This is the main web page for the Church of God 7th Day Eisenhauer in San Antonio, Texas.  If you can't find what you want here, check our alternate site. Or just type get-me.to/Christ in the address bar.

I'm Joe Corrales and I have pastored the church for the past 12 years or so. I also am a Computer Instructor  at the local area colleges in San Antonio, Texas.

Our church is a commandment keeping, seventh-day Sabbath keeping church. As important as that is, we feel that we need to put our focus and emphasis on the teachings of Christ. So that is what we are geared to accomplish in this website. At the same time, you will also get to know a little about us as well. If you would like to drop by and visit we'll be glad to have have you.

We are meeting at:

Bethany Methodist Church 

4102 Eisenhauer Road

San Antonio, Texas 78207

(210) 256-9440

September 11th commentary -

Just about everyone has a spin on what September 11th was all about. I guess I have my own opinion as well. I noticed that at the time it happened, lots of people turned to prayer and started to frequent their churches again. This happens far too often I'm afraid. When people get over their fears or concerns, it is business as usual. For the rest of us, Christianity is a way of life. It is part of how we live day in and day out come catastrophe or not. I think that when we look to scripture, we can see God in the mix of what is going on in the headlines as well.

When we say this tragedy of September 11th, most of us wondered how this could happen. Weren't we the greatest Christian nation on earth. Shouldn't God have protected us from these people? You know people though the same thing back in the historical times of Israel when they were being attacked. Let's look at what Habakkuk had to say to God.

Habakkuk 1:1- 4

The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received. How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

       What did god have to say to him in return?

Habakkuk 1: 6 - 7

For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

Who are these people? 

In its widest acceptation, Chaldea is the name of the whole of Babylonia , owing to the fact that the Chaldeans had given more than one king to the country. In the strict sense, however, their domain was the tract at the Northwest end of the Persian Gulf, which was often called by the Assyro-Babylonians maòt Taòmtim, “the Land of the Sea,” a province of unknown extent.

    These Chaldeans were part of Babylon although they were so rebellious that they sometimes fought with their own leaders. These same people are those found in Afghanistan and Iraq . Sound familiar? God does not make them evil but he has certainly taken advantage of their characteristics. 

Habakkuk 1:9-11

They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it. Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

No! God does not approve of them, else why would he criticize them? In fact he says that they do these things in the name of their god - not him.

What did the Lord hope to accomplish with this tragedy in Israel?

      Habakkuk 1:5  "Look at the nations and watch-- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were to.

• The Lord sent this calamity on Israel because he did not like the way they were living. 

• He wanted them to become more God fearing and more prayerful. I believe God wants to do the same thing for America. 

That is certainly a good thing. He wants us to be more like the people we started out to be. In this trend of poor moral values and the banning of prayer and the commandment from our schools, it is not surprising that God is displeased with us. I do say us because we as Christians have a moral obligation to not let some of these things happen. 

What evidence can we see of the impact this tragedy has had in our country?

• If someone had told you that some great event would occur that would cause our nation to come together in prayer, would you believe it? 
• If someone told you that something that the Lord would bring about would cause people to begin filling the churches again and cause an explosion of conservatism and patriotism in the land, would you be amazed and find it hard to believe?
• If a national day a prayer was called by the president and religious leaders from all faiths were called for and the whole world were to join in prayer from countries that previously hated us – wouldn’t you have to swallow pretty hard before you believed it?
• If something caused people to turn to our police officers, firemen, and other people in authority in government with respect and admiration because of what God had planned to do, would you be surprised?
• Finally, but certainly not last, if you saw young people gathering together in schools in prayer and wanting to find out ways that they too could make a positive difference, wouldn’t that be something?

• On September 14, 2001 , the whole world tuned in as the President of the United States made known his intentions of what he would do in response.
• He invited religious leaders to pray and preach the gospel - among them Billy Graham preached Christ to billions of people around the world.
• The technology of satellites, computers, television, and the like, made it possible for the first time in history to make transmission possible for everyone to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• More importantly, the event that God brought about made the people in all the world want to listen to be exposed to the gospel of Christ!

What was the purpose of having everyone listen to the gospel?

Mark 13:10 "And the gospel must first be published among all nations."

Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

However, it does not mean that everything will be perfect either:

• This fulfillment of prophecy before our eyes is another example of how people who see fulfillment of prophecy during their time don’t recognize it until later on.

• Therefore this terrible tragedy may have opened the doors not only to Armageddon (certainly wars have been fought for less than this) but more importantly, the fulfillment of the most important prophecy since 1948 when Israel returned to their country – the preaching of the gospel to all nations.

• This does not mean everyone had to be converted because they heard the gospel. The important thing was that they can’t say that no one told them or gave them a chance.

What should our attitude be as Christians concerning these events?

• God does not want us to fear our oppressors but to trust in him and not look to others.

• After seeking the truth, when people resist it, they too will fall into greater condemnation.

• Many people seek God in a moment of panic or uncertainty but afterwards when things settle down, they turn back to their old ways.

• We must look upon this opportunity and seize it for the glory of God!

What’s next?

1Thessolonians 5:3-6

"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."

Conclusion – This verse is a fitting conclusion to this message. Knowing that there will be those that think safety is coming, then sudden destruction will break lose. Let us as God’s people be vigilant and not sleep but be aware of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. We mustn’t let our guard down but be active in our efforts of wining more souls for Christ.