May 2014 / Edition 724 / www.impactoevangelistico.net
The magazine that edifies your life
evangelistic OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
Literature
The Minor Prophets
WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT
Testimony
The man who lost his name Hero of faith
Soldier of Christ
Disconnectedness The fear of being alone
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WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia
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EDITORIAL
Accepting God’s will Rev. Gustavo Martínez International President of the WMM
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7: 21.
B
eloved reader, a person who does not obey
them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye
nor accept God’s will is not suitable nor
here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on
worthy of Him. To do God’s will is very im-
his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this
portant, it is on the top of all the duties that we can
cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
perform. Remember the words of Jesus: “And he said to
He knew he had come to this world with a mission
them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
that nobody but Him was able to do. He could accept
take up his cross daily, and follow me…” (Luke 9: 23).
it and do his Father’s will to the letter. Therefore, he
If someone wants to be a Christian that means that you agree with God, that you stop being yourself,
could say: “It is finished.” He redeemed mankind and became the righteous sacrifice before the Father.
and that you let your own “you” die. John the Baptist
The Lord once said: “No man, having put his hand to the
said: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Juan 3:30).
plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke
Similarly, the Apostle Paul stated: “I am crucified with
9: 62). We must go forward, no matter what we may
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…”
find on the way nor what the future awaits for us.
(Galatians 2: 20).
This is a path with no return.
We usually see people jumping and dancing for
Will we do God’s or our will? To do what we want
joy during spiritual retreats, but they still remain in-
to seems better as we would have no problem; nobo-
different, earthly and worldly. Even their leader lives
dy would reject us, criticize us nor obstruct us. But if
okay with the few members of his congregation; he
we do our Father’s will, a struggle would begin. We
does not spend whole nights and weeks praying and
would have lots of troubles. That is when the Calvary,
fasting to honor God as there is conformism, a litany.
the torment, the harshness begin. That is when would
We must do God’s will.
decide to follow God’s will or not. May God helps
We read in Matthew 26: 38-39 a passage that relates when Jesus had to face his own will: “Then saith he unto
us, beloved! Today, you are free to choose whom to serve
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Founder Director: Rev. Luis M. Ortiz May 2014 / Edition N° 724 (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. Rubén Concepción Secretary Rev. Rodolfo González Treasurer Rev. Álvaro Garavito Director Rev. Margaro Figueroa Director Rev. Rómulo Vergara Director Rev. Humberto Henao Director CHURCHES ESTABLISHED IN: Germany Argentina Aruba Australia Austria Belgium Belize Bolivia Bonaire Brasil Cameroon Canadá Chile Colombia Congo Costa Rica Curacao Dinamarca Ecuador El Salvador Spain United States The Philippines France Gabón Ghana Guatemala Equatorial Guinea French Guiana Guyana Inglesa Haití Holland
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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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How can someone feel lonely in this noisy and crowded world? However, it is possible despite being surrounded by people.
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Impacto Evangelistic Magazine
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This hymn conveys a moving message about the encounter with the Almighty. It is a beautiful Christian ode written by believer Carrie Elizabeth Ellis.
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National and international press gave wide coverage to the march of thousands of Peruvians against the civil union bill in Peru.
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Huldrych Zwingli devoted his entire life to spreading the Gospel and became the main driver of the Reformation in Switzerland.
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He was kidnapped by an occultist as a young child. Several years later, he escaped from his captor and traveled across Colombia in search of his mother and his true identity.
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“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love... For our God is a consuming fire�. 1 John 4:8; Hebrews 12:29.
62 63 Events in: Peru, Puerto Rico, Panama, United States, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, El Salvador, Holland.
Letters
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The fear to
be alone
How can someone feel lonely in this noisy and crowded world? However, it is possible despite being surrounded by people. This electronic world overwhelms our lives and we usually think: “I am just a phone call away from a friend.” 6 Impacto o evangelistic
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Mr. David Jeremiah
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T
his is a great challenge of our modern culture: despite living in a more technologically connected world, we feel lonelier than ever in history. A very well-known actress confessed: “Loneliness is the most horrible situation in life for me; what I fear the most is to be lonely with nobody who cares about me or anybody to love.” The director of a music group said: “Loneliness is what I fear the most in the entire world.” Disconnection: this is the most accurate way to describe a world where the most of us live in impersonal cities or suburbs, where the Internet replaces face-toface conversations, where an average work post only lasts two years, and where people marry, divorces and travels to different places every single day. If you wonder if we actually live in a disconnected world, here we show you some statistics: statistics gurus stated that the adult North-American population spent 12 hours on-line in 2009, which was twice the time that they spent in 2005. Nowadays, this amount of time is higher than that of 2009. Similarly, the average American citizen used his/ her mobile phone to send and receive 400 messages every month. Teenagers received about 2300 messages per month. It is also true that more people live lonely these days. It surprised me that in 1950, less than 10 % of Americans lived alone against the 27 % of nowadays. A newspaper of Los Án8 Impacto o evangelistic
geles informed that there is a rising fear and phobia generated by this disconnection: “nomophobia”, or fear to have no mobile phone. When we read the Bible, we can see that this disconnection is the first thing that God mentioned: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Ge-
nesis 2: 18). The first man must not be alone and the Bible presents many other similar cases. Like Hagar, who was exiled to the desert since she was no longer accepted in Abraham’s home, as related in Genesis 16. This is one the loneliest experiences ever exposed; Hagar was totally left alone. King David also felt a great disconnection, but he did not only feel it: he expressed it. These are just two of his expressions about loneliness. The first one is related in Psalm 102: 7: “I watch,
and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.” And the second one,
which is in my opinion the loneliest verse in the Bible, is related in Psalm 142: 4: “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”
If I had to choose a character of the Bible that represents at its best the expression “to feel disconnected”, I would choose Apostle Paul. It is incredible how he managed to remember the name of so many people despite his travels and various activities. In the Epistle to the Romans, for example, he mentioned about 35 people that he met and whom he remembered something about. In 2 Timothy 4, he mentioned 17 people, and if we read chapter 1, he adds two more ones. In summary, he mentioned 19 people in this brief epistle.
COVER Paul was not just a prisoner, a person who did not like to be with other people nor suffered for being alone. He was not. He was a very sociable person. Nevertheless, we find him alone. That is when we begin to understand what the meaning of disconnection and isolation is. Paul was accused of sedition and he must appear before the Caesar, after which he was imprisoned. We read in 2 Timothy 4: 6: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.� He was not
talking about his departure of Rome, but of his own death, that he knew was very near as there were only a few days left for the fulfilment of his sentence. While awaiting his final destiny, he remained disconnected and alone. He was imprisoned in the Mamertine prison of Rome. It is difficult to describe this prison. We know that Paul was forced to remain undressed there, allowing him to keep only his tunic during his last days. That prison was a terrible place: there was not much food available, the state of the sewers was unknown, beds were just a bunch of straw, and prisoners sometimes had to eat rats. Furthermore, Paul was isolated and alone. This man who loved to be with other people must spent his last days in complete isolation. He is the representation of disconnection in our modern world; we live in a lonely world. Divorce is probably on the top of the list of discon-
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g nections. Anything isolates more a person than marriage dissolution. Some women talk about the total rupture that happened when their husbands left them. Friends, family… everything disappeared with them. A woman once told me that she had never felt so lonely than during the days after her divorce. Similarly, families with members serving in the military know what isolation is. When a soldier die in service, their relatives usually receive no notification of the event for weeks. Sometimes, they are even not allowed to communicate for a period of time. In Physics, there is something known as the second law of thermodynamics: the law of entropy. It states that isolated things are subject to deterioration. Entropy works both for the spiritual and physical field. Christians who isolate from other Christians are subject to deterioration. “It is not good that the man should be alone”… so10 Impacto o evangelistic
metimes, disconnections really stands for isolation, like in the case of Paul. Paul did not just experience the disconnection of isolation, but a different type of loneliness due to infidelity. The last verses of the chapter 4 of the Second Epistle to Timothy are like a litany of desertion and separation. Six of the seventeen friends of Paul mentioned there were in a different place. Read your Bible and you will find that Crescens is in Galatia, Titus in Dalmatia, Tychicus in Ephesus, Carpus in Troas, Erastus in Corinth and Trophimus in Miletus. Six of his seventeen friends were somewhere else with no further explanations. Actually, two of Paul’s friends from Asia abandoned him in chapter 1. We read in 2 Timothy 1: 15: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.”
And in 2 Timothy 4: 10, there is a man named Demas. Paul said about him: “For
Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica…” Demas departu-
re was very painful for Paul. In 2 Timothy 4: 16, Paul kept on talking about loneliness:
“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”
We suffer sometimes this disconnection of isolation, but also the disconnection of infidelity. We know that sometimes our beloved ones may be the people who hurt us the most. Paul adds something to his absolute and total disconnection in prison. I call it “interference disconnection.” Paul said about a man named Alexander: “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works. Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.” (2 Ti-
mothy 4: 14-15). Alexander became like a Judas for Paul. Pay attention to this passage and you may realize Paul’s disappointment. That is not the way any-
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body would like to see Paul die, the end of this man who gave us an important part of the New Testament, this great missionary and evangelist who established churches in Asia Minor, finishing his days in a horrible dungeon with no friends and treated like an enemy by Alexander. Disappointment is part of the loneliness that we face nowadays and part of leadership, as well. It is sometimes tough, but it is part of the call. It is said that we should not care about what other people do, but to stay focused on not to abandon the Lord nor ourselves. I remember a commentary of a Pastor stating: “People usually do not recognize a leader but after his/her death. That is when we build monuments honoring them with the same rocks that we first used to throw at them.� What can we learn from this passage? In 2 Timothy 4, we explained which the context of Paul was at that time.
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g Now, we will see what he did to face that situation and we will discover four facts about disconnection that we can use to improve our own lives. 1° WE NEED FRIENDS
Here we learn an important advice by Paul: “When alone, we need friends.” Therefore, we read: “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me… Take Mark, and bring him with thee… Do thy diligence to come before winter… ” (2
Timothy 4: 9, 11, 21). Many people consider Paul a hero of the Gospel, but at this passage, he is disconnected, lonely, and begs his friends to come to see him. He encourages Timothy to bring Mark with him, the same Mark who abandoned him but then redeemed. Paul wanted also to see Timothy and asked him to come. This is important because there are lots of people who told me many times: “Oh Pastor! I do not need anybody, I just need God!” But that is not true; we need people! Certainly, we sometimes need to be alone, but God created us to live in company of other people, not alone. “It is not good that the man should be alone… ” Paul asked for his
friends and he was not willing to spend his lasts days alone with Luke like partner. The Bible is full of passages stating this truth, that people need the company of other people. Look for a way to connect with other people and that will help you to improve your mental, spiritual, emotional and physical state. Therefore, you will be a better person. 12 Impacto o evangelistic
2° WE NEED COMPASSION “The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee… ” (2 Timothy 4: 13). We
do not just need friends, but compassion as well. When preaching lonely people, it is not just a matter of detecting their needs and trying to satisfy them. Paul, in that cold prison, knew that he would not be able to endure the winter if he did not have anything to wrap up himself warm; then, he asked for his tunic. Paul was in Rome and it was about to be winter, so he wanted his tunic. William Tyndale, the great translator of the Bible, had a similar experience in Belgium while at jail fifteen centuries after Paul’s imprisonment. He wrote in 1535 the following letter to the governor of the castle where he was being kept. Read these words and realize the resemblance: “I beg to your lordship to kindly ask the
commissioner to send me my personal belongings on his power since I am forced to stay here during the winter: a warmer hat since I have headaches due to the cold weather, a warmer overcoat as the one in my possession is too thin, and one of my woolen shirts.” Maybe someone that you know is alone and needs some help. You can bring him/her food or invite him/ her a cup of coffee or something to eat, whatever. The fact is not just to be with other people, but to take an interest in them. 3° WE NEED THE INSPIRATION OF THE WORD OF GOD
In the same chapter, we read that we need inspiration. Paul said in 2 Timothy 4: 13: “… when thou comest, bring with thee… the books, but especially the parchments.”
If I have no other option than to be alone, I would
COVER like to have at least some books, specially the Bible. Something happens during those moments of loneliness. Whether you are in a hospital or somewhere else, and you have the possibility to study and meditate for a long period of time, just delve into the Word of God. Time will pass by without even noticing it. I had cancer some years ago. If you had this disease before or if you have been with someone who suffered it, maybe you can try to think about other things, but it is very difficult to do. But if you keep trying, you may find yourself absorbed in the study of the Word of God. It would be like an oasis in a desert full of challenges. I can imagine Paul making the most of the few hours of light within his prison to read the Holy Scriptures and find some hope in the truth of God, even in his situation. If you try it, you may find some special biblical passages, like this in Hebrews 13: 5-6: “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
4° WE NEED CHRIST
We have learnt that when we are disconnected we need friends, compassion and the inspiration of the Word of God. But on the top of our needs, we find Christ. Paul states on 2 Timothy 4: 17-18: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from
every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Jesus-Christ was with Paul and He will be there for us as well if we call Him during our lonely times. Jesus experienced Himself loneliness when He realized that all His disciples would abandon Him. Nevertheless, we read in John 16: 32: “… And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”
When we think about the challenges of being disconnected, we may say that “disconnection is what life is about.” For example, we start our lives within the safe and warm womb of our mother, and all of a sudden someone takes us out from there and “disconnects” from our mother. Then, we are at home with the attention of our parents and the constant care and love our mother. During our first years of life, we begin the long process of disconnection. It first happens in the kindergarten for a few hours every week until midday. Then, it comes the day when mothers see their children go to school and spend more hours with other people. After that, children must attend middle school and there it comes more activities that disconnect parents from their children: social and physical activities that separate them for some weeks. Next, it comes the time for college. Afterwards, marriage time arrives. Our children actually follow a biblical commandment: to leave father and mother, which is certainly a disconnection.
After marriage, life goes on for some time, but then it comes the end of the road: death… such a tough event. Death is a terrible rupture; there is anything like that and no way to describe it. Even though, there is one final disconnection. The Bible states that if we do not accept Christ while alive, we will be totally and forever disconnected from God after death. Remember that God was the first who did not like to see the man alone: “It is not good that the man should be alone… ”
Adam and Eve must be alone after their sin. They were together as husband and wife, but they succumbed to sin and separated from God. The disconnection of Eden became deeper when Jesus died on the cross, when He cried: “… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27: 46). Jesus was separated from the Father so that we will not be disconnected from God, as we were sinners and did not have anything to offer Him, since we were doomed to the death. The Bible states: “For the wages of sin is death… ” (Romans 6: 23). That is disconnection. But God came to this world, left His Son to die on the cross and suffered our disconnection for us, so that we may be connected to God again forever. Do you still have a reason to remain alone in a world that is meant to be a community? If you trust the Lord today, you may know Him personally wherever you are at this moment. You do not have to wait. You can do it now; I encourage you to do so. Connect today to God u may 2014
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Why do people isolate themselves? One of the most popular isolation types is the physical one, the purpose of which is not considered unhealthy, but can actually help achieve better concentration. There are trained people that can achieve high levels of concentration regardless of the external circumstances that may arise. They prefer to live away from society, without interaction with the physical world. Likewise, infectious diseases can also cause isolation in people, since this is a way of protecting those from the external environment from becoming infected. However, symptoms of emotional solitude often reflect the emotional and mental state of an individual who tends to withdraw and turn to the social networks.
La falta de comunicación en la familia es una causa de la culture of cyber addiction to technology. These addictions are found most often in people between 5 and 15 years of age, creating a breeding ground for other addictions, such as drugs, alcohol or smoking.
Solitude caused by technology
This time’s addiction?
Technoaddiction is the addiction to social networking, video games and cyber navigation. Nowadays, young people prioritize electronic contact with either laptops, tablets, smartphones, TV or headphones – they isolate themselves –, which has resulted in lack of authority and love in the family, because there is no communication. These values have been lost to the invasion of electronic devices in the house, and this dehumanization leads young people to seek artificial happiness, because natural happiness does not exist. Therefore, shelter are addictions, in this case electronic addiction or techno-addiction, to the point where young people have absolutely no communication or contact with their families.
“I want my children to have what I did not have,” and so they flood their child’s life with stuff. This is satiety.
In children from five to fifteen years of age, isolation starts when parents adopt three principles out of ignorance:
“I want my children to enjoy what I did not enjoy,” and so they let them have all weekends binges and partying, clubs and camps, bars, etc. This is hedonism. Those are the three anti-values.
Solitude type: Infectious isolation
Solitude type: Productive isolation
There are several types of solitude, some of which can be related to concentration, meditation, contagious diseases, or non-acceptance of certain social habits.
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Solitude type: Emotional isolation
Genesis 2:18, says: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” In Psalm 102:7, David describes: “I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.” In Psalm 142:4, David says: “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.” 2 Timothy 1:15, says: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” In 2 Timothy 4:16.Paul said: “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.” Psalm 27:10 says: “When my father and my mother
“I don’t want my children to suffer what I suffered,” and so they make it all easy for them. The child makes no effort anymore, because their parents pay teachers, buy off good grades, teach them the easy way out, etc. On one hand, this is materialist satiety, on the other easy shortcuts, that is, no effort.
Solitude forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” In Hebrews 13:5-6 there is a quote from the Old Testament: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Notice what Paul says in 2 Timoteo 4:17-18 “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Hallucinations Solitude is the confinement or isolation that certain people have towards society and their external environment.
After a rather prolonged isolation, human beings tend to imagine situations, hear voices, or speak to themselves as an imaginary company. Hallucinations take a while to arrive, but always occur after several weeks of solitude.
Anxiety
The most common symptoms of isolation
Solitude type: Voluntary isolation
Anxiety increases. The state of nervousness and monologues also become more frequent. The individual often loses track of time and therefore experiences significant anxiety as never felt before.
Perceptual distortions Although young people often adapt better to isolation than older people, sooner or later they all experience time and space distortion. This occurs the moment they start experiencing isolation, and more often than not, they do not even know the current date.
Depression and aggression Although depression can be a major cause of isolation, it is often encouraged by withdrawal. A lonely, isolated person is usually more depressed and aggressive than a person with an active social live.
Loneliness damages human health A team of psychologists from the University of Arizona (UA) has recently studied the phenomenon of loneliness and its effects on individual health, with interesting results. Facebook and Twitter would have the same effect by promoting superficial relationships that increase isolation. Loneliness harm human health because it encourages bad health habits, increased use of drugs, and a higher level of stress. In addition, the harmful effects of loneliness may be increased by social networks like Facebook, which promote superficial relationships, hence feelings of isolation and loneliness. These are the conclusions of research by U.S. scientists, who also point out that loneliness is cured only by close quality personal relationships.
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REMINISCENCES of the
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1. Glorious baptisms in Panama in the 1990’s. The Work of God continues growing. 2. Youth Fellowship, end of the 1990’s.
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3. Baptisms in water in the 1980’s.
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4. Rev. José Soto in an international activity, 1999. 5. Rev. Soto preaching in the Parque Lefreve temple, Panama (2003).
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The massive march gathered many Christian churches in Peru.
In defense of the family National and international press gave wide coverage to the march of thousands of Peruvians against the civil union bill in Peru.
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n Saturday May 3, over 50 thousand Peruvians took to the streets of Lima and marched against the bill that aims to 18 Impacto o evangelistic
Thousands of people took the streets of Lima, Peru's capital, to march in d
legalize same-sex civil union in Peru, thus jeopardizing family and marriage consecrated by the Word of God. Both national and international media gave wide and significant coverage to this event. “It was a massive march against gay civil union in Lima,” informed Correo, one of the top national circulation daily newspapers, while La Republica newspaper stated that “a multitude of people marched against the civil union bill.” “The participants marched along some of Lima’s
main avenues, such as Brasil, 28 de Julio and De la Peruanidad,” said Radioprogramas del Peru, the country’s largest broadcaster. The rally gathered from 2 pm and brought together various social and religious organizations in defense of the family, such as the Worldwide Missionary Movement. The participation of the WMM was led by Rev. Luis Meza Bocanegra, National Supervisor of the Work in Peru, who was accompanied by national officers hoisting the national flag along the avenue. The act was welco-
CURRENT EVENTS
defense of the family and against a bill that aims to legalize civil union.
med by thousands of residents and bystanders who witnessed the demonstration. Throughout the journey,
the various platforms of Bethel Television and other media reported the events. The secular press was also present to report the activity, which also took place in other cities of the country. Once the march came to an end, a meeting was held where each representative spoke against the bill that threatens the family and divine laws. It should be noted that six out of ten Peruvians (61%) disapprove of the non-marital civil union between same-sex people, according to a survey by Ipsos Peru u may 2014
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The Apocryphal (VII) Gospels
This is the penultimate installment of the fundamental work about the invalidity of the Popular Version of the Bible. Rev. Domingo Fernández Dr. César Vidal Manzanares
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ossibly one of the fiercest battles that Christian theologians and pastors have had to fight for the past two years has been the one against theological liberalism. Born with the political and economic liberalism in the late eighteen century, its purpose was to subject the text of the Bible to criticism and deprive it of everything that was considered as lacking credibility or authenticity. As was to be expected, the attempt to judge the Word of God instead of letting it to judge the life of people had painful consequences. Not only those biblical doctrines that were considered lacking real 20 Impacto o evangelistic
base (divinity of Christ, His atoning sacrifice, etc.) began to be denied but it was also stressed that the Scriptures were not inerrant as they contained errors and myths. As a way to substantiate such claims, the argument that you could not even believe that the authors of the books of the Bible were those stated by the sacred text was used. The consequences of theological liberalism will not be long in coming. In evangelical churches, where it spread across, it marked the beginning of an agony that, generally, ended with the spiritual death of most of the denomination. As regards the Catholic Church, theological liberalism was incorporated within it after a brief initial resistance. While the denial of the Bible meant a death blow for Protestantism, this could even be beneficial for the Catholic Church. In fact, as the data provided by Scriptures was not reliable, it was even
more necessary an extrabiblical theological guide like the authority of the Pope. In that sense, it is not surprising that the liberal theology –referring to the Scriptures- is taught for decades in Catholic seminaries and is a substantial part of the notes and comments in their editions of the Bible. The trace of theological liberalism -against which the now unjustly maligned fundamentalist movement rose up at the beginning of the twentieth century- is being felt again and again in the notes and introductions of the PV and thus it helps to dangerously undermine the faith in the Scriptures like the Word of God, and to prepare the way for the future acceptance of a spiritual authority that is not based on the Bible. According to the PV the Pentateuch was not written by Moses The Scriptures are very clear when stating that the
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g first five books of the Bible -the so-called Pentateuch- was the work of Moses. The Pentateuch itself states that Moses wrote it (Ex. 17:14; 24:4; 34:27; Nm. 33:1-2; Dt. 31:9-22) and this testimony is repeated elsewhere in the Old Testament (Josh. 1:7-8; Judg. 3:4; 1 Kgs. 2:3; 2 Kgs. 14:6; 21:8; 2 Chron. 25:4; Ezr. 6:16). As if that were not enough, the testimony of Jesus (Matt. 8:4; Mk. 7:10; 10:5; Lk. 20:37; Jn. 5:47; 7:19, etc.) and the apostles (Acts. 3:22; 15:5-21, etc.) is unanimous in this respect: the author of the Pentateuch is the one stated in the Bible, i.e. Moses. Despite such obvious statement, the PV indulges itself in denying and noting that the Pentateuch was not finished by the fifteenth century BC (the century of Moses) but a millennium later. Based on this and other evidence, most of the modern Bible scholars think that the Pentateuch was not written at one time, but that the final draft is situated at the end of a long story. At the beginning of this story the figure of Moses, the liberator and legislator of Israel who marked with indelible seal the spirit and the historical trajectory of his nation, is highlighted. At the end of the process is the Pentateuch in its present form. Its final draft can be situated, with reasonable certainty, in the time of Ezra (fifth century BC). Between these two limits is the work of the inspired authors who collected, ordered and wrote down the stories and collections of laws, many of which were transmitted orally through the centuries. Therefore, to recognize the Mosaic 22 Impacto o evangelistic
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17, 16-17)
authorship of the Pentateuch does not mean that Moses was the author of every one of the texts; it means that people of Israel embraced the spiritual legacy of Moses as a living inheritance. This inheritance was transmitted accurately but it was also amplified and enriched through the centuries (page 20 of PV 1995). According to the PV the books were not written by the prophets Just like Moses, the prophets were the favorite targets of the liberal theology. It has been not only said that they are not the real autors of the Bible books, which are named
after them, but it has also been questioned that the messianic prophecies became true with Jesus or that the prophecies were even messianic at all. As we will discuss on the next pages, the PV also states those points of view, and not only denies the authorship of some of the prophetic books, but it also talks about the messianic prophecies in such a way that they don’t seem to be messuanic prophecies anymore. a) Isaiah did not write the book of Isaiah: The liberal theology states that Isaiah wrote only a part of the book of Isaiah. According to this theology, only the first chaptors –entirely or partially- could be attributed to him, but after chaptor 40 the book could be written by different authors from 6th century BC, which is two centuries after Isaiah. The New Testament re-
HISTORY
jected that possibility outright and attributes the authorship of all chaptors to Isaiah (Matthew 3,3 quote from Isaiah 40,3; Luke 4 quote from Isaiah 61,1; Matthew 8,17 quote from Isaiah 53,4; Matthew 12,17 quote from Isaiah 42,14). One more time, there is the dilema of choosing between the testimony of the Bible or the liberal theology. One more time the PV has chosen the last one. “The second section of the book of Isaiah (chaptors 40-55) begins with a message of consolation to Israelites deported to Babylon (40:1). Words of judgment and condemnation are no longer heard. Instead, the prophet announces the exiles, in the name of the Lord, that they would soon be returned to the country from which they were exiled” (p. 857). “The third and final part (chapters 56-66) contains pro-
phetic messages about various topics: warnings about true fasting (58:1-12) and Sabbath observance (58:13 -14), criticism of corrupt rulers (56:912), allegations of false worship and moral and religious perversions (57:4-5 , 9; 65:4 , 66:3). This suggests that the recipients of these prophetic messages were no longer, as in the second part, the deportees to Babylon, but those who had returned to their homeland and struggled to rebuild the nation amid internal difficulties and external threats” ( p . 858). b) The book of Daniel was not written by Daniel: Among the texts whose authorship has been denied especially by liberal authors is the book of Daniel. Jesus himself attributes it to Daniel, a prophet of sixth century BC (Mt. 24:15). By contrast, libe-
ral theology insists that it was written in the second century BC, by an unknown author. Thus, its prophecies are not such because the work was written later. When choosing between the teaching of Jesus and the liberal theology, the PV has chosen to the second alternative once again. “In regard to the date of composition of the book, the opinions are divided. Some think it was written during the Babylonian exile, and others think that it happened at the time of the Maccabees (see chronological table). In favor of this second date are the pretty obvious references to the desecration of the Temple of Jerusalem by the Hellenistic monarch, and the subsequent persecution of the Israelites (9:27, 11:30-35). But these clear allusions stands in direct contrast to the vague reference to the death of Antiochus IV (11:45) in 164 BC. This suggests that the final version of the book took place shortly before the death of this king, i.e., around 165 BC” (p. 1098). c) The book of Zechariah was not written by Zechariah: As is the case of Isaiah or Daniel, Zechariah’s authorship has also been denied by the liberal theology which attributes the second part of the book to an unknown author of the fourth century BC. Again, the PV has followed the guidelines of theological liberalism. “So many interpreters consider that the second part of the book was written at a later date, perhaps after the triumphal journey of Alexander the Great through the coastal regions of Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine, and Philistia, i.e. after the 330 BC” (p. 1205) u may 2014
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The Minor Prophets
Written by the American biblical scholar Charles Lee Feinberg, who specialized in investigating in depth the Old Testament, this work is a comprehensive study of a little known part of the Scriptures.
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n “The Minor Prophets” Dr. Charles Feinberg has proven to possess an unusual combination of talents that have contributed to an extraordinary excellence in the education of Christian laity who love the Bible wholeheartedly. His profound knowledge of biblical Hebrew, acquired in his original preparation, along with a proficiency in the Greek of the New Testament, enabled him to make a thorough study of the Scriptures in the original languages . With a lucid and clear style, Feinberg communicates the message of Scriptures in a simple but persuasive way. Born on 12 June 1909, Char24 Impacto o evangelistic
les Lee Feinberg is one of the most prominent American authorities within Jewish history, languages and customs of the Old Testament and biblical prophecies. Raised in an Orthodox Jewish community, he converted to Christianity in 1930, graduated with honors in Science at the University of Pittsburgh and served the Lord through a vast intellectual work that was centered on scrutinizing the Word of God. Hosea ministered during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah, and during that of Jeroboam II, son of Joash of Israel. A comparison of dates will reveal that Hosea long outlived Jeroboam II. However, it is far from necessary to hold that he ministered from the first year of Uzziah’s reign to the last of Hezekiah’s, a period of about a century (we must remember that Jotham’s reign overlaps Uzziah’s, his father, who was a leper.) Hosea probably prophesied somewhat over a half-
century, some maintaining seventy or even eighty years. Feinberg, who earned his Th.B., Th.M. and Th.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary between 1934 and 1935, was always a persevering servant of the Almighty. Thus, in the beginnings of his evangelical mission in Dallas, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, he spread the creed of the Lord on a radio program and served as pastor of an evangelical church from 1936 to 1940. Moreover, he earned a M.A. in Old Testament from Southern Methodist University and a Ph.D. in Archeology and Semitic languages from Johns Hopkins University. Amos, whose name occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament outside of his prophecy, was born in the Southern Kingdom of Judah in Tekoa. He was not the son of a prophet nor a prophet from his birth, but was a shepherd and a cultivator of sycamore trees. He was
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g not a family of rank, wealth or influence, but given to the pastoral life in the rugged regions of Tekoa, which lay eighteen miles southeast of Jerusalem and nine miles south of Bethlehem. His figures and images, beautiful and abundant, are drawn from rustic life. His book is characterized by beauty of expression and loftiness of thought. “The Minor Prophets”, one of the crowning works of Feinberg, provides an extraor26 Impacto o evangelistic
dinary Christian legacy for anyone who loves the Bible wholeheartedly. In a text divided into five parts, the author presents a number of useful and enriching data which proves his deep knowledge of biblical Hebrew. Similarly, Charles Feinberg shows his proficiency in the art of communication. With a lucid and clear style, he shares the message of Scriptures in a simple but persuasive way. Scoffers and skeptics have
asked how could Jonah preach to a people he did not even know, yet make them understand his preaching. He easily got the Assyrians to understand him. Thus, there was a lingua franca, as it happens today. The notice of judgment was itself a message of grace. They were granted a period of forty days during which they must turn to God and leave the wrong path. Forty is the number used in Scriptures with respect to the evidence. Our Lord
LITERATURE
said that Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites. In the foreword to this book, the author states that his work is intended to meet a real need for material on the much ignored minor prophets and places them in an appropriate framework in relation to Israel. In this regard, Feinberg says it is amazing how relevant and applicable are the messages of these men of God in such a peculiar time as this. In addition, he notes that anyone wishing
to have a good balance on the truth of the Creator must carefully weigh the books of these prophets. The name “Zephaniah” means “Jehovah hides” or “one whom the Jehovah hides.” Beyond this, nothing is known about this prophet’s life. The genealogy that appears at the beginning of the prophecy has four generations. The genealogy of any other prophet goes back so long. It is not customary in the Old Testament to present the ancestry of a man beyond his grandfather, unless it is for a special purpose. Zephaniah was of royal blood, grandson of the pious king Hezekiah. The arguments presented against this view are not convincing. This prophet ministered for about half a century after Nahum. According to Charles Feinberg, the reader will soon discover that the pages of “The Minor Prophets” contain a number of cross-references that were collated and compiled with great care and which are also essential for any Bible study focused on the Old Testament. The work, which first appeared in five volumes between 1947 and 1952, aimed to awaken in the evangelical world a lasting love for Israel, the people chosen by the Almighty, and make it fill with missionary zeal for its salvation. The name “Zechariah” means “the Lord (Jehovah) remembered.” This is the great prophet of the days of the restoration from Babylonian captivity. Along with Haggai and Malachi, Zechariah is a postexilic prophet. He was born in Babylon within a priestly family who returned to Jerusa-
lem from Babylon, when about 50 000 exiles traveled back to their land during the reign of Cyrus. Probably his father died young, so he is designated as the son of Iddo, who was his grandfather. Just as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Zechariah was a prophet and priest. Jewish tradition considers him as one of the Great Synagogue, a congregation that is believed to have collected and preserved the Scriptures. After a lifetime dedicated to spreading the good news, Dr. Charles Feinberg -a wise of concise lucidity- headed for the kingdom of Jesus Christ on 22 August 1995. During his earthly stay he proved to have a burning interest and a sincere concern for the spiritual growth of their brethren in the evangelical faith. Very often, he shifted from interpretation to exhortation, as in “The Minor Prophets” and managed to persuade people about the duty to accept with love the will revealed by God in the Scriptures. Malachi is the last of the great series of prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah for a thousand years. Nothing is known about the personal history of the prophet. Some think that Malachi, meaning “my messenger”, is not even a proper name. In general, liberal critics argue that the book was originally anonymous, since Hebrew (and Greek) has the same word for “messenger” and “Angel”. Several Fathers of the Church believed that the prophet was an angel incarnate. This prophet ministered at the time that Nehemiah was governor. It is clear that his ministry took place after the captivity: the temple was rebuilt u may 2014
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Face to face
This hymn conveys a moving message about the encounter with the Almighty. It is a beautiful Christian ode written by believer Carrie Elizabeth Ellis.
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f music is the most direct art because it goes through the ear to the heart, the hymns composed by Carrie Elizabeth Ellis had the particularity to penetrate the believer’s soul to fill it with joy and hope. One of them, “Face to face” is a beautiful praise about one of the greatest desires of every Christian: to see God’s face. That desire, through crazy for many, is an unchangeable promise recorded in the Scriptures. Carrie E. Ellis was born on January 22, 1855 in a small community named Walden in northern Vermont, USA. 28 Impacto o evangelistic
However, in 1863, her family moved to Vineland, a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, where she lived much of her life. There, where only primary education was provided, she stood out since very young because of her versatility in writing and composition. Carrie’s gift for writing was encouraged by a local couple who led a literary society for young people in the community. Due to the beautiful songs composed by Ellis, all full of meaning and spiritual depth, she was soon recognized as a woman of huge faith by all the inhabitants of Vineland. Later, on May 28, 1883, at age 28, she married Frank A. Breck, a Christian deeply committed to the work of the Almighty, and adopted her husband’s surname. She had five daughters
and fully complied her task as a mother. Although domestic chores were arduous, she always found a way to be alone to continue writing songs. That was her passion, the way she could talk to Jesus and communicate to others the reason of her hope. Years later, when she was nearing 59, she moved to the city of Portland, in the state of Oregon. By that time, her writing was prolific and she was in a period of greatest activity and prominence. However, years earlier, in 1898, Christ “gave” Carrie the lyrics of a wonderful hymn that would be entitled “Face to Face”. One day, Mrs. Breck sent some of her poems to a composer of gospel hymns called Grant Colfax Tullar, hoping he can set them to the right music. Much to her surprise, when the verses of “Face to
MUSIC FACE TO FACE
1 Face to face with Christ, my Savior, Face to face—what will it be, When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me? Refrain Face to face I shall behold Him, Far beyond the starry sky; Face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by! 2 Only faintly now I see Him, With the darkened veil between, But a blessed day is coming, When His glory shall be seen. 3 What rejoicing in His presence, When are banished grief and pain; Death is swallowed up in victory, And the dark things shall be plain. 4 Face to face—oh, blissful moment! Face to face—to see and know; Face to face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ who loves me so.
Face” reached the hands of Tuller, he had just finished the music for a song he was not so satisfied with. However, the lyrics of the hymn composed by Carrie suited perfectly the music Tuller had made. The hand of God had worked in it. Since it was published, “Face to Face” has appeared in over 160 hymnals. Carrie Elizabeth Breck,
POWERFUL POET
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arrie Elizabeth Breck, who used to write her poems with one of her five daughters between her knees, composed more than two thousand congregational hymns. Some of Breck’s most famous compositions – a Christian who since very young had God as her Savior and never hesitated to accept that she did not have a great musical gift – are “Everyone Should Know,” “Nailed To The Cross,” “Help Somebody Today,” “Never give up trusting,” and obviously the well-known song “Face to Face.” u
who reached her greatest musical splendor in 1910, never enjoyed robust health; however, even in her days of greatest physical weakness, she always had at her side a notebook, a pencil and a Bible ready for when the Lord could give her a “new song”. Carrie, who was always a fervent follower of Jesus Christ, went to be with the Almighty on March 27, 1934 u may 2014
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Soldier of Christ
Huldrych Zwingli devoted his entire life to spreading the Gospel and became the main driver of the Reformation in Switzerland. His love and respect for the Scriptures is a valuable example for all believers. Johan Pérez Landeo
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onsidered the third man of the Reformation, just a few steps behind Martin Luther and John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli plays a predominant role in the history of Christianity. Zwingli was a man passionate about the Scriptures and of unshakable zeal for sound doctrine, despite the immense pressure to which he was subjected by the Roman curia, who stood as firm as a rock in favor of the true teachings of the Bible. He was a man of principle who did not seek another honor than to be recognized as a recruit of God´s army. “I do not want to 30 Impacto o evangelistic
take another name than that of Jesus Christ, of whom I am a soldier,” said this giant of the faith. Huldrych Zwingli was born on 1 January 1484 in Wildhaus, former commune of the canton of St. Gallen located in the district of Toggenburg, a historical region of Switzerland. Zwingli came from a family of wealthy farmers, so he received a high-quality education. Raised among stunning natural beauties, he was impressed by the feeling of the vastness, power and majesty of God early on. From the mouth of his pious grandmother, Huldrych heard entertaining Bible stories which awoke in him a great curiosity to know more about the “Great Book.” GOSPEL REVEALED
Huldrych’s father was convinced of the enormous potential of his son, so he sent him to study in the city of Bern, which at the time possessed the best school in Switzerland. The inte-
lligence and perspicacity of this thirteen-year-old boy did not go unnoticed by the friars who made strenuous efforts to seduce him to enter the convent. However, the manner in which they lived, their faith, the pomp of their ceremonies and the ostentatious adornment of their temples made Huldrych to desist from any offer. Later, he headed for Basel. It was in this city that he would hear the gospel of God for the first time. His teacher Wyttembach Thomas, professor of ancient languages, had studied Greek and Hebrew, which led him to discover the Holy Scriptures. Through the divine light he spread his ideas in the minds of his students. The professor stated that the death of Christ was the only way to rescue the sinner. Su maestro Thomas Wyttembach, profesor de idiomas antiguos, había sido llevado, en su estudio del griego y del
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g hebreo, al conocimiento de las Sagradas Escrituras, y por su intermedio la luz divina esparcía sus ideas en las mentes de sus estudiantes. El catedrático declaraba que la muerte de Cristo era el único rescate del pecador. These words were to Zwingli as the first ray of light which lighted up his soul as a torch. In 1506, he was ordained minister of Jesus Christ and was appointed pastor of Glarus, a church which was not too distant from his native valley where he spent the next ten years. Parallel to his pastoral work, Zwingli eagerly devoted himself to reading and studying the Bible in its Greek version. He read and analyzed the classical writers and the treaties of the Fathers of the Church, as well as the teachings of many humanists, especially Erasmus of Rotterdam and Pico della Mirandola. As he scrutinized the Scriptures, the truths of the Lord were clearer. He was subjected to the Bible and recognized it as the word of God and as the only sufficient and infallible rule. He tried to make use of all possible assistance to get a correct and full knowledge of its teachings, and he invoked the Holy Spirit, which, he claimed, wanted to reveal the truth to anyone who investigated it honestly and prayerfully. “The Scriptures come from God, not from the man. And that same God that shines on them will make you understand that words come from Him,” said Zwingli. In 1516, Huldrych Zwingli moved to Einsiedeln where he exercised his second pastorate for two years. It was in this place where he exerted influence 32 Impacto o evangelistic
as a reformer who would be felt beyond his native Alps. In Einsiedeln, he began to preach against indulgences. Many of those who heard him received with displeasure his teachings. They could not understand the free pardon that was offered to them through Christ. The grace of God was a completely new concept for them. Others, however, welcomed with joy the good news of redemption through Jesus Christ. REFORMATION PROGRESSES
At the time when he least expected it, the church leaders
gave him the task of being the new preacher of the cathedral in Zurich, the most important city of the Swiss Confederation at that time. However, before carrying out his new position, his superiors gave him instructions about his duties: exhort and warn the faithful to pay census, multiply the income from the sick, masses, and any ecclesiastical act in general, among other things. After expressing his gratitude for the honor they have conferred on him by grating him this important position, Huldrych began to explain the plan of work he intended
HERO OF FAITH condemn his teachings. Many attacked him with taunts and satires; others insulted and threatened him. However, Zwingli endured everything with patience saying, “If we want to convert the poor to Jesus, it is necessary to close our eyes to many things.” In 1519, he fell seriously ill. His situation was so delicate that when all hope of saving him seemed to have faded, the rumor that he had died began to circulate in many places. However, Huldrych’s faith never fainted and this test would be another proof of the power of the Almighty. When he came back to life after having been at the door of the tomb, he began to preach the Gospel with more fervor than ever be-
He was a man of principle who did not seek another honor than to be recognized as a recruit of God´s army. “I do not want to take another name than that of Jesus Christ, of whom I am a soldier,” said this giant of the faith.
to adopt. “The life of Jesus has been hidden from people for too long. I intend to preach the whole Gospel of Matthew, sticking to the Holy Scripture, scrutinizing and comparing it with itself, seeking understanding through ardent and constant prayer,” he said strongly. Although some of the ecclesiastics disapproved this plan and attempted to dissuade him from adopting it, Zwingli stood strong. Nevertheless, even though his work was enthusiastically received at first, the opposition eventually arose. The friars decided to hinder his work and
fore, and his words were covered with new power. In 1523, after being detached from the traditional church, he introduced the principal teachings of the Reformation: salvation is purely the work of grace of God and not of the works of Christians and the Holy Scripture is the only rule of faith and morals. Also, he removed the images of saints from the temples, abolished mass, processions and the sacraments except baptism- and introduced the public reading of the Bible. FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
With courage and commen-
dable fervor, Zwingli, who had already married the widow Anna Reinhart, spread the Gospel among other Swiss cantons. With the Bible in hand, he managed to extend their teaching to the cantons of Bern, St. Gallen, Constance and Basle, which formed a league of Protestant cantons and sought support from German princes opposed to the Habsburgs, allies, in turn, of the Catholic cantons in Switzerland. Among all his publications, the principal one was “Commentarius de vera et falsa religione” (Commentary on true and false religion) written in 1525. This work contains the principles of evangelical doctrine in 29 chapters. Furthermore, in collaboration with Leo Jud, a renowned Swiss reformer of the time, he translated the Bible into a German with marked Swiss characteristics between 1524 and 1529. This translation is now known as the “Zürich Bible”, the most comprehensive and oldest Protestant translation. In 1529, the hostility between the cantons led to an armed conflict that ended with the victory of the mountain cantons in Kappel am Albis. However, two years later, in the same place, a new conflict was settled with the defeat of the reformists. Zwingli died on 11 October 1531 at the age 47. He had fallen in battle as the good soldier of Christ he was. His body was dismembered and burned, but his strong commitment to the authority of the Scriptures and his diligently spread of the evangelical reform elevated him to the status of hero of faith u may 2014
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The man who lost his name
He was kidnapped by an occultist as a young child. Several years later, he escaped from his captor and traveled across Colombia in search of his mother and his true identity. This adventure led him to new vicissitudes until he found the way to God. Marlo Pérez Photos: family archive
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child has been kidnapped!” was the surprising news that one morning in 1985 traveled the villages of Aguadas municipality, in the Department of Caldas, Colombia. A woman in her 50s had disappeared taking the son of Nuria Acebedo Arias, who asked the woman to look after her child as she did some paperwork. A huge wave of comments and speculations flooded the region. Some questioned the irresponsibility of the mother and others denounced the exis34 Impacto o evangelistic
tence of an organized mafia that kidnapped children. The desperate woman informed the police and also started her own relentless pursuit that lasted months, but to no avail. Her three-year-old son was unreachable. The kidnapper turned out to be an occultist who had escaped from the scene as a bat out of hell. The woman tricked the child with sweets and traveled several hours until reaching the department of Caqueta where she hid. The occultist lived with the child until some months after she met a sailor with whom she began a sentimental relationship. Up to that moment, the child had no name. When the kidnapper and her partner formalized their relationship, they decided to register the child as their son, under the name of Victor Hernando Marin Arenas. Those were the surnames of the alleged parents and the birth cer-
tificate recorded 18 July 1983 as the date of birth. With this new identity, the child was transferred to Cartagena del Chaira and then to Rio Negro, in the same department. The inhabitants of this area are known for their open tendency to witchcraft and spiritualism. By that time, the violence was prevalent in this Colombian region due to the insurgency of guerrilla. The confrontations between the Colombian army and the insurgent forces were daily facts of life. Violence was also an everyday thing at the home housing the child. They treated him cruelly without cause. The woman, who acted as the mother of the child, invented punishments to torment him for anything. Mistreat him became her fun. She made him run errands and the child had to arrive before a match got extinguished or the water boiled. If he arrived late, he had to kneel down on corn kernels or bottle
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g caps. When he tried to escape from her clutches it was worse. She repeatedly hung him with a rope and sometimes pulled his hair with extreme cruelty, or she held his head under water until he nearly drowned. - Now I understand that it was the devil who tormented me- He recalls. There, Victor Hernando Arenas Marin - also known as Tato - saw “Jorgito” - a child he met- die. Both were subjected to physical and psychological outrages, until his little mate died due to a rare disease and the lack of medical care. - I think it was part of an oblation unto Satan due to covenants that women did. I was next, he en-
(…) after five attempts, one day Victor Hernando Marin Arenas finally escaped from the clutches of the sorcerer, and embarked on one of the most intense adventure for any child his age. He traveled many villages for the sole purpose to prevent his kidnapper from finding him. He walked from one place to another, he walked through the streets selling cigarettes and candy, he slept in parks and gardens (…)
sures many years later. The woman used cocaine almost every day and performed a lot of witchcraft. People consulted her, and she did her work with Havana cigars. In her hallucinations, Satan used her. That house had a devilish atmosphere. THE ESCAPE
By the age of eight and after 36 Impacto o evangelistic
five attempts, one day Victor Hernando Marin Arenas finally escaped from the clutches of the sorcerer, and embarked on one of the most intense adventure for any child his age. He traveled many villages for the sole purpose to prevent his kidnapper from finding him. He walked from one place to another, he walked through the streets selling cigarettes and candy, he slept in parks
and gardens, he barely ate and traveled as stowaway in dozens of interprovincial buses. At the age of 10, he already knew several Colombian cities, such as Florence and Doncello in Caqueta to Bogota. Then he arrived to Cali in the Valle del Cauca and, finally, to Palmyra. In this last and unknown place, he met a man who took pity on him and cared for him as the father he never had.
LIFE STORIES transferred to a shelter for minors, called Nuestra Se単ora del Palmar. He remained there for the next six years of his life, along with other children who did not know the alphabet or the tragedy of living without family. In this orphanage, he received a good education that helped him change his street vocabulary, but he also began to experiment hallucinations. Dark night characters broke into his dreams turning them into nightmares. The memories of his atrocious childhood in the house of the sorceress constantly invaded him. He felt as if a herd of animals entered inside him. Due to these possessions, he had fainting and convulsions. THE SEARCH
Three months later, this man took him to a police station where he was cared for. While a police group was looking for his real family, the child earned the trust everyone else. He was diligent in the tasks he undertook voluntarily. He tended beds, shined boots, ran errands and people came to love him. However, he could not always stay there. After a few months he was
In this orphanage, he received a good education that helped him change his street vocabulary, but he also began to experiment hallucinations. Dark night characters broke into his dreams turning them into nightmares. The memories of his atrocious childhood in the house of the sorceress constantly invaded him. He felt as if a herd of animals entered inside him. Due to these possessions, he had fainting and convulsions.
At the age of 16, Victor Hernando Marin Arenas was selected to be adopted by a wealthy and childless family. While this was an opportunity to leave the shelter of children and live comfortably, he gave up the chance because he sensed that his new parents will oppose the search of his original family. A year later he began working as a counselor at the same institution that housed him and he managed to save enough money to travel to Rio Negro. There, interrogate the woman who had kidnapped and investigate about the whereabouts of his real family. The kidnapper was not there, but one of her relatives gave him the phone number and address of his real mother. When he returned to the shelter, he decided to make the crucial call at the phone number provided. He dialed with
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g trembling hands, the bell rang and on the other end of the telephone a female voice answered, it was his real mother. “I am your son,” he said and she did not stop to cry with happiness thereafter. - I was told that you were no longer alive, that you have diedanswered the woman. Days later, the woman came to the shelter to recognize him thirteen years later. The reencounter was amazing. There was such a physical resemblance between them that it seemed to be the product of cloning, as the director of the institution said. Victor was taken to the house of his mother in the town of Aguadas in the department of Caldas. A new future that was not without difficulties began. As soon as Victor Hernando Marin Arenas arrived at his new home he realized the family hardships and the fact that he had little chance to continue with his higher education studies. He met his eight younger siblings and he noticed that there was a dispute between his mother and his aunt for the love of a man who was, in fact, his father. When he discovered this harsh reality, his hopes of finding a stable and safe home collapsed and he fell into the world of drugs. He had found his family, but he seemed more orphan than ever. By the end of the year, he enlisted in the army barracks in Manizales. When Victor retired in 2001, he ventured into football until he was injured. Then music, painting and theater became his escape route to keep walking through life. But 38 Impacto o evangelistic
LIFE STORIES the temptation of easy money through drug trafficking unfolded for him one again. THE REVELATION
Once at age of 7, Victor Hernando Marin Arenas took money that the husband of the sorcerer had stolen from a guerrilla. When this man realized that, he threatened to kill Victor and one Sunday night he took him to the forest, pulled out a 38-caliber revolver and pointed it at his head. Then two people showed up, thus the man put the gun away and put his hand on Victor’s shoulder. When the two characters left, the man pointed the gun at him one again, but he could not shoot. - Those two characters were angels of God who came to my recue. I am sure – He says.
When he returned to the shelter, he decided to make the crucial call at the phone number provided. He dialed with trembling hands, the bell rang and on the other end of the telephone a female voice answered, it was his real mother. “I am your son,”
That was the origin of many revelations. Several years later while he was still wearing the military uniform, many other revelations chased him like a shadow. At the age of twenty, he sought answers in churches and pastors, until he to find them in mouth Colombian preacher Enrique Gomez Montealegre, through the station of Bethesda Missionary Center. His approach to the kingdom of heaven came true then. The revelations strengthened their faith and he began to read the Bible. After some months, he moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to study at a prestigious theological institute in 2002. Two years later, he met the sound doctrine that preaches the Worldwide Missionary Movement and so he settled in the Federal Capital. Now he is a man fully dedicated to spread the Word u may 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
Love and Fire
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“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love... For our God is a consuming fire”. 1 John 4:8; Hebrews 12:29. Rev. Luis M. Ortiz
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n the Holy Scriptures, there are two possible conflicting statements related to God unlikely to refer to the same person. The first one is “GOD IS LOVE” and the second is “GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE”. At first sight, it seems im-
possible to reconcile these two statements. It is easy to understand the first one: “God is love”, but the second one gets more difficult: “God is a consuming fire”. However, it is much harder to understand that God is both love and a consuming fire. Certainly, the demonstration par excellence of God’s love is that He sent his own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to this miserable world of sin and evil, in order to give his life to the rescue of the corrupted and lost humankind. The Holy Scripture says: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). It also says: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” (1 John 3:1). The Scripture also states: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
And so it is that the truth that God is Love becomes clear and understandable. However, for some, the other truth that God is a Consuming Fire is not that easy to understand. Then, if God is Love, how can He be a consuming Fire at the same time? There are many reasons why some cannot understand this, but one of the most widespread are the misconceptions about God formed by themselves or by the religions and beliefs they profess. Many of them have a very light concept of God. They have this very conventional concept that if God exists He is in the unknown space out there while we are
in here. They fashion God in the shape and form they want, and intend to make of God their toy. They get the idea that God, or the God of their concept, has to respond to each of their whims and cravings whether good or bad. What is more, they intend to punish God in retaliation when they think He has not respond as He should have: they do not go to church, do not attend mass, do not give alms, and do not make their devotions. They pretty much act as those who, after bringing fruits, money, rum and tobacco to their saint, take everything away and give him a huge beating when he does not give them what they asked for. The saint has to bear all of this because, of course, he is a saint. And they intend to apply all these crazy ideas to God because God is Love, but not to accept everything this love offers and represents: salvation of the soul, regret. Instead, their thinking of God being Love is just for Him to tolerate, bear, turn a blind eye, and ignore their sins, impiety, injustice, vices, etc. And when they are told that God is a consuming fire they get rattled, upset and violent. The God of their concept is a puppet god, a marionette god, a dummy god. It is true, God is Love, but those who underestimate, despise or reject that love put themselves out of reach of this love. Because of their rejection, God has to exclude and consume them, as in the end sin will be judged, punished and excluded from the creation of the universe
and will only exist in the burning lake where the devil, demons and mortals who did not believe or obey the Gospel – thus rejecting the great love God manifested in the cross in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ – will be forever. If God let sinners go to Heaven, it would not be Heaven. God in his love destroyed the world with a flood to give the highly corrupted race a fresh start. God in his love destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to take away the rotten apple. God in his love opened the Red Sea so the people of Israel could cross, and those who rejected that love died right there. God in his love sent his Son to this world, and those who accept him are saved but those who do not are condemned. My friend, God is Love and Fire, forgiving love and a consuming fire. There is nothing contradictory in this, God is holy and fair, and He will not declare a sinner innocent. You will determine if you harbor His love or subject to His fire. What will you do? My friend, it is better to embrace His love. Otherwise, you will have to inevitably embrace His anger and His righteous indignation one day. You must accept at this very moment his divine love, manifested in Jesus Christ, because many have left it until tomorrow and tomorrow is where they encountered God’s anger and judgment. My friend, receive and accept our Lord Jesus Christ as your great personal Savior. Amen u may 2014
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The Filth of the World «God’s cause is committed to men; God commits Himself to men. Praying men are the vice-regents of God; they do His work and carry out His plans.» E. M. Bounds. Why the Revival does not arrive E. Leonard Ravenhill Chapter 17
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W
hat is the filth of this world? (1 Cor. 4: 13). Is it the social moth of which the national syndicated crime is born? Is it the evil genius operating the international upheaval? Was it Babylon? Is it Rome? Is it sin? Has a tribe of evil spirits been located bearing this repulsive title? What is it?
DEVOTIONAL
A thousand guesses at this question might provide a thousand different answers with not one of them correct. The right answer is the very antithesis of our expectation. This «filth of this world» is neither of men nor of devils. It is not bad, but goodnay, not even good-but the very best. Neither is it material, but spiritual; neither is
it of Satan, but of God. It is not only of the Church, but a saint. It is not only a saint, but the saintliest of saints. «We apostles,» Paul says, «are filth of this world» (1 Cor. 4:13 RV 1909). Then he adds insult to injury, heightens the infamy, and deepens the humiliation by adding, (And we apostles are) «the offscouring of all things» (1 Cor. 4: 13 RV 1960). Any man who has so assessed himself «filth of the earth» has no ambitions-and so has nothing to be jealous about. He has no reputationand so has nothing to fight about. He has no possessions-and therefore nothing to worry about. He has no rights-so therefore he cannot suffer any wrongs. Blessed state! He is already dead-so no one can kill him. In such a state of mind and spirit, can we wonder that the apostles turned the world upside down? Let the ambitious saint ponder this apostolic attitude to the world. Let the popular, unscarred evangelist living in Hollywood style think upon his ways. Who then hurt Paul far more than his one hundred and ninety-five stripes, his three stonings, and his triple shipwrecks could ever hurt him? The contentious, carnal, critical, Corinthian crowd. This Church was split by carnality and cash. Some had rocketted to fame and become the first merchants of the city. So Paul says, «Ye are full, ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us…» (1 Cor. 4:8)
And in verse 9-11 Paul says, « For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, we are weak, and we are despised. We are naked and
have no certain dwellingplac.»
It was not hard for Paul to claim after all this that he was less than the least. Then, Paul pointed all this truth against those whose faith had lost its focus. These Corinthians were full, but not free. (A man escaped from his cell is not free who still drags his chain.) Paul is not grieved that they have superabundance and he nothing. He groans that their wealth has brought weakness of soul. They have comfort, but no cross; they are rich, but not reproached for Christ’s sake. He does not say they are not Christ’s, but that they are seeking a thornless path to heaven. He declares, « I would to God ye did reign.» If they were actually reigning, then Christ would have come, the millennium would have been there, and, Paul adds, « We would be reigning with you».
But who wants to be thus dishonored, despised, devalued? Such truth is revolutionary and upsetting to our corrupted Christian teaching. Can we delight in being esteemed fools? Is it easy to see our names cast about as an evil thing? Atheism levels men down; Christ levels men up! True Christianity is far more revolutionary than Atheism (though of course, bloodless). The bulldozers of such system have tried to push over the hills of wealth and fill in the valleys of poverty. They thought that by education they could «make the crooked places straight» - by an act of parliament and a mere waving of the political wand, the millennium,
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g could not be brought in. Paul said he was «por, yet making many» (2 Cor. 6:10). Thanks be unto God! the bag of Simon Magus still gets no attention from the Holy Ghost! If we have not yet been taught how to esteem «the mammon of unrighteousness,» how shall we be entrusted with the true riches? And so Paul, bankrupt materially and socially, was bracketed with the choice few who are listed as the «filth of the world.» Certainly this helped him understand that, as filth, he would be trodden under foot by men. Even though he could answer the Epicurians on Mars Hill, yet for Christ’s sake he was willingly rated a fool. To Jesus, the world’s antagonism was fundamental and perpetual. Brethren, is this our choice? What irks us more than to be classified with unlearned and ignorant men? -though an unlearned and ignorant man wrote the Revelation, which still baffles the learned. We are suffering today from a plague of ministers who are more concerned that their heads should be filled than that their hearts be fired. If a preacher leans toward headiness, let him spend his years of schooling before he enters the pulpit because once he gets engaged in such important labor, twenty-four hours a day are not sufficient for him to bear the names of his flock before the Great Shepherd or prepare their food. The fact then, is that spiritual things are spiritually (not psychologically) discerned. 44 Impacto o evangelistic
Neither God nor His judgments have changed. By His prerogative, «there are still things withheld from the prudent and revealed unto babes» (Mt. 11:25). And babes, brethren, have no colossal intellects. The Church of this hour boasts an all-time high in the degrees of its ministry. But hold on a minute before we triumph in the flesh. We are also having an all-time low in spiritual births, for the devil shudders not, Brother Apollos, at your verbal Niagaras. The line of demarcation between the world and
Christianity is distinct deliberate and discredited. Bunyan’s pilgrims passing through «Vanity Fair» were a spectacle. In dress, speech, interest, and sense of values, they differed from the worldlings. Is this so in our lives today? During the last war a British general said, «We must teach our men to hate, for what men hate they will fight.» We have heard much (though not half enough) about perfect love; but we also need to know how to «be angry and sin not.» The Spirit-filled believer will
DEVOTIONAL for God to fight them. Our front streets are now mission fields. Forget culture, for a well-mannered, nicely groomed and soft-spoken lady may be as far from God as the «Mau Mau» mother with her grass skirt. Our cities are alive with impurity. A Christian, dreaming before his television night by night, has a dead brain and a bankrupt soul. He would do better to persuade God to let him quit this world if he is so out of touch with this lax, loose, licentious age that blindness of the sinner no longer tears his soul. Every street is now a river of devilry, drink, divorce, darkness, and damnation. If you are taking a stand against all this, marvel not, brethren, that the world hates you. « If ye were of the world, the world would love its own» (Jh 15:19).
hate iniquity, injustice and impurity; and he will militate against all of them. Because Paul hated the world, the world hated Paul. We, too, need this disposition of opposition. Stanley wrote his Darkest Africa, and General Booth his Darkest England amidst crushing opposition. The former saw the tall, impenetrable forest, with its lurking leopards, subtle snakes, and denizens of the darkness. Booth saw the English streets as God saw them-the lust, sin, gambling, prostitution-and he raised an army
Paul declares in good round English, «The world is crucified unto me» (Gal. 6:14). This is far beyond twentieth century Christians. Gologtha witnessed many crowds who came to see the humiliation of its malefactors. There was carnival at the Cross; there was mockery at misery. But who went the next morning to view the victims? The first callers were vultures-to peck out their eyes and strip their ribs. The spectacle had to be revolting. Even so, to Paul, the crucified world was as unattractive as that. Well might we, too, inwardly quake and with trembling lips repeat this phrase, the world is crucified to me. Only when we are thus «dead to the world and all its toys, its idle pomp and fading joys» can we feel the
freedom that Paul knew. The plain fact is that we followers of Christ respect the world and its opinions and appreciations and qualifications. A modern critic says that we believers have «gold for our God and greed for our creed.» On the other hand, in this year of grace, I do know some saints on both sides of the Atlantic who wear clothes that others have cast off, and so turn all their many into grist for God’s mill and who, as Paul, get stubborn by love for the Gospel. This blessed man, to whom the world was crucified, was considered «mad.» Moreover, Paul so presented his message that others sought his death, for their «craft was in danger.» Such blessed apostles, with their healthy, holy disregard for the world and its men, shame us! As one poet said: They climbed the steep ascent to heaven through peril, toil and pain. Oh God, to us may grace, Spirit and zeal be given To follow them with equal fervor. Soon it will be «farewell mortality, welcome eternity. » Here’s wishing you, beloved believer, a year of sacrificial service for Him who was our sacrifice. May we too, finish our course with joy. «Revival is no more a miracle tan a crop of wheat. Revival comes from heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict determined to win or die - or if need be, to win and die! ‘The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.’» Charles C. Finney u may 2014
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Polycarp’s trust
Polycarp was pastor at Smyrna, known today as Izmir, Turkey. The pastor was probably “the angel” of the Church in Smyrna when the letters were addressed to the churches in chapters two and three of Revelation.
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olycarp was burned as a martyr in 155 AD. Shortly before his death, he said: “Eighty-six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?” Irenaeus, a famous disciple of Polycarp, wrote that as a young man he had met and been in contact with the apostle John. Polycarp was the last of the living pastors that met one of the apostles of the Lord. He was a link between the Apostolic and Post- Apostolic Church. He was the most important figure of the second century of Christianity in Asia Minor. He was a great advocate of the sound doctrine who fought against 46 Impacto o evangelistic
the Valentinians – some secret groups who claimed to be saved only by their mysterious spiritual knowledge – and against the Gnostics, who said that the incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ was an imaginary phenomenon that only had mythological value. The Martyrdom of faithful and courageous Polycarp occurred in 155 AD. This document is recognized by all as authentic. The following is an extract from this story: “Now, when the most admirable Polycarp first heard of this, he was not disturbed, but desired to stay in the city. However, the majority persuaded him to leave quietly, so he went out secretly to a farm not a great distance from the city and, remaining with a few friends, he did nothing but pray night and day for all his people and for all the assemblies throughout the world, as was his custom at all times. And, as he prayed, he fell into a vision three days before his arrest. And he saw the pillow under him burning with fire, and, turning to those who were with him he said, “I must be burned alive. (…)
And late in the evening they converged on Polycarp and found him resting in an upper room. Though it was still in his power to get away to another locality, he did not wish to, saying, “The will of God be done.” Accordingly, when he heard they were there, he went down and conversed with them. However, the bystanders marveled at his age and his firmness (TRUST IN GOD), and wondered why there was such urgency to arrest such an old man. At once, at that very hour, he had a table set for them to eat and drink, as much as they wished, while he requested that they grant him an hour to pray without interference. They agreed. So he stood and prayed, so filled with the grace of God that for two hours he could not hold his peace, to the admiration of the listeners. Many even regretted that they had proceeded against such a venerable old man. (…) So they placed him on a donkey, and brought him into the city on a great sabbath. The captain of police, Herod, and his father Niketas met him, and took him into their own carriage and seated themselves at his side, and tried to persuade him, saying, “But what harm is there in saying, ‘Caesar
REFLECTIONS
is Lord,’ and in offering incense, and so forth, to be saved?” At first he did not answer (TRUSTING IN GOD), but, when they persisted, he said, “I will not do what you advise me.” On failing to persuade him, they spoke threateningly to him and, as he got down from the carriage, they forced him to descend so quickly that he bruised his shin. Without even turning around, as though he had suffered nothing, he continued on his way eagerly and speedily (TRUSTFUL), and was led into the stadium. (…) As Polycarp was entering into the arena, a voice came to him from the heaven, “Be brave, Polycarp, and act like a man.” No one saw the speaker, but our people who were present heard the voice. Finally, when he was brought forward, the Proconsul asked him if he was Polycarp. When he admitted it, the
Proconsul tried to persuade him to a denial of the faith, saying, (…) “Take the oath and I release you; revile the Anointed-One,” Polycarp said (WITH FULL TRUST IN GOD), “Eighty-six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?” (…) The Proconsul said, “Persuade the people.” But Polycarp said, “So far as you are concerned, I should have judged you to be worthy of a discussion; for we have been taught to give honor, as is proper, to rulers and authorities appointed by God, provided it does not harm us; but I do not deem these people worthy of receiving a defense from me.” The Proconsul said, “I have wild animals; to them will I throw you, unless you change your mind.” But he said, “Call them, for we are not allowed to repent from better things in order to
adopt worse; but it is good to repent from wickedness to righteousness.” Again he said to him, “If you scorn the wild beasts, I will have you burned by fire, unless you repent.” But Polycarp said, “You threaten with the fire that burns for an hour, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the wicked. But why do you delay? Come, do as you wish.” (…) The Proconsul, on the contrary, in amazement sent his own herald into the middle of the arena to announce three times, “Polycarp has confessed himself to be a Christian!” After this proclamation by the herald, the whole mob of heathens and Judeans living in Smyrna shouted out with uncontrollable fury and in a loud voice, (…) Then they decided to shout out unanimously to have Polycarp burned alive. (…) This happened with indescribable speed. The crowds gathered and collected wood and bundles of sticks from the shops and baths. (…) But when the pyre was ready, he took off his upper garments, loosened his belt, and tried to take of his sandals—a thing he did not do in the past, because the faithful were always eager each to be the first to touch his flesh. (…) And, as they were ready to also nail him, he said, “Leave me as I am, for He who gives me power to endure the fire will also enable me to remain unmoving in the flames, even without securing me with nails.” Accordingly, they did not nail him, but tied him. So he put his hands behind his back (…) As he looked up to heaven, he said, “(…)I bless you, for having made me worthy of this day and hour; (…) I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and heavenly Chief-priest, Jesus the Anointed-One (…) Amen.” When he had uttered the “Amen” and finished his prayer, the men in charge of the fire kindled it. As a great flame flashed out, we saw a miracle (…)” This is the report of the martyrdom of Polycarp. A great example of a strong faith in the Lord u may 2014
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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
Baptisms in Water in Peru Three thousands Peruvians have converted last march in an impressive ceremony. The Work of God continues growing in Peru.
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onday March 31 marked the beginning of a new phase for approximately three thousands Peruvians that were 48 Impacto o evangelistic
plunged into the baptism waters during an impressive ceremony that the Worldwide Missionary Movement organized in Lima, Peru.
During the baptism, Rev. Rodolfo González shared an unforgettable message based on Romans 6: 1-11, in which he explained the allegory between
the death of Christ and the spiritual rebirth of the believers through the baptism, as well as their resurrection and new life. Baptism is a public confession of faith in Christ and the commitment of always being devoted to God. It takes place after receiving for months the teaching of the fundamental principles of the Christianity and showing a life of devotion and consecration to the Lord.
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EVENTS
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This multitudinous baptism was held in the Air Force Recreation Center south of the city, where three thousands brothers from the 43 districts in the capital (Lima) came to the facilities located on the seaside. Once the aspirants descended into the big pool of the recreational club, the spiritual service started with the presence of Rev. Rodolfo GonzĂĄÂŹlez, President of the WMM-Peru, Rev. Luis M. Bocanegra, National Supervisor, the National
Board of Officers, and part of the 24 presbyteries of the city. An hour later, all the whitedressed aspirants descended into the pool and were soaked by the glory of God and His saint unction. Among the multitude, there were handicapped people and many old people. One of them was almost 104 years old. After midday, the brothers, pastors and relatives of those who were baptized, celebrated with delight and joy the new harvest for the Lord u may 2014
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Special Fellowship in Trujillo Alto A very special recognition to Rev. Jorge Álvarez, a special person in this Work, was part of the celebration of the Second Fellowship of the year in Puerto Rico.
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aturday March 15 was a day full of joy for the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Puerto Rico, because as part of the celebration of the Second Fellowship of 52 Impacto o evangelistic
the year, a very special man to this Work was given recognition. He is a dedicated servant, friend, brother, partner, pastor, and father: Rev. Jorge Álvarez. The activity, funded
by the churches of Zone 3 led by Rev. Federico Cabrera, was held in the main facilities of the Work in the city of Trujillo Alto. Rev. Rubén Concepción, International Secretary, and Rev. Mar-
garo Figueroa, International Director, were among those who attended the event. The message full of power of God was given by Rev. Luis Ayala, National Supervisor of Puerto Rico. Then, the men of God was recognized for his 20 years as member of the International Board of Directors of the Worldwide Missionary Movement, a position he held since 1994 to 2014. As a part of the recognition, a special video of
EVENTS
the entire Christian and ministerial trajectory of tRev. Ă lvarez was displayed, along with others videos of special greetings. Afterwards, he received several presents, including a special magazine dedicated to his life, and the recognition as ambassador of the Work of the Worldwide Missionary Movement of Puerto Rico in the whole world. The daughters of Rev. Ă lvarez, Irene, Liamara and Vanessa, also attended this activity u may 2014
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National Convention in Panama They were four days where the Spirit of God was manifested in the midst of his people and thousands of brothers throughout Panama gathered to praise the Lord's name.
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he Worldwide Missionary Movement held its 25th National Convention from March 1 to 4 at the Anayansi Theatre of the ATLAPA Convention Center in Panama City, Republic of Panama. It is worth mentioning the presence of Rev. José Arturo Soto Benavides, Internatio54 Impacto o evangelistic
nal Vice President; Rev. Ruben Concepción, International Secretary and National Supervisor of Dominican Republic; Rev. Margaro Figueroa, International Officer, and his beloved wife, Sister Edith de Figueroa. Rev. Manuel Zuñiga, National Supervisor of Costa Rica; Rev. Marvin Cooper, Presbyterian in Costa Rica, and his
beloved wife, Sister Rocío Cooper; and Rev. Carlos Guerra, pastor at La Valencia de Heredia attended the event as well. The opening service began at 1 pm with a formal ceremony where Sister Rosalba de Asprilla sang the glorious National Anthem of Panama, along with all attendees. Then, Rev. Alcides Ramea, Na-
tional Supervisor and host, welcomed the international visitors, presbyters, pastors and brothers conventioneers. Rev. José Arturo Soto was responsible for exposing the powerful message of the Word and urged God’s people to continue saving the Christian principles. In the morning of the second day of convention, the message of God’s word was given by Rev. Margaro Figueroa from Puerto Rico, who preached on the theme “Armor of the Christian.” In the evening service, Rev. Manuel Zúñiga was in charge of the message and prea-
EVENTS ched on the theme “Sound we are in our Salvation.” During the third day of convention, in the morning, the Meeting of Workers was held in the Central Church of Parque Lefevre, as the congregation gathered together to hold the Youth Service chaired by the Youth National Board led by Rev. Julio Klinger. Rev. Marvin Cooper was in charge of the Word’s message. Sister Daisy Elid Soto, Youth National Vice President, announced the Third National Summit of Leaders to be held from May 23 to 24 in the Church of Parque Lefevre and urged all the Zone leaders and youth presidents in the local churches of all the provinces not to miss this activity which will be a blessing to the youth. In the evening service of the third day, Rev. Rubén Concepción was in charge of the preaching under the message titled: “Come, Come.” He urged the thirsty to seek Christ, who quenches the thirst of human beings. The glory of God came down during the message and there were baptisms in the Holy Spirit during the preaching. The fourth convention service was very special because it began with a formal ceremony where recognition plaques were awarded to pastors who served as presbyters within God’s Work for a specific period of time. Likewise, a recognition
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g plaque for his great ministry work was awarded by Rev. José A. Soto to Rev. Melvin Byram and Sister Ana Felipa de Byram, both of whom took the decision to give in victory the pastorship of the Church of Chorrillo. Rev. Margaro Figueroa, International Officer, was also awarded a gift as a souvenir from the 9th International Congress-50 Years, which he could not attend for health reasons. The worker promotion service was held as part of the evidence of the progress of the Work in this country. On this occasion, 15 new Lay Preachers entered the ministerial rows. The ceremony also involved the promotion of 9 Lay Preachers to Licensed Pastors and 5 Licensed Pastors to Ordained Ministers. The last day, Rev. Carlos Guerra preached on the theme: “The message that nobody wants to hear.” Rev. Guerra talked about the reality of the “light” gospel that is being preached today in many churches, where no one teaches about repentance of sins and holiness in order to avoid making the members feel uncomfortable. The media performed a special work during this great event, broadcasting through Channel 55 of Cable and Wireless, Bethel TV, and websites: www. victoriacristiana.tv, www. oasisdesantidad.org and www.radioalegria.org u 56 Impacto o evangelistic
EVENTS
National Seminary of Workers in the USA The Church of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in the United States of America held from March 11 to 14 a National Seminary of Workers in the city of Dallas, Texas.
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ev. Humberto Henao, International Officer of the WMM Work, was the main speaker of this seminary and developed the theme: “Ministerial Ethics”. This training is necessary for the development of the local church and this great nation through the project called USA VISION. The final words and pieces of advices of Rev. Humberto Henao to the whole ministerial body of the WMM in the United States of America were: “Look, the Work that God has brought us has character, principles and convictions, saintliness and purity, such is the Work of the Worldwide Missionary Movement” u may 2014
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Men Fellowship in Zurich Deep and inspiring testimonies of the power of God were shared during these two days of fellowship, where brothers saw the power of Jesus-Christ.
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he Worldwide Missionary Movement in Zurich, Switzerland, held the Fifth Men Fellowship from March 1 to 2 under the theme “Conviction.” Sister Ruth Suerio, wor58 Impacto o evangelistic
ker in Zurich, welcomed with joy Rev. Jimy Ramírez, Presbyter in charge of the Work in Switzerland; Rev. Hugo López, Presbyter in Zone A of Italy and pastor in Busto Arsizio, Italy; Ramón Ortega, pas-
tor in Torino, Italy; and Moisés Romero, pastor in Biella, Italy. Pastors of Switzerland such as Brother César Gonzales and his wife, Sister Rafaela Gonzales from Languental; Sister Eliza-
beth Vanegas from Ticino; and Sister Mercedes Lechón from Basel also attended the event. The white fields of Laussanne, Olten, Wintertur, Solothour, Buchs and Luzerne participated as well. In the morning of March 1, brothers, children, teenagers, young people, women, and men from the different cantons of Switzerland and Italy got together to celebrate in harmony. The preaching on Saturday morning was held by Pastor Ramón
EVENTS
Ortega, who brought the theme “During crisis only Praise God” (Book of 2 Kings 6:24). In the afternoon, Rev. Hugo López shared the message entitled “Determine your convictions” (Book of 1 Kings 21:2). Deep and inspiring testimonies of God’s power were shared and they showed the brothers the great power of JesusChrist. The children of the Work of Geneva offered choirs, praises, and adoration to our Creator. The
attendees could feel the Holy Spirit. On March 2, the message of the Word of God was shared by Rev. Hugo López under the theme “Prophets with a transforming message” (Jeremiah 1:9). After these two days, the fellowship ended in victory and power in the Lord. God in His mercy visited us in each worship through the powerful Word that the Lord gave us. He brought sanity, restoration, liberation and firmness to His people u may 2014
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Rising Churches in Sri Lanka The Churches of Batticaloa and Badulla were visited by pastor Sharon Devaprassannam, National Treasurer of the WMM in India.
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astor Sharon Devaprassannam, National Treasurer of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in India, visited the new churches in Sri 60 Impacto o evangelistic
Lanka from March 15 to 22. The churches are located in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, Batticoloa, and the Central Province, Badulla.
Brother Thiruchelvam (in Batticaloa) and Brother Dhinagaran (in Badulla) are the native workers in charge of the churches in those places. During the missio-
nary visit, five new members were included in the Church of Batticaloa. The new brothers were baptized in water on March 15. It was a baptism service that took place in the ocean, 40 km away from the Church. Additionally, this gave way to another service in the city of Batticaloa, where approximately 15 to 20 believers gathered to worship the Lord. The Church in Badu-
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lla is being shepherded by brother Dhinagaran, who along with pastor Yogendran, works fervently to magnify the Work. This Church is located in the hills, an area
where the believers live in poverty and work for a minimum wage; they are however rich in the Word of God. Brother Dhinagarn owns a little property that
he has donated for the Work of God. The construction of the temple is about to start; therefore, by the end of the activity they made a special pray for this project u
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National Youth Convention in Ecuador Since the very first day, the glory of God flowed all over the place. The themes were of great help and edification for the people of the Lord.
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he Worldwide Missionary Movement in Ecuador held from April 3 to 6 the nineteenth National Youth Convention in the South American Theological Seminary of the Nazareno Camp, located in Quito, capital of the Republic of Ecuador. This event was attended by Rev. Humberto Henao, International Officer of the WMM, who shared the mes62 Impacto o evangelistic
sage of God. Among the attendees were also the National Board and other Ecuadorian pastors along with their youth. The youth came together from different parts of the country, from the highlands, the coast and the east. The activity started under the theme “STAY PURE” (1 Timothy 5:22). The themes exposed were: “Educated In God’s Way” (Genesis 37:2; 41:46; 50:26), “The Profile Of The Young Christian” (Part I), “Christian Convictions” (Daniel 1:1-8, 17-18; 3:8-24), “The Profile Of The Young Christian” (Part II), “What We Do Reflects What We Are” (2 Kings 5:1-6), and “Five Steps To Obey God” (Ruth 3:1-5) u
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Fellowship in Mexico A great Fellowship attended by one hundred and fifty people took place in Victoria City, in Mexico.
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n Saturday March 15, the fellowship of Zone 4 of the Worldwide Missionary Movement took place in Ciudad Victoria, located in Tamaulipas, Mexico. The churches of Matamoros, Monterrey, Cadereyta, Victoria, Reynosa and Tampico attended this event, as well as a hundred and fifty people. The Presbyter, Rev. Anthony Sosa, gave a sermon called “The Fights In The Service To God� (Exodus 3:11). Souls were touched through the Word of God, and the Spirit of God was present in this glorious fellowship u may 2014
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Other Events PUERTO RICO
ECUADOR
EL SALVADOR
NETHERLANDS
NEW PASTORS IN THE CHURCH OF DORADO
GLORIOUS PASTOR RETREAT IN GUAYAQUIL
YOUTH FELLOWSHIP IN THE CHURCH OF PINO
PRECIOUS MISSIONARY WORSHIP OF CHILDREN
The Church of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in the city of Dorado, Puerto Rico, installed the new pastors of this congregation last Thursday February 13. The activity was attended by Rev. Jimmy Ríos, National Director, Sister Norma Santiago, National Treasurer, Rev. Dan Moyeno, Presbyter of Zone 4, pastors, workers, and leaders, among others. Later that day, Rev. Jimmy Ríos preached under the theme “Knowing the truth gives us freedom”, based on the book of John 8:31-32. After hearing the message, the installation ceremony started by introducing brother Edwin Maldonado and his beloved wife, sister Rosa E. Benítez, as the new pastors of this congregation.
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The Pastors Retreat of the Worldwide Missionary Movement was held from March 12 to 14, in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The venue was the Santa María Eufrasia stadium. The Retreat was attended by Rev. Gustavo Martínez, International President; Rev. José Soto, International Vice President; Rev. Luis Meza, National Supervisor of Peru; Rev. Eugenio Masías, Presbyter in Peru; the National Board, and pastors from the country. All of them gathered to follow the call to receive new blessings and strengthen their faith.
The Worldwide Missionary Movement in the Republic of El Salvador held a youth fellowship in the Central Church of Pino on April 12. Young people from different churches were in charge of the ministration. The event started with the testimony of worker Balmore Mejía. Then, those who renewed their vows with God were ministered. Afterwards, the youth from the churches participated with hymns and objective lessons. After the break, two workshops were conducted: “The Battle Of The Young Man” and “The Esteem Of The Woman".
Last February 23, the children of the Church of Almere, Netherlands, led the Missionary Worship and participated in different activities during the day. In this activity, Pastor Stanley Martis preached under the theme: “Important Qualities For The Missionary”. The entire town was ministered in a special way. Children and parents were blessed by the Lord. We thank God for allowing such beautiful events in the presence of the Lord.
MISCELLANEOUS
The Christian family 1The Master Plan of Teaching, by Matt Friedeman, quotes this study on pages 214 and 215. Original Source: Leonard Ravenhill, America is Too Young to Die (Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, 1979), p. 112.
To what extent coming from a Christian family makes a difference? A study about the descendants of Jonathan Edwards and Max Jukes shows the possibility of a great difference. These two men were contemporary.
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onathan Edwards was a theologian, congregational pastor and missionary for Native Americans during colonial times. He is mostly known for his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God�. When the study was conducted, he had 1,394 descendants from his marriage with Sarah, also a Christian. Of his descendants, 100 became preachers and missionaries, 100 lawyers, 80 public officials, 75 army and navy officers, 65 college professors, 60 physicians, 60 prominent authors, 30 judges, 13 college presidents, 3 United States senators, 1 Vice President of the United States, and
295 university graduates, some of whom became governors and ministers sent to other countries. Max Jukes was atheist and led a godless life. Of his 540 known descendants, 310 died as paupers, 150 were criminals, 100 were drunkards, 7 were murderers, and more than half of the women were prostitutes.1 Although no one can guarantee that those who grow
up in a Christian home will follow Christ and have a godly and fruitful life, the Word of God does assure us that those who follow God’s home plans will experience His blessings. In this unit, we stress that God has a plan for the family. We will learn that children are a blessing He gave us, and that parents have the responsibility to raise and educate them. One cause of problems in many marriages and many families is money. If families applied the biblical principles for money management, most of the home-wrecking problems would be avoided, and God would be trusted for the satisfaction of needs. Good communication is essential for a healthy family life. This begins when we decide to listen. When you teach this unit, adapt the sections to reflect the situation your students are in. Help them apply the Word to that situation u may 2014
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THEY WRITE TO US... WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia
cartas@impactoevangelistico.net ERNESTO ROCA LEÓN Many blessings. Keep working restlessly, because you have already received your reward. From Lima, Peru.
MARCH 1-4 19-22
I thank God for this life-edifying magazine. I read it on the internet, but I would like to know what I have to do to receive the magazine. I want to have it at home, so I can share it with my family and friends. I would like to know the steps I must follow. Thank you very much in advance, God continue to bless this work. From Spain.
MAY 3-5 CONVENTION IN JAPAN 20-25 CONVENTION IN PERU (LIMA)
Greetings. I love your magazine; it’s a blessing for me. It is well written and updated. God bless you. From Camuy, Puerto Rico.
MARÍA CROES Greetings. My name is María Croes. I’m impressed with the Impacto Evangelistic magazine. I’m from Aruba, I belong to the WMM Pentecostal Church. I would like, on my own initiative, to distribute the magazine here in my city, because they don’t have it here. Could you tell me what I should do? From Aruba.
SONIA MIRANDA I loved the magazine and the website, they are a great blessing! From North Carolina, USA.
CLAUDIA Every time I read the magazine I consider it a great blessing. From Chile.
CONVENTION IN PANAMA CONVENTION IN HONDURAS
APRIL 16-20 CONVENTION IN GUATEMALA 17-20 NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP IN AUSTRALIA (SIDNEY)
EVA N. RIVERA
Thanks God for His great mercy that has taken us from this lying world. He has removed the bandage from our eyes. Now, we only have to pray for our spiritual life so as not to go back. From Venezuela.
JANUARY 1-4 CONVENTION IN PUERTO RICO 7-14 CONVENTION IN COLOMBIA
FEBRUARY 7-9 CONVENTION IN PARAGUAY (ASUNCIÓN) 13-16 CONVENTION IN ARGENTINA (BUENOS AIRES) 20-23 CONVENTION IN BELIZE
KATHY C. V.
JENNY JIMÉNEZ
GLOBAL AGENDA 2014
JUNE 25-29 17-20
ALIAN ZAMORA HERNÁNDEZ God bless you, my brothers. It’s nice the work you do. Let me tell you that I visited your website and it’s beautiful, it has a lot of edifying material. I was wondering if there is any possibility that you could send me here to Cuba all the editions of the Impacto Evangelistic magazine in digital format. I beg you to take into account my request. Perhaps, all of them can fit in a CD in PDF format, which could be sent by mail. Please forgive me for taking the liberty of asking you this favor, my brothers, but the truth be told I would like to read all your magazines and share them with others. I can’t pay you and I know that all this has a cost. I apologize again for my request. If there is no way you can help me, no problem at all, but do not stop writing at least to greet me. God continue blessing you so much. From Cuba.
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CONVENTION IN INDIA YOUTHS AND WORKERS CONVENTION IN COLOMBIA
JULY 3-6 CONVENTION IN BOLIVIA (SANTA CRUZ) 8-11 CONVENTION IN UNITED STATES (BIRMINGHAM, AL) 8-12 CONVENTION IN COSTA RICA 9-12 CONVENTION IN NETHERLANDS ANTILLES (CURAÇAO) 24-27 CONVENTION IN MEXICO (GUANAJUATO) AUGUST 3-6 CONVENTION IN EL SALVADOR 5-9 CONVENTION IN VENEZUELA (BARQUISIMETO) 7-10 CONVENTION IN SPAIN 14-17 CONVENTION IN ITALY 14-17 CONVENTION IN GUYANAS, SURINAME & TRINIDAD (SURINAME) 14-17 CONVENTION IN ECUADOR (GUAYAQUIL) 27-30 CONVENTION IN AFRICA 28-31 CONVENTION IN HAITI SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 27 INTERNATIONL MISSIONS DAY OCTOBER 10-12 NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP IN CANADA 23-25 CONVENTION IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 23-26 CONVENTION IN ISLANDS OF MAURITIUS 26-28 CAMPAIGN IN MADAGASCAR 30-2 (NOV) CONVENTION IN CHILE (SANTIAGO) NOVEMBER 7-10 CONVENTION IN URUGUAY (MONTEVIDEO) 27-30 CONVENTION IN NICARAGUA DECEMBER 4-7 CONVENTION IN BRAZIL (MANAUS)
n Eventos realizados
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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, Jorge Cisneros. 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.
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