The tomb is empty – PleaseBeStillMoments

8 DAYS OF GIVING THANKS T-2 DAYS |THANKSGIVING 2019

Thank You LORD for those who serve us
by Oscar Roca

***Soldier Coming Home***
***Bible verse John 15:13***

Today I want to thank all those who serve people in any capacity. From the waiters and waitresses at restaurants, or the store employees who work hard to keep the aisles and checkouts clear, to the first responders who selflessly give up their family time to keep all of us safe and in good health.
I especially would like to thank the men and women in the armed forces who will not be with their families this upcoming Holy Day Season.
I pray that all of You make it back home safely and that you are blessed by the LORD tremendously. Your selfless service to this country and the world is noticed and appreciated by all in this family.
LORD, I thank You for all those that will be working to stock the aisles and clear the busy holiday checkouts. I also thank you for the local public servants who are out there keeping our streets safe and doing extraordinary things in emergency services. I ask that You keep them all safe as they take care of this community.
Father, I ask that You bring those that are far away from their families, peace of this season, where Your Son came down from His throne and became a humble infant, only to accomplish Your will—to save humanity from their sins which separated us from You.
May all those serving in the military find Your peace, joy, and love while they are out there putting their lives on the line for all of us. May they also know Father, that we are praying for their safety and the safety of their families left behind without a dad, mom, uncle, aunt, brother or sister. I pray that they will feel the love of their families, communities, and especially the love of Your son Jesus. I pray this in Your name Lord…

______________________________________________________________________________

“Nadie tiene un amor mayor que éste: que uno dé su vida por sus amigos.
Juan 15:13 Spanish: La Nueva Biblia de los Hispanos

Hoy quiero agradecer a todos los que sirven a las personas en cualquier capacidad. Desde los meseros y meseras en los restaurantes, o los empleados de la tienda que trabajan duro para mantener los pasillos y las cajas abiertas, hasta los primeros en responder que descuidan el tiempo de su familia para mantenernos a todos seguros y en buen estado de salud.

Me gustaría agradecer especialmente a los hombres y mujeres de las fuerzas armadas que no estarán con sus familias esta próxima temporada de días santos Navideños. Oro para que todos ustedes regresen a casa sanos y salvos. Que el Señor los bendiga tremendamente. Su servicio altruista a este país y al mundo es notado y apreciado por todos en esta familia. SEÑOR, te agradezco por todos los que trabajarán para abastecer los pasillos y despejar las cajas de compras. También te agradezco por los servidores públicos locales que están manteniendo nuestras calles seguras y haciendo cosas extraordinarias en los servicios de emergencia.

Te pido que los mantengas a salvo mientras cuidan de esta comunidad. Padre, te pido que le des a los que están lejos de sus familias, la paz de esta temporada, donde Tu Hijo bajó de Su trono y se convirtió en un Niño humilde, solo para cumplir Tu voluntad, para salvar a la humanidad de los pecados que nos separaron de Ti.

Que todos los que sirven en el ejército encuentren Tu paz, alegría y amor mientras estén lejos de su seres queridos, arriesgando sus vidas por todos nosotros. Que ellos también sepan Padre, que estamos orando por su seguridad. Además oro por la seguridad de sus familias que se quedaron sin un padre, madre, tío, tía, hermano o hermana en estas temporadas. Oro para que sientan el amor de sus familias, comunidades y especialmente el amor de Tu hijo Jesús. Amen…

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

Paz Con Dios

Pasos para la Salvación PDF

November 26, 2019November 26, 2019

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8 DAYS OF GIVING THANKS T-3 DAYS |THANKSGIVING 2019

Thankful for a God who reinvents us!
by Oscar Roca

I just got a sent a picture of a blind farmer who was passing through his land, looking for his turkeys. The funny part was that he was walking right in front of them, and they were making cow sounds.

I laughed so hard because this time of year, turkeys are the main course on the plate in my country!

But then, I started pondering on the fact that those turkeys in that cartoon are so incredibly wise! Yes, I know it’ s just a funny cartoon mem, but think about it, when was the last time you reinvented yourself?

We all must take this journey called life. I invite you to reinvent yourself today; don’t wait until New Year’s Day to write a list of things you want to reinvent in your life. Start today.

—What is your physical goal?

—What is your mental goal?

—What is your job goal?

—Most importantly, what is your spiritual purpose?

I don’t have a clue on the first three since I most likely don’t know you personally. But, I do have an answer to the last one. Get to know God personally before this Thanksgiving holiday. I promise you with God’s help; you will be able to accomplish anything in life. I also know that God will reinvent you.

Wherever you are in life, whatever your past mistakes or regrets, stop holding on to them.

Start fresh on this special Holiday Season. Finish Christmas with the Peace of The Christ Child, who can take all your past away and make you a new person.

I thank God for fresh starts. I know, because He gave me one when I asked Jesus into my life and committed myself to Him.

Here are some links if you want to reinvent yourself spiritually…

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

Paz Con Dios

Pasos para la Salvación PDF

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019

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Only Road to Salvation |How To Know God

I recently spoke to someone who I have been getting to know better. This person has a good heart and is sincerely seeking God.
This person asked me why I always encourage folks even when I don’t know them that well.
This young person is working at a restaurant, and I encouraged them(will use they, and them from this point on, so as not to keep repeating myself) to go to college and work on what they like. They, like kids and sports. So every time I see them now, they will tell me their plans. They have also asked about my relationship with God.

I explain to them that all people who are born, come into this world with sin in their hearts.

That all people fall short of connecting with God on their own. Because we have all been separated by the wrongs we have done to others. Our sinful hearts lead us in the wrong direction at times.

And that only through Jesus we are connected back to God’s righteousness, without having to do anything ourselves,

That if they faithfully agree with everything that I’ve said, to ask Jesus to come into their lives & they are committing to allow Christ to do the work of changing them from the inside out.

If you decide to trust God to connect back with Him, all you have to do is confess it to someone aloud. I let them know that I could take them through the life-changing process.

—Do you know why Jesus came to die for you?
—Have you decided to know God intimately?
— Are you ready to give all your worries and problems to the only One that can help you through them?
— Are you ready to commit yourself as you are to Jesus?
—Do you want me to help you with any question or concern about committing yourself to Christ?

Short Version—This has to be from your heart to God’s:

—You have to ask for forgiveness.
—You also have to thank Jesus for His work on the cross.
— Lastly, you have to ask God to help you have the will power to stop you from doing the same wrongs or sins in your life. He will be faithful to lead you every minute of every day from this point on.

Longer Version:

—LORD, I know You sent Your Son Jesus into this world so that He would put an end to the separation everyone has with You. I ask You to take all my wrongdoings away entirely.
— I ask You to take my sinful heart and mind and replace it with a new spiritual one.
— I know that I come to you with all my problems, hang-ups, and past mistakes. I know I don’t need to do anything to take them all away because You will change me by Your power.
— Help me to change the things that I am doing wrong. I can’t do it by myself. Fill me with Your presence in my life. I know that You will guide me from this point on.
— Thank you, Father, for bringing Jesus to pay the price for my sins instead of me. I will stop doing the things that separate me from you. It will not be by my power but from Yours.
—I ask you this in Jesus’ Name.

Lastly—God also promises us that His peace will be your peace. That’s a peace that we can’t fully fathom. But it’s yours if you ask Him.

If you want to reconnect with God, I ask you to go through the above process, or ask Him right here, right now, to come into your life and bring you peace. Ask Him to forgive you, and God will. Thank Jesus for dying for your sins. He will reconnect His relationship with you.

Any questions, leave a comment.
More information below:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

October 31, 2019October 31, 2019

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Blessed…Happy…To Be Envied

Blessed are the…Blessed…Blessings… Bless you… God bless you….

If you are going through some tough times, or if you are ready to give up on life, or if you’ve just about had it with people, be of good cheer; Jesus has some specific and encouraging words for you. You are not alone, you are blessed. Even in times of deep and low valleys, we are to recognize that we are blessed, happy, to be envied. You see, that is what blessed means…

I have heard many great pastors explain the Sermon on the Mount, I have also taught on this, and until recently, this word hit me like a sweet aroma of the finest of buttermilk southern biscuits! If you’ve never had the deliciousness of southern buttermilk biscuits with gravy, I invite you to go to a place where they serve them, or get the recipe and make them yourselves.
Now back to what I was saying. This word has been one I have taken for granted most of my Christian life. Sure, I read and reread the scriptures, and most of the Bible has this word here and there until you get to the Psalms and to the Sermon on the Mount, where this word is used to signify something important.
Christians use the word ‘blessed‘ to explain the incredibly joyous and meaningful description when someone places their trust, knowledge, and faith in Jesus, the Savior of the world.

You see, when you hear this word as much as we do in the English speaking world, it tends to take the importance away.

I sneeze; somebody says, “Bless you.” Someone buys a car, and someone else says, “What a blessing!” Another person says that their baby was born, and someone else will say,” Congratulations! Kids are such a blessing!”
When we study this word, we realize the true meaning has been lost, particularly in the US, which is blessed materially.

The Greek word Makarios (Strong’s H3107) is our English word blessed. Makarios means to be happy, to be envied.
Jesus uses this word extensively in His Sermon on the Mount, and He also inspired most of the writers of the Hebrew Scriptures to use this word, primarily King David and the rest of the Psalmists.

When Jesus was speaking about those who were blessed, Israel was under the dominion of the Roman Empire. The people of Israel had been waiting hundreds of years for their Messiah or Future Anointed King of Israel to come and set things straight.
Jesus came as a Humble-Sacrificial-Lamb of God-King. This poor Carpenter knew what being without meant. He also knew what meekness was.

— You see, Jesus could have at anytime, called legions of Heavenly Beings who were ready at His command(Matthew 26:53). Just one of those Angelic Beings slew 185,000 Assyrians in one night. Just a few of these powerful, heavenly host, would have taken care of all the Roman Legions! So, Jesus would not have to have lifted a finger to make the Roman Empire disappear off the face of the Earth!

—Yet, Jesus remained calm and gentle for the sake of the world, in order to come to a saving knowledge of who He was, is, and will be!
Oscar Roca

“Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God’s strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness”.—Help Ministries

—Jesus also knew what mourning for a loved one meant. The bible is silent on Joseph’s passing into eternity. But if Jesus’ mourning for his friend Lazarus is any indication, Jesus mourned for His adopted earthly dad with great agony.

—Jesus also knew what hungering and thirsting for righteousness meant. He, later on in the Gospels, would be overthrowing the tables in the courtyard of the Gentiles at the Temple Mount. Why? Becasue most of the Leadership of Israel during His time would become corrupt and unworthy of leading God’s people.

— Jesus knew what being merciful and showing heart for people meant. He came to set the seperation from God back to what it was in the beginning, when Adam and Eve were in the Garden, communing with God. Jesus would have Grace and Mercy for people by going obediently to the cross. His heart would be so sad for His people Israel, that He would literally die of a broken heart.

—Jesus would also know what being a Peacemaker, and being persecuted meant. Since He was All God and All man, He knew exactly what He was talking about. He on many occasions told His unbelieving disciples that He would be given up and put to death for the sake of mankind (Matthew 26:2,14,15,45; Mark 14:41,42; Luke 22:53).

—Think of this, as Jesus’ ministry began, He knew everything that would happen to Him and yet, kept His meekness about Him. Tell me if this is not demonstrating power under gentleness! Knowing exactly what laid in store for Him three and a half years into the future!

—Now if we put ourselves in Jesus’ sandals, would we be able to say Blessed are those who are persecuted, or the reviled? Or the deathly sick, or the poor?

—Jesus was able to see into His future, and yet remain calm and gentle under pressure.
Oscar Roca

If He did this for Himself, imagine how much more He will do for us when we are going through some heavy trials? He tells us to place all our problems on Him. He doesn’t say that we will stop having these problems, but He promises us that He will make them lighter. So light, that they will be bearable.

—How about you, what do you have that is so unbearable that it keeps you up at night? Give that heavy load to Jesus. Trust in Him. Ask Him to come into your life and flip that problem upside down. We are in the court of the Gentiles, His court. Come into His Temple and be set free of all your burdens; becasue in giving Jesus all of you, with all your problems and complications, He promises you to carry those things that are weighing on your heart. Be blessed, happy to be envied once you cast your cares upon Jesus, the Perfector of our lives….

Click on any of these links if you want a personal relationship and commitment to God:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019

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Church Is Where You Take It! |Boundless Church

I was speaking to my Barber as he was cutting my hair. I’ve gotten to know him well. It’s been almost a decade.
There are barbers closer to me. I had one before that is about a 5-minute drive who cuts hair just as well, but his bedside manner is atrocious. The current Barber is a little bit longer ride.
The reason I go to him is that he is one of the most Christ-like people I know.
In the years I’ve been going there, he regularly shows me an example of what a Christian should be.
People come in to see him and wait, sometimes hours to ask him questions. He is one of the best counselors I’ve heard. He gives scripture in every answer, and Christ’s love is always apparent.
Sometimes, I wish that I could have his patience. Homeless people come in asking to use the restroom. He lets them use it, and after they leave, excuses himself to clean it, so that his paying customers will not complain.
He wanted to be a Catholic priest early in his life and decided that marriage was more important. I agree with my Barber’s statement. Adam was lonely, even when walking with God. Men and women are never to be isolated, except to fast from each other.

All this to say, my Barber encourages me incredibly; and for that, I am eternally grateful. Why? Because he knows I am a pastor, and I know he loves God being a Catholic. Yet, we both are working in the LORD’s Harvest until the day He sounds the Trumpets for His workers to stop the work and go and celebrate. I am delighted and rejoice when it’s time to see my Barber because we can chat about Christ and point all who hear us to Him!

If you own a business or if you are a coach, or stay at home mom, or if you are a jet setter traveling all over the place, church is everywhere and anywhere. Go out and make disciples. Point evryone to Jesus! There is no boundery or limit or lack of people!

P.S. i didn’t name him because I will not take his crown away!

Click on any of these links if you want a personal relationship and commitment to God:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

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God’s Defining Moment for You!—Grace Unmerited |The Attributes of God Series

Grace. This word could be used for naming your baby girl.

It could be used for someone who is found guilty to plead for mercy.

It could be used for someone who flows effortlessly in sports.

There are many different ways to use this word. Yet, the most important one is found in the Bible.
Oscar Roca

—Grace is unmerited.

—You can’t earn it.

—You can’t buy it.

—You can’t inherit grace.

—You can’t study hard to achieve it.

—You can’t wish it to come to you..

The only way to get grace from God is to ask for it wholeheartedly, with humility and contritely. This means that a person can only touch, feel, see and hear God spiritually when they let go of all pride, sin, heartaches that keep you locked in a chain of burdensome self-condemnation or guilt. Allow God to give this unmerited and unwarranted gift of new life to you.

The grace of God can give you such incredible peace, that it surpasses any understanding that you may have about what God’s love, mercy and grace are.
Oscar Roca

There is nothing you have done that can keep you away from God’s grace. The only way that God will not forgive you is if you don’t humbly ask Him to!
Oscar Roca

All this to say— Make today the day that you empty yourself of all the guilt and suffering of your past! Allow God to regenerate you from the inside out. Allow Jesus to be the Savior of your life by asking Him to forgive you of any sin—wrongdoing you have done today and in the past. I promise you that He will bring you peace from all the burdens you may be struggling to carry. Allow Him to carry those burdens and toss then into the never ending depths of His love. Make today the day you finally rid yourself of all things that are causing you to stay stuck in the past. Of anything that has you chained up and not moving forward to a fulfilling life with God and others in your life.

Don’t wait, if you are reading this, it’s no coincidence! Make the decision and commitment to Jesus. He in turn will commit Himself to you!

…6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.…—Isaiah 55:6-8 Berean Study Bible

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019

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Make a Change Impeach? No Change Will Come Until We Preach! |Only Christ’s Crucified Will Change the World!

…25 Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity. 26 And as you see and hear,not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.” —Acts 19:25-27 Berean Study Bible

As Christians, we need to keep the priority on what we want to accomplish in our faith.
— Some Christians want to change the world for America through politics.
— Some want to go to the ends of the earth and proclaim the Gospel to other nations.
— Some want to be the best in their fields with the help of God.
— Some want to change society from within and force non-Christians to live as we do with a set of Biblical laws, whether people want them or not.
—Others see themselves living quietly and letting the world take care of itself while they await the coming of our LORD for us.
— Most of these priorities are by themselves, okay. Yet, they miss the mark on what God wants for His followers.
You see, we can’t change the world on our own and for our country until we change peoples lives through Christ.

We can’t change a community, & or a nation or the world with more Laws. We change them all with Christ’s love and what He did on the cross for them!

—We can’t go to the ends of the earth until we go next door and proclaim the Grace of God for all mankind to our family and neighbors.
— We can be the best in our fields without having a fulfilled life. This fulfillment is only brought to life if we are in God’s will.
— We can’t place God’s laws on people who will not understand them. It is by the Spirit who counsels us in the things of God that we will recognize and be guided to do what Christ wants for our lives. I believe that all life begins before birth. Why? Because God states it in His scriptures. I can’t see taking a precious life unnecessarily, or only because I consider it an inconvenience that I will be responsible for taking care of this baby for eighteen years plus.

Getting back to the reasons why Christians believe that they should force our way of life on others…

Christian principles have been, and still, are valuable to the world, to individual nations and to communities where we live.

Christian beliefs, laws, and morals could be implemented ’til Kingdom come. But without having a saving knowledge, and personal commitment to the LORD and Savior Jesus, we will have the cleanest cities on earth; with the most law-abiding people on earth, going straight to hell once they leave this planet!

“”17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate…. 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength...””—1 Corinthians 1 Berean Study Bible

What we need to do is preach Christ crucified and keep preaching His sacrificial blood on the cross.

We need to let people know that it is only through Christ’s death payment, that individuals can come to a lasting relationship with God. But we also need to tell them the consequences of not listening to what we are saying. If we only preach love, we could be condemning people straight to hell.
Each person needs to know what their wrongdoings or sins have done in their lives. Each person has to come to repentance and commitment to changing the direction they are headed in their life.

If you are anything like me, I had to hear this time and time again until I realized that it was not by saying thousands of repeated prayers, or going to church every Sunday, but not adhering to Christ’s teachings the rest of the time.

We need to be like the Apostle Paul. His total commitment to preaching is all he did. There was no, I am going to speak to the city leaders to implement the Torah to the Greeks. He did not go and speak to King Agrippa or the Governor Festus to change the way unwanted Roman babies were being thrown out into the front porches all over the Roman Empire. What Paul did was take the Gospel into all towns, cities and provinces of the Empire. He spoke to one person after another, groups of people by rivers, mountains, and major cities!

Just one man filled with the Holy Spirit turned all of Asia to Christ. To the point of people turning away from their false gods and committng to the LORD Jesus! So much so, that he was stoned and thrown from a cliff by the sellers of the false deities who had been losing customers and their livelihood becasue of one man.

My fellow brethren, preach Christ crucified as much as you can. Do as much preaching about Jesus as soon as you wake up, until you go to sleep. If need be, open your mouths to tell this world about Him! What I am saying is this— Live your lives so filled with God’s Spirit, that they see the goodness in you and glorify the LORD!

Go change your homes, communities, nation and the world for Jesus!

If you are reading this and want to preach Jesus and Him only, but don’t know how to get started. Get to know God more and what He wants for your life:

Know God

Steps to Peace With God

How Can I know God

September 25, 2019September 24, 2019

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