farther from the sun than Earth. The distance between the planets is astonishing and difficult to visualize. Most textbook illustrations of the solar system enlarge the planets by enormous factors in order for them to be visible along with their orbits. In reality, the planets are dwarfed by their distances from the sun. The University of Colorado has a scale model of the solar system, with the sun represented by a 5.5-inch sphere on a pedestal placed just outside Fiske Planetarium. The earth is located on a pedestal 50 feet away. The planet itself is shown at the same scale as a tiny “bump” about 1/20 of an inch. Mercury, Venus, and Mars are just a few feet away. But Jupiter is considerably farther out and is the size of a marble. To get to Neptune, a person must walk all the way to the other side of campus, a stroll of about 10 minutes. The orbits of the outer planets have considerably more space bet12 Impacto evangelistic

ween them than the orbits of the inner planets. PLANETARY ORBITS

The orbits of all the planets are nearly circular. Creation scientist Johannes Kepler, in the 17th century, discovered the true shape of these orbits. He analyzed data from the orbit of Mars that had been obtained by Tycho Brahe. Kepler discovered that planets

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REFERENCES • Centaurs are minor planets that orbit primarily in between Jupiter and Neptune and possess characteristics of both asteroids and comets. • It is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized equipment. Viewing the sun without such equipment can cause permanent damage to the eye. • In astronomy, “ice” refers to any solid that would be gas or liquid under conditions on Earth. The ice found in the solar system can include water-ice (H2O), as well as methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ammonia (NH3).

• For some comets, Kepler’s first law takes on a modified form. Some comets have a parabolic or slightly hyperbolic trajectory rather than a closed ellipse. But the sun remains at the focus, and Kepler’s second law remains unchanged. • The constant of proportionality in Kepler’s third law is different for orbits of moons than it is for orbits of planets. This constant is determined by the mass of the system, and planets have a different mass than the sun. But the proportionality continues to hold; the square of the period is proportional to the cube of the average distance.

the sun’s gravity is stronger. Newton’s discoveries of the laws of motion and gravity allowed him to mathematically prove all three of Kepler’s laws from first principles. He also modified Kepler’s third law to include the effects of different masses on the constant of proportionality, allowing us to use Newton’s version of Kepler’s third law for moons or for other solar systems with stars of different masses. THE LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE

orbit in ellipses—“squashed” circles, on which Kepler based his first law of planetary motion. Kepler did not know why orbits were like this, nor did anyone else until the time of Isaac Newton. Johannes Kepler also discovered that any given planet “sweeps equal areas in equal times.” In other words, planets speed up when they are closer to the sun and slow down when farther away. This is Kepler’s second law of planetary motion. Kepler further found a relationship between the size of a planet’s orbit and the time it takes the planet to go around the sun once. Specifically, the square of the period of the orbit (in years) is equal to the cube of the planet’s average distance from the sun in AU. In other words, planets that orbit close to the sun have short periods, whereas those that orbit far away from the sun have very long periods. For example, Mercury has a distance of 0.39 AU and orbits the sun in only 88 days (0.24 years). Neptune has a distance of 30 AU and a period of just under 165 years. In both cases,

the square of the period is equal to the cube of the distance. Kepler didn’t know why this rule worked. It was a mystery until Newton came on the scene. Although Kepler’s laws were discovered in relation to planets, they work equally well for asteroids, centaurs, trans-Neptunian objects, and

The solar system is a lesson in humility. When we contemplate the sizes of these worlds, the distances involved, and the God who holds every atom in its place, it is amazing to think such a God would show so much compassion and mercy toward us.

comets (4). These laws also apply to orbits of moons (5). It was another creation scientist who discovered the principles behind Kepler’s laws. Isaac Newton, a brilliant scientist and Bible scholar, discovered and rigorously proved that gravity is the cause of the orbital motions of planets. The closer a planet is to the sun, the faster it orbits because

Bible critics sometimes view laws of nature as a replacement for God’s power. But that certainly is not a biblical view. The Bible teaches that God directly controls the universe—that by the expression of His power everything is upheld (Hebrews 1:3). God is not a god of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), but upholds the universe in a consistent and often predictable way. Laws of nature are not a substitute for God’s power; rather, they are examples of it. God’s consistent and law-like sovereignty over the universe makes astronomy possible. The solar system is a lesson in humility. When we contemplate the sizes of these worlds, the distances involved, and the God who holds every atom in its place, it is amazing to think such a God would show so much compassion and mercy toward us. “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:3-4) u january 2014

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Sol

Diámetro 1.392.000 Km Temperatura aproximada 15 000 000 ºC, en el núcleo 5 000 ºC, en la superficie

.93

6.3

Mercurio

Diámetro 4.878 Km 285.3 veces menor al Sol

km 00 7.2 80

.46

Venus

Diámetro 12.100 Km 115.01 veces menor al Sol

.05

0.5

.05

0.5

El primer pasajero espacial La perra Laika, fue la pasajera del primer vuelo espacial, tripulada a bordo del Sputnik 2, lanzada por la Union Soviética en 1957. Permaneció una semana en órbita alrededor de La Tierra. Cuando las cápsulas de oxígeno se agotaron, Laika murió. La capsula se desintegró al regresar a la atmósfera en abril de 1958.

LA OBRA DE DIOS

“Los cielos cuentan la gloria de Dios y el firmamento anuncia la obra de sus manos.” Salmo 19:1. “¡Jehová, Señor nuestro, cuán grande es tu nombre en toda la tierra! ¡Has puesto tu gloria sobre los cielos!” Salmo 8:1. “Una es la gloria del sol, otra la gloria de la luna, y otra la gloria de las estrellas, pues una estrella es diferente de otra en gloria” 1 Corintios 15:41. “Yo hice la tierra, y creé sobre ella al hombre. Yo, mis manos, extendieron los cielos y a todo su ejército mandé” Isaías 45:12. “Porque las cosas invisibles de Él, su eterno poder y deidad, se hacen claramente visibles desde la creación del mundo, siendo entendidas por medio de las cosas hechas, de modo que no tienen excusa” Romanos 1:20. “Mirad a mí, y sed salvos, todos los términos de la tierra, porque yo soy Dios, y no hay más.” Isaías 45:22. “Él cuenta el número de las estrellas; a todas ellas llama por sus nombres. Grande es el Señor nuestro y mucho su poder, y su entendimiento es infinito.” Salmo 147:4, 5. “Cuando veo tus cielos, obra de tus dedos, la luna y las estrellas que tú formaste, digo:

El sistema solar 14 Impacto evangelistic

Marte

Diámetro 6,794 km 204.8 veces menor al Sol

¿Qué es el hombre para que tengas de él memoria, y el hijo del hombre para que lo visites?” Salmo 8:3, 4. “Los cielos cuentan la gloria de Dios. Y el firmamento anuncia la obra de sus manos.” Salmo 19:1. Es porque Dios ha plasmado su gloria y grandeza en su creación, que no queda excusa para que el ser humano que puede experimentar la creación a través de sus sentidos diga que no hay Dios, ya que toda la tierra está llena de su gloria (Isaías 6:3). Solo el necio (aún un científico necio) que puede apreciar la creación, dice que no hay Dios. “Dice el necio en su corazón: no hay Dios.” Salmo 53:1. De esta forma no hay excusa para ningún ser humano, ningún ser humano se puede excusar diciendo que no sabía que existía un Dios Creador, no se puede excusar diciendo que nunca escuchó el Evangelio o de Jesús el Cristo el Hijo de Dios. “Mirad a mí, y sed salvos, todos los términos de la tierra, porque yo soy Dios, y no hay más.” Isaías 45:22.

Cómo se miden las distancias entre planetas

Vía Láctea

La distancia de nuestro planeta Tierra a los objetos que se encuentran en nuestro sistema solar y más allá son demasiado grandes para ser determinadas por cintas métricas o cuentakilómetros; los objetos del sistema solar siguen siendo demasiado lejanos para las mediciones mecánicas. El problema de medir las distancias fuera de nuestro sistema solar y profundamente en el universo se vuelve complicado, ya que las galaxias y otros objetos astronómicos requieren mediciones que abarcan cientos de años luz y mucho más. Medición paralaje Cuando la Tierra gira alrededor del Sol durante su ciclo regular, las estrellas cercanas que vemos muestran un desplazamiento aparente en relación con las estrellas más lejanas. Esto se llama desplazamiento de paralaje. Mediante el uso de la órbita completa del diámetro de la Tierra y conociendo la magnitud del desplazamiento, los astrónomos pueden determinar el ángulo de paralaje sobre el cielo y calcular la distancias de los objetos.

Sistema Solar

Cálculos límites de paralaje Si la estrella presenta un pequeño o limitado desplazamiento cuando se observó y se registró, significa que está más lejos que una estrella que tiene un desplazamiento largo. El método de cálculo sólo funciona para las estrellas que se encuentran dentro de un radio de 200 años luz de la Tierra. El desplazamiento de paralaje se vuelve demasiado leve para medir con precisión la distancia de los objetos superiores a 200 años luz.

La Vía Láctea es la galaxia espiral en la que se encuentra el Sistema Solar y, por ello, la Tierra. Según las observaciones, posee una masa de 1012 masas solares y es una espiral barrada; con un diámetro medio de unos 100.000 años luz, estos son aproximadamente 1 trillón de km, se calcula que contiene entre 200 mil millones y 400 mil millones de estrellas. La distancia desde el Sol hasta el centro de la galaxia es de alrededor de 27.700 años luz.

-180º C +122º C

Ley de Hubble Durante la década de 1920, Edwin Hubble descubrió que podía utilizar el período de luminosidad de diferentes estrellas variables para determinar las distancias extremas de las galaxias, e incluso de los cuerpos celestes más lejanos. La ley de Hubble determina que existe una relación entre la distancia de una galaxia y el desplazamiento rojo, el desplazamiento rojo son las líneas espectrales cerca del final del arco iris. Pasando la luz de una galaxia a través de un espectrograma, puede determinarse el desplazamiento rojo, el cual proporciona una distancia bastante precisa. Este método de medición demostró que el universo se está expandiendo, y el método se ha utilizado para calcular las distancias de los cuerpos celestes más remotos.

Para un astronauta que orbita alrededor de la Tierra, la temperatura puede variar de forma brusca en cuestión de segundos, dependiendo de que se encuentre frente al Sol o protegido por la sombra de nuestro planeta.

Tierra

Diámetro 12,756 km 109.12 veces menor al Sol

Plutón

Desde el año 2006 Plutón ha dejado de ser considerado un planeta, por lo que el Sistema Solar pasa de nueve a ocho. A esta conclusión han llegado los casi 2.500 científicos participantes en la reunión de la Unión Astronómica Internacional (IAU) convocada en Praga para consensuar una definición de 'planeta'.

Júpiter

Diámetro 2 274 km

142,984 km 9.7 veces menor al Sol

9.0 48 .43 5

0.2

.71

La gran mancha roja de Júpiter es un inmenso huracán que se ha mantenido por al menos 3 siglos y que podría englobar 2 veces a la tierra. Siguen siendo un misterio su origen, su color, su tamaño y su persistencia.

-89.2°

Urano

51,118 km 27.23 veces menor al Sol

es la temperatura más alta registrada en la tierra el 10 de julio de 1913, localizado en Furnace Creek Ranch, CA, USA

24 2.2 .97 41 1.4

56.7°

1.4

Saturno

120,536 km 11.54 veces menor al Sol

.97

2.2

es la temperatura más baja registrada en la tierra el 21 de julio de 1983, localizado en Vostok, Antártica

Neptuno

49,572 km 28.08 veces menor al Sol

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Christian reflection on Mandela Nelson Mandela's death has reminded us of the particular and dramatic moments of racial discrimination experienced by South Africa, but also of the courage inspired by faith with which some Christians fought against abuse and injustice. Samuel Escobar *

HE APARTHEID – the segregation imposed by white people to black people in housing, human relationships, health and education – took over the social, cultural and religious South African life for decades. For example, during an Evangelization Congress convened in 1966 by a preacher in Berlin, the organizers had to face complaints coming from the white South African Evangelical leaders claiming they had been lodged in the same building as the black South African Evangelicals who attended the event. 16 Impacto evangelistic

While giving a brief speech, standing from the platform during the section concerning the obstacles to evangelization, Michael Cassidy, a brilliant evangelical young man, dared to say that the apartheid in South Africa was one of these obstacles. Right there was a passionate apartheid defense given by the white South African evangelicals, zealous protestant orthodoxy Calvinists trying to explain why the apartheid did not go against the Christian social conscience. They also condemned Cassidy and accused him of being a communist. The “architect” of apartheid was the Afrikaner Hendrik Vorwoerd, professor of sociology at the Stellenbosch University. The Afrikaners were a white minority who descended from the Dutch, Germans and French Calvinists settled in South African territory since 1652. They founded the Transvaal and Orange colonies and began to live under the British rule in 1894.

“Righteousness exalteth a nation...” Proverbs 14:34

Strict Calvinism was the only official religion of these white states until the late 19th century. The Afrikaners, holders of a protestant ethic of hard work, saving and selfdiscipline, had created a rich and well-organized colony, but had also come to believe that their presence in Africa and the established iniquitous social regime were of divine origin. The Union of South Africa, created by the British in 1910, was ruled by this Boer Calvinist minority, even though it included British, Indian settlers and of course a majority of native Africans (88%). Throughout the 20th century, the white tough control system survived with blood and fire although it was criticized by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1952, South Africa being expelled from the UN in 1974. The black population opposition was channeled by the African National Congress, Nelson Mandela being preci-

INTERNATIONAL

sely one of the leaders. He was sentenced by the government to life imprisonment in 1964. At the time, Mandela said that the racist and totalitarian regime would only be defeated through armed actions, sabotage and other acts of violence. Some kind of “conversion” came over Mandela while in prison. He was convinced that the whole concept of struggle against oppression and racism in South Africa was wrong and ineffective and that he had to give up violence and choose pacific methods. Mandela was not a Christian nor he converted to Christiani-

ty. It is important, against the temptations of arrogance, to remember that we Christians do not have the monopoly on virtue, good life or the struggle for justice in the world. We must learn to recognize good wherever it may appear and thank God for that. David Nosch, a missiologist, related the agony many Christians, Africans, British or Afrikaners academics and leaders suffered because of their outspoken criticism to apartheid. We must recall the novelist Alan Paton with his masterful protest novel “Cry, the Beloved Country”, and

Nelson Mandela left to mankind a great example. However, there were others who fought side by side with him against discrimination.

*Excerpt from http:// www.protestantedigital. com.

other Christian leaders such as Trevor Huddleston, Desmond Tutú, Beyers Naudé and Manas Buthelezi. Also, organizations such as the South African Council of Churches and the South African Commission for Justice and Peace. These Christians, with their writings, critics and bold projects, contributed to the social and spiritual atmosphere that made possible the miracle of peaceful transition: Mandela’s liberation in 1990, the multiracial elections in April 1994, and the nomination of Mandela as the first black President of South Africa in May 1994 u january 2014

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News Agency highlights boom of the WMM

“And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women…” Acts 5:14-16 .

Last November, Associated Press (AP), the prestigious international news agency, released a news highlighting the evangelization progress in Peru thanks to the Worldwide Missionary Movement (WMM). The news, given below, was spread in dozens of prestigious media worldwide. Fotos AP

IMA, Peru (AP) -This month, tens of thousands of evangelical Christians from across Peru converged on Lima this month for a nearly weeklong national congress, their leaders claiming one of Latin America’s highest growth rates. At the congress at San Marcos stadium in Lima, preachers led thousands of believers in singing Psalms and begging forgiveness for their sins. There was shouting, weeping, raptu18 Impacto evangelistic

re. Pastors invoked Scripture to denounce homosexuality because it does not lead to reproduction. They also speak against abortion. Evangelicals have seen more growth in the large number of working-class districts of Lima. However, there are more converts coming from the Peruvian

Andes thanks to proselytism of emerging radio stations in recent years in the region, said Rev. Juan Carlos Pérez, local leader of the Worldwide Missionary Movement Church. He says the church happily accepts highlanders who continue to embrace indigenous rituals considered pagan by

INTERNATIONAL

Time of faith and devotion. The Work of the Worldwide Missionary Movement drawa the attention of important news agencies.

many. “The evangelical doesn’t try to eliminate. He tries to understand,” Perez said. That includes entering prisons and rough-and-tumble Lima districts to actively recruit repentant ex-criminals. Peru and its capital remain bastions of Roman Catholicism.

About three in four Peruvians identify themselves as Catholics. But evangelicals are on the rise, jumping from 5.2 percent of the population in 1981 to 12.5 percent in 2007, the last year for which government census figures are available. Perez claims evangelicals

now account for at least 20 percent of Peru’s 30 million people, which would give it one of Latin America’s highest growth rates. Perez’s movement, which he said operates in 60 countries, does not tolerate abortion or same-sex marriage u january 2014

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The Greek (III) version

Do the Roman Church and the Bible Societies have any strong argument in favor of the Apocryphal Gospels? The only argument they have is that the Apocryphal Gospels are part of the Greek version of the Bible called “Septuagint” or “LXX.” Rev. Domingo Fernández Dr. César Vidal Manzanares

HIS VERSION was promoted by the king of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, a big lover of letters who ordered the Hebrew religious books to be translated for his famous library of Alexandria. The translation was made in Alexandria, and over time, 15 books, which were not inspired by God, were added to the said version. This Greek version was translated into Latin, which was known as the Itala version. Only ten of the 15 Apocryphal Gospels, that were part of the Greek version, were included in the Latin version. The five Gospels that were excluded were the 20 Impacto evangelistic

Ascension of Isaiah, Jubilees, the Epistle of Jeremiah, 3 Maccabees and Enoch. Damasus, bishop of Rome, assigned Jerome, the most outstanding Christian of his day, to prepare a version of the Bible. Jerome went to Bethlehem (Palestine), where he spent twenty years working on the task entrusted to him with great zeal and dedication. The Latin Vulgate emerged from that work around 400 AD. Jerome opposed the inclusion of the Apocryphal Gospels in this version of the Bible, but some, who were familiar with the Itala version, exerted so much pressure that they ultimately triumphed. Therefore, these books were included despite Jerome’s opposition and against his will. In 1545, the Council of Trent was convened. On page 272 of “History of the Roman Catholic Church”, written by the Catholic historian F. Diaz, it is stated that this Council “began by setting again the canon of the Bible.” In fact, the Council discussed the

problem of the Apocryphal Gospels and agreed to exclude from the Vulgate 3 of the 10 books that had been added: 3 and 4 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh. By stating that the Council set again the canon of the Bible, it is assumed that the agreements of the previous councils were amended. In practice, as we see, the fact that the Apocryphal Gospels had been added to the Greek version does not transform their nature or confers them any credit. The exclusion of 8 of the 15 Apocryphal Gospels, which were added to the said version, is clear evidence demonstrating that those people proceeded irresponsibly. The reasons for removing those 8 books apply as well to exclude the other 7 books. There is not any valid argument or strong reason in favor of the Apocryphal Gospels. ECUMENICAL LINK

The British and Foreign Bible Society was founded in 1804, and the American Bible Society was established in 1816. Ralph

REALITY Engraving on the Council of Trent of 1545, which discussed the problem of the Apocrypha.

Earle says, “We agree with the sound Protestant opinion of the last 400 years that the Apocryphal Gospels are not part of the inspired and authoritative Word of God.” In this regard, the National Bible Society of Scotland took the position that if these books were not inspired by the Word of God, no money should be wasted on printing them as part of the Bible. This Society made a request to the British and Foreign Bible Society, which voted in 1827 (currently, the Bible Societies say that this happened in 1826) not to use any of its funds to publish the Apocryphal Gospels. For about 150 years, the Bible Societies observe the agreement they made in 1826. However, in 1968 they revoked or ignored that agreement and published and promoted a version of the Bible that includes the Apocryphal Gospels (VP). What is the reason for such surprising change of attitude? In an article, Dr. Gonzalo Baez-Camargo, a Bible Societies spokesman, says that they do

not claim the authority to determine which books are inspired and which are not. In his words, “Bible Societies publish editions without the deuterocanonical books to meet the needs of churches that do not accept them as part of the Old Testament, but this does not mean in any way that the Societies determine that only those books are inspired. On the other hand, they publish editions that include the deuterocanonical books for the churches that accept them, only to meet the needs of those churches, and it does not mean that the Societies determine that those books are as inspired as the other ones.” Another official of the Bible Society says, “We constitute an interdenominational organization, we cannot say who is right and who is not. Our mission is another one.” As we see, from the statements we have presented, the leaders of the aforementioned Society hide behind the wall of the interdenominational relations. They say they have to publish what they are asked for

and that they are not called upon to exercise their own judgment to determine whether the Apocryphal Gospels are inspired or not. Our mission, they say, is another one. This position seems to have an elusive character, which is disappointing. The directors, who in 1826 determined that the Bible Societies would not use any of its funds to publish the Apocryphal Gospels, did not think that way. When the current directors say, through their spokesmen, that they do not care if the Apocryphal Gospels are inspired or not, we have to ask ourselves if they really believe in the divine inspiration of the 39 books that make up the Hebrew canon. As we write this lines, we think about what God’s Word says in Judges 2:10, “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”

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g We have always hoped to see the Bible Societies as a bastion concerning the expression and proclamation of the Scriptures. The then Secretary of the Biblical Agency in Cuba, Dr. Joaquin González Molina, told us that the mission of the Bible Societies was to ensure the purity of the Holy Book. We do not conceived how an institution created to spread the Word can confess, these days, that it does not have a definite judgment with respect to the books that should be classified as inspired. The seriousness of the matter in question lies in the partnership between the Bible Societies and the Vatican. The Roman Catholic Church makes an economic contribution to the Bible Societies, and, whenever a person or institution accepts favors, gifts or grants from another person or institution, it becomes a subordinate that must dance to the rhythm they play. So far, the service scope of the Bible Societies was the evangelical churches, but now they have added the Roman Church. In the aforementioned article, Dr. BaezCamargo stated, “The biblical revival within Roman Catholicism, which became stronger... after the Second Vatican Council, that opened the door for ecumenical collaboration in the biblical field, brought together the Catholic authorities and the Bible Societies... The result of the conversation between the two parties was an agreement providing the written confirmation of the Normative Principles for Interdenominational Cooperation in the translation of the Bible. This agreement concluded in 1968. Catholic authorities agreed to officially support the editions of the Bible which included the 22 Impacto evangelistic

deuterocanonical books in a separate section before the New Testament.” Baez Camargo later added, “This new situation means that the Roman Catholic Church will have the same privileges and financial duties as all the churches that currently cooperate with the Bible Societies.” The partnership between the Bible Societies and the Vatican is the result of the ecumenical movement promoted, at the same time, by the Roman Church and the World Council of Churches. After the Second Vatican Council, the Roman Church has embarked on the task of attracting all the Christian churches, and some leaders of the World Council of Churches have said that they are willing to overcome many obstacles and sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed to create a worldwide organization bringing together all the churches. The inclusion of the Apocryphal Gospels in a version of the Bible published by the Bible Societies is a contribution of the directors of such entities to the aims of global ecumenism. By including the Apocryphal Gospels, the Vatican obtains a victory. We Evangelicals have long been saying, for about 400 years, that the Catholic versions of the Bible include books that are not inspired by God, but now we will be told that if their versions are adulterated, ours are too. The Bible Societies say, through their spokesmen, that they publish the Bible containing the Apocryphal Gospels because the Catholic Church has asked for it. Why did the Catholic Church asked for it? They do not need Bibles in the Catholic field. The Roman Church is editing more versions of the Bible in Spanish than the Evangelical

churches. Currently, any Catholic who wants to read the Bible has a Catholic Bible at his disposal. The objective pursued by the Roman Church is to get any obstacle out of the way to reach the goal of the ecumenism, that is, to silence those who criticized the inclusion of the Apocryphal Gospels in the Bible and establish a link to create a single worldwide organization bringing together all the churches in the shadow of the Vatican. NEW VERSIONS

We do not object to the Bible Societies selling Bibles to the Roman Church and anyone who asks for it because that is why they were created. What we see as reprehensible is that the Bible Societies publish adulterated Bibles and that they add books containing teachings contrary to the doctrines in the Bible, to the Word of God. This means giving up in the interest of the ecumenism, “Mammon”, or the philosophy of the Prince who said, “Paris is well worth a mass.” The Lord advised his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and Paul told the Christians of Corinth that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. He warned the Galatians that some would pervert the gospel of Christ. And the Bible ends with the following warning: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18). So far, we have said that the Bible is the Word of God, but it cannot be said that a Bible containing the Apocryphal Gospels is the Word of God because in such volume books that are not inspired by God have been added. An official of the Bible Socie-

REALITY be the first to give such version its rightful place, try to detract it. It is not fair to try to overshadow the glories of a veteran of a hundred battles to glorify a newborn that is ill and has not yet fought his first battle. The Reina Valera version attended the birth of every church that has emerged wherever the Spanish language is spoken. In addition, it has been the source from which several generations of Christians have drunk. Glory is acquired by value and achievements. In an era of innovation, lameness and apostasy, we must bear in mind the precept in Luke 5:39, “No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, the old is better.” And we firmly support the Word of God, without additions. TURNING POINT

ties told us, “My answer to the question of whether or not the deuterocanonical books are inspired by God is negative... but ... they are useful.” He also adds, “It is just a matter of meeting the request from the Catholic Church.” Will the Bible Societies please everyone who asks for a Bible adjusted to his or her taste? What would happen if fifty thousand Evangelical churches asked them not to publish the Apocryphal Gospels? So far, the biggest contributor to the Bible Societies is the Southern Baptist Convention, counting more than 35,000 churches. If this Convention asked them to add “The Pilgrimage” to the Bible, would they? No, they would not. They do what the Vatican tells them, hence the seriousness of this issue. The

Vatican guiding the Bible Society! The Bible Societies try to annul the Reina Valera version to introduce their new version of “Dios habla hoy”, including the Apocryphal Gospels. Even though it is not the first time they try to replace the Reina Valera version, it was not possible for them until now. The Spanish language has two monuments: the version of the Bible translated by Casiodoro de Reina, and Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Even Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo, who was an ultra-catholic man, has recognized and admired the Reina Valera version, which is so far the queen (“reina”) of all versions. It is inconceivable that while adversaries extol the Reina Valera version, the ones who should

The inclusion of the Apocrypha in a version of the Bible published by the Bible Societies is a contribution made by their directors to the goals of the global ecumenism.

Currently, the versions of the Bible are multiplying. Since 1944 up to the present day, eight versions have emerged in the Catholic sphere, and some versions and several reviews of the Reina Valera version have also appeared in the Evangelical field. In the view of this proliferation of versions and revisions, we recall the following expression taken from The Squirrel and the Horse, “Comings and goings, turns and twists, all this no useful purpose speaks”. We are not against new things, if they are good or better than what we already have; however, the proliferation of versions of the Bible creates a reading issue, as each church should adopt one version as the official and try that their members take the adopted version with them to the temple. Otherwise, congregational Bible reading could revive the phenomenon of Babe u january 2014

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Lectures to my students

This book brings together the lectures that Charles H. Spurgeon, the renowned nineteenth century English preacher, addressed to his students. This is a vital work to know about the pastoral vocation. Johan Pérez Landeo

“

S WISE AND LEARNED AS YOU ARE, take heed to yourselves lest he overwit you. The devil is a greater scholar than you, and a nimbler disputant; he can ‘transform himself into an angel of light’ to deceive, he will get within you and trip up your heels before you are aware; he will play the juggler with you undiscerned, and cheat you of your faith or innocency, and you shall not know that you have lost it: nay, he will make you believe it is multiplied or increased when it is lost. You shall see neither hook nor 24 Impacto evangelistic

line, much less the subtle angler himself, while he is offering you his bait.” “Lectures to my students” - recommended as a reference book for ministers, preachers and all those men of faith who want to find Christian inspiration -, is the masterpiece of the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon, known as the “prince of preachers”, and an indispensable material for anyone who wants to spread the Word of God. First published in 1889, this volume is also a basic manual of Spurgeon’s way of thinking. “Any Christian has a right to disseminate the gospel who has the ability to do so; and more, he not only has the right, but it is his duty so to do as long as he lives. (Revelation 22:17.) The propagation of the gospel is left, not to a few, but to all the disci-

LITERATURE Charles Spurgeon, known as the “prince of preachers”.

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g ples of the Lord Jesus Christ: according to the measure of grace entrusted to him by the Holy Spirit, each man is bound to minister in his day and generation, both to the church and among unbelievers. Indeed, this question goes beyond men, and even includes the whole of the other sex; whether believers are male or female, they are all bound, when enabled by divine grace, to exert themselves to the utmost to extend the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Charles Spurgeon, who Christianized about ten million people throughout his life, was a prolific author of many types of works entirely dedicated to God, which included sermons, an autobiography, commentaries, prayer books, devotionals, magazines, poetry, hymns and more. Also, his sermons, which according to his biographers were more than two thousand, were translated into twenty languages. At his time, American newspapers printed his sermons each week and considered him the preacher of the moment. “When I think upon the all but infinite mischief which may result from a mistake as in our vocation for the Christian pastorate, I feel overwhelmed with fear lest any of us should be slack in examining our credentials; and I had rather that we stood too much in doubt, and examined too frequently, than that we should become cumberers of the ground. There are not lacking many exact methods by which a 26 Impacto evangelistic

man may make a solemn quest and trial of himself as to this point. His own personal salvation being secure, he must investigate as to the further matter of this call to office. As well be a professor without conversion, as a pastor without calling.” Spurgeon’s book, divided into thirteen chapters, covers various issues which help the reader to learn and understand the art of preaching the Word of God, such as the

ministerial vocation, the devotional life, the preparation of sermons, the voice, the gift of speaking spontaneously, the private prayer, the conduct of the minister in his daily life, and the method to spiritualize. These are basic principles and concepts as valid today as they were in the days when this servant of the Almighty emerged as an author who loved the Word of God. “As you would avoid a

LITERATURE viper, keep from all attempts to work up spurious fervor in public devotion. Do not labor to seem earnest. Pray as your heart dictates, under the leading Spirit of God, and if you are dull and heavy tell the Lord so. It will be no ill thing to confess your deadness, and bewail it, and cry for quickening; it will be real and acceptable prayer; but simulated ardor is a shameful form of lying. Never imitate those who are earnest. You know a good man who groans, and another whose voice grows shrill when he is carried away with zeal, but do not therefore moan or squeak in order to appear as zealous as they are. Just be natural the whole way through, and ask of God to be guided in it all.” Spurgeon, who was passionate about spreading the good news, never stopped working for the cause of the Creator. It is believed that he wrote, translated or edited about two hundred books. His sermons, which were undisputed bestseller in his time, were published all over the world. He was also a good speaker and a man capable to move to the most impassive of audiences. His way of sharing the Word appealed to his marked, solid and clear doctrinal convictions. “Sermons should have real teaching in them, and their doctrine should be solid, substantial, and abundant. We do not enter the pulpit to talk for talk’s sake; we have instructions to convey important to the last degree, and we cannot afford to utter pretty nothings. Our range of

subjects is all but boundless, and we cannot, therefore, be excused if our discourses are threadbare and devoid of substance. If we speak as ambassadors for God, we need never complain of want of matter, for our message is full to overflowing. The entire gospel must be presented from the pulpit.” Born on June 19, 1834 in England, the “prince of preachers” was a man of prayer who always lived in communion with Jesus Christ. Therefore, his ray of faith, brought together in his extensive written work, is as strong and effective today as it was when the Eternal Father guided his steps across the planet. Spurgeon prepared all his sermons

Our first rule with regard to the voice would be - do not think too much about it, for recollect the sweetest voice is nothing without something to say, and however well it may be managed, it will be like a well-driven cart with nothing in it, unless you convey by it important and seasonable truths to your people.

based on biblical passages. In this regard, Spurgeon used to say again and again, “the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself.” “Our first rule with regard to the voice would be do not think too much about it, for recollect the sweetest voice is nothing without something to say, and however well it may be managed, it will be like a well-driven cart with nothing in it, unless you convey by it important and seasonable truths

to your people. Demosthenes was doubtless right, in giving a first, second, and third place to a good delivery; but of what value will that be if a man has nothing to deliver? A man with a surpassingly excellent voice who is destitute of a well-informed head, and an earnest heart, will be “a voice crying in the wilderness.” “Lectures to my students”, which was originally created for theological students at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, is a compulsory book for all those who want to serve the Almighty. Charles Spurgeon, who passed away on January 31, 1892 at the age of fifty-seven, gives us in this book the privilege to share his experiences, his knowledge, his way of living Christianity, and he also teaches us to share it with others. Whether you are a preacher or not, this book is for you. “If you want to have the attention of your people to have it thoroughly and always, it can only be accomplished by their being led by the Spirit of God into an elevated and devout state of mind. If your people are teachable, prayerful, active, earnest, devout, they will come up to the house of God on purpose to get a blessing. They will take their seats prayerfully, asking God to speak to them through you; they will remain on the watch for every word, and will not weary. They will have an appetite for the gospel, for they know the sweetness of the heavenly manna, and they will be eager to gather their appointed portions.” (JPL) u january 2014

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To God Be the Glory

A song by Fanny Crosby, renowned Christian composer. Hymn of praise and recognition to the greatness of the Lord and a call to receive salvation through faith in Christ.

F TALENT is largely a matter of persistence, what Frances Jane Crosby did shows the things God can do when a heart surrenders to him. With serious limitations since she was a little girl, Fanny, as she was usually called, became with the passing of time a prominent and respected composer of her time. Nobody else has left a legacy to the Christian world as great as her beautiful and profound hymns. One of them, “To God Be the Glory”, is an open invitation to give our heart’s gratitude to the Almighty for His unconditional love and eternal mercy. Fanny Crosby was born on March 24, 1820 in the village of Brewster, a town located 80 kilometres north of New York, United States. She was the only 28 Impacto evangelistic

daughter of John and Mercy Crosby. A month and a half later, these humble peasants experienced the toughest test of their lives. Little Fanny got sick and due to a bad cold her eyes became inflamed. As the family doctor was away, hot mustard poultices were applied by another country doctor, which damaged her optic nerves and left her blind. A year later, his father died and Fanny had to be raised by her mother and her maternal grandmother. These women, followers of Jesus Christ, educated Fanny in the principles of the Christian faith. Losing eyesight is a heavy blow, an experience that could harden even the softest heart. However, as years later Fanny Crosby herself would confess, she never reproached the Lord or thought her situation was some kind of divine punishment. “I have not, for a moment, in all my life, felt a spark of resentment against him; for I always believed that the good Lord, In His infinite mercy, by this means consecrated me to the work that I am

still permitted to do. When I get to heaven, the first thing I will gladly see will be the face of my Saviour!” At the age of 15, Fanny moved to New York to enrol in the National Institution for the Blind. There she learned to sing, play piano and guitar. She remained in the institution for 23 years, first as a student and then as a teacher. Also, in this place, she met Alexander Van Alstyne, whom she married in 1858. The following year, they had their first daughter named after the mother, Frances, but she died days later from typhoid fever. By then, Fanny Crosby had already opened her heart to Christ and found a refuge in Him amid pain. As a little girl, Crosby had always shown a great creativity that led her to compose many poems, but it was not until she was 43 that she began to write hymns. Earlier, in 1850 she surrendered to the Lord when she met William B. Bradbury, the Father of Sacred Song, who invited her to create the lyrics of

MUSIC TO GOD BE THE GLORY 1 To God be the glory, great things He hath done, So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, And opened the life gate that all may go in. Refrain Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! 2 Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, And give Him the glory, great things He hath done. Oh, perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, To every believer the promise of God; 3 The vilest offender who truly believes, That moment from Jesus a pardon receives. Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; 4 But purer, and higher, and greater will be Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

BRAVE AND GENEROUS

ANNY CROSBY was the first woman to spoke before the Senate of the United States. She did it in order to demand greater support for the education of the blind and the creation of special schools in all U.S. states. On one occasion, she also addressed the President James K. Polk when he visited the Institution for the Blind in New York. On her 85th birthday, another U.S. President, Grover Cleveland, said about her: “I have seen your selfless work to edify the humanity and to spread the love of God. Thanks for everything. You are a brilliant example to the Christian community.”

some melodies he had composed. The first text she wrote for him was a missionary hymn. This way Fanny began his work as a writer of Christian songs, which were more than eight thousand. Due to her visual disability, she composed her poems and hymns entirely in her mind and then she dictated them to someone else to write them down. “To God Be the Glory” is a wonderful hymn of praise and adoration to the Almighty. Written and first published in 1875, it was used by Ira Sankey, renowned evangelical composer, in the British editions of his famous books of songs. However, it was not included in the North American versions, so it was practically unknown in the U.S. until it was first used by a Christian singer

in a Billy Graham Crusade in Nashville in 1954. Since then, it has achieved a great popularity to such an extent that it appears in most modern hymnals. The lyrics of this poem is a tribute to the greatness of the Lord for His work of love for humanity and a call to receive salvation through faith in Christ. The prolific quill of Fanny Crosby stopped writing on February 12, 1915, the day she went to be with her King at the age of 94. She was buried in the cemetery of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Today, her devotion and service to the Lord are still a great encouragement to younger generations. Her godly example also shows that there is no obstacle, no matter how great it may be, to prevent us from serving God u january 2014

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Wesley’s Thousand Tonguesy

Charles Wesley was a Christian poet, a great writer of hymns, and a tireless preacher. He was a man dedicated to his faith and to spread the Gospel.

HERE ARE PEOPLE who leave everything for their mission on earth. They fight, go ahead, struggle, get tired, starve, get sick, get wounded, but they never give up. They go all the way, they persevere. This is the story of Charles Wesley, who was born on December 18, 1707 in Epworth, England. Charles had a thin physical structure, but he also had muscles of iron. He traveled about four thousand kilometers during his evangelizing work, a distan30 Impacto evangelistic

ce equal to 10 trips around the globe. Charles was the eighteenth and last child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, a couple of Christians of deep religious convictions. His family loved Jesus above all things, and Charles and his brothers were encouraged to become pastors by their parents from a very young age. In 1726, after a childhood and adolescence marked by Christianity, he entered the Westminster School, from which he graduated in 1730. While studying in the Christ Church, Oxford, Charles, his older brother John - another hero of faith -, and George Whitefield - who later became the leader of

HERO OF FAITH

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g the First Great Awakening-, were known as “the Methodists”, being methodical in their Bible study and disciplined life. However, it was not until some years later that Charles completely surrendered himself to Jesus. Charles was strongly opposed to the idea of a breach between the Methodist movement and the Church of England. However, his enthusiastic way of preaching the Word of God caused him to be expelled from the Anglican parish he pastored. As he was banned from all of them by his bishop, so had to necessarily join the thriving independent Methodist churches that were already organized in English territory. AN ENCOUNTER WITH PEACE

After a failed mission as a missionary of a colony in Georgia, in the southern region of the United States, Charles was at one of the lowest points of his life. His experiences in Georgia, where he traveled on October 14, 1735, challenged his faith and he no longer knew what to believe. He tried to talk to his friends and even became involved in mysticism, but nothing helped him. To make matters worse, he developed pleurisy, a disease that constricts the lungs. Charles was really sick, but he was treated by his friend John Bray, who read the Bible to him, listened to his profound doubts and took good care of him while he was in poor health conditions. On January 24, 1738, 32 Impacto evangelistic

Charles wrote in his diary, “I went to America to convert the Indians, but, O! Who shall convert me? Who,

what is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of unbelief? I can talk well, nay, and believe myself, while no danger is near; but let death look me in the face, and my spirit is troubled. Nor can I say, to die is gain.” On August 16, 1736, after a short time without any success in the United States, Wesley returned to England

HERO OF FAITH and met the missionary Peter Boehler, an influential eighteenth century Christian with whom he began a close relationship that motivated him to return to God´s way. The teachings of Boehler were crucial to set the course of his life. Therefore, Charles began reading eagerly the writings of Martin Luther about the biblical books of Galatians and Romans, and came to recognize that true Christianity rests upon the faith in Christ. On Sunday 21, May 1738, Charles had a real experience with the Lord and fell to his feet. He wrote in his diary about this decisive event, “I rose and looked into the scripture. The words that first presented were: ‘And now Lord, what is my hope? Truly my hope is even in Thee.’ I now found myself at peace with God and rejoiced in the hope of loving Christ. I saw that by faith I stood. I went to bed confident of Christ’s protection.” Elsewhere in his diary, Charles wrote, “In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. At a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change of heart’ which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation. And an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved from the law of sin and death.” Things changed immediately: he regained his

strength and began to passionately share Christ with everyone. Two days after his conversion, he wrote his first song titled “Where shall my wandering song begin?” With his renewed faith, he traveled extensively with his brothers John and George Whitefield. They preached in the open air and in the squares, sometimes with audiences exceeding ten thousand people. A TIRELESS PREACHER

His character took him very high but also very low. He worked tirelessly preaching the Gospel. Once, he traveled for three days in the pouring rain without sleeping, collapsing as soon as he got to the village of Garth, Wales, where he met his future wife, Sarah Gwynne, who was the daughter of Marmaduke Gwynne, a wealthy Welsh landowner who had been converted to Methodism. On April 8, 1749, Charles and Sarah married in an emotional ceremony conducted by his brother John. From that moment, Gwynne accompanied the Wesley brothers in all their trips

Although Charles was always on the brink of collapse due to physical tiredness, he wrote about 6,500 hymns throughout his long life, many of which are still sung today.

across Great Britain, until Charles stopped traveling in 1765. At this point, Charles and his family lived for a time in Bristol before mo-

ving to London. Charles and Sarah had eight children but only three of them survived the early childhood, including Samuel Wesley, who was a famous organist and composer. Although Charles was always on the brink of collapse due to physical tiredness, he wrote about 6,500 hymns throughout his long life, many of which are still sung today. He wrote perhaps one of his sweetest hymns shortly before he died. It is a little known verse of one verse: “In age and feebleness extreme, who shall a sinful worm redeem? Jesus, my only hope Thou art strength of my failing flesh and heart, o could I catch a smile from Thee, and drop into eternity.” Nearly all the hymns composed by Wesley are the result of his personal experiences, for example, “O for a thousand tongues to sing,” written in 1739, commemorates his gratitude to God on the occasion of the first anniversary of his “new birth.” Charles wrote hymns for almost every special day on the Christian calendar. Other hymns were inspired while going through British fields on his way to some church. Charles Wesley, known in the Christian world as the greatest hymn writer of all times, died in Marylebone, London, on March 29, 1788. He was buried in the cemetery of the parish church of Marylebone, against the wishes of his brother John, in a sober funeral where eight members of the Church of England carried his coffin u january 2014

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After 40 years in prison, God set him free Juan Carlos Cedillo was a feared robber belonging to the most infamous crime gangs in Lima, Peru. He spent almost four decades in jail. When close to death and plunged in crime, God extended his hand to rescue him. Today, he preaches the Word of Christ in Peruvian prisons. Johan Pérez Fotos: Roberto Guerrero

UAN CARLOS CEDILLO Silva was born in Callao on New Year’s Eve 1954. His parents, Alberto and Francisca, never thought that their child would become one of the most wanted criminals in Peru. However, along with his birth came his parents’ separation, which created an atmosphere of sadness for him and Luis, his older brother, during their childhood. Five years later, after a custody trial between his parents, Juan Carlos and his brother were sent to their aunt Mariana by order of the judge. “My chil34 Impacto evangelistic

dhood memories are sad. My aunt mistreated us psychologically. When she turned off the lights, I felt terribly scared and I used to wet the bed. I lived a year of terror in that house”, he recalls. Then both brothers came back home with their mother, who already was in another relationship (she had seven other children). Juan Carlos’ stepfather, Teodoro Agurto, was an upright man who knew how to advise all siblings. Juan Carlos learned carpentry and grew up in Callao, in a quite rough environment, as he remembers. His father, a merchant seaman who was always traveling, used to buy him anything he wanted. As a teenager, Juan Carlos liked to wear gold chains, rings, watches and bracelets until one day his father stopped giving him what he wanted. He had received everything effortlessly and did not know the value of work and effort, so the turn of events changed the

LIFE STORIES

course of his life. He took a job as cleaner in a bar nearby, and this brought him closer to evil. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One day, the owner of the bar where I worked, was so drunk she asked me to put some pawned jewelry into the safe. There, I found a lot of cash and took one bill without hesitation. With that money I bought clothes. I started to say many lies and I took more and more money every dayâ&#x20AC;?, he says. At the age of 15, Juan Carlos had sex for the first time with the owner of the business. She used to give him money and even pick him up from school. Some time later, the owner of an infamous brothel in the area offered Juan Carlos a job as manager and guard of the money he needed to move. That underclass environment drove him to relate with disreputable people, ranging from robbers to drug traffickers. When Juan Carlos was 19, he committed his first major crime

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g with a gang of boys. Using machine guns, they robbed a bank agency in a populated area of Lima known as Balconcillo. He recalls that they were terrified, but after having the loot in his hands, his crime lifestyle began. IN COLD BLOOD

Juan Carlos Cedillo was not just a simple thief. He used to rob factories twice a week, as well as trucks and residences in exclusive neighborhoods in Lima. He kidnapped businessmen to ransom, and he would also break into wealthy houses. He was imprisoned for first time in “El Sexto” for 18 months because he stole a million soles from the house of an Italian businessman. Although he managed to hide behind a huge wardrobe, the police caught him. Francisca, his mother, tried to advise him but with little success. “She visited me in prison until she died. My father, however, never came to see me. Today, he is sick and paraplegic”, says Cedillo. Juan Carlos was imprisoned for the second time for robbing a financial company in Barranco. The crime gang fled to San Martin de Porres, in northern Lima, where the police surrounded them when they tried to hide in a house. His friend Gilberto died in the shooting and even though Juan Carlos tried to escape, he was finally arrested. “It was the first time I had a close experience with death because I had a gun pointing at my head but the bullet did not come out”, he recounts. Juan Carlos was sent to Lurigancho prison, where he met other “ranked” criminals, such as Guillermo Porto Cárdenas Dávila, alias “Mosca Loca”, the 36 Impacto evangelistic

When Juan Carlos was 19, he committed his first major crime with a gang of boys. Using machine guns, they robbed a bank agency in a populated area of Lima known as Balconcillo. He recalls that they were terrified, but after having the loot in his hands, his crime lifestyle began.

greatest Peruvian drug trafficker, who died in the riot in “El Sexto”, in 1984. Juan Carlos also spent some time in jail in Huancayo. He

was part of the most fearsome criminal gangs in Lima, such as “Los retacos”, “Los injertos” and “Los destructores.” Just as the Colombian drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, Juan Carlos used to always come back to his neighborhood in Callao to help his neighbors. He was loved by all and therefore he thought that, by these actions, he was in the right track. He was a believer of God. “I was a Catholic. I used pray to Sarita Colonia, Saint Martin and the Lord of Miracles. That is what

LIFE STORIES

my parents taught me”, he says. His neighbors thought he was a successful entrepreneur or an important public official because he was always wearing fashionable clothes and jewelry. FROM GANG TO GANG

In November 1993, “Los Destructores” robbed an armored car in one of the main streets of Lima, in broad daylight and with great savageness. The driver of the vehicle resisted and was shot by the criminals, while the other two occupants were seriously

injured. A few meters further on, from an adjacent bridge, a press team recorded the robbery. This material was useful for identifying the criminals. Juan Carlos was not involved in such robbery but he remembers that moment as if it were only yesterday. He confesses that he was not afraid to use his gun because his freedom was at stake and because the police shot them to kill. When Juan Carlos was part of “Los Destructores”, he closely worked with the most fearsome Peruvian criminals, such

On the opposite page, Juan Carlos Cedillo in his time of sinner. Above, he participates in an activity in Yanamilla prison. Below, a recent photograph.

as “Cholo Jacinto” and “Cojo Giovani. “After a job together, we parted ways. We did not communicate, not even when we got drunk. We met in prison sometimes, and there we were friends”, he says. He remembers that his criminal lifestyle was a race, always smoking marijuana or sniffing cocaine. He also used cocaine paste and took pills. Still, Juan Carlos believed he was happy with what he did because he had a lot of money in his pockets.

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g His criminal gang consisted of people from Callao, such as “Negro Pecas”, “Chato Peque”, and “Negro Francia.” “We used nicknames so as not to reveal our names to the police. My nickname was ‘Broche’. The police gave me that nickname”, he says. When “Los Destructores” became known, they split up for a while and then formed “Los injertos”, another fearsome criminal gang. They robbed banks and used weapons of war to confront the police. “Our slogan was freedom, and that’s why we riddled the police with bullets, so that they would not arrest us. They also knew that we were organized criminals, therefore they shot to kill”, he explains. In 1984, Juan Carlos met Julia Castro, his future wife, while he was imprisoned at Lurigancho prison for stealing a million soles from an import company. Julia went there to visit a friend and they were introduced. He married her in the prison. When Juan Carlos was freed and back to the bad ways, he used to give her jewelry and money, but she was not allowed to ask where he got those presents from. One day, Julia, who had also went down the wrong path, surrendered to God for good and began to pray for Juan Carlos to give up delinquency once and for all. One of the greatest robberies where Cedillo was involved happened at seven in the morning on March 27, 1996. That day, wearing a police uniform, Cedillo and other accomplices, stole PEN 652,000 after kidnaping the treasurer of the Provincial Municipality of Callao. A judge sentenced him to thirteen years in a prison in Ayacucho, but not before telling him: “This 38 Impacto evangelistic

will teach you to never steal again from your fellow countrymen from Callao.” SON OF GOD

“Sixteen years ago, when I was in Lurigancho prison, I had a dream that marked my life. It was night; I was naked in the patio of the pavilion, when I

saw a light and water fell from the sky, and I felt peace. I woke up with that feeling. Over time, I told my wife about this, and she told me that it was God’s way of communicating with me. That is why my way of being changed in prison”, he recalls. Juan Carlos suffered a heart attack on his birthday. His wife

LIFE STORIES

In the warmth of a family embrace. The stormy years have ended.

prayed a lot because he ended up in intensive care. “The Holy Spirit told me that Juan Carlos still used drugs and that he will pray for his soul. He told me the truth and God saved Juan Carlos”, assures Julia. “The last time I was in prison I prayed and fasted, and when I was half-asleep I felt someone

breathing next to me. When I turned, I saw a demon watching me. Fortunately, my wife had already taught me how to tell off demons in the name of God. I did that and the devil disappeared”, tells Juan Carlos. Before leaving prison, Cedillo promised the Lord he would go to church every Sun-

day. When he left prison on May 12, 2006, his wife gave him some new rules, so that way he would not return to his former life of crime. After leaving prison, Juan Carlos went to a Church of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in the district of Ventanilla, Peru, led by Pastor Victor Arrieta. He did not steal anymore and had to eat chicken feet every day because did not have a job. It was the first time he went through hardship. He worked as a painter, but people did not want to hire him because of his criminal record. Despite all this, he never complained to God for his hardships, and so he passed his first test. He left behind the pride that was so typical of him as a criminal, and ironically he got a job in the Municipality of Callao as a security officer. Juan Carlos is currently 60 years old. After spending nearly 40 years in prison, between entries and leavings, today he has gray hair, wears a dark suit and has a Bible in his hand. The fashionable clothes and jewelry that he wore during his criminal life are gone. His current mission is going from prison to prison with the pastors of the Work of God to preach the Word. “I thank God because it is a blessing and a privilege to be with Him; I know He has a purpose for me. Those who met me in the past will be surprised of how I am now”, he assures. Every time Juan Carlos recounts his testimony to those sentenced in the country’s prisons, he says, “What was the point of having of all the money in the world, if I did not have the happiness and peace that I have now? u january 2014

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Teachings and sermons of the most renowned preachers who expose the truth of the Lord through their life stories consacrated to God. The Bible says: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life... And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 5:39; 8:32

DEVOTIONAL

The Divine Institution of Marriage “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him… Lord God…made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:18-24). 40 Impacto evangelistic

Rev. Luis M. Ortiz

ITH ALL DUe respect that we, as citizens, owe to human laws and to judicial opinion, it does not matter how popular or unpopular it might be we adhere as Christians to the Holy Word of God. Moreover, it is unfortunate that books that defend divorce

and remarriage are being sold in bookstores in order to earn a few bucks, which is a curse for the home, the marriage, and the children. Let’s see what the Bible teaches: 1°. - Marriage is a divine institution, a lifelong union between a man and a woman to become one flesh and to guarantee human perpetuity and happiness. Marriage is the basis and foundation of the family, the society, and the nation. The Bible states, “so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them… Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gene-

sis 1:27, 28; 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4). 2°. - Marriage is not only a divine institution between a man and a woman, but also a divine act. God himself interceded in the first marriage on earth, “and the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him... Lord God… made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis

2:18-24). And Jesus Christ, referring to this divine act of marriage, added, “what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6).

In a marriage between a man and a woman, it does not matter what renowned authority officiates it, whether it may be an evangelical minister, a catholic priest, a lawyer, a public notary or a judge. God gives his approval and God himself joins them, because the Bible says, “let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power

but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1).

Even though some marriages go through serious problems, it does not mean that God did not give them his consent or that they were not joined by God. Even the first wedding was not as pleasant, it went through serious problems. 3°. – Marriage is a divine institution and a divine act between a man and a woman, and it joins the husband and the wife into a more intimate and stronger relationship, even more than the one between a parent and his/her child. Genesis 2:24 says, “therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife”. Likewise Jesus Christ

restates these same words in Matthew 19:5. 4°. - Marriage, being a divine institution and a divine act between a man and a

The father may disinherit or deny his son, but he will always be the father, and the son will always be the son. Likewise, the marriage bond, which is stronger than the parental and the filial bond, cannot be broken by men.

woman, joins husband and wife into a more intimate and stronger relationship than the one between parent and child; to such extent that they are no more twain, but “one flesh.” This statement of “one flesh” (Matthew 19:6) demonstrates that when a man and a woman join in marriage, they form a living organism, firmly united by God, which

is the basis and foundation of the family, the society, the nation and the world. This marriage bond is so firm and strong that the apostle Paul, inspired by God, compares it with the human body and says that the husband is the head and the wife is the body. Jesus said, “for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh... What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:5, 6).

This phrase, “let not man put asunder”, has great strength in the original, implying the cutting or sawing of a whole into two pieces. 5°. - Marriage, being a divine institution and a divine act between a man and a woman, joins husband and wife into a more intimate and stronger relationship than the one between parent and child; to such extent that they are no more twain, but “one flesh.” Such union can be dissolved only by death. In 1 Corinthians 7:39 it is stated that, “the wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will”.

Marriage bonds the spouses until the death of one of them. We can also read in Romans 7:2-3, “For the woman which

hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man”.

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g According to Luke 16:18, Jesus said, “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” He added, “And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery” (Mark 10:12).

All these Biblical verses quoted here, besides the ones in the Bible, demonstrate that marriage is unbreakable. May the bond between parent and child be broken, despite all the laws of the legislature and the opinions of the judiciary? Never! The father may disinherit or deny his son, but he will always be the father, and the son will always be the son. Likewise, the marriage bond, which is stronger than the parental and the filial bond, cannot be broken by men. Many people take marriage in a very light way, and enter into it in a reckless way without taking the proper considerations. Marriage is not a social convenience at the mercy of life changeable circumstances or the regulations or opinions from human beings; it is a lifelong bond established by God. Therefore, you must enter into marriage with seriousness, sense and responsibility. In the OT, one of the biggest commandments of the moral law says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). In Leviticus 18:20, it says, “Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.” The same law condemns adulterers stating, “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the

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adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 20:10).

It also says in Deuteronomy 22:22, “if a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel”.

Thus, the punishment, the sentence and the judgment to adulterers was not divorce, but death. The adulterer and adulteress were stoned to death, because only death would break the marriage bond between them and their spouses, who were then free to remarry as they were widowed. In the NT, “the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him (Jesus) a woman taken in adultery… in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but

Many people take marriage in a very light way. Marriage is not a social convenience at the mercy of the changeable circumstances of life or the regulations or opinions from human beings; it is a lifelong bond established by God.

what sayest thou?” (John 8:3-5).

They should have brought the woman and the man, for this sentence was for both of them. Jesus did not voided such moral law, or said it was too hard; instead he said, “he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her... And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one… And Jesus said unto her… go, and sin no more (adulterate no more)”

(John 8:7-11). The only reason for separation, which was actually

like a dissolution of marriage, can be found in Deuteronomy 24:1, “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.” Jes-

us referred to this cause, i.e. fornication, when he stated,

“And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery”

(Matthew 19:9). ADULTERY is the violation of marital loyalty. It is the carnal act between a married person with someone to whom he/she is not married. Moses never accepted bills of divorcement for adultery, because, as we have already seen, the sentence to this sin was death. FORNICATION is the carnal act of a single person, or between single people. Back to Deuteronomy 24:1, it states that if the just married man does not like his wife because he has found some uncleanness in her, that is if she has fornicated with someone else before she married him, he should write her a bill of divorcement. Thus, the only valid reason in the OT and the NT for dissolution or divorce is fornication: when the just married person finds out that his/her spouse pretended to be virgin and was not, for he/she has fornicated with another or others before marrying him/ her. However, Jesus says, “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away (give a bill of divorcement) your wives: but from the

DEVOTIONAL

beginning it was not so” (Matthew

19:8). Christ appeals to the temporary grant of Moses to the eternal law of God, “but from the beginning it was not so”.

In the beginning, God created man and woman and made no regulation for divorce. The Gospel according to Matthew, specially written for Jews, is the only Gospel that mentions the exception that Moses used to make for divorce and it was because of the hardness of their hearts. On the other hand, the Gos-

pels according to Mark and Luke, which were written to Gentiles, do not mention any exception. In Mark 10:11-12, Christ’s words are sharp: “Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” And in Luke 16:18 He says, “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery”.

Human laws and courts make things easier and easier. They divorce for temperamental incompatibility, and for many similar reasons; and now it has been added another one: mutual consent. But it is important, necessary and beneficial for everybody to know that according to the Holy Bible any of those reasons is valid in the Court of God. Therefore, it is a sin which you must repent and ask God’s forgiveness for u january 2014

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Wanted – A Prophet to preach T to the preachers

“The primary qualification for a missionary is not love for souls, as we so often hear, but love for Christ.” Vance Havner 44 Impacto evangelistic

Why Revival Tarries E. Leonard Ravenhill Chapter 13

O ATTEMPT TO measure the sun with an inch tape could hardly be more difficult than attempting to measure John the Baptist by our modern standards of spirituality. His anxious father received the prophecy of his birth from

DEVOTIONAL the angel, “many shall rejoice at his birth; for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord” (Luke 1:14, 15).

Today, we are prodigal with the use of this word “great” for we mistake prominence for eminence. In those days, God was wanting not a priest nor a preacher, but men. There were plenty of men then, as now; but all were too small. God wanted a great man for a great task. John the Baptist probably had not one qualification for the priesthood, but he had every quality to become a prophet. Before his coming there had been four hundred years of darkness without one ray of prophetic light, four hundred years of silence without a “Thus saith the Lord”. Four hundred years of progressive deterioration in spiritual things. With a river of beasts blood for its atonement and with an overfed priesthood for its mediator, Israel, God’s favored nation, was lost in ceremony, sacrifice and circumcision. But what an army of priests could not do in four hundred years, “one man sent of God”, John the Baptist, Godfashioned, God-filled, and God-fired, did in six months. I share the opinion of E.M Bounds that it takes God twenty years to make a good preacher. John the Baptist training took place in God’s University of silence. God takes all His great men there. Though to Paul, the proud law-keeper Pharisee of colossal intellect and with good titles of the Rabbinical School in Jerusalem, Christ changed his course on the

Damascus road. It needed his three years in Arabia for emptying his prejudices and learning before he could say, “God revealed His Son in me”. God can fill in a moment what may take years to empty. Hallelujah! Jesus said, “Go ye”, but He also said, “Tarry… until”. Let any man shut himself up for a week with only bread and water, with no books except the Bible, with no visitor except the Holy Spirit, and I guarantee that that man will either break up or break through and out. John the Baptist was in God’s School of Silence, the desert, until the day of his showing forth. Who was better fitted for the task of raising a torpid nation from its sensual slumber than this sun-scorched, fire-baptized, desert-bred prophet – sent of

Most preachers are only “echoes”; for if you listen hard you will be able to tell what latest book they have read and how little of the Bible they quote. To reach the masses we need a “voice” – a heaven-sent prophet to preach to preachers.

God with a face like the judgment morning! In his eyes was the light of God, in his voice was the authority of God, and in his soul was the passion of God! Who, I ask, could be greater than John? He actually raised a whole nation. This leathergirdled prophet with a timelimit ministry so burned that those who heard his hot-tongued, heart-burning messa-

ge, went home to sleepless night until their blistered souls were broken in repentance. Yet John the Baptist was strange in doctrine – no sacrifice, ceremony, or circumcision; strange in diet – no winebibbing nor banqueting; strange in dress – no phylacteries nor Pharisaic garments. But John was great! Great eagles fly alone; great lions hunt alone; great souls walk alone –alone with God. Such loneliness is hard to endure and impossible to enjoy unless God-accompanied. Truly John made the grade in greatness. He was great in three ways: great in fidelity to the Father – training long years, preaching short months ; great in his submission to the Spirit – he stepped and stopped as ordered ; great in his statements of the Son – declaring Jesus, whom he had never seen before, as “the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.” John was a “voice”. Most

preachers are only echoes, for if you listen hard, you will be able to tell what latest book they have read and how little of the Bible they quote. To reach the masses we need a “voice” – a heavensent prophet to preach to preachers. It takes broken men to break men. Brethren, we have equipment but not endowment; commotion but not creation; action but not unction; rattle but not revival. We are dogmatic but not dynamic! Brethren, we have only one mission: to save souls; and yet they parish! Oh!

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g Think of them! Millions, hundreds of millions, maybe over one thousand million eternal souls, need Christ. Without Christ or eternal life they perish! Oh! The shame of it! The horror of it! The tragedy of it! Christ was not willing that any should perish. Preachers, people go by the millions to hell-fire today because we have lost Holy Spirit fire! This generation of preachers is responsible for this generation of sinners. At the very doors of our churches are the masses – unwon because they are unreached because they are unloved. Thank God for all that is being done for missions overseas. Yet it is strangely true that we can get more apparent concern for people across the world than for our perishing neighbors across the street. With all our mass-evangelism, souls are won only in hundreds. Let an atom bomb come and they will fall by the thousands into hell. To say that the sin of today has no parallel is without foundation. Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” We find a graphic

picture of Noah’s time in Genesis 6:5, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” As it was, so it is!

Sin today is both glamorized and popularized, thrown into the ear by radio, thrown into the eye by television, and splashed on popular magazine covers. Churchgoers and sermon-sick leave 46 Impacto evangelistic

the meeting as they entered it – visionless and passionless. Oh God, give this perishing generation ten thousand John the Baptists – to tear away the bandages put over our national and international sins by politicians, humanists, and modernists! Just as Moses could not mistake the sight of the burning bush, so a nation could not mistake the sight of a burning man! God meets fire with fire. The more fire in the pulpit the less burning in hell-fire. John the Baptist was a new man with a new message. As a man accused of murder hears the dread cry of the judge, “Guilty!” and pales at it, so the crowd heard John’s cry “Repent!” until it rang down the corridors of their minds, stirred memory, bowed the conscience and bought them terrorstricken to repentance and baptism! After Pentecost, the onslaught of Peter, fresh from his fiery baptism of the Spirit, shook the crowd until as one man they cried out: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Imagine someone telling these sin-stricken men, “Just sign a card! Attend church regularly! Pay your tithes!” No! And a thousand times no! Unctionized by the Spirit’s might, John and Peter cried, “Repent!” And they did! Repentance is not a few hot tears. It is not emotion or remorse or reformation. Repentance is a change of mind about God, about sin, and about hell. Nature’s two greatest forces are fire and wind, and these two were wedded on the Day of Pentecost. Thus, just like wind and fire, that

blessed “upper room” company was irresistible, uncontrollable, and unpredictable. His fire quenched the violence of fire – the hell-fire; then their fire started missionary fires, lit martyr fires in Europe, Asia and Africa, and started revival fires everywhere! Two hundred years ago, Charles Wesley sang “O that in me the sacred fire might now begin to glow, burn up the dross

DEVOTIONAL

of base desire, and make the mountains flow!” Dr. Hatch cried: “Breathe on me, Breath of God, till I am wholly Thine, until this earthly part of me glows with Thy fire divine.” Holy Spirit fire destroys, purifies, warms, attracts, and empowers. Some Christians cannot say when they were saved. But I never knew a man yet who was baptized with the

Holy Spirit and Fire and was unable to say when it happened. Such Spirit-filled men shake nations for God, like Wesley who was born of the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, and lived and walked in the Spirit. An automobile will never move until it has ignition – fire, so some men are neither moved nor moving because they have everything except fire. Beloved brethren, there

is to be a special judgment for preachers; they shall receive the greater condemnation (James 3:1). Like Wesley, I believe in the need for repentance in the believer. The promise of the Father is for you. Just now, on your knees in that lonely mission station, or by your chair in that comfortable home, or in the pastor’s study crushed and almost ready to give up, make a prayer u january 2014

WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

We will defend the Sound Doctrine “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14, 15.

UMANITY LIVES with many problems, suffering terribly, and they say, “Where is God? 48 Impacto evangelistic

God does not exist. If God existed I wouldn’t be like this.” But God does exist, so does the devil.

Rev. Rodolfo González Cruz

God wants to bless His creatures, and you are a creature of God, He wants to bless you and help you. However, the devil wants to make you suffer, torment you, ruin you. Do you know why? because the Bible says that God created man and woman in His own image and likeness. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent to set us free from the devil and all those things that Satan has put in the hearts of men for centuries and millennia. He

DEVOTIONAL knows that we are called to be holy as our Father in heaven. Lord God said: “ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy”

(Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2, 1 Peter 1:16) And do you know what holy means? A holy person is a living person who believes in God, who loves and obeys God, who separates from all the filth of this world. Furthermore, Satan knows that there is a people on earth that is destroying his plans and purposes, that is snatching from him the souls he has tied: the church that will soon ascend to heaven to occupy the place he occupied in heaven. Many times I have to say I was born in a denomination where I was instructed in the sound doctrine. But what happened? Our peers and spiritual parents began to leave the sound doctrine, and that has happened in many congregations. Jesus said: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew

6:33). To seek God’s kingdom is to obey the Word of God, is to obey the doctrine, the biblical teaching. To obey what God told Adam and Eve, and all the prophets, and what they wrote by God’s command to teach us, to make us know the Lord’s will. When God created Adam, that man had a tremendous physical power and God could have given him many women. But He gave him a woman; He took one of his ribs and made him a wife, a help meet for him. Adam lived 930 years,

and Methuselah lived until the days of Noah, so Noah met Methuselah and Methuselah met Noah, because the people used to live longer. All men that existed at the time of the first revival had one wife, but when did they become corrupted? When Cain’s and Seth progeny multiplied, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men – the daughters of Cain – were fair, coveted them and

It is easy to preach and teach a smooth, comfortable Gospel, what people like to hear, where nothing is bad, where God is only love, where you can go as you want, do what you want, dress as you like, see what you want, think what you want, go wherever you want. Will that be Sound Doctrine? Is that the Full Gospel?

committed fornication, and took them wives of all which they chose. These women were ungodly as they enlisted to the game of Satan; this was the bait the devil threw. And this corruption lasts until today, even though God finished off that generation. Friends, Satan always uses the same tactic to drag humanity into sin, and to make man and woman rebel against God. Sin leads to ruin. And when they are ruined they say: “Where is God?” My God is in heaven and also in my heart, I know it, I feel God every day of my life in the air I

breathe. If you do not feel Him is because you are far from God, because you do not seek him, because you are wrapped in sin, because you do not live the sound doctrine, you do not live in holiness. Those who seek holiness can feel Him, yield your life to Christ and you will see the glory of God in your life. The letter to the Galatians says, “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.(cursed)” (Galatians 1:7-8).

Listen to the Word of God so the devil does not wrap you with the heretic and erroneous doctrines that he is using now, as he has always done to deceive and mislead the faith. Make a decision with our God not to go back. Joshua made a covenant with the people, he died and his successors maintained that doctrine, but at a certain time leaders die and people becomes corrupted. We want people who truly love God, people who hold high the sound doctrine so God can work, heal the sick, do miracles, because when we live in holiness, we have the power of God, God is with us to do miracles, and souls can be saved. Will you leave the Lord, the sound doctrine, to go after idols and magicians and spiritualists and parapsychologists and religions of false doctrines? We will defend the sound doctrine. Amen u january 2014

WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

A quick report of the work that Worldwide Missionary Movement is making in America and throughout the world. The Holy Bible states: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”. (Acts 2:46,47)

EVENTS

Baptism in La Concordia 21 brothers took an important step in their lives. They were joined by their families and by many believers to celebrate together the great victory of the Lord in Colombia. 50 Impacto evangelistic

N NOVEMBER 4, 21 brothers from the WMM Church La Concordia, in Bucaramanga, Colombia, descended into the baptismal waters to confess publically their decision of living for Christ for the rest of their lives. This

beautiful event was led by the pastor of this local church, Rev. Samuel David MejĂa IbĂĄĂąez, National Supervisor of the WMM in Colombia. From early in the morning, the brothers to be baptized got together in the local church

and pray the Lord, after which they set off to where the baptism service would be held. This beautiful group of brothers was joined by their families and by many brothers who witnessed this important step in their lives.

This act confirms that God continues with His divine plan: to forgive and save the sinner to make them a useful instrument in His hands. Furthermore, it is confirmed once again that preaching the unadulterated Gospel and kee-

ping the sound doctrine will always bear fruit of genuine repentance and faithful service to God and His work. God continues setting free, saving and using thousands of lives around the world for the glory and honor of His Name u january 2014

WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

National Convention in Guatemala “Today we have seen wonders” was the theme of the 28° National Convention of the WMM in the Republic of Guatemala.

INCE ITS INAUGURATION on Wednesday November 20, the camp facilities La Certeza were filled up by the power of God and attended by many people coming from the Central American country. Because of the significance of this event, 52 Impacto evangelistic

the services were held in the morning and evening, and they brought together an increasing number of people. The national event was attended by 5he President of the Work, Rev. Gustavo Martínez, and International Officers Álvaro Garavito, Mar-

garo Figueroa, Rubén Concepción and Rómulo Vergara. We were also visited by delegations from the United States of America, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Peru, among others. On Thursday November 21, during the

evening service, Rev. Andrés Espejo Luna Victoria, pastor in Peru, gave his personal testimony “Christ changed my life and my family”, and highlighted the profound transformation that Christ made in his life and in his family’s. The message of the Word of God was given under the theme “Learning his strategies to make a stand against the enemy” (Nehemiah 4:1-11) by Rev. Gustavo Martínez Garavito. He highlighted that the Lord has called us to build our

EVENTS

lives in His presence in order to make a stand against the enemy of our souls. On Friday November 22, Guatemala lived a great edification, so did all who received God’s blessings through the different media. During the specials, in the morning service, the Children Philharmonic Choir made a performance. Rev. Eugenio Masías Corbacho, from the church of Cusco in Peru, carried out the conference entitled “The dangers of Internet”,

emphasizing that its misuse creates addiction in people and that only Christ has the power to set them free from those chains. Simultaneously, the pastors’ wives got together with Sister Carmen Valencia de Martínez, who presented the lesson “Burden or suitable help?”. They were completely edified. At the Convention Center “La Certeza”, Rev. Margaro Figueroa shared the lesson “Protecting the Seed” (Judges 6:1-6, 11). In the evening service, Rev. Marco Antonio january 2014

WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

Neira Florián, pastor in Peru, testify about how God worked in his life. The message of the Word of God was given by Rev. Arturo Hernandez, Supervisor of the United States, who talked on the theme: “The need and impact of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:1921). He explained the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in the per54 Impacto evangelistic

sonal life of every believer. On Saturday morning, November 23, Rev. Luis Meza Bocanegra, National Supervisor of Peru, gave the Word of God in the service attended by all the youth. He highlighted the need of remaining faithful even in times of trial and temptation. During the evening service, all the Presbyteries carried out

a parade showing the progress of the Work of God, as well as a dramatization entitled “The Sower” which described the beginning of this work. On this occasion, Rev. Eugenio Masías Corbacho also participated by testifying how the Lord freed him from the claws of Satanism. The Word was given by Rev. Ruben Concepción, who talked on the theme

“Harvesting like Jesus Christ” (John 4:31-38). It was a call to return to Pentecost, to look for the presence of God by praying. All services were transmitted live by Bethel Televisión. This way, the media such as the radio, the television and the Internet served the Work of the Lord. During this event, the Workers and Pastors

EVENTS Missionary Movement, gave the second part of the theme “Learning His strategies to make a stand against the enemy”, based on Nehemiah 4:1-2. He encouraged us to return to our first love, and to do the things we did at the beginning for the Work of the Lord. CONCLUSION

were promoted for the successful growth of the Work of God in this nation. On this occasion, 14 Lay Preachers were named, 12 were promoted to Licensed Preachers

and 5 to Full Ministry, and 5 new Presbyters were appointed. On Sunday November 24, this Christian meeting held each year as a blessing the Work

in Guatemala came to an end. To conclude this glorious service, Rev. Gustavo Martínez Garavito, President of the Officers Board of the Worldwide

They were five days, from November 20 to November 24, in the presence of the Lord during the 28° National Convention of the Worldwide Missionary Movement held at the Convention Center La Certeza, Guatemala. God’s fire descended from the very first service creating a new experience with God for each brother and visitor. Many of them converted to Christ. Worth mentioning is the glorious worship led by the young people, where the presence of God manifested in a special way. The glorious Word of God was given under the theme: “The Temptation” (based on the Book of 2 Samuel 11:1-13). In all these days the praise and worship did not stop, because the glory of the Lord was spilled all over the place. Also, the people of God rejoiced by listening to and singing spiritual songs. God strengthened His people, especially the ministerial body. To God we give all the glory! u january 2014

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Convention of Pastors in Venezuela The attendance and the power of God exceeded all the expectations. The Servants of the Lord gathered for the second time in a glorious meeting.

HE LONG AWAITED event called “Reaper in Conquest” took place from Tuesday 5 November to Friday 8 November in the Central Temple, 56 Impacto evangelistic

located west of the capital and led by Rev. Ricardo Manrique, National Supervisor of the WMM in Venezuela. The pastors left the pulpit to receive advice,

teachings, the Word of God and strength from above for four days. This activity was attended by the National Board Officers, presbyters, pastors, partici-

pants and their wives, all of which amounted to about 600 men and women of God coming from the 21 zones in the country. All the people of God were also present, which means that the total attendance reached the 1000 brothers. The activity was held in a particular way. In the morning, all the pastors gathered in the central temple, where the worships and workshops were carried out,

EVENTS

and the Word of God was given. And in the evening, the service started at 17:30 and it could be attended by brothers and friends. Rev. Ricardo Manrique, host pastor, and his beloved wife, Sister Gladys de Manrique, took good care of the ministerial body. He was also in charge of giving some information about: • Accounting and administrative orientation.

• Techniques for legal counsel. • Projection of the Missionary School of Theology. • Evangelistic and Missionary Development in the country through Evangelistic campaigns. • The schedule of the national activities for the next year 2014. Rev. Jorge Álvarez, Secretary and International Officer, was the speaker and preacher of

the Word. He was used by God in an extraordinary way from the first night. He addressed to the public with the theme: “The offering of Oblation”, based on the book of Leviticus 2, where it is referred to as an offering of approaching. He gave in detail all the ingredients needed to become a pleasant offering to God. In the second night, Rev. Celso Romero, National Officer, gave the message of the Word. On Thursday evening, the message entitled “Be prepared for a Miracle” was given by Rev. Jorge Álvarez, who based on 2 Kings 3:15-18. This great event ended with lots of glory, and that is how the closing message was entitled: “The Glory of God” by Rev. Jorge Álvarez,

who based on the book of Ezekiel 37 and 43. He explained that the glory of God produces noise, shaking, racket, tongues of fire, presence of God. Therefore, God came swiftly and spilled glory over the place. He manifested in different ways: fulfilling His people, shaking, baptizing, talking prophetically, healing and calling. The convention finished with this powerful service on Friday evening. It was transmitted by Redstereo, the broadcaster of the central Temple, and by Valores Radio 92.1 FM, from San Cristobal; La voz de la Verdad, from Maturín, Edo. Monagas; Radio Armonía 101.9 FM, from BoliviaBarinas; and Fortaleza Stereo, from Bogota, Colombia. Glory to God! u january 2014

WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

Men Retreat in Puerto Rico The camping activity marked the lives of all the brothers. There were new experiences with God, it was glorious. All were strengthened to continue in the Lord.

HE MEN of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Puerto Rico and their leader, Brother Jaime Rodríguez, got together from Friday 15 November to Sunday 17 November in a retreat seeking new experien58 Impacto evangelistic

ces with Jesus Christ. This activity was held in the La Viña de Oración Camp, in the town of Barceloneta. This great activity started on Friday night with a big number of attendees. We were visited by Rev. Margaro Figueroa, International

Director; Rev. Luis Ayala, Supervisor of Puerto Rico; as well as National Officers, Presbyters, Pastors and Sister Wanda Villarini, who was the main preacher in this retreat. On the first night, she preached under the theme: “The Profile of God’s Men”.

Saturday morning, from 4:30 am, was a fasting and prayer day where men sought a great blessing. At 9:30 am, Dr. Nelson Torres gave the first conference under the theme: “Sexuality in Marriage”, tackled with professionalism and according to what the Word of God says. In the afternoon, Pastor Antonia Rivera led a workshop on “Missionary Training”, and after a short pause, Rev. Albert Rivera, National Officer, gave the third and last conference of the day with the theme: “Effective Leadership”. The next activity took place at night. We could hear a lot of voices singing along to worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Sister Wanda Villarini gave the message with the theme: “The man as a true worshiper”. Sunday was the last and great day of this spiritual celebration, which started and finished with God’s fire, unction, power and presence touching every brother there. Sister Wanda Villarini shared the last message in this retreat under the theme: “A man full of Holy Spirit”. This beautiful retreat marked the all the men’s lives, who were strengthened to keep fighting the good fight of faith. To God be the Glory! u

EVENTS

National Men Fellowship in Italy Over 800 people gathered in an atmosphere full of adoration and exaltation to the Lord. The testimonies of the Brothers from Romania made the event even more important.

HE CHURCH of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Italy held its Sixth Men Fellowship on November 2 and 3 at Palapartenope Theater (vía Barbagallo 115, Fuorigrotta), Naples. The theme of this event was: “Breaking the chains” (2 Corinthians 10:4). The services were transmitted through the national web page www.mmmitalia.it, and through Liberación Celestial radio www.mmmliberacioncelestial.org/.

vember 2. The service led by Pastor Ramón Ortega, from the Church of Torino 2, started with songs for God performed by the praise group of Rome. The message of the Word of God was given by Rev. Hugo Lope, Presbyter of the WMM in Italy, who preached under the theme: “Breaking the chains of the indifference”. He encouraged the people of God to leave the indifference and to arouse a revival in every city where God has placed them.

OPENING SERVICE

SERVICE OF GLORY

The glorious fellowship began on Saturday No-

The second service of the glorious Men Fellowship

took place on Saturday evening. This event led by the Pastor Luis Valderrama, Presbyter of the South Zone in Italy, was attended by over 800 people, including our brothers from Romania, who shared their testimonies. All of them enjoyed the atmosphere full of adoration and exaltation to the Lord. Rev. David Echalar, Supervisor of the WMM in Italy, preached the Word of God under the theme: “Spiritual Influences”. He encouraged the people to keep moving and not to feel depressed or defeated, as the Lord has given us a spirit of

power and not a spirit of cowardice. He also called upon the ministerial body. CLOSURE SERVICE

With great rejoicing for the work the Lord is doing in Italy, the Church of the Lord started the last worship through songs, specials and testimonies of the wonderful work of God. Furthermore, the Lord opened the doors of Romania by using a humble and good-hearted family. This victory deeply touched the hearts of each brother attending this event, who engaged to pray for Italy, Romania, Europe and the whole world. The Word of God was given by Rev. David Echalar, from the Church of Genoa, who preached under the theme: “Fighting over the walls” (Nehemiah 2:17). He encouraged the people not to fear to the temptations of the devil u january 2014

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National Pastors Retreat in Panama About two hundred workers, both men and women, were encouraged to enlarge the work that they have been doing so far, for the Lord is coming soon.

ROM OCTOBER 30 TO NOVEMBER 3, the Pastors Retreat of the Work of the WMM in the Republic of Panama was held under 60 Impacto evangelistic

the theme: “Enlarge the place of thy tent”. The event was attended by over 200 workers, men and women, who were encouraged to enlarge

the work they have been doing so far, for the Lord is waiting for their decision in order to help and strengthen. On this occasion,

we had the visit of Rev. José Arturo Soto, International Vice-president of the WMM, who gave a speech called: “Principles that endure and transcend in the Work of God”. The speech was a great blessing for everyone attending this glorious activity. The National Officers Board, led by National Supervisor Rev. José Alcides Ramea, has also participated in this retreat u

EVENTS

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WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

Inauguration of Temple in Komaki Brothers from the different churches came from far away to enjoy the great blessing that God gives to His Work in Japan.

N SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3, the great inauguration of a new temple for the Work of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Japan took place in the city of Komaki, locality of Iwazaki, Prefecture of Aichi-ken. 62 Impacto evangelistic

This great victory for the Work started at 11 in the morning. Pastor David Veramendi was the host of this spiritual event. The workers joining this celebration were, among others, Pastor Eraldo Hokama, from the

Church of Narita; Pastor Andrés Marchan, from the city of Shizuoka; and Pastor Rildo Cueto, responsible for the churches of Saitama and Hashimoto. Brothers from the cities of Narita, Saitama, Hashimoto, Shizuoka, Oppama,

Toyohashi, Hekinan and Toyota came to join them. Additionally, some people came for the first time to visit the Church and many of them decided to surrender to Jesus Christ. The service started with the worship led by Pastor Rildo Cueto in an atmosphere full of praise, adoration, and beautiful movement of the Holy Spirit. Then, Pastor Andrés Marchan made the lecture of the Bible, Sister Mary Oishi performed the congre-

EVENTS

gational hymns, and RocĂo De Toyama with her choirs of fire were the preamble of the Word of God. After this beautiful devotional, Pastor David Veramendi Takeda talked about the progress in this country and the great acquisition of the new temple, which will be Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home, the doors to heaven, and a refuge for all those who love the sound doctrine. Also, he told the congregation that this temple is for sale and that we must pray for God to

meet the need of having not just a rented but our own temple. The preacher that evening was Pastor Eral-

do Hokama, from Narita, and God talked to His people through the book of Isaiah 30. He mentioned some doctrinal

points, such as not leaving saintliness, without which no one will see God, and not believing in the fake doctrines that are being included in many churches. By the end of this service, Pastor Rildo Cueto made a prayer for the Temple of Komaki. The people prayed along for the Japanese to come to the House of God, and for God to keep opening doors in many cities and to give us more temples where all the brothers could be strengthened u january 2014

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Others Events COLOMBIA

MEXICO

PERU

PARAGUAY

BAPTISM IN WATER

CAMPAIGN IN CHIAPAS

YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

GLORIOUS FELLOWSHIP

On June 8, 10 new brothers joined the Church of the Lord. These Baptisms in Water were celebrated in the municipality of Piedecuesta, department of Santander, in the WMM Church of El Refugio, a local church of the Zone 20 Presbytery led by Pastor Pedro Rojas. God bless and strengthen these young people who have started this new path!

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This activity was held from September 25 to September 28 in the town of Canton Cuyamiapa, Chiapas, Mexico. Throughout four days of evangelization, many people were blessed by the powerful presence of God. All who attended this beautiful activity testify that God’s answer was so great that many people gathered and received His message for their lives. God ministered during the whole event by saving souls and healing the sick. On the last day of the campaign, held in Canton Cuyamiapa, Chiapas, Rev Gustavo Chay, Presbyter in Guatemala, preached the Word and the presence of God moved powerfully. To God be all the Glory!

From Wednesday September 25 to Friday September 27, the young people of Chorrillos and Barranco districts, Lima, were touched by the message of God. This event brought together the young people of Zone 29 of the Work of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Peru. All of them gathered in the Church of Villa Chorrillos, led by Rev. Rodolfo Mejía, Presbyter of the zone. The last night, the closure message was shared by Rev. José Romero, Presbyter of the Church in Villa Alejandro. Pastor Romero encouraged the attendees to take the Gospel powerfully. He also highlighted that, in the Lord’s hands, young people are a powerful instrument to set free the souls from sin and snatch them from the claws of the devil.

On Sunday November 10, a glorious fellowship took place in the city of Mariano Roque Alonso, Central Department, Paraguay. The Holy Spirit of God attended this event. We had the visit of the National Supervisor of the WMM in Paraguay, Rev. Luis Alberto Rivera, who came with his beloved wife, Sister Deisy Chaquea. The event was also attended by the National Officers of the Work in that country. We were also visited by our brothers from Argentina, who came with Rev. Nazario, National Officer of the Work in Argentina, who shared the Word of God.

CAMPAIGN

Real Couples

A campaign developed by a group of young people seeking to maintain the respect for the divine institution of marriage, for the family and for the society.

“

EAL COUPLES” is the name of the campaign that seeks to promote natural marriage amid a debate caused by a controversial proposal to legalize the “civil union” between people of the same sex in Peru. This idea went viral on the social networks from November 25, 2013. The initiative, which was developed by an anonymous group of young people,

has triggered a reflection in the entire Andean nation, which got surprised by the bill proposing the matrimonial union between two homosexuals. This bill will be discussed next march. The objective of this online group is to respond convincingly to the campaign “Imaginary Couples”, which in mid-November 2013 crammed Peruvian main city with suggestive and unreal images of couples of Peruvian celebrities. The original idea of these simulated couples was born in France as an initiative of a photographer who started a similar campaign. The promoters of “Real Couples”, which is a boom on the social networks, do

not seek intolerance or homophobia, but respect for marriage as a divine institution, for family and for society. To them, this is not just a goal or a passing hobby. The Worldwide Missionary Movement in Peru, through Bethel Television, has joined this fair cause and contributed with seven advertising banners. This effort is part of the moral education and the good costumes claimed by the Work of the Lord. The impact of “Real Couples” has been so powerful that it has been given a long article on the web page of El Comercio (one of the most important media of Peru) on November 30, 2013 u january 2014

THEY WRITE TO US... WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

cartas@impactoevangelistico.net BETSABÉ MARROQUÍN This magazine is a great blessing for all of us. From Guatemala.

GLOBAL AGENDA 2014 JANUARY 1-4 Puerto Rico Convention 6-13 Colombia Convention

JEIMY MIRANDA I thank God for this edifying magazine, because since the beginning it has helped many lives. God bless you. From Sucre, Colombia.

MARQUIEL PENA God bless you greatly for the wonderful work that God has allowed you to do. I would like to know if it is possible to enable the web page to share the content of the magazines, such as the messages and other topics. In this way, Facebook users could share with their friends all the wonders in this magazine of God. Thanks, and God bless you. From Rhode Island, USA.

LEONARDO RUIZ God bless you, all the visitors of this web page, and its editors as well. I have visited it and I find it very interesting and wonderful, its testimonies are truly powerful and edifying. Go forward in the Lord. From Cucuta, Colombia.

ALEXANDER TROCHEZ M. The truth is that it exists thousands of web pages but, in my point of view, this is the only web page that has God's address. Desde Colombia.

ROY God bless you, brothers, and all who read this magazine, which is a great blessing. I rejoice

DINA HERNÁNDEZ God bless the magazine and all the Christians of this Work and the world. Let’s persevere, Christ comes soon. From Cordoba, Colombia.

when I see the great conventions held around the world and what God is doing with His servants and His Work. From Peru.

JORGE PARDO Thank you, brothers, for such a beautiful magazine; it is a blessing. There’s no better work than this magazine, which is helpful for the family. From Tingo María, Peru.

JEISSON CAMILO DONOS God bless you. I just want to congratulate you for this great content that edifying our lives. Keep up with this work. From El Espinal, Tolima, Colombia

SANDRA LISBETH GUALD God bless you. It is beautiful to know that the Work of God continues growing. A proof is in this interesting material, which is a blessing for our lives. Go forward, brothers. May God make this work successful. From Cucuta, Colombia.

SERGIO The web page is a great blessing. God bless you. From Juchitan (Oaxaca), Mexico.

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evangelistic

66 Impacto evangelistic

Founder Director: Rev. Luis M. Ortiz Editorial board: Rev. Luis Meza Bocanegra, Jacqueline Rovira, Samuel Martínez, Rev. Andrés Espejo Editorial coordinator: Rev. Julián Morón General editor: Víctor Tipe Sánchez Editor: Jaime Tipe Sánchez Graphic editor: Roberto Guerrero Graphic design: Adolfo Zubietta Writers: Johan Pérez Landeo, Marlo Pérez. Designers: Lesly Sánchez, Cesia Heredia. Web master and Infographics: Julio de la Cruz. Illustration: Julio Limachi. Transcription: Fanny Vidal, Ana Rodriguez. Community manager: Juan Becerra, Denisse Barrientos. Distribution: Javier Arotinco.

With Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help, we reach the world

For further information on the Worldwide Missionary Movement, visit our oďŹ&#x192;cial website

About us

Existing projects

january 2014

God’s love gives life to your family Visit the church of the Worldwide Missionary Movement. Visit the web page and find the address of the temples in your country. God bless you!

MOVIMENTO MISSIONÁRIO MUNDIAL