My dear Children of our LORD Jesus, and to those whom the One and Holy God has called out of sin, but for whom our LORD is still to regenerate your hearts: The End of Everything is upon us. If you are a true believer in Christ, then you know
Anxiety at night can feel extra loud. The house gets quiet, and your mind gets busy. You may lie down tired, yet your heart speeds up. You may feel a tight chest, shaky hands, or a feeling that something is wrong. And then you start watching the clock, which makes
Feeling stuck can feel heavy. You may wake up tired, even after a proper sleep. You may know what you should do, yet you can’t start. Also, your mind may replay the same worries on a loop. That can make simple tasks feel huge. Getting unstuck often starts with small
Friends, today, April 25, 2026, there was yet another attempt on the life of the President of the United States, Donald Trump. I am currently watching the news reports of the attack. Since the attack took place at the White House Correspondents Dinner, there are literally hundreds of the world’s
The Resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ is the most important event in the history of mankind, as it not only proved that Jesus was our long-awaited Messiah, but it also guaranteed Christians Eternal Life. Way back in the Book of Genesis, our Father in Heaven promised that the Seed
The more I interact with others online, the more I see that people are all over the map when it comes to correctly understanding the Holy Scriptures. Allow me, at the outset of this article, to say that by no means do I claim to have special knowledge of what
What’s a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had? My mission, given to me by God, is to help guide people into all Truth by teaching and preaching the Gospel of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. In my work as a counselor, I help people heal
I am going to state something that should cause you to recoil. This is by no means a true statement, but many men down through history have believed it, to the detriment of all humanity. The statement is this: women are second class citizens, and they should be treated as
Today, the Holy Spirit led me to write about Zion. There seems to be an irrational hatred of Zion amongst many people of today. Zion is the future home of Christ, and it is the special name given to Jerusalem by God. Christ will rule from Zion during the Millennium.
Who was your most influential teacher? Why? My Mom passed away when I was 11 years old. It was a rough time for my Dad, my three brothers, and my little sister. We were left without our great Mom, who had taken very good care of us. I remember her
God calls us to love one another. Today I posted the following blog on another platform. I received a lot of positive feedback, so I thought I’d post this piece here on my website, as well. As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Here, then, is what I posted
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings? In my work as a counselor, I often talk to my clients about things they can do to deal with any emotional pain they are going through. Often, my clients are dealing with depression (a lack of joy) or anxiety
What is one word that describes you? Earlier this year was my 24th anniversary as a Counselor. If I had to pick one word to describe me, it would be “Counselor.” I’ve always had the gift of communicating well with others. Even before I officially became a counselor, I would
John 1:1-18 declares: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was
In John 15:1-8, our LORD Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of
Are you superstitious? I am definitely not superstitious. I’ve never been because it is not an effective way to live. The Scriptures teach that our LORD is sovereign in everything. Many people tend to believe that the answer to their prayers should be in the affirmative. However, the Bible teaches
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? When I was a young man, I developed a very serious mental illness. I struggled with this illness for a long time, up until very recently. When I got sick, I had no idea how my Blessed
What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance? A while back, I was researching the meaning of my three names. My middle name, Rodriguez, which was my Mom’s maiden name, means “son of a famous power.” The suffix “-ez” in my middle name means “son of,” as
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain. The question in my title above is actually not one that I get asked very often, but it is a tough one to answer, not because I don’t know the answer, but because most people won’t accept the answer I
Today, our Precious Holy Spirit drew me to Revelation 7:9-17: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out
Tonight, our Blessed Holy Spirit led me to 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, where Paul taught: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking
Who are your favorite people to be around? My favorite people to be around include my Wife, my Mother-in-Law, my Mom, my Siblings, my Extended Family, and my Friends, many of whom we lead in Bible Study. This is my cloud of witnesses. I have known mostly Everyone in this
Tonight, our Blessed Holy Spirit drew me to Zephaniah 3:14-20, which reads: “Sing, O daughter of Zion!Shout, O Israel!Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,O daughter of Jerusalem!The LORD has taken away your judgments,He has cast out your enemy.The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;You shall
If there were a biography about you, what would the title be? My life has been marked by an illness that is in its 39th year. Although I won’t identify it directly here, suffice it to say that it is a type of mental illness. Beginning early in my life,
Today, our Blessed Holy Spirit, drew my attention to Matthew 22:23-33: “The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were
What’s your favorite thing to cook? Probably going back centuries, the Mexican people (and other cultures, as well) prepare a wonderful treat, usually at Christmastime. I’m talking about tamales. In our Family, our Mom has been making them since I was little. As we all grew up watching her make
Today, our Blessed Holy Spirit led me to Ruth 2: “There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, ‘Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after
Today, I was drawn by our Precious Holy Spirit to Acts 2:46-47: “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added
Tonight, in my time of devotion, the Holy Spirit led me to Psalm 23, which says the following: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in
Write about a few of your favorite family traditions. We have a number of favorite family traditions that we practice at particular times of the year and also throughout the year. The tradition that stands out the most to me is how we worship and honor God every Sunday at
Tonight, our Precious Holy Spirit drew me to Romans 1 where the Apostle Paul writes: “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time? Today’s prompt in WordPress was a fun one to consider. I thought of all the fun things I love to do: spending quality time with my Wife, playing games with my Family, cooking, watching our favorite TV programs and movies;
Today, my Wife and I saw the movie, “Hamnet,” a fictionalized account of William Shakespeare, his Wife, and their Children. Spoiler alert! If you don’t want to know the story of this movie, stop reading this blog, go see the movie, then come back and finish the blog. I promise
Today, the Holy Spirit led me to Isaiah 24: “Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste,Distorts its surfaceAnd scatters abroad its inhabitants.And it shall be:As with the people, so with the priest;As with the servant, so with his master;As with the maid, so with her mistress;As
List five things you do for fun. In my counseling with my Clients, I often ask them to identify several interventions that they could do to develop better mental health. Sometimes, I get quizzical looks back, as they ask. “Like, what?” I then explain that doing things they enjoy will
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be? Our dog, Torii, is a special one, but she’s not the sharpest knife in the set, as I often say. Torii is about 18 years old, so she’s an old lady. She has the sweetest disposition. I
Today, I want to focus on two familiar passages of Scripture that indicate a monumental Truth of God. The first passage is Genesis 1:1-2, where the Word says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc. Anybody who knows me, knows that I go by Manny. My official first name on my birth certificate is Manuel, which was also my Dad’s name. As a child, we had a neighbor, an older woman named Lucy, who loved
What’s your dream job? My dream job is exactly what I’m doing right now. Our Blessed LORD has led me perfectly into my current role as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I love that I get to meet people from all walks of life. My youngest Client in my
What makes a good leader? I have studied many leaders in history, and I’ve noticed many things about them. Many of them came upon the scene when they were really needed. Others were poor leaders, unable to think beyond what they wanted for themselves. We can agree that all leaders
Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved? In my life, I have always felt loved by God. As a child, I always sensed His presence in my life. Truly, I have walked with the LORD since I was at least five years old. I was born
1 Corinthians 13 says the following: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all
If you could un-invent something, what would it be? I would un-invent nothing. Allow me to explain. As a counselor, I meet people who have been through all sorts of experiences, some good, and some bad. What I and my Clients have discovered is that we are who we are
We need to allow the Word of God to explain the Truth to us first, for it is the primary source of the knowledge of God. I’m going to look at several Bible passages, some of which we have studied recently, and I want to point out what the Scriptures
Lately, I’ve been starting my blogs with my own commentary. Today, I will begin with the Blessed Word of God, for it is vitally important that we understand these principles. In Genesis 2:18-25, the Scriptures plainly say: “And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be
As you look around and see what is happening in the world, I am sure you are wondering just how bad the lawlessness and the evil taking place can get. I have a bit of sobering news for you. The Scriptures clearly teach that at the end of the world,
Friends, it is vitally important that we all know what the LORD says about His chosen people, Israel. You have to ask yourself, why is there so much hatred of the Jewish people in the world? The reality is that this irrational hatred of Israel has existed ever since the
There are many misconceptions about marriage, some of them very harmful, not only to married couples, but to society as a whole. As I’ve stated before in a previous blog, the Holy Scriptures are the blueprint for life, given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so we
Tonight, I meditated on a very pivotal passage in the Word of God, Revelation 19:11-16: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame
Psalm 34:11-14 declares the following: “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and
In 1 Peter 4:7-11, the Apostle Peter wrote: “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
In 1 Peter 4:12-14, the Apostle Peter wrote: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may
Tonight, I meditated on Philippians 4:4-8, where the Apostle Paul stated: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be
In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, the Apostle Paul wrote: “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us,
In Isaiah 9:6-7, the Scriptures declare: “For unto us a Child is born,Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be calledWonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.Of the increase of His government and peaceThere will be no end,Upon the throne
In Philippians 2:5-11, the Apostle Paul declared the following:“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming
Tonight, in my time of devotion, I meditated on these two passages of Scripture: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” – Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV) And…
Tonight, in my time of devotion, I meditated on Romans 8:2, in which the Apostle Paul says the following: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (New King James Version) As I meditated on this
In Micah 4:1-5, the Word of the LORD says the following: “Now it shall come to pass in the latter daysThat the mountain of the LORD’s houseShall be established on the top of the mountains,And shall be exalted above the hills;And peoples shall flow to it.Many nations shall come and
The basic building block of society is the family. Anything that denigrates the family denigrates society as a whole. And central to any family is the marriage relationship. For decades, there has been a systematic attack on what it means to be a family. The Word of God is clear
As a Christian therapist, I get to meet people who are all in different places spiritually. Some of my Clients don’t know God at all, and some of them are walking closely, albeit imperfectly, with our LORD. As a Christian therapist I don’t judge anyone based on where they are
In the last few weeks, I have spoken to people who have not been thrilled about this blog and how I proclaim God’s Truth unashamedly. Ever since the first martyr who was documented in the Book of Acts, Stephen, Christians have been standing against those who would oppose God, and
In my work as a counselor, my primary job is to help people resolve problems that are leading to things like depression and anxiety. Mental illnesses can come from various sources. Sometimes, there is something wrong in the body that leads to poor mental health. Depression and anxiety can also
A popular saying in many circles is, it takes a village to raise a child. While I understand the sentiment, I don’t agree with it. I understand that there are many people who may speak into a child’s life, teachers, coaches, mentors, etc. But ultimately, it is the responsibility of
In Matthew 17: 17-21, the Bible records the following: “Then Jesus answered and said, ‘O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.’ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and
For many Christians, knowing, or discerning, the will of God is hard for them. Probably what I am referring to are life’s big decisions, not just the mundane, although God cares about every aspect of our lives. Although, deciding what you want for breakfast is pretty much up to you.
People who don’t believe in God often say there is no evidence that He exists. They point to scientific discoveries that appear to indicate that the Earth and the Universe are billions of years old, rather than the thousands of years that the Bible appears to claim. There also appears
If you are a Christian, then the Word of God should permeate your life. There are many Christians who feel like God is distant. I submit to you that God is not distant from anyone; no, people are distant from Him. Our LORD invites us into a relationship with Him.
Many people believe that theology and psychology are mutually exclusive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because so many of the early psychological theorists were atheists or agnostics, many Christians believe psychology is not from God. Likewise, because psychology is considered a science, and many scientists believe that theology
In my work as a counselor, I meet people who have all sorts of reactions to what is going on around them. Due to recent events in the Middle East, many people are worried about what might happen. Will the conflict escalate? Is there a chance that a bomb or
How many times have you heard that we live in a post-Christian world, as if God cares that most people don’t consider themselves Christians anymore? The Bible often speaks of the remnant of God’s people, and if we’re honest, God’s people have always been a remnant. Jesus Christ was a
