FAITH , LOVE AND HOPE!

By Evelyn Melendez

"Faith, Hope, Love; and the Greatest of These is Love"

1 Corinthians 13

Stay close to Him and your love will grow with permanence. Without love, life is empty and void of meaning. Love includes God's love for you, your love for others, and love in family. Let us love one another, because love comes from God. Whoever loves, is a child of God and knows God. does not love, does not know God.... God showed his love for us by sending his only son into the world, so that we might have life through him. This is what love is: It is not that we have loved God but, that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven. If this is how God loves us, then we should love one another, God lives in union with us, and his love is made perfect for us.

There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment.

We love because God first loved us. The command that Christ has given us is: whoever loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4.7-21

Love and self-knowledge

"Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and the will apply to you the same rules you apply to others. First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Matthew 7.1-5

Love in the home

Our brothers and sisters, you learned from us how you should live in order to please God. This is, of course the way you have been living. And now we beg and urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to do even more. God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality. Each of you men should know how to live with his wife in a holy and honorable way, not with a lustful desire, like the heathen who do not know God. In this matter, no man should do wrong to his fellow Christian or take advantage of him. The Lord can punish those who do such thing. So whoever rejects this teaching is not rejecting man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. You yourselves have been taught by God how you should love one another. And you have, behaved like this toward all the brothers, to do even more. Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living, just as we told you before. In this way, you will win the respect of those who are not believers, and you will not have to depend on anyone for what you need. 1 Thessalonians 4.1-12

Love's strength

Build your strength in union with the Lord and by his mighty power. Put on the armor that God give to us, so that you will be able to stand strong against the Devil's evil tricks. If we maintain ourselves on the armor, we will be able to resist the enemy's attack. We must fight until the end and still hold your ground. As all times, carry the faith as a shield. Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For the reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people. AMEN!

REMEMBERING RAYMOND GONZALEZ JR

By Noel Serrano

 

Raymond Gonzalez Jr, The  beloved son, brother and uncle of the Gonzalez and Figueroa Families quietly passed away this past weekend. The news of his passing was unbelievably  surreal and hit   a devastating blow to the chests of all who knew and loved him. Raymond was a quiet and stoic soul with a smile that lighted a  room. He was not a man of many words and his silence increased his power to communicate by way of his music. Raymond was a superb and accomplished  trumpet player who learned to master those high notes in his early years with his Uncle Raul  Gonzalez and his Father, Raymond Sr. Raymond JR ,who was known as Cuco  or Ququito  by his close friends, was brought up in an environment of music and his deep passion was demonstrated in every note  as he mastered that glaring and  glowing trumpet with clarity and precision.

 

My memory went back  to the halcyon years of the early 1960s as I grew to admire this tall Trumpet player who lifted that trumpet to the sky and  the clarion call resounded throughout  the Great Sanctuary of the beloved home church "La Sinagoga"  As a young man , Raymond was close friends of Frank Serrano and Ariel Bosch. He would often come to our home in Queens to hang out with my brother Frank and jam and talk about music. Their badinage was inspiring and alluring. Raymond was the type of young man that everyone wanted to hand with him. He had a magnetic personality and a gentleman's charm that was attributed in part to his impeccable manners and his love and mastery of music. It is said that : 

“The trumpet does no more stun you by its loudness, than a whisper teases you by its provoking inaudibility”

 

Raymond Gonzalez Jr played  his trumpet with grace and  audible agility. He was able to achieve great success when he later joined  Tito Puente and his Band in the  early 1980s, I last saw Raymond in a visit that I made to La Sinagoga in  December of 1986. He had decided to return  to his roots and to seek the Lord. we recalled his friendship with my Brother and Cousins and he always declare" You remind me of your brother Frank" In the later years he joined with us in the Gala Effort, becoming a member since 2009. We would stay in contact through text and e-mails. His Sister, Raquel always kept me posted on her beloved brother. We want to take this opportunity to send our deepest condolences  to the Gonzalez and Figueroa Families on behalf of the many Families of the Gala Foundation. We are with you! We share in your grief at the passing of  a beloved soul and we pray that god will grant you  the comfort in the realization that Raymond has gone to his reward. He has won the race! and He is now in the Loving Arms of our Great Redeemer, and we have the hope that the world does not share...we will all be with Him, one day.

 

WAKE UP!

By Irving Serrano Sr.

 

Have you ever heard the phrase "wake up the sleeping church ?" To speak of the church, is to speak of Christian folks. The people who at one point in their lives accepted Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior. We (Christians) however live in a society where not everyone lives by the same standards. Not everyone speaks with a civil tongue. Gods word teaches us to refrain from certain behavior, refrain from malice. To be different. Some Christians go to work, and their co-workers are not aware that they are standing next to a "Christian". Might it be because in today's society, we have let the entertainment industry rule over our thinking? A lot of people just want to be entertained, they want to make appearances. Some people just want to visit a church where they just get their ears tickled. The pastor, or the administration of such church decided, they`ll just hit them with the good stuff; "Oh, God is love", Oh," no weapon formed against you will prosper", Oh, He will make a way for all your needs". In reality, All of Gods word is good. Even the things that hit home. You know the old adage; " If the shoe fits". But some churches prefer to have all the seats filled, even at the risk of not clearly preaching Gods word. They are worried they might offend someone. Could this be why some people have lost the hunger for the things of God ? Some have lost the passion, for living for Jesus ? Some have lost the essence of Biblical Christianity ? Let me ask you, How many times have you heard, or witnessed by someone around you; In that Church the principals of scriptural Holiness are either old fashioned or out of date ? Have you heard people say, how they want to have an incredible worship experience, but show up with no enthusiasm ? How many people have you heard say they love Jesus, and then go out and live for Satan, the rest of the week ? How can one say that the church is important in their lives, but rarely go ? What today`s Christian (church) needs is to rediscover a passionate love for Christ. We desperately need to discover a hunger for God. " Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money- come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk with out money and with out cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy ? Listen,,, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isaiah 55:1-2 ) This scripture shows that God offers a personal invitation of renewal. To know God, and to accept Jesus Christ, is not just a one time encounter. God is inviting us to have a close relationship with Him, and join Him for a journey. The word come, means to walk or live in a specific manor. God is giving the invitation to come live for Him. In today`s world, we all hear the news. The tragic lost of lives in our schools, and in public places. These terrible things are happening in our Nation. We can also see how bad times are getting in our worldly news. Country's are at war. And our nation is right in the middle of it. If we listen and look at our world with our spiritual eyes. Our Bible tells us that, these things will come to pass. The book of Revelations, tells us all about the things we`ll see in the last days. The very same things we see and hear on the news everyday. "And that knowing the time, that now is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer then when we first believed " (Romans 13:11 ). The Lord Jesus Christ, who was and is 100% God, left heaven and was born of a virgin, manifest in human flesh, and shed His blood and died our death. And suffered our punishment, so we could be reconciled to Him. And not only this, but He was buried and arose from the dead. The Apostle Paul, says the Lord Jesus, was "delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification" and we have a hope that is sure and steadfast, when He returns for us and just like He was raised from the dead with a new glorified eternal body, so shall we be given a body "fashioned unto like His glorious body". What an amazing, merciful, gracious, loving God we serve. May we constantly think of all that the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us, and give Him thanks and praise His holy name forever! If there is anyone reading this who has not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ ? I beg you, do not delay. No one has a guarantee they will be here tomorrow. Now is the accepted time, Now is the day of salvation! Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved! 

Love always, Irving Serrano Sr.

THE ENEMY LURKING AROUND US!

By Irving Serrano Sr

 

It is always a privilege for me to share my thoughts and stories. In many ways it also gives me the opportunity to share my testimony. Although I was raised in a Christian home, I know what it is to try to live your life without Christ. There are people that start reading something, and once they get the idea as to what its about. They stop reading. Others are just simply not interested. If you have read to this point? Allow me to ask you to please continue reading. If this message is not for you. I am sure you will be able to pass it on to someone else. There was once a young man. We will refer to him as Dabanger. A young man that consequences led him into a life of drug use. A typical day for Dabanger was to wake up out of a restless sleep, thinking about some money he would be needing to take care of his illness. He tries to get up and walk, he feels horrible and cant remember who fathered him. With the eyes like a hawk he looks for a victim, discreetly whispering an excuse we all are familiar with: " Can you spare some change, I need to eat ?" and he`s off to the hot spot. Dabanger focuses on what he thinks, is his best friend. Simply because there were times where he was fronted the product. He opens his trembling hand to see the amount of what he got. And with a sigh of relief, he's on his way. Dabanger is in his secret place, and as he puts that poison in his vain. He once again proclaims to stop the next day. But time goes by and he continues to condemn his sole. He once again forgot that many had been praying for him. And there was a place where they always awaited for him, with a celebration. It was Gods house. where God would have forgiven him of his sins, and healed him of his addiction. But he never showed. Dabanger would go on to do him, and he never thought of God. But one day fate was not on his side. The dope was bad......dabanger was later found dead. In an old abandon building. It was there Dabanger lost his life (end). Some people might say, I'm hitting below the belt. By all means, my intentions is not to judge you, or accuse you. I think you will agree that this story has been a reality in a lot of families. This is very real not just in the inner cities, but everywhere. Some people resort to prescription drugs. We need to take a serious account of what we take for pain, and even sleeping aids. In today's society any person you meet while on the subway, or people you see while driving on the highway, can be a user of one thing or another. You can be a hard worker, or have a professional career and do a wonderful job taking care of your home and family. But if your doing it with out Christ. You are making yourself and your family a prime target for the enemy (Satan) to turn your life upside down. God wants you to have a good life a prosperous life. He gave man the authority over all living plants, creatures on land and in the sea. There is no reason why anyone being a child of God, would have to suffer with alcoholism, or addictions of any kind. Dabanger promised himself that he would quit the drugs. But in the end, it was the drugs that put an end to him. Some people often say; I'm going to church on Sunday, but the year goes by and they have yet to go. It is s important to acknowledge Jesus Christ as your lord and savior. Communicate with Him daily, and He will direct your path. He will allow you to see the devils approach, and He will give you the authority to rebuke the devil, and make him leave your midst. When any one is subject to any sort of dependency, everyone suffers. Mothers, children and wives. I urge you you take a closer walk with Christ. May God bless you.

 Love always, Irving Serrano Sr. .

 

STANDING OUT AS A CHRISTIAN

By Timeyin.Arueyingho

 

 

 

 

 

 I looked outside the window, gluing my nose to the glass as rain washed down the dirt on the other side of the car. Mud had splashed all over the car again and the figures that hovered around the car, where also baptised with mud. Children! yeah, they were children just like me... walking under the rain, begging...doing meagre jobs as their parents looked on...i was disturbed, daddy did nothing about it. Today, I'm more or less an 'old' teenager, and more exposed to the harsh realities of life. I am sincerely bothered about how nonchalant ,'christians' could be in this country. We say we are Christians yet there are poor children on the streets! We say we are Christians but there's nothing to show for it, except the daily sunday routine! Money is spent on getting the best dresses for a church service, yet the offering given isn't even enough for ordinary indomie noodles.... Money is spent on extravagant buildings, yet the 'church' is filthy.... Money is spent on everything except spreading the gospel and helping the poor..... Thank the lord for the few ministries who stand out in all their endeavours... But this has to change, its high time we stopped being complacent about things that matter...and stand out as Gods representatives on earth. We are blessed to bless ourselves, so the love should be spread around. Quit the hypocrisy....for on the last day, we shall know who is who.... Years ago, i thought i was just more fortunate than the children i saw through the window....but now i know, i am where i am to cause a change.... let's all keep up the positive attitude of love and care regardless of our flaws.... Timeyin.Arueyingho.

THE GALA FOUNDATION PLANS TO BROADEN ITS PREMIER JOURNAL

FLASH-The Gala Foundation announced today, its intention to broaden the writ of its communication journal, The Family Times International. The beloved Journal was created  and established in 1987  by the Organization as a goodwill tool of communication to its readers. Since those early days , The Family Times International has joined the on-line ranks and continue to serve as the Foundation's Official Publication. Gala Director, Noel Serrano recently conferred with Gala Officials of the intent to broaden the scope of the Publication by creating a separate and independent platform Site on Facebook. Noel revealed his hesitation at a recent video memorandum to Gala Officials because he did not want to spread the Foundation's operations to thin. He was waiting for several years so  that the Main Gala Sites would be fully grown in content and viewership. The Family Times International is  unit of the Gala Foundation. Presently, The Family times International is beamed directly to the Gala Sites and is available in English and Spanish. The new plans are to establish its own platform n Facebook to increase its base around the globe. This will be one  of an ongoing series of initiatives that are being proposed. This comes at a time when the Foundation is revamping and upgrading the new technologies of the day to further enhance the  mission and legacy of its institution.