Category Archives: Daily Message

Wisdom & Grace

08 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Parents & Children Spa
PARENTS AND CHILDREN
Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy+6:6-7; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4 Version ESV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+6%3A6-7%2CProverbs+22%3A6%2CEphesians+6%3A4&version=ESV

What is the place of children in the family? How do we face them during marital crisis? Some deceive themselves by thinking that, when children come, comprehension and understanding between them will be back. What often happens is that the children take the place of the husband or the wife, and this is a serious problem. The children are temporarily given; they come and then leave. You need to understand this. Our wife must be for us the most important person in the family. On the other hand, we expect to continue to remain number one in her life.

And what should be the position of the parents in relation to the children? It should be a position of authority, not authoritarianism; they must raise and avoid alienating the children.

Raising children requires a commitment to live before them the principles of God, teaching them such principles. In this experience, the husband and wife need to find agreement and cooperation. They must be united in the decisions and cannot remove the authority of the other in front of the children.

The husband and wife need to have the wisdom and grace of Christ to support each other’s lives in the difficult days.

Ildefonso Torres

An Order

08 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Ambition-Eng
OVERCOMING COMPETITION AND AMBITION
Today’s Reading: Romans 13:8; Proverbs 1:19; Hebrews 13:5 Version NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13%3A8%3B+Proverbs+1%3A19%3B+Hebrews+13%3A5&version=NIV

In general, financial crises help and tend to unite spouses. Someone said: “If you do not know what we will eat tomorrow, maybe my wife will not worry so much with my urges.”

Small disputes and issues without much importance lose value in an acute crisis. However, if the financial crisis becomes a routine, especially for lack of control of expenses of one or both spouses, it will eventually lead to misunderstandings, aggression and even divorce.

In the struggle for higher wages and fully stocked pantries, it is necessary to overcome the competition and ambition. We must be aware of the materialistic and consumeristic society around us. The interest of propaganda is to create in us a strong conviction that we need that 75-inch TV. A common TV would be enough, or perhaps we would be happier without TV. However, because of the propaganda, we need an extra-large TV. Our neighbors already have one, and we think we are lagging behind. We make a loan with payments for twenty-four months leaving aside what God said: “Owe no one anything except to love one another; for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.”

Besides, the apostle Paul presents a list of the sinful acts of the flesh, including selfish ambition, immorality, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, vengeance, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness and orgies.

So are the paths of ambitious people: Their own ambition takes life away!

God tells us: Seek to live in peace, take care of business and work with your own hands, as you have been ordered. “Live without coveting money. Rather, settle for what you now have, because God has said: ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you.’”

Ildefonso Torres

Improper

06 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

CONQUERING GREED-1
CONQUERING GREED
Today’s Reading: 1 Timothy 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 6:17 Version CEV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A9-10%2C1+Timothy+6%3A17&version=CEV

As Christians, we are challenged to live a simple lifestyle. This principle applies the same way, to a worker who dreams of having his own house, as to a very successful businessman.

The Bible warns that “You must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” (Ephesians 4:17-18)

The important thing is not the amount of goods that pass through our hands, but the meaning that those assets have for our lives and the way that we manage them before God.

The Christian enjoys the goods that the Lord has given him. However, he does not put his heart and trust in them. He does not cheat or oppress anyone, or lose sleep over profits and the accumulation of wealth or the loss of these. He does not want to get rich, not dependent on lotteries, gambling or the money earned without honest work.

Finally the Christian pays his taxes to the government, thus fulfilling the mandate of Jesus when he said: “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:25)

The Christian knows very well what God says: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1Timothy 6:9-10)

A Bible writer clearly tells us, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (Ephesians 5:3)

Greed must be absent from our homes, because people are much more important than goods; and joy, peace and eternal life cannot be bought with money.

Ildefonso Torres

Greed

05 Saturday Mar 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

greed-1

As a companion picture to the wise use of wealth, there runs through Proverbs a series of stern and heavy denunciations of him who clutches riches for their own sake, who plunders the impoverished and feeds upon their misery. Meditation on this hideous side of life can scarce be beneficial to those who themselves suffer for lack of worldly goods, lest it make them over-bitter; but surely every wealthy man to-day should ponder the wisdom of this portion of the “book of wisdom.”

‎In those days when famine was ever close at hand, wealth depended very directly upon the possession of grain, the eastern staff of life, which sometimes, as in Joseph’s day, could be sold at enormous prices to those who, without it, died. So that he who withheld corn was indeed “cursed” of the starving people. “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivered from death.” “He that is greedy of gain troubled his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.” ‎“He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.”

The Bible and its Story, Volume 7: The Prophets, Isaiah to Ezekiel

The Word

03 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Instrument Blessing
INSTRUMENT OF BLESSING OR CURSE?
Today’s Reading: Hebrews 4:12 Version NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A12&version=NIV

A harsh word can be worse than a face slap. Many people, who found that physical aggression within the family is something absurd, assault with harsh and cruel words, his wife and children.

The word may also be, like a sharp knife. Murmuring that become slander and slowly kill innocent people.

The word is constantly falsified and lies become ordinary. This happens at all levels of society, from the government to the rich, and to the poorest people of the city.

God gave us the word to bless and not to curse. It is with the word that we comfort those who suffer. We teach the truth; we value those who are desperate and convey our love to them.

Jesus is the Word of God in human form; He is the means of communication of God; the distribution of his love, forgiveness and life for all human beings. You must ask God: “Lord, do not let my voice say harsh words; slander and lies. Open my mouth to utter words of comfort, purpose, value and to tell others of your love and your grace”.

We must use words as instruments to bless others and never to curse them.

Ildefonso Torres

Happy Forever?

02 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Shelter Final
THE SHELTER
Today’s Reading: Psalm 46:1-7 Version NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46%3A1-7&version=NIV

At weddings, we hear this phrase, “Happy forever!” Later, however, the reality of every day upsurge; and with them, attempts to change the other person. As you cannot change a person, without destroying their personality or willpower, it only remains to sigh: “Ah, it was good when I was single!”

Given the problems of life, marital or of any other nature, it does not make any sense to say: “If I had not married!” “If my husband or wife was someone else”!

The woman or man you married is what he or she is. Unless he or she dies, unless there is a separation, you will continue next to each other. You need to do something, react and strive to understand and love this person as she or he is.

If after so much discord and so many fights in your marriage not even a little bit of love is left, have the humility to ask God for forgiveness and grace to start all over again.

God is more interested in your life and the stability of your marriage, than you think. He is the source of love, joy and life. God is your shelter and strength.

Ildefonso Torres

True Love

01 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Reaction
THE REACTION
Today’s Reading:1 Corinthians 13:1-10 Version NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A1-10&version=NIV

 Many men and women, after declaring undying love at the wedding, and even during the honeymoon, confront the reality that roars like a lion. It is that some bring their unrealistic expectations to the marriage and disappointment begins to devour marital happiness. The list of expectations is sometimes overwhelming. Among them is that marriage will solve all personal problems, that romance will hold the marriage together forever, that communication will be natural and automatic and that religious differences will be insignificant. All constitute the foundation of a home built over the sand.

 Eventually they react and collapse over another reality: “This is not the good looking, pleasant, and understanding wife, I married!” “This is not the cheerful, gentle, kind and romantic man I married!” What can be done? Give the woman back to her family? ¿Give the man back to his mother who with shedding tears left him?

As they fall into the reality of married life, the reaction is not to change, but to transform the person into the husband or wife of their dreams. Then they try to change each other. However, is it possible to change the way people do things and act? Is it fair to think about changing a person with whom we have married, without being willing to change our own way of life?

 The husband and wife are different people and their individuality should be respected. However, those who truly love must be able to respect others without trying to impose a certain way of being. We need the love of Christ Jesus, the love of God, to come into our lives, because true love demands nothing in return.

Ildefonso Torres

Love

29 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

THE REALITY
THE REALITY
Today’s Reading: Ephesians 3:14-19 Version NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A14-19&version=NIV

They married! Now they are living in the same house; now they show each other as they really are. Before marriage, they were careful on how they dressed, well combed hair, face makeup; everything was said and done with courtesy, attention and affection. Love and romance flowed everywhere!

Now they are married, however, not always well dressed, or well groomed. Now they do not always show a smile on their lips, they show their ailments, signs of ageing, love and romance disappear as if by magic.

The reality of marriage places us face to face with the loved one, as he or she is not as we had thought it was. This is where love is tested. We need true love, able to defeat our selfishness and make us think about the person we have on our side. True love is the one we receive from Jesus Christ. He showed us his love, giving his own life for us. With the love of Christ in our hearts we can defeat personal interests and begin to consider the interests of the other person, desiring their welfare, and happiness. That’s the reality.

Ildefonso Torres

Compromiso

28 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Sueño y Realidad final
SUEÑO O REALIDAD
Lectura de Hoy: Efesios 5:22-33 Version RVR1960
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Efesios+5%3A22-33&version=RVR1960

Quien ha estado casado por un mes, o por diez años, sabe muy bien que la frase “felices para siempre” no se convierte en realidad ante los problemas y conflictos que se viven en el matrimonio. Aunque rodeado de sueños y pasiones, el matrimonio debe ser encarado dentro de la realidad de cada día: problemas en las relaciones humanas, falta de paciencia e incomprensión, dificultades financieras, falta de información y resentimiento en el área sexual, y una infinidad de otros mal entendidos.

Antonio y Margarita han completado cincuenta años de casados, las bodas de oro. Cualquiera que los vea, con sus cabellos blancos, andando de un lado para otro, nos imaginamos los pequeños o los grandes problemas que tuvieron en su relación durante estos largos años. Las luchas y las experiencias les han hecho comprender que la realidad de la vida no debe matar los sueños, sin embargo, no se puede vivir de sueños y si de compromisos.

Oímos decir: “¡Prometo amar, honrar, ser fiel hasta que la muerte nos separe!” Si el compromiso de amor y lealtad se mantiene en el matrimonio, la realidad de la vida no lo destruirá. Dicho sea de paso, este compromiso de amor y lealtad vence cualquier barrera y transforma el matrimonio en una dulce realidad.

Ildefonso Torres

Commitment

28 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by in Daily Message

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Dream or Reality
DREAM OR REALITY
Today’s Reading: Ephesians 5:22-33 Version NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A22-33&version=NIV

Anyone who have been married for a month, or for ten years, knows very well that the “happily ever after” phrase does not become a reality in front of the problems and conflicts that are lived in marriage. Although surrounded by dreams and passions, marriage must be addressed within everyday reality, problems in human relationships, lack of patience and incomprehension, financial difficulties, lack of information, resentment in the sexual area, and countless other misunderstandings.

Antonio and Margarita have completed fifty years of marriage, the golden wedding anniversary. Anyone who sees them with their white hair, walking from one place to another, imagines the small and large problems they had in their relationship during these long years. The struggles and experiences made them understand that the reality of life should not kill their dreams. However, we cannot live of dreams but of commitments.

We have heard: “I promise to love, honor, be faithful until death do us part!” If the commitment of love and loyalty remains in marriage, the reality of life will not destroy it.  By the way, this commitment of love and loyalty overcomes any barrier and transforms marriage into a sweet reality.

Ildefonso Torres