Comment

The Repented Thief - Luke 23:26-47

Based on Luke 23:26-47 (New King James Version)

“Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ ’ For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?’ There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.’ The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, ‘If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.’ And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’ Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ’ Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, ‘Certainly this was a righteous Man!’”

As we will see, this testimony of the criminal who justified the Lord may be the one with the most faith in all of Scriptures. To start, why was this criminal being crucified? According to the Word, he was a thief, as it is written: “Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.” Matthew 27:38. We don't know if he stole a lot, or a little, or who he stole from, etc. We only know that he was a thief. Therefore, according to the ten commandments, part of the law of Moses which was what Israel used to judge and condemn, as well as the civic laws that Rome had established, this man had to be punished. He had to pay for his crime. Anyone would say in our society today that it was an extreme punishment, because today, no developed country sentences a thief to death. Looking at it sociologically, things have changed a lot between then and today, and that is why we also have what we have today, because the level of order has been lost, and the weight, so to speak, of the evils that are done.

So, this man, by his own confession, declared that what was happening to him was just. He did not excuse his evil. He did not claim that what they were doing to him was unfair. He did not begin to claim his supposed rights as many criminals claim them today. He did not blame society or his family problems for the wrong he did. And most importantly, he did not rebel against God because of his condemnation. So, not only having been condemned to death, but suffering a death in the most cruel and prolonged way that it could be possible for a person to suffer, this was the condition he found himself in when he met the Lord. We do not know if this man had a previous encounter with the Lord. We only see that He had a general knowledge, and that he knew that the Lord had done no wrong to deserve to be crucified. He knew Him as an innocent man being wrongly condemned.

To argue the main point about this man, we have to look at what faith means. The Word of God defines faith as such: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. Even more simply, faith is about believing or having conviction in something that you cannot see at the moment. What is the difference in faith between this man, and all those who came before him, those who lived in his time, and even with us today? If we see things before the Lord was crucified, a person could have faith in God because everyone had tangibly seen the great acts of God, starting with Enoch, until Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, and many others who experienced the Lord, seeing His supernatural works as God. When He was in the flesh on this earth, people also very tangibly saw the works of the Lord such as all His wonders and miracles, that He even raised the dead. After the death and resurrection, and the ascension of the Lord to heaven, all of us have the written testimonies of the faithful who saw with their eyes the wonders of the Lord. We not only know how the story began, but also how it continued, and continues today, that Jesus is God. But what did this thief see? He saw the most difficult moment of being able to believe in the Lord. He saw the part of the story that even put the apostles to the test, and I am afraid to say that even they failed in their faith at that moment, when He was arrested as it is written: “Then they all forsook Him and fled.” Mark 14:50. This thief saw the Lord at His worst moment, when neither the great wonders, nor the great signs, nor the incredible miracles could be seen. What did this thief see? As the prophet Isaiah prophesied: “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.” Isaiah 53:2-7. Then, this man showed a faith superior to everything before and until now, because he believed in the Lord while He was in the most difficult moment to believe, humanly speaking. Even though they were suffering the same evil, he chose to see the Lord as He was (and is), and remained in that faith until the last moment, without seeing his own physical problem solved and seeing the God in whom he trusted also die before his eyes, and he was justified by his faith. Today, we have many reasons to have faith in the Lord, because we know that He was resurrected and is at the right hand of His Father's throne, as the King and Lord that He is. So, do you have a faith that at least resembles the faith of this repented thief? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

God’s Mercy - Psalm 136

Based on Psalm 136 (New King James Version)

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever—the sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever. To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy endures forever; and brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy endures forever; with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who divided the Red Sea in two, for His mercy endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who struck down great kings, for His mercy endures forever; and slew famous kings, for His mercy endures forever—Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever; and Og king of Bashan, for His mercy endures forever—and gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever; a heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever. Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever; and rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever, who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.”

We see throughout this passage the word mercy mentioned many times. What does this word mean? We can define the word “mercy” with other synonyms such as: compassion, benevolence, and kindness. We can further explain its meaning as, when something or someone does something for someone else without having a reason. It is also synonymous with grace. In mercy, there is no obligation. When mercy is shown to someone, it is because the recipient has no right to it, or even less, something that can be taken for granted. And this mercy is precisely what God has for each of us. We owe absolutely everything to Him, because of His mercy.

There is something that is crucial and essential that we must understand, if we really want to attain God's salvation, the forgiveness of our sins, in essence, eternal life and everything that God gives the opportunity to obtain through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is necessary to understand His mercy towards us. Does God have any kind of obligation or debt with man? Is there anything that compels God that belongs to us? Do we have any kind of power over Him? No. God owes us absolutely nothing. There is nothing that we have or are that forces God to have mercy on us, which is the whole point. This issue that many people have that they feel or think that they have rights before God is absolutely wrong. What are we before God? Nothing. I know this is difficult to accept, and that some will feel humiliated, but this is our reality. Everything that God does for us is only out of His mercy, out of compassion, out of pity, out of benevolence, out of kindness, in short, because of His grace, and nothing else. And all that comes from Him. That's how good God is. As it is written: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:43-45.

Now, many may think: “I am not perfect, but I am not bad or evil either. Let's think carefully about the matter, and from the perspective of the only one that matters—God. This is what the Word says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. “They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:3. This is what God sees. There is no one that can tell God that He is wrong. You can try telling Him that He is wrong, and see how that goes for you. But nonetheless, that is our collective reality. Let's think about it this way. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. What can be synonymous with death? Let's say, poison. Poison causes death. If we put a few drops of poison in a glass of water, or fill the glass with poison, is there any difference between the two? Whether it's a few drops or a full glass, the end will be the same for whoever drinks from the glass. Sin is the same, whether a little or much, before God and for justification before Him, it is exactly the same evil. But if we are honest, we have all committed many sins, and there is no one who can justify themselves before a God who is Holy. This is what the Word says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8.

So, we can conclude that not only do we have no right before God, but also, to make things even more difficult, we have directly offended God with our sins, because when we sin, we offend Him. So, what is our true place before God? Not only are we less than nothing compared to everything else created, and of course, we are even less before Him who created everything, but we have offended Him and many times. Are you beginning to understand our true position? So, can we say that God is not good, and that he is not merciful? Absolutely not. Impossible. It is complete foolishness to think anything else, fueled only by the deception and lies of Satan himself. Therefore, we must learn to value His many mercies. For our own good, we must weigh, so to speak, all that the Lord has done, is doing, and promises to do. Our attitude must change. Because this is also true: “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.” Psalm 145:8. This teaches us that His mercy is great but not unlimited. Even God has a limit, and if we do not learn what is necessary, and change our attitude before Him, His mercy will end. There is a judgment where all of us, without exception, will be held accountable for our actions. It is written: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. God is great in mercy, but if a person does not acknowledge the Lord as they should, and treat Him as He deserves to be treated, they will no longer experience God’s mercy, but rather, only His eternal wrath. God is love, but He is also consuming fire. So then, have you learned to value God’s mercy? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

The Law of the House of the Lord - Ezekiel 43:1-12

Based on Ezekiel 43:1-12 (New King James Version)

“Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. And He said to me, ‘Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever. ‘Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.”

We see many things in this passage, but the main ones are: the sins of God's people, the need to repent, and that there is something to do in order to fulfill the law of the house of the Lord. The first thing is to understand the sins of the people, because it was what God used to weigh their works and judge them for destruction. And one thing must be kept in mind, that everything that happened before was left written for our teaching, even though we are in the dispensation of God's grace. What God explained as sin before remains sin today, and God will bring temporal or eternal destruction in the same way as before if there is no repentance and conversion. Do not be deceived by false teachings that attempt to establish that there is no more discipline or destruction for those who sin against God.

The main sin that offended God the most was idolatry, and we will see that idolatry is the place from which all other sins have their root. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to understand what idolatry is. We can first begin by looking at the ten commandments which are also still in effect today. This is what the first of the ten says (and that it is first is neither coincidence nor accident): “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ‘You shall have no other gods before Me. ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” Exodus 20:2-5. Now, does idolatry only consist of other gods and images, and worshiping them? No. The Word teaches even more detail what idolatry consists of, as it is written: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” Colossians 3:5-6. Notice that it explains that the wrath of God comes because of these sins, on everyone who practices these things, just as He did with His people in the past. It is written for a reason. And what else is idolatry? This is what the Lord Himself taught: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:37-38. And we see this also in the Word: “Then He said to another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.’ And another also said, ‘Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’” Luke 9:59-62. So, what can we understand to be idolatry in its fullness before the eyes of the Lord? Basically everything we give priority before Him. Everything that is put ahead or before God is idolatry, and because of such sin God does bring temporary destruction. And if there is no complete repentance and conversion from this evil, it will also bring eternal destruction upon a person.

Repentance is indispensable because it is the only way we can find His grace. We will always sin while we are in this temporary body, therefore, repentance and conversion must always be present in the life of a believer, but especially when the sin of idolatry is committed, of putting things or people before God. This is what the Word says: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19. Our sins cannot be blotted out if there is no repentance.

Now, what is the law of the house of the Lord? Holiness. Everything that belongs to Him must be most holy, starting with our heart. Now, how do you get to that? Through the Lordship of the Lord in our lives, and not based on our opinion. Everything in the Lord has its priority, but mainly obedience. As it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2. Being able to keep ourselves holy before our Lord is simply to treat Him as Lord, to give Him our first priority, to do what He wants when He wants. He should be the one in charge in our lives. That's why it says: “‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30. When you love the Lord properly, there will simply be no place for idols, and you will seek to please Him in everything in your life, instead of giving in to the sin that still attempts to besiege us. There is room for everything that is good in our lives, but the Lord must always come first, and because we love Him. So, do you keep the law of the house of the Lord so that you can have entry? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

God’s Wisdom in Structure - Proverbs 13:24 – 14:2

Based on Proverbs 13:24 – 14:2 (New King James Version)

“He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly. The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the stomach of the wicked shall be in want. The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands. He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.”

The French philosopher, mathematician, and physicist, Blaise Pascal said: "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ". One of the biggest problems in our society today, and even within our Christian communities, is the problem of challenging the structure that God has created for our race, beginning with the structure of the family. And simply, the vast majority of people have let the void in their hearts be filled, despite confessing to having some faith in God, with the things of the world that are totally foreign to God. We live in a time where many so-called believers allow themselves to be carried away by worldly ideas and philosophies that are influenced by Satan himself, and that these dictate their lifestyle. And they think that in that manner they will have God's blessing and entrance to heaven anyway which is wrong.

What the devil has always tried to attack is the family structure from the beginning. And we will not go into matters that have to do with sexual preferences or same-sex couples, although we already know that those things are completely against God's design. The devil began by destroying the family from the beginning, from Adam and Eve. God always wanted man to propagate the earth, but it should be obvious that He wanted to do it without sin. And we see this in this passage: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28. So, anyone who thinks that the multiplication of humanity was made possible through the fall of man is wrong. And how did the devil attack the family back then? For starters, casting doubt on what God said. And isn't this the same thing he does today, casting doubt on the things of God, and making the teachings of the Most High seem foolish? And, what happened? And I know that what I will say next will not be liked, precisely because of the disorder that exists today. The woman was apparently walking alone and having conversations with a being who was challenging what God said. She knew well what God commanded, but she let herself be carried away by her desire, using her own criteria. And the man allowed himself to be manipulated by his weakness for the woman, and for evil, thereby eating the forbidden fruit, which he also knew very well was disobedience. And what happened? The disaster we have today, a world full of death, diseases, wars, and everything destructive that sin brings about, in one way or another, because sin only produces destruction and death.

And what do we still have today, even within our churches? People who let themselves be carried away by what they think instead of letting themselves be guided by the will of God who created them. Both men and women do as they see fit, and to make matters worse, they think that God must serve them and even fulfill their desires, and that they deserve God's blessings and entry to heaven. If we return to today's passage, we see that one of the biblical principles is to discipline children, and to start early. And of course, not as it seems to us, but as God commands, using biblical principles to build in their lives, to make them good people, as a blessing for our land and not as another person who increases evil in the world. Parents must also keep in mind that they will be held responsible before God in His judgment for what they did with their children. Do not err, we will all give an account before God for our actions, both the unconverted and the believer, for it is written: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” Romans 2:5-11. So, the person who thinks that believers are exempt from God's judgment and that we will not be held accountable for our actions is very wrong. One thing is certain: Our opinion does not dictate reality.

And, what else can we see in this passage? That the righteous, that is, the person who fears God and obeys Him, will have their soul satisfied, but the wicked, the person who does not fear God, and by virtue of not fearing God, does not obey Him, will always be empty inside. No matter how much money they get, or power they acquire, or relationships they have, or how much they are loved or revered by the world, they will always be incomplete. They might find some sort of happiness, but it will only last but a moment. Their harsh reality soon returns, and even stronger, and nothing fills them, nothing satisfies them, while their soul remains in the product of sin: eternal death. On the outside, others will see smiles or laughter, but deep down, they will have an incredible emptiness that eats away at their entire being. But, when we are in Christ, not only does God fill the void, but He gives us His peace that passes all understanding, when we stay focused on His kingdom and on what we will achieve through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, every person who is foolish and that do not seek God, nor respect what He says, will only bring destruction in their own lives and in those around them. Nothing good can be built outside of the will of God. Nothing will be perfect here, but when we obey the Lord, He will be with us, and everything we do to fulfill His will on earth will count in eternity. God does care about what we do, and He will reward us eternally according to our deeds, if we effectively do His will. For it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. No one who despises the Lord and His instruction will see eternal life, nor the good in this life, which goes beyond money, power, fame, and relationships. So, are you seeking God's wisdom and the structure He has created, for your own good? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

The True Fulfillment of the Law - Matthew 12:1-14

Based on Matthew 12:1-14 (New King James Version)

“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!’ But He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’ Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’—that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, ‘What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’ Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.”

What is ultimately the true will of God? Is following God about doing religious things, observing regulations and customs? Is it about gaining knowledge, about trying to know as much as possible? Is faith about observing certain days and times, with their rituals and traditions? Is it about going to a church or a meeting place? Does God want our money? What does God really want? I can say based on God's Word that He is looking for something much deeper and more valuable.

To start, God goes beyond judging simple actions. He sees the depths of our hearts, the intentions that are deep within us. God will judge us in the following way, as it is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. For example, He judged the ancient world, the earth’s inhabitants during Noah’s time for the following: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart  was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5. These evil thoughts in the hearts of men, and that they were only evil continually, was the reason why God condemned the world, and destroyed it with a great flood. Therefore, not only are our works written before God who judges every person, but also, all our thoughts and intentions are also written, and there is nothing that can be hidden from Him. This is what the Word says: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13. And we know that the Word of God is more than words written or printed on paper, or even as we know it today, as data on a smartphone or computer screen. The Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2. So, the Lord knows everything and sees everything, even what is very deep within our being. And this is what the Apostle Paul wrote about the judgment that awaits each of us, and in such a way that he even included himself, because it says like this: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. So, if Paul is included, what will be left for us? Absolutely all of us, without exception, will be judged by the Lord, and He will judge our thoughts and intentions, as well as our works.

So, it is urgent to know what God is looking for. The Lord Himself said this: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. What can we understand through this? That fulfilling the law or pleasing God (because they are the same before the Lord) is not just about things that are seen as spiritual or even supernatural, but about doing the will of God. Can we say that prophesying or preaching, or casting out demons, or performing miracles is not the will of God? Absolutely not. The will of God is about doing things, but with an intention and right heart before Him. If you prophesy or preach, it must be done for the right reasons to fulfill the will of God. If you cast out demons, it must be done for the right reasons. If miracles are performed, it must be done for the right reasons. And that is how everything is in the Lord, even the most trivial things.

The Word says this also: “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 faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. So, what love is being talked about here? Of feelings or emotions? No. Love consists of much more than those superficial and fleeting things. It is a decision, to be loyal in every aspect to someone, to God, and by virtue of loving God, because of our love for Him, that we love our neighbor through our works (because love consists of actions and not just nice words or physical contact). It is written: “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35-40. Our love for God should be what gives reason to everything in our lives, especially when we seek to love our neighbor, thus fulfilling the second commandment as well. This is what the law has always been about and will continue to be about. So, are you fulfilling the law properly through the Lord Jesus Christ? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

We Must Overcome the Sin within Us - Ezekiel 22:1-16

Based on Ezekiel 22:1-16 (New King James Version)

“Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations! Then say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself. You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult. ‘Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you. In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths. In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they commit lewdness. In you men uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women who are set apart during their impurity. One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter. In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,’ says the Lord God. ‘Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst. Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and will do it. I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”

What needs to be shared today is not easy, and it is mostly for those who profess to be believers. I must begin with the events we are experiencing at this time around the world. Can we say that the world and its state is the same as always? And if we are sincere and logical, we would realize that not everything is the same, but that we progressively follow a course where things become more and more difficult and harsh. Families are increasingly destroyed. There is disease like never before and starting at very young ages. Food is not what it used to be. You buy something to eat, and it goes bad quickly. The cost of living is rising more and more, and money seems to be slipping through our fingers. And there are wars and rumors of wars, wars between nations, and wars between groups of people without uniforms and without flags, but guided by greed and evil, and thousands upon thousands of people die in a short time. And what can we say about hunger that already covers a large percentage of our planet? Having said all this: Can we believe that these are coincidences, or the normal course of things, or as many think, a product of the evolution of man? Or is there something else going on?

If we believe in God and His Word, we would clearly understand that nothing that happens is just because and nothing more. There is only one reason why all this is happening, sin. And even more clearly, because of the sin of the supposed believers in God. It is believed that a third of all the inhabitants of the planet believe in God and belong to some group of the Christian faith. I do not mean by this that if we follow the Lord properly, that the world would be a beautiful place full of prosperity and blessing because this world is corrupted by sin. But, it wouldn't be as bad as this if His so-called people followed the Lord more appropriately. Let us remember for a moment when Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah, and that if there had been at least 10 righteous people, God would not have destroyed those places. But, we know that there were less than 10 because God destroyed them completely, because of their sin. The only righteous one was actually Lot because even his wife turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back wanting to return, and his daughters took advantage of their father when they were alone with him to bear children. We can follow this same concept, that when there is an overabundance of destruction in the world, it is because there is a great overabundance of sin against God, and sin on purpose, not by accident or ignorance.

Some would say: “We are in the time of grace, and God forgives the sins of His people.” But through the Scriptures, we understand that what happened before with Israel, and how God punished them, also applies to us today, because it happened as an example, as it is written: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. And the Scriptures also say this: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31. So then, do not let yourselves be deceived neither by false prophets or teachers, nor by your own evil desires, all the bad that is upon us globally is because of our sin, and we must do something about it.

What should we do? Repent, but not based on what we believe, but rather, on how God commands. And this must always be our foundation: “…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40. So then, do you love God with everything you are, above all things? Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Does your lifestyle, your actions show this love? Overcome sin in you through the Lord, for your own good, before it is too late. Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

What It Means to Follow Christ - Matthew 19:16-30

Based on Matthew 19:16-30 (New King James Version)

“Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to Him, ‘Which ones?’ Jesus said, ‘ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ’ The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

There are many teachings in this passage, so we will try to see those that are most applicable to our daily lives, and how we can follow Christ practically, because there are very practical things to do in our relationship with the Lord, which takes us to the first. Is it true that the law no longer has any type of validity for eternal life now that the grace of God is present? And the answer is, no. This is what the Lord said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20. But, some will say, “Is it not written that the old covenant will go away and be substituted by a new one, by grace, as it is written: “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (Hebrews 8:13)?”. The old covenant, which had to do with dealing with sin, no longer applies since Christ died on the cross. Therefore, neither circumcision nor sacrifices are necessary anymore. But, we must remember that there was never forgiveness of sins before because the burnt offerings only “covered” sin temporarily, but they never took away sin. And the relationship with God was always through faith. We become children of Abraham through faith, because he was justified before God by his faith. So, it is unbiblical to believe that the law and the prophets were eliminated through Christ, but on the contrary, they now have more meaning and value than ever through Christ, in our daily lives. 

And this brings us to our next point: How do we know the law applies now? Because the Lord Himself explained it, the same One who came to make grace possible through His Person, through His sacrifice. Now, what did the rich man ask the Lord? “…what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” And what did the Lord respond? He said, “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” And furthermore, He began to remind him of them. Now, a person would say: But aren't we saved by grace and faith alone? And the answer is, yes. But, the Lord Himself reiterated with this that there is a practice, there are things to do that must come as a result of faith and grace. Or if not, why study the Word of God if we are only saved by grace and faith? Why preach and teach the Word if everything is already resolved with faith and grace? Why worry about our actions if our works supposedly do not save us? Do you understand that it is absurd to think that faith and grace invalidate the law and the works that are produced as a result of the instruction of the law? In love, there is structure, there is direction, there are parameters, there are instructions so that love can be love. The Lord Himself spoke of marriage, for example, a relationship fully founded on love between a man and a woman. And He explained that a marriage can be broken if there is adultery, as it is written: “He said to them, ‘Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” Matthew 19:8-9. So, what is the practical thing that one should avoid if one is married? Adultery, because even in grace, a marriage can be broken if there is such a thing, and the offended person can rebuild their life with another person, if they wish, and the one who committed adultery only has left to recover the person they offended. Because if the adulterer marries another person, they will live in adultery while married to someone else. This is what the Lord said.

Now, what about what the Lord said, that we must leave everything to follow Him if we wish to inherit eternal life? Do we really have to abandon our loved ones, and get rid of our material possessions, to be saved? And here comes the answer, precisely through the foundation of the law, as it is written: “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40. And the Lord also said this: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:37-38. So, the One we must love above all things and people is the Lord, but that does not mean that we cannot love anyone else. The basis of the law is that we learn to love the Lord above all, and that He has priority in everything, and this is what obedience is about. If the Holy Spirit guides us through the Word to do something, and our parents or our husband or wife tell us to do something else, the Lord should have preeminence. But of course, it should be clear that the Lord is not going to lead us to do something that goes totally against what His Word teaches. And our clear example is Abraham with Isaac. The Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his firstborn Isaac, but when Abraham was about to do so, the angel stopped him, because God only wanted to “see” (and not just know) that Abraham loved Him above all things. Love for the Lord ultimately must be “seen” in action, which implies work. So, do you understand that following Christ involves faith and work, as the fruit of our uncompromising love for Him? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Don’t Let Yourself be Influenced by the Multitude - Acts 21:26 – 22:2

Based on Acts 21:26 – 22:2 (New King James Version)

“Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’ (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, ‘Away with him!’ Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, ‘May I speak to you?’ He replied, ‘Can you speak Greek? Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?’ But Paul said, ‘I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.’ So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, ‘Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.’ And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent…”

We can see different things in this passage. One of the first things is that you have to be careful about getting carried away with the multitude. The vast majority of the time, they are being guided or even controlled by evil spiritual influences. We must always remember that, although God is God, and He is the One who rules all, He Himself has allowed for a limited time the prince of this world to have dominion over this temporal place. And unfortunately, the majority of this world is under his influence and dominion. We must also remember that not all people are children of God. The only way to become a child of God is when you receive Christ as Lord, as it is written: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12. And the Word teaches this also: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” Ephesians 2:1-3. So, when a person has not yet submitted to the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are unfortunately being guided and even dominated by the enemy. This is the truth, and that is why it is urgent to do God's will.

So, what is the will of God? We must be the difference in this world. We have the task of going against the world’s current, and never allowing ourselves to be influenced by the world and its beliefs. Because, even if we are believers in Christ, if we allow ourselves to be carried away by the world and its opinion, we are not doing the will of God, but on the contrary, we are following and doing the will of the enemy, and what do you think God says about that? Can a person find justification before God if they are choosing to let themselves be carried away by the world? Do you understand how serious it is to adopt popular ideas? This is what the Lord said: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16. So, we who belong to the Lord are called to think, to meditate, and, above all, to act in accordance with what God says, for our own good, and for the good of those around us. Because if we are not salt and light in the world, if we are not the voices and actions of God's reasoning, how will those who are still lost be rescued, the same way that we were lost before coming to know Christ? 

What else should we do? This is what God teaches: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Romans 13:1-7. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timoteo 2:1-6. I know that there are all kinds of rulers and authorities, but regardless of whether we agree with them or not, our duty before the Lord is to pray for everyone, and to do everything possible so that they also come to Christ, because each of us will give an account before God, and the only thing that should matter to us is His opinion of us individually, especially when that judgment comes. So, do you let yourself be led by the multitude, or by God? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Our Future Hope - Zechariah 2:1-13

Based on Zechariah 2:1-13 (New King James Version)

“Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, ‘Where are you going?’ And he said to me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.’ And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, ‘Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ’ ‘Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,’ says the Lord; ‘for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,’ says the Lord. ‘Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.’ For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me. ‘Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,’ says the Lord. ‘Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!’”

When will God work? That's a question many of us ask ourselves, especially when we're going through difficult times. To start, God can do whatever He wants whenever He wants. He has the power to answer our prayers now, to perform miracles, as well as to let many things take their natural course. What we can conclude through His Word is that this world is not perfect, and it will never be perfect, because of sin, either because of the sin of those who preceded us, as well as because of our own sins, and also because of the sins of the people around us. In one way or another, we are all responsible for the present condition of the world, whether we want to accept it or not, so the unpleasantness that happens is not God's fault, but man's fault.

This leads us to explain something else that is not very easy to accept, that our hopes should not be placed in today's world, and for many reasons. That doesn't mean that God can't act now, because again, He can do incredible things. He can do miracles and wonders. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but He does not see the circumstances of this world as a priority. And also, one of the clarifications that we must make together with this is that our present circumstances are not necessarily dictated by our spirituality, per se. This is where such gospels of prosperity and well-being are discredited, for example, and that our faith is what dictates our present conditions. Rather, everything depends on the will of God, on what He wants to carry out. Faith does not necessarily dictate our circumstances. What's more, faith is not about positivism, nor even less about believing enough to get what you want. So, if a believer does well (carnally speaking), it does not mean that their faith is strong, or that he does everything well. And the opposite is also true, that because things go wrong (carnally speaking) for a believer does not necessarily mean that they are practicing sin or have a weak faith. Be very careful with these things. This is what the Word says: “For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.’ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” Romans 9:15-16. So, yes, we must pray and ask when we need things that are in line with His will, and of course, when we have needs, but always with the expectation of what He finally decides to do. We must always remember that He is Lord and not us. His will must always be done, and not ours. And also, if God gives a lot to a person, it is because God has certain expectations of that person, as it is written: “But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48.

We must also understand the reason why the here and now is not the priority for God, and that is because this world is temporary. We're not going to be here forever. This is what the Word says: “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:16-17. So, it is not a good idea to focus too much on well-being in the present because it will go away, it is something temporary. Everything we experience here carnally will one day end, and not even a trace of it will remain. Logic itself should help us understand that. Money comes and goes, from one moment to the next. Human power is constantly changing. Health can be lost in moments. Even personal relationships can end, whether due to a misunderstanding or an accident, as well as for many other reasons. What can we say about illnesses that do not even discriminate against children? It is no longer a question of old age, or lack of care, or anything like that. Anyone can leave our side for many reasons. So, knowing this reality, does it make any sense to cling so much to this temporary world and to the things and even the people who are with us? I'm not saying they don't matter, but there are bigger things to hold on to, and this leads us to consider what follows.

So, if we are followers of Christ, what should be our main focus? What we read today at the beginning, eternity, being able to be with our God and Lord forever, where sin is no longer present, and only perpetual perfection exists. The Lord will arise, carry out eternal judgment, and all those who were not found in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire, along with the devil and his hosts, but we who love the Lord and seek to do His will as a product of our faith, despite the price we have to pay (because there is a price to pay to follow the Lord), we will obtain our reward, the fruit of our works, and we will be with the Lord forever. This is what the Word says: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-8. And the Lord says this also to strengthen even more our hope: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18. So, we have a lot to gain. Our hope in Christ does not compare to any problem we have today, nor to anything the world can offer us. All this will end, but our hope is eternal. So, are you living according to our future hope in Christ, or as if this world is the only thing that matters? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Man’s Disbelief - Mark 6:1-6

Based on Mark 6:1-6 (New King James Version)

“Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?’ So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.’ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.”

This passage has a lot of teaching, things that are very profound, and that lead to things that are very unpleasant for us. But no one said that the truth is easy to accept, but, in short, His Truth is what makes us free and gives us eternal life, if we accept it legitimately. What was the real problem here? Can we start to turn to psychology, for example, and start justifying people's disbelief because of their background, because they had a difficult past, because it was unfair to think that a human being could come to believe that God could have taken their same human form? Many things could be said to justify man's disbelief, but the interesting thing (per say) is that God does not justify man's disbelief. There is no biblical passage where God excuses man's hardness of heart, and makes different excuses based on man's bad experiences. That is why there are things that cannot be accepted if they go totally against what the Word of God teaches.

So why was there such disbelief? For a very simple reason, and it was the same one that led the Lord to the cross: envy. The Word explains this to us: “But Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.” Mark 15:9-11. These acquaintances who were carnally close to the Lord were simply scandalized and did not believe because they envied Him. They thought in their wicked hearts: “How can this man be more than us, doing all that He does, if he came from the same place as us?” And so, they saw Him as a simple man who did not deserve to be more than them, someone who had more abilities than them, like the Son of God that He was (and is). This same evil of envy was what caused Satan to fall from his original position and become the being he is today, as the Word explains: “How you are fallen from heaven, o Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.” Isaiah 14:12-15. The devil wanted to be like God. He envied God. Envy also made man fall at the beginning, as it is written: “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:4-6. What finally convinced man to sin against God was not that he would not die by eating the fruit, but the idea of ​​being like God. And this group of people had this same evil with their unbelief.

So, what can we see through this? A reality that is very ugly, and that affects us all; that we are all bad and very sinful. How can you come to envy God? It doesn't make sense, but the vast majority envy Him, and want to be like Him. Do you doubt what I say? Every person who wants to do their own will envies God because they want to be like God. They want to do as they please. And even worse (and this is where the vast majority of so-called believers fail), they want God to come and serve them instead of them serving God, going against their own existence, because God made man to serve Him. This is the worst problem that man has, especially today. They cannot tolerate the idea that God is God and that we are simply a creation that exists only for His service. This is what God says about us in general: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. When the Lord preached the Gospel, what was His message? Did He excuse man's disbelief? No. This is what He preached from the beginning: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14-15. Whatever our background, our experiences, God leads us all to the same thing, to repentance, because we all have to turn from all our evil completely.

Now then, knowing that we have a serious problem with sin, and because of our own evil, how is it that we can attain God's mercy? There is a way, and blessed be God for that, because it is something that is possible for every human being through Christ. And it is a mistake to think that the way to overcome our unbelief is with more signs, wonders, and prayers answered in our own way, because as we saw, those things were of no use to unbelievers. Let's read the following: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” John 19:25-27. The answer is: Love conquered disbelief. Those who really loved the Lord were these women and John, because they were the ones who were with the Lord in His worst moment, even when His own Father had to leave Him, when He took all our sins upon Himself. These people were at the foot of the cross until He breathed His last breath. That was the extent of their love for the Lord, when no one could see the great miracles, nor incredible signs, nor anything that a person would consider power, in short, when no one could envy Him for anything. The only way that we will be able to pass the final judgment and obtain what was promised is by coming to love the Lord above all things, finally, by achieving this through Christ (because it can only be done through Him), which is the foundation of the law. As it is written: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” 1 Corinthians 2:9. It is not necessary to understand everything to appreciate God and love Him as He deserves. Love is simply a decision. So, do you love the Lord in such a way that you can even overcome your unbelief? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

God’s Will vs. Man’s Free Will - 1 Chronicles 12:23-40

Based on 1 Chronicles 12:23-40 (New King James Version)

“Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord: of the sons of Judah bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred armed for war; of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor fit for war, seven thousand one hundred; of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred; Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites, and with him three thousand seven hundred; Zadok, a young man, a valiant warrior, and from his father’s house twenty-two captains; of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul); of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their father’s house; of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks; of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear; of the Danites who could keep battle formation, twenty-eight thousand six hundred; of Asher, those who could go out to war, able to keep battle formation, forty thousand; of the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, from the other side of the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand armed for battle with every kind of weapon of war. All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king. And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. Moreover those who were near to them, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys and camels, on mules and oxen—provisions of flour and cakes of figs and cakes of raisins, wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel.”

Did all this that was formed to support David happen because God alone wanted to do it, or because there were people who were willing to take part? Was David himself who he was because only God wanted him to be, or because he decided to be so? In the same way, is man what he is because God wanted him that way or because he decides to be the way he is? Is everything that happens the will of God or the culminating product of the will of a group of people? These are possibly the biggest dilemmas that exist within Christian teaching, the issue of whether we are only part of a great design that is only realized over time or whether man really has free will. There are many, for example, who more secularly see predestination as believing that there is such a thing as destiny, and there is not much difference between the two. You can say that they are practically the same. But what is the reality or the truth?

In order to seek the answer, it is necessary to turn to the Word of God, in Its fullness, because just clinging to certain verses here and there is not a good idea because that is where many errors and distortions begin. Is there such a thing as predestination? The Bible gives a possibility to this thought, but in very select places, and even in those places, one must be very careful with the interpretation based on the context, because it does not mean what many think, on which they base such a doctrine. We could use repetition as a guide. In other words, if something is mentioned many times more than anything else in the Word, it means that it is a point that God wants to drive deeply. When God mentions and gives examples of the same thing time after time, and in such a way that even the Lord himself emphasizes it, it is because we must take note. For example, the word or name “Lord” appears in the Bible 7,830 times. And the word or name “Savior” appears in the Bible 37 times. So, what can be deduced very easily? That it is overwhelmingly more important to God that we recognize and treat Him as Lord than as Savior. And to make it even clearer, a person only attains salvation by literally recognizing Jesus as Lord, as it is written: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9. If a person does not recognize and treat the Lord as such, there is simply no salvation. That is why this matter of faith goes far beyond recognizing or believing in a generic god or even saying that there is belief in Christ.   

Now, the point is that God is Sovereign, and His will shall be done, no matter what happens, whatever we do, and everything is subject to Him. God established the progress of things and even the passage of time for the entire universe through the creation. And God put things or beings superior to us humans to make happen everything that happens in the grand scheme. We read this in the Word: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17. But within all that, there is room for free will for man. And how can we understand this? Easy, because the Word speaks of a great judgment where we will all give an account, even those of us who have decided to follow the Lord. The day will come when every human being will give an account for their deeds. This is what the Word says even when speaking about us believers: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. So, if there is judgment it is because there is responsibility for our actions, and the only ones who will be justified on that great day are those who use God's salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ to do His will, as it is also written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. So, it is not only what we believe that matters, but even more so, what we do based on what we have decided to believe.

So, what can we get out of all this? That God is going to do what He wants, that everything He says is going to be fulfilled sooner or later, but each person is free to get involved in the things of God or not. The only thing that should matter to us personally is whether we want to be part of what God is doing or not, and always with the thought that we will be judged one day depending on how we decide to respond to God with our actions. David wanted to follow and love the Lord. Those who joined David also decided they wanted to be a part of what God was doing. Now, the question you should ask yourself, for your own good is (because the Lord has nothing to lose), “do I use my free will, especially the new freedom I have in Christ, to seek to do the will of God?” Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Looking for Signs - Luke 11:29-32

Based on Luke 11:29-32 (New King James Version)

“And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”

In this passage, the Lord spoke of the wickedness and hardness of heart of the crowd around Him, for He openly declared to them that they were a bad generation. But what was it that made them bad? Their demand for a sign from Him. Demanding signs involved several evil implications before God. To start, they demanded that the Lord do things to prove to them that He was God. And this fact is fraught with many evils. The first thing is the matter of feeling entitled, that the crowd felt they had the right to be owed something. For them, the Lord had the obligation to show them who He was with their demands. And this leads us to the second thing, that the crowd asked for signs or things they wanted, as if the Lord were some kind of magician. And the third thing that can be seen was the issue that they did not value at all what He had already done, all the different miracles, and even several resurrections, and most importantly, the truth that He was teaching them. We could see more evil if we had the time.

A person may ask: What is wrong with these things? If we only see the three things we mentioned, we would understand how wrong they were based on a single fact, that the point is that the Lord was (and is) God. And that is what should put things in order. Does man have any right over God? No, impossible. Does God owe something to man? No, nothing. Does God exist to serve man? No. The Lord did not come to do His will, but the will of the Father. And even though everything He did was of service to man, that did not mean that His position was to be man's servant. That is, we should never take God's goodness and grace as something that God owes us. Neither God the Father owes us anything nor does the Lord Jesus Christ owe us anything. So, the matter of them feeling they had the right to demand, and that God do as they pleased, and that they did not value in the least the works that He had already done, proving conclusively that He was (and is) God, that crowd was only worthy of condemnation with their disrespect and hardness of heart.

Now, the Lord gave 2 examples. The first example we could see is that of the queen of Sheba. This is what the Word says of her: “Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. So, Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. Then she said to the king: ‘It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.’ Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.” 1 Kings 10:1-10. The queen was already prepared to give what she had due to the simple fact of what she had heard from third persons. But there is a very profound detail, that the queen valued the work of God in Solomon as it is written: “Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord…” She went searching for the work of the name of the Lord, and that’s why she traveled from distant lands, and brought with her offerings for the same reason.

The second example is Nineveh, and this is what the Word says: “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, ‘Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” Jonah 3. The message that the king and all the people of Nineveh valued was really very short: “…Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Nothing more was said. There was no great theological explanation or dissertation, not even how to find grace before God. It was just a declaration of destruction. But the people deduced for themselves that this message came from God, even though they were pagans, totally apart from the people of Israel and their beliefs. And the king thought within himself how to obtain the mercy of God, with the repentance of the nation.

Now, what do we have now to be able to believe in God? We have the greatest thing from God: the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and if we repent from all our sins and receive Him into our hearts as what He is, the Lord and God Almighty, we will have eternal life . There is no greater sign not only of God's power, but also of His love for us. But he who does not know how to respect and adopt such faith will be deservedly condemned for all eternity, because there is no greater contempt than that. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36. So then, are you continuing to look for signs from God to bring about your own perdition? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

How to Experience God - Ezekiel 47:1-12

Based on Ezekiel 47:1-12 (New King James Version)

“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, ‘Son of man, have you seen this?’ Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: ‘This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.’”

From a human point of view, this passage may not make much sense. How can so much water come out of a house? What does all this mean that I don't understand? And this is one of the most fundamental things that must happen within a person, that what God does and says surpasses our way of thinking, our logic, and intellect. The things of God go far beyond, even beyond our imagination. Why? Because we are very limited beings, and especially those who believe they are very intelligent and capable. It's not that education is necessarily a bad thing, but simply, divine knowledge will always surpass our skills and knowledge. And of course, when human beings try to compete with God, the more foolish things they do and think. This is what the Word says: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9.

What are the things of God that surpass us limitlessly? For example, the concept that God is eternal, a being without beginning, and without end. Why is such a thing incomprehensible or unacceptable to the vast majority? Because we are finite beings, since we physically have a beginning and a defined end. It is impossible for many to accept that God created everything, and especially in the way He did, just by Him mentioning things. And why can't many accept that? Because human beings cannot create absolutely anything. All the things we do are simple manipulations or changing things that already exist. And of course, just because we say something doesn't mean it will become a reality (although many live with that illusion). The vast majority find it difficult to accept that there is an almighty God. And why? Because each of us are weak, limited, and very fragile. Do you doubt that? So then, why are we so afraid of an earthquake, or a hurricane, or a tornado? Or, why can something as small as a bacteria or a virus kill us, which cannot even be seen with the naked eye, that it even requires a microscope to be seen? Are you afraid of nuclear war? Of course we should be afraid of it, because thousands or even millions could die in a matter of seconds. But, although many cannot believe in what God can do, and although many cannot accept the existence of God, none of that affects the existence of God, nor does it make Him weaker.

So, what should a person do to be able to experience God’s mysteries in their life? They must do something that is very logical when they understand who God is, and that is to start over, to assume that what they know or have done has been of no use, because in all reality that is the case. The Word of God says this: “For the wages of sin is death…” If that is so (which it is), then what do we get out of holding on to things that are only leading us to certain death? Albert Einstein (a person who was very intelligent, and who believed in God) said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” The same can be said of sin. How can you expect to live forever if you keep doing things that only bring death? Unfortunately, we live in a world full of crazy people. But this is what the Word says: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19. The Lord Himself also said this: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:3-7. The implication of being born again is to start again, to change paths, to go against what was done before. The water of which the Lord spoke of refers to the baptism of John, the baptism of repentance, which means leaving sin behind, abandoning sin, turning completely in the opposite direction. And being born of the Spirit involves taking the new life that can only be obtained by submitting to Christ as Lord and God. If you want to see the power of the Creator in your life, for Him to create something new from you, you must surrender to Him and let Him be the one to teach you what to do. There is no other being that can create, or that can give eternal life. This is what the Word says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

And, what else needs to happen? When we start over again in the Lord, we must let ourselves be led like children, let Him be the one who takes us by the hand, and of course, obey Him as such. This is the practical side of starting over, of letting go of the old, of forgetting what you knew before to learn something totally new. This is what the Lord said: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:1-4. So, a person must become like a child in knowledge and obedience for God to work. So, have you decided to leave sin behind, and start anew, so you can experience the great mysteries of God in your life? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Don’t Forget the Past - Nehemiah 13:14-31

Based on Nehemiah 13:14-31 (New King James Version)

“Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services! In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, ‘What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.’ So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, ‘Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!’ From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy! In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?’ And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!”

Was Nehemiah doing God's will? Of course, and in every aspect. What exactly was Nehemiah doing? He was reminding the people what was right before God, that they should not forget the disaster that God Himself brought upon the entire nation for their sins, he also did practical things to help the people not to sin, within his limits, and everything that he did, he did it with the conviction that God was taking his actions into account, because he was only interested in what God thought of him. And all of these things are totally applicable today, for those of us who profess to be Christ followers.

The first is an issue that has to do with bad doctrines that have spread within many of our churches, and that is: that works no longer matter in grace. There is no worse mistake than that, because if it were like that, then God would not care if we did good or evil, and that is not the case. God cares about what we do, and in such a way that we will even be judged according to our deeds, as it is written: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a.  What we have to take into account in this passage is its writer (because the Author is the Holy Spirit, because His Word is divinely inspired). The Apostle Paul is the writer, and he refers to and includes himself when he says that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” If Paul said he would be judged for the good and bad he did, what would be left for us? And the letter is addressed to the church in Corinth, and not to unconverted people. And also, he uses the phrase “the terror of the Lord”, so this is something that needs to be taken very seriously. So, it should be very clear that God does care about everything we do. Therefore, good works gain great value before God after our conversion, as a fruit of our faith. The Apostle James wrote repeatedly that “faith without works is dead also.”

Now then, what was Nehemiah doing that also applies today? What the Lord Himself said: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.’” Matthew 5:13-16. We are to be salt and light in the world, practicing the things the Lord teaches and helping others to practice them too. This is what the Word says: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1. Nehemiah was addressing the problems of not keeping the Sabbath and being unequally yoked. The true keeping of the Sabbath was as the Lord demonstrated, and not what the Pharisees thought, as it is written: “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14. And the Word says this regarding being unequally yoked: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. God destroyed His people because they sinned against Him, and God will also destroy us not only here on earth if we practice sin, but we will also be judged in eternity. So, are you serving the Lord, remembering the past from which He rescued you? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Doing God’s Will - 2 Thessalonians 3

Based on 2 Thessalonians 3 (New King James Version)

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. 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, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

Throughout this passage we see that we are taught things that are fundamental to be able to fulfill the will of God. The instructions we receive are not for certain believers, but for all. People who are new to their faith in Christ or who have not been properly instructed in the faith may ask: Why is it necessary to obey the Word of God and do His will? And the answer was given by the Lord Himself when He said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. Some may reply, “Why then do many say and believe that faith in Christ does not consist of works, and that, if we were not saved by works, works are of no use after conversion either?” And the answer is simple: “Because they are very wrong because they either do not know the fullness of the Word of God, or because they have simply adopted an erroneous doctrine.” We are not saved by works, and we can never earn salvation by our own merits. That is very clear in the Word, because it says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. But the problem emerges when either the majority do not know the following verse, or they very conveniently do not take it into consideration, which also says: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. God created man to serve Him. This was the purpose of our existence. If you want the answer to the question: ‘Why do we exist?’ This is the answer: ‘to serve God.’ This was from the beginning, before man fell into disobedience, as it is also written: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:15. So then, God gave man a task to perform immediately after being created.

And then, you may also ask, ‘Wasn't work a punishment from God for man having sinned?’ No. Man always had to work, it was always God's purpose for man to do good works, the will of the Father. The big difference was between what God originally intended and the consequence of sin. Sin made the work more difficult, because of the decay and death that sin produces. This was the punishment: “Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: ‘Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19. So then, sin changed something good like serving God into something very difficult and complicated. But working and serving God was always God’s plan.

Now, what then did God do through Christ? God gave us a new opportunity to do His will, to serve Him, to do those things for which we were created and are allowed to continue existing. So, through this we now understand that man is not saved by his works, but rather, for good works. Therefore, works or serving God gains value again through Christ. And this is what helps us understand that the person who does not serve God as a fruit of their faith will not be able to enter the kingdom of God. If a person's faith does not have works as fruit, then their faith is dead. This is what the Word says: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, o foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:18-20. So, it is easy to conclude that, if a person does not have works that glorify God as the fruit of their faith, it means that, in the least, there is a serious problem. Can a person who has a dead faith live forever? No. It's impossible.

So, what do we see in this passage that is God's will for us? To be in prayer, concerned that the Word of God spread through us, or in the least, help others spread His Word. What else? That we work both for the Lord and in the secular. It is disorder not to work and provide for one's own needs as well as for the needs of others who cannot provide for themselves, the needy (but not the lazy, nor the irresponsible, nor least of all, those who use the ministry for their own profit). The Apostle Paul himself talks about his own way of life, that he worked hard secularly so as not to be a burden, as well as in the ministry (obviously). Furthermore, it is estimated that Paul traveled more than 10,000 miles (16,000 km) to preach the Gospel and to help and instruct believers, at a time when there were no automobiles, trains, airplanes, or much less, television, radio or the internet. With everything we have today, what would this world be like if all of us who call ourselves followers of Christ were so concerned about serving God, working properly, and loving our neighbors? The world would be a very different place. So, today I ask you, ‘Are you seeking to do the will of God for eternal life?” Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Sensitivity to God - Daniel 2:1-30

Based on Daniel 2:1-30 (New King James Version)

“Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, ‘I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.’ Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, ‘O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.’ The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, ‘My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.’ They answered again and said, ‘Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.’ The king answered and said, ‘I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.’ The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, ‘There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.’ For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.  Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, ‘Why is the decree from the king so urgent?’ Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. ‘I thank You and praise You, o God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s demand.’ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: ‘Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.’ Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, ‘I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.’ The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, ‘Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?’ Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, ‘The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: ‘As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.”

This king Nebuchadnezzar was a real person, and his reign was between 605 and 562 BC. And such was his kingdom that there has been no other like it, not only because he dominated the known world, but because of its incredible order and structure within his reign. It was a kingdom that was 100% subject to its king, and the king's commands were respected by all, both small and great. What the king said was done, without question and urgently. It was something unprecedented, and something totally impossible today. King Nebuchadnezzar not only ruled and was obeyed because he was the king, because of his human power, but because there was deep respect in the people he ruled. And that was not an accident, but rather, because he was wise and not weak, and he was not hypocritical, nor did he have alternate agendas (very different from the present).

But this Nebuchadnezzar was a very unique person, even though he came from a pagan nation. And his spiritual value was revealed as time went by as God dealt with his life. He began in one way, but what was deep within him did not develop until later. Those who have some knowledge of Nebuchadnezzar may say that he was a bad and perverse man because he destroyed the nation of Israel and the few survivors that he allowed to live were taken as slaves or among the poorest, left on the land to cultivate it for his kingdom. You could say this, but it would be a serious mistake. God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to destroy all Israel and Judah because they sinned against God and exceeded His mercy (His mercy is very great, but not unlimited). God sent His people priests and prophets for many years to tell them to turn from their evil ways, but they persisted in their rebellion. Therefore this happened, as it is written: “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.” Jeremiah 25:8-9.

How can we see that God saw something more in this king? His vision was revealed not only because Daniel and his friends sought God for the answer, but Daniel declared it: “…that you may know the thoughts of your heart.” God gave him that vision because Nebuchadnezzar was always sensitive to God, even when he was in his paganism. He was not a man who was concerned with the pleasures and vanities of this world. He wanted to understand what would happen in the future, and God granted it to him, as God also dealt with him until his conversion came, as he himself declared: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” Daniel 4:37. So then, are you sensitive to God, or are you only looking to satisfy your desires in this world? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Divine Constructions - Exodus 38:9-31

Based on Exodus 38:9-31 (New King James Version)

“Then he made the court on the south side; the hangings of the court were of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long. There were twenty pillars for them, with twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. On the north side the hangings were one hundred cubits long, with twenty pillars and their twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. And on the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits, with ten pillars and their ten sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. For the east side the hangings were fifty cubits. The hangings of one side of the gate were fifteen cubits long, with their three pillars and their three sockets, and the same for the other side of the court gate; on this side and that were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. All the hangings of the court all around were of fine woven linen. The sockets for the pillars were bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver, and the overlay of their capitals was silver; and all the pillars of the court had bands of silver. The screen for the gate of the court was woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. The length was twenty cubits, and the height along its width was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court. And there were four pillars with their four sockets of bronze; their hooks were silver, and the overlay of their capitals and their bands was silver. All the pegs of the tabernacle, and of the court all around, were bronze. This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, which was counted according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord had commanded Moses. And with him was Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, a weaver of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine linen. All the gold that was used in all the work of the holy place, that is, the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. And the silver from those who were numbered of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary: a bekah for each man (that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone included in the numbering from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. And from the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil: one hundred sockets from the hundred talents, one talent for each socket. Then from the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made bands for them. The offering of bronze was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels. And with it he made the sockets for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, and all the utensils for the altar, the sockets for the court all around, the bases for the court gate, all the pegs for the tabernacle, and all the pegs for the court all around.”

Did Moses build the tabernacle alone? No. It would have been impossible for one man to put together everything that was needed, to have all the knowledge to do the different tasks, and to have done all the labor. In this passage, we see Moses as the spiritual authority of the people, but there was also a large group of people who came together in one accord to do the work. Some are named such as Ithamar, Bezalel, and Aholiab, but there were others who are not named (but God does know them), and formed part of the work.

Now, the purpose of this message is not necessarily to inspire material constructions, and that groups of people must begin to donate time, money and effort as proof of faith and loyalty to God, as many supposed spiritual leaders often do today, who are more focused on the material and temporal than in the eternal of God. And because of my secular profession (as an architect and builder, which God has given me so as not to be a burden to anyone as His minister), I would have a good excuse to justify and inspire such material constructions.

What will this be about? Regarding the following: “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” Acts 17:24-25. We must focus not on building material things, but rather on the temples that Almighty God seeks to inhabit, in the hearts of men. Because this is what His Word also says: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. The temples that matter to God are people. Each of us who chooses to follow Christ is a temple of the Lord, and we are holy temples by the grace and forgiveness of God through the works of the Lord Jesus Christ, because of His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension to His throne, at the right hand of God the Father. 

So, similar to the building of the tabernacle, God has chosen that we be the ones to build His temples here on earth. And this is a group effort. Each of us has our place, our responsibility (because God does not force anyone). The Lord gives us the opportunity to be saved and redeemed so that we can return to the purpose for which he created us, to serve Him. If anyone wants to know the answer to our existence, it is this: ‘We were created and made to serve God.’ And by His grace, despite our sins and rebellions, He has made provision for the restoration of our purpose through faith in Jesus Christ, as it is written: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. God made man to serve Him. And by His grace, we have a new opportunity to do His work together.

And what does the Lord call us to do? “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27. “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17. We have much to do as disciples of Christ, and we have to do it together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So, are you part of the divine construction, or are you following the devil by just thinking about yourself? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

The Consequences of Evil and the Reward for Good - Psalm 36

Based on Psalm 36 (New King James Version)

“An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. He devises wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil. Your mercy, o Lord, is in the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; o Lord, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the workers of iniquity have fallen; they have been cast down and are not able to rise.”

Finally, what is this life about for most? From a general human point of view, this life is to live as you see fit, basically everything that has to do with our self-indulgence. The majority of people today live for themselves, for their own benefit. And at the moment, every human being can live as they wish. Now, there is no verse that literally says this phrase, but its meaning and implication is throughout the Bible, which we call: free will. And, with this free will comes the weight of consequence, and there is a general consequence for when a person lives their own way, sooner or later.

Human beings must always keep in mind that they can live as they wish, but everything has consequences. Notwithstanding, a person who chooses to do evil very interestingly wishes that their evil does not have any bad consequences, but on the contrary, they desire that their evil be rewarded with well-being. Let's look at this for a moment. The thief steals because they want to live well and obtain everything they want with the least possible effort, and of course, not suffer the punishment of prison. And no thief likes to be robbed. The adulterer's desire is the same. their desire is to have their sexual encounters with other people without anyone knowing, and without bad consequences, so that everything goes the way they want. And also, no adulterer likes to be cheated on, even the most daring and shameless ones. The same thing happens with everyone who seeks to do evil, those who devise wickedness on their bed, as the Word says, to plan to do everything they want to do and have no negative consequences. They want to use their free will to attain and do whatever they want without any consequences, especially after they die. Their wish is that all their bad deeds go completely unpunished. It will sound illogical to some of us, but this is the wish of most people. And if not, why do you think there is so much evil in the world? Do you think that those who do evil think that their evil ways will come upon their own heads one day? Of course not.

Now, can evil go unpunished if a person chooses to believe this way? As it has been said many times, neither our opinions nor our desires have any kind of power to dictate or control reality. Many may think they are getting away with things because nothing bad seems to be happening to them at the moment, as the Scriptures say: “So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free,’” (Malachi 3:15), but the truth is that every person will suffer the consequences of their evil deeds, whether now in this world, or in the coming judgment, if they do not repent from the heart and seek the Most High in time. The Word is very clear on this, as it says: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

So, if things are like this, is it then all about the works we do? Yes and no. Works alone are not the focus of the matter, although there must be a product. The first thing we must understand is that we are beings created by God, and as such, we were made to serve and obey Him. So, if we have a product, they must be things that He looks for, and not what we think. If we look at what happened at the beginning, when God made man, He gave him tasks to do (works), as we read: “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:15. And it also says: Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. Genesis 2:19-20a. So, doing these things was not man's idea, but rather, God gave them to man to do. But what did man do with their free will? When temptation came, they sinned against God, and instead of doing God's will, they disobeyed God and paid more attention to the serpent who gave them nothing, than to God to whom they owed absolutely everything to. And why did they disobey God? Because they liked the proposal of being like God. So, this separated man from God, and their purpose for existing was lost. They became useless and lost the purpose of their existence, far from any divine purpose. But blessed be God that His grace abounded and gave a way for man to return to life again, and to the purpose of existence for which they were made for. This is what happened: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10.

So, some will argue, if we are saved by grace alone, where does the importance of works come in? If we understand the previous passage well, we would understand that God saved us by His grace, but as a product of faith and the grace that was given to us, so that man could begin again to do the good works for which God created them, as it was from the beginning. So, through this we understand that faith and grace must yield a product so that there is eternal life, as it also says: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:17-20. So, what ultimately distinguishes good and bad work? There is only one thing and that is doing the will of the Father. If things are not done seeking to obey the Father, then everything that is produced is bad work, even if they appear to be good things. This is what the Lord said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. So then, are you living to do the Father’s will to receive His reward? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

How Are We Born Again? - Acts 19:1-7

Based on Acts 19:1-7 (New King James Version)

“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.”

We see in this passage that there were certain people that seemed incomplete in their faith, even though they were baptized with the baptism of John the Baptist, with the baptism of repentance. What was it that they were missing? True conversion not only consists of repentance, but also of a precise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but very exact things must be done to attain a true change of life, or as the Lord said, so that a person had to be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

To begin, we need to look at what the Lord explained about being born again or coming to a genuine conversion. This is what the Scriptures tell us: “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:1-7. So, the Lord spoke about being born of water and the Spirit. What do both things mean? Being born of water consists of repentance from sins, which is what John the Baptist preached. This is foundational, essential, and a complete requirement as the first step to be able to be born again or come to a real conversion. It does not necessarily mean that a person must be immersed in water physically for it to happen, because the baptism of repentance was a symbolism of what must happen in a person, that they must repent and convert not only from some sins, but from all their sins completely, without reservations, which is the implication of baptism by emersion. It means dying to ourselves and to our sins, to be washed and raised as totally new people. The baptism of repentance is what prepares a person for the second part, what was missing from these disciples who had not even heard of the Holy Spirit.

What is the second thing that is essential for being born again, for there to be a true conversion, which the disciples Paul found lacked? Being born of the Spirit. How does this happen? When a person not only comes to believe in Christ, but, by faith, surrenders their life to the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ, believing with all their heart in Him as Lord and God of their life, and believing in His death and resurrection. This is what the Word says: “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10. So, a person must go beyond accepting the Lord as Savior. He is our Savior, but He must become the Lord of our lives. We must make Him the absolute owner of our lives. Why? As He Himself explained: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6. So simply, if we do not ask to belong to Him, we will never belong to Him. No one is born automatically a child of God. The only way a person can become a child of God is by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ within them, as it is written: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12. This is what must happen for a person to be legitimately born again or to have a real conversion, to become a new creature, as it is also written: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This is the complete Gospel from God, the basis for sound doctrine. This is what the Lord Himself preached, as it is written: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14-15.

Now, is there anything else missing after being born again in Christ? And the answer according to Scripture is, yes. Being born again implies precisely that, a new beginning, but it is only a beginning. One must live to do the will of God. After coming to Christ, a person should not continue living life as they want to or seek to fulfill their desires only. If a person does not seek to do the will of God, no matter how much they repent, no matter how much they confess to having accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord, if they do not do the will of God during the time that God Himself gives them to live after their conversion, they will not enter the kingdom of God. The Lord Himself made this very clear: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. This is what is lost in the teachings today, because many believe and teach that God is there to fulfill our dreams, to do what we want, as if He were a divine genie. But this goes totally against what the Word teaches. This is what the Apostle Paul said: “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:7-9. And how do we know that we must live for the Lord, and that we cannot stay with just a decision and nothing more? The apostle also gave this as an example and left as a teaching: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14. So, if Paul could not say that he had yet attained it, what is left for us? So, it doesn't matter if a person believes that salvation can be lost, or that a person who lives for themselves were never saved, if a person does not live to do the will of God, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. God says this.

So, are you living to do God's will, or to do your own will? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment

Comment

Is Our Heart Right with God? - Psalm 53:1-3

Based on Psalm 53:1-3 (New King James Version)

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

Are things really as bad as the Word says, that there is no one who does good? There are many who may disagree with this, and would think it is an exaggeration. There are people who have the opinion that there are good people, and that not all of them are criminals, per say. And there are also people who would say: “No one is perfect, but if a person is bad, that is another thing.” Anyway, many may differ in opinion (because at the moment they have that right), but it all depends on the standard that is used to measure (so to speak).

And here is revealed one of the main problems that exist today, that we live in a society that has collectively determined to establish its own standards for right and wrong. Not too long ago; either by virtue in that the majority of people believed in God in some way, or by the teachings of certain Christian religions (all of us who believe in Christ), there was a fear in crossing certain boundaries, and there was such a thing as shame when something bad was done (Do you remember that there was such a thing as shame?). Whether due to social stigmas or religious teachings, there were limits. And the most notable thing about that issue was that there were people who did not have good lifestyles, who did not want the same for their children, because again, there was at least some recognition of what sin was, even though they were not religious. The prostitute did not want her daughter to be a prostitute. The thief did not want his children to be thieves. Parents once wanted better lives for their children. I still remember those days. Now, the vast majority of society has tried to abolish all feelings of guilt and has tried to make the concept of sin disappear. And in many of our churches they no longer preach about sin, nor repentance, and that there must be a change of life as proof of conversion. Many of our churches have chosen to preach that God accepts you just as you are, and they use God's love as a pretext. And of course, there is no reprimand or discipline within the church for the simple fear that those who go to church will stop going, and that tithes and offerings will decrease. And no one who makes a living from the ministry wants that. Many may say: “Society was more hypocritical back then.” And well, maybe yes, although not in all cases, but the difference was that there was no glorification, nor was there pride in sin. Today sin is glorified and even pride in living a sinful lifestyle is taught. And God warns about precisely these problems, as it is written: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:20-21. And this takes us to our next point.

Who is it that has the right to say what is right and what is wrong? God, the One who created everything. God is the only One who has the power to set the standard for good and evil. Furthermore, man was not the one who created morality or justice. That comes from God. And many of our laws still take root from what God established such as: You shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, and so on. So, morality does not belong to man, under any circumstances.

Now, many would say today: “Why should we take God into account? What does it matter what God thinks, if He even exists!” And the bottom line is that our opinions or desires are not what determine reality. Nothing we feel, or think, or do will affect the reality that God is God, and that He will judge every human being, despite what they want to think. Many apparently believe that there is such a thing as democracy in heaven and that our favor affects the Almighty, but that is not the case. God is God, and all judgment belongs to Him, and this same thing will be fulfilled, no matter what people choose to believe: And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27. And the Scriptures also say this: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. This isn't heard very much in church, now is it? Nevertheless, each one of us, without exception, is walking towards a judgment where God will judge every human being, and there is nothing anyone can do to avoid it. Regardless of your beliefs, your economic or social status, whether you are a member of a church, or even within a ministry, we will all give an account before the Judge of the universe. This is what the Lord Himself taught: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ‘So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ‘Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ ‘But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 25:14-30. So, if God will judge His servants according to what they have done with their talent, and they will be cast into eternal darkness if they are found lacking, what will happen with the rest? This finally is what God says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. So, is your heart right before the Lord? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Comment