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Nosotros, los Pastores de nuestra querida organización, estamos encantados de compartir un logro monumental con ustedes: después de siete años de compartir espacios con otros, ¡estamos encantados de anunciar que El Santuario ha asegurado su propio lugar dedicado!

El Santuario ha sido un hogar espiritual para muchos, formando una comunidad diversa unida por una fe en común. “TSF Español” fue fundada en octubre de 2016. Asumimos el pastorado de “TSF Español - El Santuario”, ordenados por The Sanctuary Fellowship en 2016, siguiendo el llamado de Dios en nuestras vidas. El primer servicio se llevó a cabo el 23 de abril 2017 en nuestro primer espacio compartido. En octubre de 2019, el nombre de la iglesia se cambió oficialmente a Iglesia Cristiana El

Santuario y se trasladó a nuestro siguiente espacio compartido. Con gran alegría, en diciembre 2023 firmamos el documento de alquiler del santuario dedicado. Aquí estamos siete años después con la misma visión, misión y pasión, entusiasmados por nuestro próximo capítulo.

Misión:

Nuestra misión en El Santuario es representar la fe y la hermandad ordenada por Dios, siendo una expresión local de la iglesia universal guiada por Jesucristo a través de Su Espíritu Santo. Logramos esto a través de servicios de adoración, formando el crecimiento Cristiano, proclamando el Evangelio con palabras y acciones, y atendiendo las necesidades humanas en el nombre de Jesús. Específicamente, nos esforzamos por ministrar fielmente la Palabra de Dios, realizar diversos servicios de adoración, colaborar con organizaciones comunitarias, y utilizar diversos medios para difundir el Evangelio.

Pastores Bert y Alice Bocachica

In This Issue

¡Quédate cerca de mí!

Presten atención y, ¡escúchenme!

Si me dieran un dólar por cada vez que les dijera estas palabras a mis hijos, creo que sería millonaria. Cómo madre, la responsabilidad de proteger y guiar a mis hijos siempre es una prioridad. Para poder advertirles de lo bueno y lo malo que puedan enfrentar y cuidar de ellos para que no caigan en maldad tendrían que quedarse cerca de mí.

Recuerdo hace muchos años, cuando en un parque de diversiones, mi hijo de 3 añitos se soltó de mi mano, se separó de mí. Por más que gritaba desesperadamente, él no podía escuchar mi voz porque entre él y yo había demasiadas personas y tantas voces que él no pudo distinguir la mía. Al fin de unos 15 minutos de pánico, nos reencontramos y nos dimos muchos abrazos. Le enfaticé lo importante que era quedarse cerca de mí para que siempre pudiera escuchar mi voz y distinguirla de tantas otras voces. La Biblia proclama que escuchemos absolutamente la voz de Dios-Juan 10:27 dice: "Mis ovejas oyen mi voz, y yo las conozco, y ellas me siguen". Pero debemos mantenernos cerca de Él.

En su palabra Dios nos amonesta a escucharle y a prestar atención. “Y vendrán sobre ti todas estas bendiciones, y te alcanzarán, si oyeres la voz de Jehová tu Dios” (Deuteronomio 28:12).

Él nos guía-a veces nos habla en nuestro tiempo de adoración, o por su palabra que ministra a nuestro corazón. Por ejemplo puede traer a nuestra memoria que en el Salmo 23:1-4, el buen pastor guía a sus ovejas a lugares de reposo, paz. Nuestro Pastor es Jehovah y él conforta nuestra alma. Dios también puede usar a un hermano o una experiencia para instarnos a movernos diferentes con fin de agradarle a Él. Cuando alguien nos habla, su consejo o motivación debe estar alineado con la palabra de Dios.

No permitamos que voces ajenas a la voluntad de Dios obstruyan nuestra sensibilidad a Dios. No nos alejemos de nuestro Padre poniendo en riesgo nuestra seguridad. Prestemos atención, escuchemos de cerca la voz de Dios que nunca fallará en guiarnos a su bendición y a su voluntad.

Dra. Jacqueline Bocachica-Velásquez

Holiness over fear & Anxiety

Even though it can be difficult sometimes, I try my best to not believe that anxiety is normal and that I should feel fear. The world believes this, but I believe God wants us to be at peace. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

There have been many times in my life when I have felt scared but God has always helped me through it. This has increased my faith in God as I've gotten older. When I was younger, I used to have nightmares and I used to be scared of the dark because of them. I would become very anxious, but I was always taught to pray. In the Bible, it says that God has called us to be holy in everything we do. That even means when we are anxious. It’s easier to be angry or rude when we are anxious or stressed, and sometimes I still have a difficult time with this with the way I act. But prayer has helped me get better at this.

Praying helped me get through those times and helped me to learn to trust God. I knew God always protected me and comforted me when I would be afraid and anxious. Even though I am still young and still learning how to listen to God's voice, I can seek His presence and feel safe. When I feel safe and comforted, my attitude is better. If I was really anxious and stressed from fear, I know it can cause me to act in a way that is not holy. I know God has a purpose for me and for me to be able to fulfill that purpose, I have to behave in a holy way that pleases God.

Reading the Bible helps me understand what God wants from me and His promises to me, and so in this way I am able to listen to His voice and He can guide me. God promises that he cares for me so I can leave all my anxiety in His hands. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us, ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’ Now that I'm older, whenever I feel scared or anxious, I pray because I know God will hear me and listen to me, and He will comfort me. He is my protector.

“Forgiving is an act of holiness, and God is happy when we forgive. When we forgive each other, we have peace and God can forgive us as well.”

In the Word, it says that we should be holy because He is holy. 1 Peter 1:15-16 states “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’.” One way I do this is by giving others advice and telling them what God says to me in the Word. An example would be when my friends are fighting with each other. I understand how this can cause anxiety because I have dealt with it many times from fear. I tell them they should forgive each other, to think of the other person and how they are feeling. In the Bible it says to do so. Ephesians 4:32 advises “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Forgiving is an act of holiness, and God is happy when we forgive. When we forgive each other, we have peace and God can forgive us as well.

Sophia Escudero

We go through life hearing the words of others, but how many times are we doers of the words we hear? Growing up, you probably were told, “Don’t touch the fire or you will get burned.” What do you think of now when you see a fire? Many would say they hear the echoes of the words spoken to them years ago.

Hearing is an involuntary process that we experience daily. We hear people chatting on our commute, cars revving up their engines, or the sounds of laughter in a playground. Listening, however, requires intention. We have to make the conscious decision to decode the words or sounds after we hear them. James 1:22 calls us to be conscious of the words we hear from God.

Someone can sit in church for years and never be transformed because they haven’t listened to the truth that is being spoken. We deceive ourselves if we think walking with God is to just simply hear Him. We have to listen and take action on the truth presented in the Bible. A life spent merely hearing is a life spent wandering for truth. A life spent listening is a life of action.

“A life spent merely hearing is a life spent wandering for truth. A life spent listening is a life of action.”

The doers of the law will be justified (Romans 2:13). To be justified in Christ is to be made clean before Him. We are an imperfect people and the justification received through being doers of the Word allows us access to a perfect God. All that needs to be done by us is to listen in faith and then put that faith into action.

Living life in Christ requires us to be intentional in listening to His Word. Listening is visible through how you live your life. Listening is at the core of the Christian life. We have been provided a manual for life direct from God, the Bible. Simply reading the words will give us knowledge but listening to the words given to us by God will give us life.

This is why He came for us; to give us life abundantly (John 10:10).

Chris Bocachica

Following Christ vs. me

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of one who walked in holiness. If we look at how He lived and exemplified holiness, we see a life committed to honoring God. He showed love and compassion in serving others. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless, holy and blameless life in the form of man’s flesh. In his life on earth, He cared for the poor, He healed the blind (John 9:1-7), He welcomed little children (Matthew 19:13-14), and He even forgave those who crucified him (Luke 23:34). The life of holiness is the best life. Holiness is good for the spirit, soul, and body. It saves us from remorse, guilt, and shame.

1 Peter 1:13 says “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. Peter is saying that we must have a Christ-like mind fully engaged in the lifestyle. We must take control of where our thoughts go and what our minds dwell on. We prepare our minds for action by reading the Word daily, praying, and maintaining a relationship with Christ. If not, we will be easily distracted by the false hope of satisfaction the world continually offers us. For example, there is adultery, fornication, drugs, etc. False hope deludes you into complacency and ongoing ignorance about what’s really going on.

We prepare our minds for action by reading the Word daily, praying, and maintaining a relationship with Christ. If not, we will be easily distracted by the false hope of satisfaction the world continually offers us.

1 Peter 1:14 says “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance”. We have become heirs of God Himself. Something has changed in us. We must stop conforming to the pattern we followed and we must follow a new pattern by living a humble life (Romans 12:2).

Before I accepted Christ in my heart, I was distracted by the false hope the world offers. After a long time of not really knowing how I wanted to live my life, I started going to church, getting more involved in ministries, reading the Word and applying it daily. Paying attention and listening carefully to every word that is being said in the preaching and reading every book in the Bible more than once so I can truly get the meaning of every scripture, applying them to my day to day life, is such a blessing to me.

Steve Vegas

Walking in Faith:

Peace in God’s Provision

Dealing with life's challenges, especially when coupled with financial uncertainty, can be quite overwhelming.

I hold on to this truth: God provides.

God's provision has been a constant in my life. Years ago, a friend introduced me to a song that has since then always played in my head whenever I worried about making ends meet. "God provides, so why do I worry about my life...When you come to my rescue a thousand times, every other voice it is a lie, God provides...". In times of scarcity and uncertainty, I've had to learn to listen to His voice and be reminded of His promise that He will never forsake us, He will provide. Philippians 4:19 states ‘And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.’

Years ago, God put a desire on my heart. This desire has grown over time, but I had doubts. This desire would be for Him, to bring Him glory through a specific ministry. I would ask Him how I would be able to do what I desire if I needed to work full time to take care of my kids. This conversation with God about my worry was about a year ago. It was a year ago that I began to experience financial difficulties. During this time, I had to lean on God the most. My faith increased after every single time He swooped in to rescue me when I thought I was going to fall. God has told me in prayer, in the Word, and through church family - ‘I will take care of you, I will provide for you, and I won’t ever forsake you.’ He has always kept His promise to me. Philippians 4:6 says, ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God’. He showed me over and over how I never needed to be anxious for anything.

Very recently, I was laid off from my job. If this were to happen to me a year ago, I would've been terrified and scrambling to find another job. But the last few months, God has been speaking to me loudly, and I've been listening. The day I got laid off, I felt so grateful for God's voice and presence in my life because I knew it was His plan.

After getting laid off, during a time of prayer, God reminded me of the desire I've had for the last few years. He showed me how everything I've gone through in the last year and everything He has been revealing to me the last few months led to this moment. Nothing you go through with God on your side is a coincidence. When we are living our life according to what God wants from us, He will take care of us. God wants us to live holy lives, to not be swayed to believe what the world believes. He doesn't want us to be crippled with worry, like the world is during circumstances like this. Placing our hope in His grace, listening to His guidance, and obediently following His call ensures His provision, care, and blessings in our lives.

“The day I got laid off, I felt so grateful for God's voice

and presence in my life because I knew it was His plan.”

God reminds me daily the desire He has placed on my heart is not for no reason, and that as long as I remain faithful, obedient, and continue to follow Him, He will grant me the desires of my heart. Psalm 37:4 says, ‘Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.’ I always believed this scripture meant that whatever it is that I wanted, God would grant it.

In reality, it meant that God would shape me and form me into a new creation with new desires that would align with the calling He has placed over my life. Not only would He give me those desires, but it would bring so much joy to receive it because it would be bigger and better than what I ever wanted for myself. This desire was never something I wanted before. That little seed of His desire for me became mine as well. As I’ve grown my relationship with God and have become closer to Him, He has continued to water and grow this desire He put on my heart.

On this incredible journey of living in obedience, God has helped me learn to listen to His voice more closely and how to be a good steward with money He has given me. He has increased my faith and given me direction where I had to be obedient. It has all led up to this moment, and everything He taught me and has given me has prepared me for His purpose for me.

When you pray, pay attention and listen to what God is saying.

Jeremiah 33:3 - ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

pregunta para ti...

En Filipenses 1:9-11, Pablo desea que el amor de los filipenses abunde cada vez más en conocimiento y discernimiento. ¿Cómo podría la falta de conocimiento y discernimiento impedirnos abundar en el amor?

Quick question...

In Phillippians 1:9-11, Paul desires the Philippians' love to abound more and more with knowledge and discernment. How might a lack of knowledge and discernment hinder us from abounding in love?