The SHALOM Post

Dr. Hidalgo,

I'm studying from your website and it has been very helpful. However I'm still full of questions. This one I don't think I will find the answer on the site. It is in regard to my oldest daughter. She grew up in an Adventist church where the Sabbath is honored. Neither of us attend the church now but we still know the Sabbath is to be honored. A couple years ago my daughter married a fine young man who is Baptist. They were determined to marry so my advise at the time was not to worry about denominations but rather remember what the Bible says because that is really all that matters. Although they are doing well in their marriage, they struggle with the importance of Sabbath keeping. He Baptist, the Sabbath is Sunday to him and while he complies with her Sabbath observance, there still is tension around the issue. She wants to know if she can become Baptist, go to church with him on Sunday and still honor the Sabbath. I think his church would have a problem with it but Biblical I don't know that she couldn't. What advise can I give her?

Thanks again, Anna

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HELLO ANNA

THANK YOU FOR YOUR E-MAIL

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE SEARCHING OUR SITE:

WWW.SHALOM-PEACE.COM

ALSO, YOU MIGHT RECOMMEND OUR SITE TO YOUR DAUGHTER AND SON IN LAW

WE AS HEBREW CHRISTIAN BAPTIST, DO OBSERVE THE SABBATH AND KEEP THE FEAST OF THE LORD AS THE SCRIPTURES ENCOURAGE US TO DO, ALL BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED AND WANT TO KEEP THOSE COMMANDMENTS THAT ARE VIABLE FOR US, TODAY

IN REFERENCE TO YOUR DAUGHTER, THE IMPORTANT ISSUE ON THE TABLE IS THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAVE NO TENSION IN THEIR MARRIAGE AND THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS INDEED THE HEAD OF THEIR HOME

THUS, WE DO ENCOURAGE THAT SHE BECOME ONE WITH HIM IN WORSHIPPING THE LORD IN AND THROUGH THE BAPTIST CHURCH, ESPECIALLY IF THE PASTOR AND CONGREGATION ARE BIBLICALLY SOUND

IN RESPECT TO THE SABBATH, FIRST THE OBSERVANCE OF IT SHOULD BE FROM THE HEART AND THE REST THAT COMES FROM THAT WILL BE GIVEN BY THE LORD IN THEIR FAMILY, AND LITTLE BY LITTLE PERHAPS YOUR SON IN LAW WILL BECOME ENAMORED WITH THE SABBATH, NOT AS A TRADITION OR RULE OF LAW, BUT RATHER AS A JOYOUS DAY BEFORE THE LORD

IN CLOSING, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMEMBER US WITH YOUR PRAYERFUL SUPPORT AND LEAN MORE AND MORE UPON THE LORD (PROVERBS 3: 5-8)

SHALOM (PEACE) IN Y'SHUA (JESUS) OUR BLESSED LORD AND GOD

DR. AND MRS. HIDALGO

PSALM 128

WWW.SHALOM-PEACE.COM

Your home page has renewed my commitment to Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. What a wonderful page, please send me literature on your outreach.

Marilyn

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HELLO MARILYN

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND E-MAIL RE: PSALM 122: 6

MAY THE LORD HIMSELF BLESS YOU AS YOU DO 'PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM'

IN REFERENCE TO OUR LITERATURE:

ALL OF OUR LITERATURE, VIDEOS, AUDIO CASSETTES AND BOOKS ARE ALL LISTED ON OUR WEB SITE:

WWW.SHALOM-PEACE.COM

AT NO CHARGE (SEE: I CORINTHIANS 9: 18)

MAY WE MAKE A SUGGESTION:

IF THE LORD DIRECTS YOU AND YOU ARE ABLE, WE WOULD SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT FOR OUR MINISTRY. THANK YOU

ON OUR FRONT WEB PAGE WE HAVE A PLACE FOR DONATIONS THROUGH PAY PAL, OR IF YOU PREFER, YOU MAY SEND YOUR LOVE GIFTS TO OUR SAVANNAH, GEORGIA ADDRESS

AGAIN, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR LORD FOR YOU

SHALOM (PEACE) IN Y'SHUA (JESUS) OUR REDEEMER

DR. AND MRS. HIDALGO

PSALM 96 WWW.SHALOM-PEACE.COM

Greetings, How are you doing?! I was impressed with your two articles about "Christmas and Easter". I just want to know what you are doing when almost everyone in the world is celebrating the pagan feast. I hope you know that me and my family are not celebrating it. How is life out there? Are there other Christians not celebrating it?

SHALOM

Abraham (Malawi)

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SHALOM ABRAHAM FROM MALAWI

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND E-MAIL

FIRST OF ALL, WE LOOKED UP MALAWI ON A PICTORIAL MAP, SINCE WE WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR PART OF THE WORLD, AND THE PICTURES OF THE PLACE AND PEOPLE WERE VERY INTERESTING

SECONDLY, IN NOT OBSERVING 'CHRISTMAS AND EASTER' IN THE TRADITIONAL 'CHRISTIAN' WAY, SURELY MAKES ONE FEEL VERY ISOLATED ON THE ONE HAND, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, ISN'T IT BEST TO OBEY THE LORD AND HIS HOLY WORD?

OF COURSE IT IS, THEREFORE, WE LOSE THE FEELING OF ISOLATION BECAUSE WE IMMERSE OURSELVES IN THE WORD OF GOD, AS WE YEARLY REMEMBER THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS AND HIS RESURRECTION AS WE READ AND RE-READ THE PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE THAT SO ELOQUENTLY SPEAK OF HIM AND ONLY HIM. TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY BOTH NOW AND FOREVER, AMEN

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO E-MAIL US AND WE ASK THE LORD TO BLESS YOU AND YOURS IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY THIS VERY DAY

SHALOM

DR. AND MRS. HIDALGO

LUKE CHAPTER TWO AND I CORINTHIANS 15

WWW.SHALOM-PEACE.COM

Shalom, Thank you for your faithfulness in remembering us in your fervent prayers and support (since the days of Minneapolis). Thank you. Here are some thoughts that you requested; Shalom in Jesus our Lord Dr. and Mrs. Hidalgo www.shalom-peace.com

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There are no specific references to cremation in the New Testament writings, there are several places in the writings of the Old Testament where one may find mention made of the burning of the bodies of the deceased. Cremation is not unknown in the sacred writings; its occurrence, however, is rare and exceptional. Let's notice briefly each of these occurrences.

Genesis 22 --- God commands Abraham to offer up his son Isaac "as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you" (vs. 2). After killing his son with a sacrificial knife, the body was then to be consumed with fire on the altar. Of course, this is not an actual case of cremation, since the commanded event never occurred (except in the heart of Abraham). Nevertheless, it is a case where a form of cremation was ordered by God.

Joshua 7:25 --- This is the account of Achan and his family, who were executed and cremated because of their sin of secreting away some of the spoils from the capture of the city of Ai. "And Joshua said, 'Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.' And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones." This was in fulfillment of the warning issued in Joshua 7:15. Being consumed with fire was a special punishment reserved for the very wicked. "If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, that there may be no immorality in your midst" (Leviticus 20:14). "Also the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by harlotry, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire" (Leviticus 21:9). "Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, 'Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.' Then Judah said, 'Bring her out and let her be burned'" (Genesis 38:24). See also the prophecy in Isaiah 30:33 where an allusion is made to the cremation of the wicked.

1 Samuel 31:11-13 --- Saul and his sons had been killed in battle by the Philistines, who took their bodies and hung them on the wall of the city of Beth-shan. "Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh, and burned them there. And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

2 Kings 23:20 --- During the reforms of King Josiah of Judah, he tore down the altars in the land which had been erected to false gods and executed the idolatrous priests. And all the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.

Amos 2:1 --- This passage (and also Amos 6:10) is often used to suggest God's disapproval of the practice of cremation. "Thus says the Lord, 'For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke its punishment, because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime. These people had taken the ashes of their enemies and used that ash to make mortar to build citadels and pagan temples for themselves. It was a callous desecration of the dead that reflected a godless spirit.

Amos 6:10 --- This passage is part of an indictment of those who are "at ease in Zion," and who thus will be led away into captivity. While their city is being besieged, however, the situation will become so desperate, the bodies of the dead so abundant, that proper burial will not be possible. Burial usually took place outside the city walls.

Daniel 3 --- Nebuchadnezzar erected a large golden idol and decreed, "whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire" (vs. 6). Of course we all know the account of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. They refused to worship the idol and they were cast into the fiery furnace. The intent was a living cremation. Indeed, when the Lord pours out His wrath on the day of judgment, the wicked will not fare as well. "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze .... And you (the righteous) will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing" (Malachi 4:1,3).

Christians followed the precedent of the Jews with respect to disposal of the dead. The early Christians, following the example of Jesus (e.g., Matthew 9:24; John 11:11), spoke of the deceased as being asleep (1 Corinthians 15:6,18,20; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15; cf. Daniel 12:2). Early memorials referred to the deceased as asleep in Jesus. It seemed quite inappropriate to incinerate the body referred to as being asleep. The early Christian expectations of the Lord's early return and NT examples of the dead being raised (e.g., Acts 9:40) contributed to their reluctance to cremate the deceased. Thus, since their hope of immortality was connected to the resurrection of the body upon the return of Christ on that last day, they sought to preserve the body as best they could, rather than destroy it.

It was partly because of this strong Christian hope in a future bodily resurrection to life that some believers, and "heretics," were burned at the stake. Although martyrs were sometimes burned with the intent of lessening the Christians' confidence of resurrection, it did not deprive them of this hope. If possible, they would gather the ashes or bones of the martyrs and bury them. They were confident, however, in the affirmation that the manner of death and disposition of the corpse would not affect the resurrection, because of God's omnipotence. In death the body begins its return to its original elements. Whether the return is the slow disintegration of the body through the processes of decay or is achieved in seconds by fire, the result is the same -- the return of the body's elements to their original state. In the resurrection, these 'building blocks' will be re-assembled; in either instance the effort will be the same. Bodies which have returned to the dust long centuries ago do not today exist in bodily form any more so than do those immediately consumed by fire; in both instances, the elements are in the universe awaiting the call of Deity at the Last Great Day.

Hi My name is Marja, and I just wanted to thank you for website. It has helped me very much to get a clear picture of baptism. It has clarified many of my doubts regarding baptism done to infants by sprinkling water. Sincerely MARJA

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HELLO MARJA

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND E-MAIL

WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT OUR LITERATURE ON OUR WEB SITE:

WWW.SHALOM-PEACE.COM

HAS BEEN OF SOME HELP

WE ASK, AS THE LORD PERMITS, THAT YOU REMEMBER OUR MINISTRY IN YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT

YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR FRONT PAGE WEB SITE THAT ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO SHARE THEIR BLESSINGS WITH US THROUGH PAY PAL OR, YOU CAN SEND YOUR GIFT TO THE MAILING ADDRESS IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

AGAIN, THANK YOU AND THE LORD HIMSELF BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY

SHALOM (PEACE) IN Y'SHUA (JESUS) OUR LORD

DR. AND MRS. HIDALGO

I am a non-Jewish believer and I stumbled across your website. I think I google searched "how to pray a Jew to salvation," just playing around with my computer. I found your website and it's wonderful. The witnessing tips are excellent. I have a strong heart towards evangelizing unsaved Jews. I have a dear chiropractor who God, I believe, is circling His wagons around. He works with all Christian doctors, one even being a Messianic Jew himself. This poor thing is too young and successful for his own good, but I believe he feels the emptiness of what all he has accomplished and that it's just not filling that empty void that he has. He's tried and failed at a few relationships since I've known him and he's beginning to lower his expectations (sounds sad when he explains his new-found understandings of what satisfaction might consist of). I hope this means that despite his hard head, he's actually getting closer to seeing his need for Jesus.

Well, I just wanted to say hello and encourage you in your work. You are powered by the Almighty who you already know brings victory, so, may He continue to bless your work, using you to open Jewish hearts to the knowledge of Jesus as their Messiah, that they would know the complete joy of being made spiritually alive in Him.

Thank you for your work. I'll remember you in my prayers. (Oh, the doctor's name is Adam, if you'll lift him up in your prayers as well.) God bless, your sister in Christ, Dyan

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING E-MAIL

WE WILL REMEMBER ADAM IN OUR PRAYERS BEFORE THE LORD

MAY THE LORD HIMSELF RICHLY BLESS AND KEEP YOU AND YOURS

SHALOM

DR. AND MRS. HIDALGO

http://www.shalom-peace.com/

P.S. ON OUR WEB SITE WE POST THE TIME AND HOUR OF OUR TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA

Dear Man of God, Greetings in the name of the Lord. Question: I am a shop assistant with regular salary. Considering my transportation and feeding fee, how do i give my tithe? Thank you

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HELLO

THANK YOU FOR YOUR E-MAIL ON 'TITHES AND OFFERINGS'

YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THAT AS A CHILD OF GOD YOU ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE LORD TO GIVE AS A TITHE 10% OF YOUR INCOME FROM ALL SOURCES, AND ABOVE THAT A FREE WILL OFFERING ACCORDING AS HE HAS BLESSED YOU

NOW HOW YOU GIVE YOUR TITHE AND OFFERING IS ACTUALLY DEPENDENT ON WHETHER YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A LOCAL CHURCH OR NOT, IF SO, THEN THEY SHOULD BE THE RECIPIENTS OF YOUR BLESSINGS

ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE ABOVE IS NOT YOUR WAY OF GIVING, THEN YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO PRAYERFULLY SHARE WITH US YOUR TITHES/OFFERINGS THROUGH OUR PAY PAL OR BY SENDING IT DIRECTLY TO OUR MAILING ADDRESS. ALL OF THIS IS FOUND ON THE FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEB SITE: WWW.SHALOM-PEACE.COM

DR. AND MRS. ELIAS E. HIDALGO