When That Day Draws Near - John 14:1-12

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

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ‘If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’ Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.’”

Billy Graham wrote this: “When we look back on our experiences in life's journey, we may regret the choices we made, but remember, that was then, this is now. We may remember the times when we let our families down, but that was then, this is now. Someone reading this book may say, ‘But I rejected Christ all my life. It's too late for me.’ I tell you, my friend, that was then, this is now. The promises of the Bible were true then, are true now, and will be true forever.” One of the biggest problems we probably have today is the matter of paying attention, especially for those who call themselves Christians. As the preacher emphasized, calling for life observation, do we really notice what we have done? Do we reflect on the choices and deeds we have made during our lives?

In today's passage from John, we read that, despite having lived with the Lord, Philip still didn't see things clearly. He didn't realize or placed little value on the One before his eyes, taking for granted the incredible deeds of God Himself. By then, the Lord had performed countless miracles, wonders, and even resurrections, and it seemed that it still wasn't enough for him. When in human history had everything the Lord did happened before? Not even the great prophets like Moses and Elijah had done the things the Lord did. Yet, it seems that it still wasn't enough for Philip, or that he deserved more. But I don't judge Philip, but through the Spirit, I try to bring awareness to what is being done today. What do we have today that Philip hadn't seen up until that moment? The knowledge that the Lord died for our sins and was buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised Him from the dead, and He ascended into heaven, taking His place at the right hand of the throne of God. And what else do we have today? We have the fulness of the Holy Spirit acting in the entire world and the complete revelation of God to man, His Holy Word, from Genesis to Revelation. And as such, it is estimated that it has been completely translated into at least 756 languages. And if we have all this, why do we Christians generally live as if we only have this world and nothing else? Why do we live lives so focused on the present, with very little regard for the kingdom of God? We have far more today than Philip and the other disciples could have even dreamed of, and they, who had less, did not hesitate to give up even their own lives for their faith in Christ. We have today the greatest knowledge of the things of God that man has ever had.

What should happen to Christians who claim to believe in Christ? Shouldn't their focus shift over time from the things of the world to the things of God? Shouldn't we stand ever more firmly on what we know and believe, and do works that demonstrate such faith? This is what the Apostle Paul said: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17. This is one of the greatest gifts of faith: that although our human abilities decline over time (we will all reach old age and/or die at some point), the vigor of our soul must surpass this passing world. When a Christian grows old or falls ill, their spirit should not be discouraged, but rather they should see the hope for which we await even closer. This is what the Word says: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31. Of course, the body weighs heavily, along with the tribulations of this world, sickness, and the pains of this life, so to speak, but with Christ in our lives and the hope we have in eternal life, we must increase in internal strength and in the vigor of our faith. He is our strength, our power, our glory, and our hope, and He is God, the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, the One who has conquered even the grave and death, and who reigns forever and ever. If our eyes are on Him, we should increase in His power as time goes on. This is what the Word says: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2.

But as the preacher said, if you have lived another life before that did not demonstrate the power of God, if you have lived more for the world and its pleasures and cares, that was then, and this is now. Now is the time to cast off the past and leave sin behind, and set our eyes on the Lord, in whom we have all the greatest power in the entire universe and especially knowing that we will be held accountable for all we have done, whether good or bad. God is going to ask us, “What did you do with the Gospel? What did you do with the knowledge of My Son's sacrifice?” This is what the Word says: “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. As the day of reckoning approaches, you must consider for your own good: “What have I done with my life? Am I ready to meet the God and Judge of all the universe?” Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Faith in Christ is Not For Everyone - Acts 18:1-17

Based on Acts 18:1-17 (New King James Version)

“After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’ And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.’ And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, ‘This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.’ And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, ‘If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.’ And he drove them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.”

In August 1st, 2006, John D. Morris, Ph.D. from the Institute for Creation Research, wrote the following article: “Did Darwin Renounce Evolution on His Deathbed? The story has circulated for decades. Charles Darwin, after a career of promoting evolution and naturalism, returned to the Christianity of his youth, renouncing on his deathbed the theory of evolution. The story appears to have been authored by a ‘Lady Hope,’ and relates how she visited him near the end and received his testimony. Evolutionists in general and his surviving family in particular have disputed the account. Those with him at the time insist there was no evident changing of mind. Indeed, in his autobiography written late in his life, Darwin fully supported evolution. He admitted the concept was distasteful to him and had brought him much dismay, but he still held it. Lady Hope was real, the wife of Lord Hope. She was a fervent Christian and friend of Darwin's wife, also a strong Christian who prayed for and witnessed to him all their married life, to no avail according to him. Nevertheless, many have researched the story, and all have concluded it is probably an ‘urban myth.’ In his later years Darwin did soften in his attitude toward Christianity. He even allowed a local church to hold their meetings on his property and asked that his bedroom windows be opened so he could hear the hymns being sung. A Christian can only hope that the seeds planted earlier took root at the end, and that he did place his faith in Christ before he died.”

As we saw in today's passage, some received the Gospel and believed in Christ to the point of enduring persecution and being killed for their faith. And we see that others did not receive it and even went so far as to harm and kill those who did. One might ask: “At some point, will everyone be saved, or not? Does God call only certain people to be saved, or does He call everyone?” To answer the first question, we don't know if everyone will be saved or not. Only God knows. As we just read in a story about Charles Darwin, the so-called "father of evolution," where the possibility arises that something could have happened at the end of his days, shortly before his death, from the account of this courageous woman, Lady Hope, who was not just anyone, but a renowned British evangelist in the 19th century. She was the wife of Lord Hope, or even more accurately, Sir James Hope, who was none other than Admiral of the Royal Navy Fleet of the United Kingdom. So, we must give some credibility to the story that Charles Darwin may have been converted in his final moments, because of the people involved in the affair. There will be many surprises in heaven, at God's great judgment, where there will be those who did come to have a true faith in Christ, even in their final moments, and there will also be those who gave the appearance of having had faith, and they will be condemned by the Lord for their hypocrisy and religiosity.

Now, to answer the second question, whether God only calls certain people to be saved, the Word teaches us conclusively that God desires the whole world to be saved, without exception. God's love is such that He opens His arms to everyone, without exception, and calls everyone from sunrise to sunset, and even afterward. God calls every human being to repent and come to salvation, as it is written: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17. And it is also written: “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.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4. So, there is no doubt that God desires everyone to be saved, even those who seem least redeemable, like this Charles Darwin, and Christ followers should strive for God's desire.

The point is, and we see this everywhere in Scripture, that every human being has the power to choose. It is written: “‘The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ says the Lord God, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live? ‘But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.’” Ezekiel 18:20-24. Whoever lives for Christ, until the end, no matter when they began, will obtain justification through the Lord. But those who never adopt or retain faith in Christ until the end will not see eternal life. So, is the faith of Christ your faith, until the end, or will you be among those who will not gain entry into His kingdom by your own choice? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Faith and the Law - Galatians 5

Based on Galatians 5 (New King James Version)

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

The saying "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" originated from a German proverb, das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten, which is translated as such. The phrase's first known recorded use is in Thomas Murner's 1512 satirical work, "Narrenbeschwörung" (Appeal to Fools). The writing included a woodcut illustration showing a woman tossing a baby out with the dirty water out of the tub. This saying well explains what many believers do with God’s law and the Old Testament, because of a misunderstanding or an error, or because of a desire to justify their will to continue doing as they please. In any case, it is necessary for salvation to know how to retain the integrity of the fullness of God's Word (from Genesis to Revelation).

To begin, we must always remember what the Lord Himself said about the Law and the Prophets, as it is written: “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. And it is also written: “‘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 22:36-40. So, this gives very clear confirmation that neither the law, nor the prophets, and therefore, nor the Old Testament, is being eliminated, under any circumstances. Now, there are people who believe that the fulfillment of the law and the prophets was through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and yes, it's true. He came to fulfill all things. But now, that same thing must be fulfilled in the life of every believer if they wish to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven or inherit eternal life. We must always remember that the Lord is our example to follow, as the Apostle Paul himself said: Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1. So, we should never look to people as our model or example, because they are imperfect, even when there are good intentions. Our focus and attention must always be on the Lord, and to live and do as He did.

Now, there are many who may comment and even ask: “This seems to go beyond faith, as if faith also depended on works. Aren't we saved by faith and nothing else?” Let's look at what the Word says, and what the Lord Himself taught: “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’ So he answered and said, ‘ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ’ And He said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.’” Luke 10:25-28. So then, what do we see here? The lawyer asked: “…what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And the Lord didn't correct him or say that salvation comes only through belief, but rather, He answered based on the same question, and even more so, He directed him toward the law. And when the interpreter answered with the same law, the Lord Himself confirmed that if he did this work of loving God properly, he would live as a result. So, faith and works go hand-in-hand. What works do is manifest the faith one possesses, and it is what God Himself will use as evidence in the final judgment. This is what is written: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26. So, it's very clear that salvation depends entirely on both faith and good works, ultimately, on doing the Father's will.

So, what changes or no longer applies from the law? The example we see is circumcision, and through this, we understand that the physical or bodily expressions of the law no longer apply because Christ came to re-establish faith through His person. For this is also what the Word says: “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.” Deuteronomy 10:16. God has always been more interested in man circumcising the heart than in physical or temporary matters. This is why animal sacrifices are not applicable either, because Christ was the perfect sacrifice, but also because God seeks repentance from the heart, and not something superficial. This is God's will: “Then He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” Matthew 13:52. So then, have you learned to please God through Christ living as He taught, putting into practice (doing works) the old and the new? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Looking for Failure - Deuteronomy 12:29-32

Based on Deuteronomy 12:29-32 (New King James Version)

“When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.’”

There are many people who think that the God of the Old Testament (so to speak) was cruel, harsh, or severe, and they believe this to be the case because He ordered the destruction of entire nations, including children and even animals. And they judge Him in the following way: “How can a God of love command such things to be done?” But when you understand His reasons and what the situation was really like, you would understand and even agree. Back then, and what we are getting to today as well, unfortunately, evil was so deeply rooted in people that even their generations and their possessions were completely saturated with the same evil (because spiritual evil also affects the physical). One might say: What fault could a child have in the iniquities of their parents? The point is that God is all-knowing and therefore knows everything, and He knew that even if He gave them the opportunity of living, He knew that even what seemed innocent would also be of great evil, just like their parents, and this was God's way of bringing judgment and controlling the evil in the world. Unfortunately, we are headed toward that same evil, where the dispensation of God's grace will be limited by the excess of evil, both in man who exists today and in their descendants. The Word says: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:36-37. And how were people before the flood? “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. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Genesis 6:5-6. This world is heading to that end, and quite quickly.

There are also those who would say, "Is the world really that evil?" God doesn't weigh evil by what man thinks is evil, nor is He swayed by society's opinions. Sin is defined by God. The standard belongs to God. That's why we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by our own opinions or be swayed by things and people who are here today and gone tomorrow, who will have no part in deciding where we will spend eternity; nor are they anything before God. If a person has any kind of reasoning—not even a high intellect or special senses are necessary—they would reason that it is in their best interest to be guided by the One who is more powerful than all, and who will judge everything we do, whether good or evil, and who will judge not according to what we think, but according to what He Himself has established. This is what the Word says about the knowledge of God: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20. Every human being can know that God exists through everything He Himself created, beginning with their own existence. None of this is the product of a cosmic accident, as those who refuse to accept the reality of God's existence would have everyone believe. God is God, and He exists, and He reigns, and He will judge every human being, and nothing and no one can change that reality.

And this brings us back to what we read at the beginning. What was God doing with what He simply commanded not to be done, the matter of seeking the gods of the people He Himself commanded to be destroyed? Was God seeking the destruction of His people and that's why He commanded that? Was God keeping them from something that was good? Was God just dealing with a personal jealousy? To begin to see this point, it's necessary to use some logic and common sense. Even a child can understand this. If God Himself destroyed these pagan people, along with all their beliefs and supposed gods, through the hand of His people, what does that tell us? That God is more powerful than these so-called foreign gods, who couldn't even free their followers from Israel. So, if those pagan people didn't gain anything, and their gods couldn't free them, what good were they? What good did it even serve these people to burn their own children to find favor with their gods? And even worse, where are those people today? If their gods couldn't deliver them from God's hand, do you think they could have given them eternal life? Impossible. Those people lost here, and even worse, they lost in eternity, and now they are being tormented forever for their rebellion and hatred of God.

Now, some may say: “I don't believe there is such a thing today, of people following such gods.” And I would have to tell them that many follow just as many, if not worse gods and idols, and they will end up even worse than the people God himself commanded to be destroyed. What is the god of this century? The one that society teaches most today, that you are a god. You are your own god. How is this? From the moment a person desires to fulfill their own will and not God's, it is because they feel like a god. And many so-called Christians fall for this same false god because they attempt to use God and that's the only reason why they seek Him. They think God exists to serve them, for Him to do as they please, and they even label this idolatry as "faith." Do you think it was horrible for these people in the past to have sacrificed their own children to idols? Yes, it was horrible! But what does a woman do who aborts her own son or daughter to fulfill her will? According to an article published by Brookings before the 2024 US presidential election, approximately 95% of abortions were performed solely because they were unwanted children, because these pregnancies interfered with their plans, in one way or another. Do people sacrifice to idols today, even sacrificing their children? Yes. Today's idols and gods are other people, or materialism, or even their own selves, and they even sacrifice to please them. And this was not forgiven before, nor will it be forgiven today.

So then, why does God ultimately give His instruction? This is God’s desire: “Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4. What He teaches is for our good, both for the present, but even more so for the future, so that we may have eternal life. As the Apostle Peter declared to the Lord: “…‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” John 6:67-68. And the Word says this also: “But he who sins against me [God] wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.” Proverbs 8:36. So, what good is there in death, in eternal damnation? So, is it of any use to trust in idols and gods that are far less than the Almighty God who will one day judge every human being by His standard for our deeds? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Following the Lord’s Direction - Numbers 16:41-17:11

Based on Numbers 16:41-17:11 (New King James Version)

“On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘You have killed the people of the Lord.’ Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.’ And they fell on their faces. So Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.’ Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod. And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house. Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you. And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you.’ So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses placed the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.’ Thus did Moses; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.”

The Word of the Lord teaches us things here that we must keep in mind even today, even though it is written in the older books of the Bible, which clarifies a mistake: the mistake of thinking that we are supposed to focus only on the New Testament. The Word of God consists not only of the New Testament, but also of the Old Testament, from Genesis to Revelation. Thus, it has been inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself throughout the centuries of its composition. From Genesis to Revelation, it constitutes all divine counsel for humanity and all Biblical teaching. For a doctrine to be legitimate and accepted as holy teaching, it must agree with the fullness of Scripture, and not with one verse here and another there. We must always remember this: “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.” Matthew 5:17-18. And it also says: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Therefore, we must read, study, and apply all the Scriptures in our lives, as the Holy Spirit guides.

Let us think for a moment about all the divine teaching we lose if we leave aside the Old Testament. How could we know about the creation of the world if we did not have the Old Testament? And how could we know about the father of faith, Abraham, as mentioned in the Word, if we did not read the writings of Moses? And what would we know about the Ten Commandments, which are still very much in force before God? And what about the prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled? These are just a few of the many things we find in the Old Testament. Therefore, ignoring something as valuable as the Old Testament is not biblical and goes against what the Holy Spirit Himself teaches. And as such, this is what the Lord taught: “Then He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.’” Matthew 13:52.

Now, what can we learn from this passage we saw today? The first thing is that we should not murmur or complain. This was a serious problem before, as it is now. God does not tolerate complaining. And we saw that the Lord even took the lives of those who had reached the end of His patience. And make no mistake, He will do so now as well. Why? Because everything moves according to God's will, in one way or another. And what insult is it to His all-seeing and all-knowing majesty if we complain about what He does? Because ultimately, complaining about circumstances or divine plans is protesting against God Himself. God appointed Moses and Aaron to lead the people. And many of the people did not like this because they envied them, even though God had performed incredible signs and wonders on behalf of the people through these men. We must always remember 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.” Matthew 7:21. How can a person who complains against what God desires to accomplish do the Father's will? Do you see the problem with complaining? If you are dissatisfied or troubled by your circumstances, pray about them, humbly asking God for help, but without complaining, for your own good, always asking for His will, because it is the only way we will gain entrance into His kingdom through the Lord Jesus.

The other thing we can see is that God can bring life out of what seems dry or dead, even to show His answer, His will. We can never think that everything is already lost, and that there is no solution. On the contrary, in the will of God, God brings life even out of death. If Christ had not died for our sins, we would not have His resurrection, nor the redemption we obtain precisely through the shedding of His blood. So, we must always have faith in God's answers, and accept His will, even when everything supposedly seems lost and without human hope. As it is written: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. Therefore, let us live and hope in Him as such, as the Eternal and Almighty God that He is. Therefore, seek His guidance in everything, even in everyday matters, to see the manifestation of His will, but always focusing on the main thing, no matter what happens, no matter how things are, may you grow in love for the Lord, so that everything may work together for the good in your life, as the Word also says: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. And so, are you following the Lord’s direction, loving Him how He deserves to be loved. Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Pride Will Be Dealt With - Isaiah 14:12-17

Based on Isaiah 14:12-17 (New King James Version)

“‘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. ‘Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?’”

This passage reveals what caused and how the fall of Lucifer came about, the one now known as Satan. The enemy wasn't always what he is today. He began as something different. But given the mystery of iniquity, at some point in antiquity, envy entered him and gave birth to pride, and pride produced the most horrible product, and as such, he wanted to be like God. The vast majority of people, especially those who profess to have at least some faith in God, would consider this unacceptable or even horrible, and it is. But the vast majority do just as much or even worse evil today, and unfortunately, among those who claim to believe in God, and if they persist in their sin without complete repentance, they will end up in the same place as the enemy, eternally condemned by God's judgment.

There is an inexplicable evil in man today, and it is inexplicable because it has no logic. It is foolishness that surpasses the limits of even the natural, but of course, all as a product of temptation and diabolical influence. Much of man today envies God, even the so-called believer, because they desire to be like God. Many will say: How can this be? And this will astonish them because it is an evil deeply intertwined with everything in their lives, even within their supposed faith. The vast majority of human beings desire to be like God, very similar to Lucifer, in the sense that they desire to carry out their will and not God's. What's more, the vast majority of so-called believers see God as their servant and not as the Lord and God that He is. They treat God as if He exists to serve them, and for Him to fulfill their desires. And this is such pride and such disorder that it is only punishable by hell, just as God will condemn the enemy for all eternity to the lake of fire, where hell itself will be cast. Some will ask, “But can't we seek God for help with our problems?” Yes, we can, but that cannot be the basis of our relationship with God. Our relationship with God cannot be about Him doing our will. Many treat God as many different things, but if they don't submit to Him as Lord, there is simply no salvation. It is impossible, no matter how much faith they profess to have, no matter how much they say they even serve Him, if the Lord Jesus Christ is not accepted and treated literally as Lord in your life, you will never see eternal life, but rather, you will let envy and pride pave your own way to perdition, just as it happened to Lucifer.

God’s Word says this: “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. The point is that salvation is only attained if one accepts and treats the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord, and it must be done in the heart and in practice. It cannot be just words. If He is Lord, then we must submit to doing what He tells us to do through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Is the Lord treated as such when a person only seeks Him to benefit from Him? Is He treated as Lord when a person picks and chooses what to follow of His Word, for their own carnal convenience? The Word of God says 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. So, what can we understand from this? Even if a person does spiritual things that appear to be His will, and they are not subject to His will and dominion, it will be of no use. And if God does not accept people who do spiritual things outside of His order, what do you think the Lord will think of people who don't even seek to do things that pertain to His kingdom? What will God do with those who only seek to satisfy their own will, and even more so, who attempt to put God in servitude, for their own pleasures and delights?

The Lord left us a model of prayer, something we should take into account as an example not only to pray, but even more, to live in such a way, as it is written: “So He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Luke 11:2. So, what should our priority be? What is at the top of the prayer example the Lord gave us? It is clear that we must seek and pray for the Father's will, especially if we claim to believe in Him as Father. God does not allow Himself to be carried away by our current sociological changes, where parents spoil their children and thus lose all authority over them. God is not a modern father, who allows his children to trample over Him and even disrespect Him at will. God is God, and the devil, his followers, and every being who does not submit to God’s will also have to come to the reality that the Lord is God, and it will not lead to salvation or forgiveness, but rather, to destruction and eternal damnation. “For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11.

What brings salvation and even transformation to a person? When a person truly accepts and treats the Lord Jesus Christ as their literal Lord. We see this example in the Apostle Paul's conversion, as recounted in the Scriptures: “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’” Acts 9:3-6. The only way a person can attain salvation and the eternal life that God offers is only with this attitude, with reverence, with submission, treating the Lord as such. This is a call not for judgment, but so there can be a clear understanding to attain salvation. We must come to and follow God on His terms, not ours. And if we exist, it is to do His will, not ours. Otherwise, you will only be preparing for the most horrible day of your entire existence, when God from His holy throne will say on the day of judgment, “…‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” God will deal with all pride, sooner or later. So then, does pride or does the Lord reign in your life? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

A Call to a Permanent Change - Jeremiah 34:8-22

Based on Jeremiah 34:8-22 (New King James Version)

“This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them: that every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or woman—that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage. Now when all the princes and all the people, who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves, that no one should keep them in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves. Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, ‘At the end of seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you.’ But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.’ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord—‘to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it—the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf—I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth. And I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army which has gone back from you. Behold, I will command,’ says the Lord, ‘and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.’”

Today we will look at a very common problem among God's people, but one that God does not tolerate: the issue of momentary changes or conversions. God simply did not tolerate the constant instability of His people before Christ, and He will not tolerate it today in the dispensation of His grace. There are many who cling to this passage: “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.” Psalm 145:8. Is God gracious and merciful? Of course He is. Is He abounding in loving-kindness? There is no one like Him in loving-kindness. But what does He say about His anger? He says He is slow to anger, but it implies within itself that "slow" does not mean that it will never come, if one persists in doing evil, if one tries to overstep one's bounds. His grace and mercy are incredible, especially for salvation, but God does not tolerate the instability of the believer, of the person who changes their mind according to their circumstances. This is very clear throughout His Word, and especially in the New Testament. God is love, but He is also Holy and consuming fire, as the Word teaches.

This message is not for the people who ignore the Gospel, but rather, for the people who profess to believe in Christ, who profess to have embraced a conversion, but who unfortunately takes the grace of God as something that can be abused, and who attempts to treat God as a toy, because that is the reality when a person does not take salvation seriously, when a person does not take care of what they have received by His grace, when a person takes the Lord’s continuous grace for granted or as an obligation, just as the people of God did before. The people of Israel and Judah were almost erased from the face of the earth by Nebuchadnezzar as the punishment that God Himself brought upon them for their continued transgression, for their fickle and momentary repentances. In the passage we saw, God gives His people an opportunity to do good before the punishment came, although by this time, Babylon had already attacked Israel, but God made them withdraw to give opportunity for repentance. Doesn't this sound familiar, that God sometimes allows certain events to help us come to repentance, and when the shock passes, so to speak, people go back to doing what was wrong with God? I remember when the 9/11 terrorist attack happened in the US, and that our churches were full of people, but after a while, when the shock passed, they stopped searching and fell back even worse than before.

What does the Word of God teach us about the instabilities of God’s people? “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16. “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. Do these passages give place for God to be mocked, that we can abuse of His grace? No. It says this also? “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:7-8. And the Word of God says this also about the person that tries to play with God and take His grace for granted: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22. And God warns this way also: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:4-5. This last passage teaches that one must remain in the Lord until the end, the definition of overcoming, or else risk having Him erase your name from the book of life. If you have come to Christ, live by faith, live the new life He grants you through His grace and love once and for all. So, have you permanently turned from all your sins? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Repentance, Receive, and Follow - Luke 9:57 – 10:20

Based on Luke 9:57 – 10:20 (New King James Version)

“Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, ‘Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ 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.’ After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.’ Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.’ And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Seeing the Word as a whole (as it must be taken), we can understand through the Holy Spirit that salvation, sound doctrine, consists of three fundamental things, three decisions that man must make in order to enter the kingdom of God. And if one of the three is missing, it is not possible for them to enter His kingdom. To begin, these three things or decisions are fully subject to free will, which God has granted to every being, from the angels to human beings. The enemy and his demos were once part of the kingdom of God, but because of the mystery of iniquity, they chose to rebel against God. God made man with this same free will. Each one of us has the ability to reason and choose whether we wish to submit to God or to refuse to do so. Therefore, God has established these three things for man to choose to do or not to do, because free will goes hand in hand with work.

Sound doctrine or the way to enter into the kingdom of God consists of the following: repentance and conversion of all sins; receiving by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord; and following Him as such until our physical end, and all this has its corresponding actions or works. Repentance and conversion of all sins is the first thing a person must do in order to receive God's forgiveness. Without this, there is no forgiveness, and as a consequence, Christ cannot enter into the heart of a person, no matter how much faith they profess having. The Lord will not enter a person who does not repent and convert from not only some sins, but from all of them. This is what the Word says: “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. “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, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before.” Acts 3:19-20. Therefore, this first action must happen.

The second is to receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord, which goes beyond Savior or Master, or any other way. Many speak of God generically, but believing in God generically is an incomplete faith for salvation. God does exist, and God is three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, but God the Father Himself has established a very exact path to reach Him, and that is through His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. That is why the Lord Himself said this too, which was neither an illusion of grandeur nor anything like that, but a simple reality: “…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6. God the Father Himself made this designation personally from heaven, as we read below: “And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!’ Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.” Mark 9:7-8. Therefore, if any other person or being is involved, or if God is addressed generically, there is no salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ must literally be the Lord of our lives.

And the third consists of following the Lord as such, and doing the will of God, and doing or remaining in this until the end. 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. “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22. And we cannot take this salvation for granted or lightly, because free will does not end with conversion, but quite the contrary, it is even more in effect since we were made free from sin through Christ. This is what the Word says: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12. “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5-6. If you really want to enter the kingdom of God eternally, this is the Way you must follow to the end, and you must overcome in Christ so that your name remains in the Book of Life. So, do you live your life as the Word of God says, or do you continue doing things the way you want to? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

We Are All Called to Serve the Lord - Ezekiel 44:15-28

Based on Ezekiel 44:15-28 (New King James Version)

“‘But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,’ says the Lord God. ‘They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge. And it shall be, whenever they enter the gates of the inner court, that they shall put on linen garments; no wool shall come upon them while they minister within the gates of the inner court or within the house. They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies; they shall not clothe themselves with anything that causes sweat. When they go out to the outer court, to the outer court to the people, they shall take off their garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and put on other garments; and in their holy garments they shall not sanctify the people. ‘They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow long, but they shall keep their hair well trimmed. No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court. They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests. ‘And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths. ‘They shall not defile  themselves by coming near a dead person. Only for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister may they defile themselves. After he is cleansed, they shall count seven days for him. And on the day that he goes to the sanctuary to minister in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering in the inner court,’ says the Lord God. ‘It shall be, in regard to their inheritance, that I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.’”

Does this teaching that we see in this passage apply today, and for all of us, to both Jew and Gentile? And the answer is yes, and in a very literal way, in the sense that all of us through Christ are called to minister before the Lord. Every person who professes faith in Christ and has accepted the Lord as such must serve the Lord. And even more, and as we will see, if a person does not serve the Lord, he will not gain entry into His kingdom. It is impossible for a person to enter the kingdom of God if they do not serve Him as He commands, without exceptions.

There is a thought in many believers that faith in Christ only consists of believing in Him and nothing else. But that is an error, and of course, an error caused by bad doctrines that have an author, the devil. If there is anyone who has every reason to keep man from serving God is the enemy. He is the most interested in hindering the purposes of God, and in destroying the reason for why God made man. From the beginning, God made man to serve Him, from the garden of Eden. God put man to take care of the garden, even before sin entered the world. And what did the enemy do? He approached man to divert him from his responsibilities, and questioned God's command, and thus, not only did he stop the work, but he made man fall into sin through temptation, and we have what we have today, a world full of death, destruction, and even worse, people that can even be lost eternally if they remain in their sins. So, the worst thing the enemy can do is persuade man not to serve God, and he doesn't care how to do it.

What does the Word teach us? To start, the Lord spoke of a new birth in order to enter His kingdom. When we come to Christ, through the repentance of our sins, and accepting Him by faith as our Lord (because we must accept Him as such if a person genuinely desires to be saved), then a new birth, or conversion occurs. But what the enemy uses to mislead believers is something as simple as to stop us from using our reasoning, by taking away simple logic to understand heavenly things. When a child is born, do they remain like that creature that came out of their mother's womb? The nature that God Himself created teaches us that this creature must grow, and strengthen, and learn, so that it can survive tomorrow on its own. So, can we justify that when a person is born again, that they should stay as they are? Impossible. And let's forget for a moment whether a person was truly converted or not, or whether it is God who produces things or not, because those same questions are what precisely cause the lack of reasoning. When a being is born, especially in Christ, in one way or another, and just like nature, they must grow. They must strengthen. They must develop however possible. And if that doesn't happen, then there is simply a big problem, because they will never survive on their own. When we are born again in Christ, it is a beginning, just as the saying itself implies. It’s the start of a long journey. There are many things that have to happen for you to get to where God Himself wants you to go.

The Word teaches us in many places that we must increase in knowledge and works toward God as part of our spiritual development, and in such a way that we are ready for what is coming in eternity, after all this temporal world passes. This is what the Word says for example: “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!” 1 Corinthians 6:1-6. So, how will we come to judge the world and even the angels if we never seek the will of God, or study the Word, or become mature in the things of the Lord? And if a person cannot reach that, and be prepared for what is coming, then what good are they to God? Heaven consists of more than songs or playing harps as many think. There are things we will have to do in the afterlife, and we must be ready for them. God allows everything He allows for in this world, and especially in the life of the believer so that we are ready for what is to come. Therefore, this is what the Word says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5.

The Lord has prepared everything so that we can have entry into His kingdom, but it is our decision to hold on to faith and seek to do His will to serve Him, so that we may be worthy to enter His kingdom through Jesus Christ. This is repeated, time after time, because it is essential: “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 serving God, or do you continue serving yourself for your own perdition? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Loose Him and Let Him Go - John 11:17-44

Based on John 11:17-44 (New King James Version)

“So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’ And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, ‘The Teacher has come and is calling for you.’ As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, ‘She is going to the tomb to weep there.’ Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’ And some of them said, ‘Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?’ Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’”

Much can be learned through what happened with Lazarus, and the Holy Spirit always wants to reveal much through this work, and also, this shows us that something is missing today within the people of God that we will see later. To start, the answer to everything in our lives must be Christ. He is the resurrection and the life, just as He said it, not because He had illusions of grandeur, but because it simply was (and still is) a great reality. And if we do not hold fast to that faith properly, as the Scriptures teach, we will never attain eternal life. We will not be able to live the new life that God wants us to live.

Sound doctrine consists of three very fundamental things that must be fulfilled in the life of every believer so that they can attain salvation and fulfill God's purpose for their life. And these three are centered on faith in Christ: A person must repent and convert from all his sins, a person must not only believe but also make the Lord Jesus Christ the literal Lord of their life, and a person must follow the Lord not only for moments in their life, but for the rest of their life, until they get to their carnal end. These three make up sound doctrine, what is necessary to be able to genuinely obtain eternal life. Based on the Word of God, if one of the three is missing, it is impossible for you to obtain eternal life.

And this brings us to the main topic we will discuss today, according to what the Holy Spirit dictates. One of the things that is most lacking today among God's people is the practicality of following Christ, because faith in Christ does not consist of metaphors or theoretical things, but of very practical things, which involves what God has given us as part of His creation: a will and reasoning. When we come to the Lord, we cannot forget the fundamental elements of our life, but on the contrary, submit them to faith in the Lord. People may come to repentance (although this is also very lacking today). People may come to believe in Christ, and even confess Him as their Lord. But the vast majority fail today because they simply do not follow through. Something as practical as obedience is missing, and even more so, the conscious submission within oneself that if a person confesses a faith, they must live that faith. We live in a world of lazy people, or irresponsible people, or I don't know what else to say, but that's what we see in general. Many do not seek the Word of God. Many are not looking to change their lifestyle. The vast majority want God to continue accepting their way of life, and like that, give them eternal life, reward, blessings, and of course, even answer their prayers. How is a person going to change if they do not seek to do the will of God? How can God transform your life if you want to continue living in your sins? How will you know how to live this life according to God's purpose if you reject the instructions, the Word of God? This is what His Word says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6. Notice that it says, “My people.” And also notice that it says: “…you have forgotten the law of your God.” If God's people dismiss Godly knowledge, and forget the Word of God, will they find favor with their God? No. The Word also says 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.” Matthew 7:21.

What can we see in Lazarus? God the Son commanded that he be untied and let go. What does that imply? Lazarus had been resurrected, but if the bonds and everything that wrapped him which was contaminated and even filthy (because he was truly dead in the tomb for four days) were not removed, he would have died again. This is what the Word says: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.” Romans 6:15-19. Therefore, search the Word of God and apply what It teaches. Leave sin behind and stop doing your will. Sanctify yourself so that you can serve Him. And persist in this until the end, just as the Word says: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13. So, are you still tied and wrapped up with your past life, thus dying again, and missing the opportunity that Christ gives? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!