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Mistaking God’s Mercy for Weakness or Non-Existence - Ezequiel 39:1-16

Based on Ezequiel 39:1-16 (New King James Version)

“And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal; and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken,’ says the Lord God. ‘And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. Surely it is coming, and it shall be done,’ says the Lord God. ‘This is the day of which I have spoken. ‘Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years. They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them,’ says the Lord God. ‘It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers, because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. Indeed all the people of the land will be burying, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified,’ says the Lord God. ‘They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. The search party will pass through the land; and when anyone sees a man’s bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land.’ ’ ”

Many would argue that this passage is referring to a great confrontation between God and man in the last days, a time when God Himself will gather the nations against Israel to defeat them horribly and shamefully. According to Scripture, Israel will not have to lift a finger to defend itself, but the Lord will perform wonders, or rather, unleash His wrath in terror upon His enemies. The Word also provides these details: “Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city [Jerusalem], and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.” Revelation 14:17-20. To put the measurements of what God is describing here into perspective, the horses' bridles are in their mouths, which are connected to the reins. A horse's mouth is, on average, about four to five feet (or 1.5 meters) high; and a furlong (which is a Greek unit of length) is approximately 208 yards (or 180-190 meters) long, so 1,600 furlongs is about 189 miles (or 304 kilometers) long.  In other words, God's wrath will leave a sea of ​​blood 189 miles long and between 4-5 feet deep. This won't be a massacre; it will be something for which there truly is no word to describe it.

When will this horrible event take place? We don't know exactly, but as things are unfolding, it could happen one day in the not-too-distant future. According to everything that has already been fulfilled in Scripture, the Lord could come at any moment for His people. We are undoubtedly living in the last days. The things that most clearly indicate that we are in the final stages are: the wars that have occurred over the last two centuries (Matthew 24:6), the diseases and plagues that exist today, along with famine (Luke 21:11), the return of Israel to their land and their re-establishment in 1948 (Ezekiel 36:24), the moral decay of the world, calling good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20), and the great migrations of the world coupled with the unprecedented advancement of science, as it is written: “…many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4b. And finally, corruption and apostasy within the universal church of God, where the Bible is altered with many unacceptable excuses, and where many things are taught and practiced that appear to be the truth but are not (2 Timothy 4:3-4). There should be no doubt that we are very close to the end.

Now, many will ask, "Why hasn't the end come yet?" And the answer is also found in the Word, as it is written: “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9. The great mercy and grace of God are what cause things to be delayed a little longer. He is the one deciding to postpone what is to come. If the world and everything in it have not yet been consumed, it is only because of His patience.

But what is happening with humanity today? Instead of thanking God for His great goodness and taking the opportunity to change, to turn back to Him as they should, today, the vast majority, and even many of those who call themselves God's people, take His great goodness, mercy, and patience as weakness, as inability, or even worse, as proof that He doesn't exist. For many people today, there is no God. They may say they believe in God, but deep down, in the depths of their minds and hearts, they don't. Because if they did believe, their lives would be completely different. Much of humanity, and even many supposed believers, live as if God does not exist, and therefore, as if there will never be a great judgment where we will all give an account. But the truth is that God does exist, and that God will indeed bring calamity upon humanity, sooner or later, for its continued rebellion. And He will not only bring physical destruction, but even more importantly, if people do not individually repent from their sins as they should and obey God, they will experience the greatest horror: condemnation to eternal hell, where the soul will suffer unspeakable and indescribable torment forever. For this is what the Word says, what the Lord Himself said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. The most excellent advice I can give the whole world is to repent with all your heart of all your sins and obey the Lordship of Jesus Christ for forgiveness and eternal salvation, before it's too late. Our opinions are worthless, both here and, even more so, before the throne of Almighty God. The only thing that matters is what God thinks of us and our actions. So, will you take God's mercy seriously "in time" instead of wandering off into other things that will only lead to your eternal destruction? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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The Faith that Pleases God - Hebrews 11:8-22

Based on Hebrews 11:8-22 (New King James Version)

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.”

What kind of faith pleases God? To begin, we would need to define faith, and we could start by describing what faith is not, at least not the kind of faith that is divine, the faith that the Word of God speaks of. For example, faith is not about positive thinking. Faith has nothing to do with fulfilling our own will. Faith does not control God, nor is it a way to make God do something He does not want to do.  Likewise, divine faith never goes against His Word.  Understanding these things, we would realize that what many people think of as faith actually has nothing to do with what God teaches.  Most of the time, both love and faith are misunderstood and misinterpreted, making them out to be something completely different from what they truly are and what God intends for them to be.

The Bible teaches this concerning faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3. Therefore, upon understanding what is written, we should be able to see more clearly that faith is not within itself a feeling, an idea, or a concept, but something that goes far beyond that. For example, the Word teaches us here that faith helps us understand that the entire universe was created through the Word of God. So, faith is more about being focused on a Person, on the person of God and His actions. Faith is the way we can intellectually grasp or reason, in some way, that the Invisible One is the one who created and made everything visible.  Therefore, faith is the vehicle that somehow connects God with humanity; it is what God has incorporated into human beings so that they have the capacity to go beyond the visible, in short, to have the ability to believe in God.

Now, this leads us to the next point, that faith within itself doesn't have much meaning on its own, but rather, it acquires its great value when we apply it to God. That's when faith truly becomes an unlimited power, where it takes on its true value, which makes all the difference in the world. I'll explain it this way: If a person places their faith in material things, then it actually becomes useless to them, because their trust is placed in something that is finite, corruptible, and limited. For example, what does a person gain by placing their faith in money? It's true that money has a certain value in this world and that it's necessary for many things. But what good is money in eternity? Can money erase sin? Can money give you eternal life? Can money fill the void in a person's heart? Can you buy heaven with money? No. In the same way, what do we gain by placing our faith in other people who are just as fallible and limited as we are? It's true that a relationship between people has great value, but, nevertheless, it has no power in the things that truly matter, in the eternal things. Everything that exists in this world will one day cease to be, even ourselves. Everything that is tainted in some way or another by sin has an expiration date. So, on whom is it truly worthwhile to place our faith? On God who is perfect, who loves us, and who reigns and lives forever and ever. And the Word says this: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6.

Therefore, the faith that pleases God is the one that is firmly established on Him and on everything He does, especially on His Word, which is responsible for all of creation. And we understand from the Bible that the Word is 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. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. The Word (Christ) is the one who makes all things possible, from our daily existence to eternity, as it says: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:15-17. The Lord is ultimately the greatest thing that should nourish our faith, for He is the personification of God. And what did the Lord show us while He was on earth? He performed great and incredible miracles. He taught us about His kingdom and how to attain eternal life. He demonstrated God's great love through His actions, by giving His life as a ransom for us, dying on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for our salvation. And finally, He was resurrected from the dead on the third day and was seen ascending into heaven, to the right hand of God's throne. All of this was witnessed by the people of that time, and they bore witness to this reality. The Lord said: “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.” John 14:1-6. So, who else has done what the Lord has done? Who can promise us what only He can give? Nothing and no one are like Him. So, have you placed your faith in the Lord as the Bible teaches so that you can please God, or are you still placing your faith in something else, rendering your faith useless? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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God Will Bring Order - 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Based on 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 (New King James Version)

“How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.”

It is undeniable that God is a God of order, as the architect, builder, and Creator that He is. Everything has its place, its function, and its time. There is neither disorder nor confusion in God. And although this world is corrupted by sin, nevertheless, within that corruption, God still maintains order. This is what the Word says about creation and how God is revealed, both His power, His authority, and His order: “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. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17.

The order that God has established, and which He also teaches through His Word, has a purpose, and it is primarily for our good, for the good of mankind, no matter much people may dislike God's order. God created everything, put it in its place, and keeps it there. For example, let's look at our galaxy, something much smaller than the universe, but gigantic to us. All the stars maintain their position just as God placed them one day, and all the planets remain in their established positions as He decreed. To give you an idea, our own science says that there are between 100 and 400 billion planets in our galaxy alone, in the Milky Way. How would it affect us if all those stars and planets took their own course and moved indefinitely from their positions? Today, our world has temperatures and seasons that allow us to survive, thanks to the way everything is arranged: the sun, the planets within our solar system, the careful revolution of our planet around the sun, as well as its rotation on its axis, which is invisible to the eye but immovable, so that we have day and night. All this majestic, glorious, and powerful precision exists thanks to God, and it continues faithfully to this day through His presence. So many things happen that are completely beyond our control, yet we can trust that they work flawlessly thanks to Him.

As we saw in our main passage today, the Lord teaches about order and structure within our congregations, and for what purpose? So that the church may be built up, and also so that the unbeliever, the one who does not know God, may come to know God through the church.  Ultimately, everything is for the good of humanity and for the glory of God. I will not delve into the dilemmas or controversies surrounding certain things mentioned, which the devil himself tries to distort to cause division and disorder, as the agent of sin and chaos that he is. What we should focus on most is that everything, especially within the Church, must be done decently and in order, because if everyone comes to church to show off, to demonstrate to others what they can do, that within itself is disorder, and that's where the problems begin, because it's no longer for edification, but rather to exalt the ego or to take advantage of others. The only clarification I will make is regarding women. The Apostle Paul speaks of women remaining silent at this time because women, in general, were causing a lot of disruption, as we can see in the passage, by making comments or asking questions in the church that distract others. What is the practical application of this? If someone is sharing the Word of God, both men and women should remain silent so that everyone can listen and be edified. This is not the time for conversations, questions, or anything that causes a disturbance. And both women and men were not made to be in competition with each for power, but rather, for mutual edification.

Now, God's order is not only for the local church, but also for every aspect of our lives: in our work or studies, in our family life, in our personal and intimate lives—God's order should be present in everything, if a person has come to Christ. Before we knew the Lord, our lives were completely out of His order.  Whether we like it or not, our reality before coming to Christ was a life of disorder. We were completely far removed from and strangers to the kingdom of God, to His promises, and of course, to the eternal life that is found only in Him.  All of us, without exception, were completely separated from God, as it is written: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. We become children of God only when we consciously receive, by our own choice, 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. So, when we come to Christ and accept Him as Lord (because this is a requirement for salvation), we must seek His guidance and ultimately do the Father's will, because this too is a requirement for entering His kingdom, 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. God desires that our lives be in order before Him, for our own good, for the good of our neighbor, and, of course, for His glory.

This is what we must understand. God will absolutely bring everything into His order, undeniably, in the end. Every being, even the devil and his hosts, will have to submit to His order, as it is written: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11. The issue is this: We can either submit to the Lord's order now voluntarily for eternal life and reward, or God will submit you to His will in the end, but for judgment and eternal punishment afterward, when it's too late. The choice is yours. So, will you choose to seek to submit to the Lord in time? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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God’s Righteous Judgment - Isaiah 66:1-6

Based on Isaiah 66:1-6 (New King James Version)

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the Lord. ‘But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word. ‘He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; he who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so will I choose their delusions, and bring their fears on them; because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; but they did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.’ Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: ‘Your brethren who hated you, who cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy.’ But they shall be ashamed.’ The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, Who fully repays His enemies!”

The first thing we must consider when looking at this passage is: what, or rather, Who, is everything in the universe about? Who is the main character in all of history, in all of existence, in the past, in the present, and especially in the future? We are talking about God, and not a universal god as many believe, one that they say all religions lead to, but the Elohim, the plural God who created the heavens and the earth, of whom the Book of Genesis speaks: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, as the Apostle John also declares, as it is written: “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7. This God is unique, and He is the True God, the Almighty, who reigns forever and ever. We are not talking about just any being, but rather a triune being who possesses all power and authority throughout the entire universe. This is more than important to understand because, as the Being He is, His Word teaches us that He is also the Judge of the universe, who will judge every being in the not-too-distant future.

We understand through the Word of God that God is love, and that love is one of His most important characteristics, and one upon which we all depend.  That is why we were created, why we exist, and despite our utterly compromised state due to sin, He loved us so much that He has given us a way, a means to receive forgiveness and have eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ. But He is not only love, but also holy and a consuming fire when He exercises His judgment. And this is something far too important to overlook or ignore. We must keep in mind that even though He is love, He will not forget or set aside His holiness. It is impossible. And this holy character teaches us that a day will come when the mercy and grace that can be found in Him now will give way to His judgment in the future. This is one of the greatest misunderstandings within our Christian community, that many think God will set aside His judgment because He is love. There is a final judgment where everyone, every person, both the unbeliever and the Christian, will give an account before Him, where He will see what we did, whether we did His will or something else. And this is what the Word says: “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 6:7-10.  We cannot deceive God, under any circumstances. Everything will be revealed then. Many supposed believers may try to deceive other people, as they do now, or even try to convince themselves that they won't have to give an account, but it will be impossible to ignore this perfect Being who sees all, knows all, and can do all. For the good of each person, it would be wise for those who deny this coming judgment to stop deceiving themselves and to stop mistakenly thinking that our opinion dictates reality and what is inevitable. This is what the Word of God says: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. And this is also written: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a.

The Lord taught that religious hypocrisy will not be overlooked in the coming judgment. Many people may try to do religious things, or even supernatural things, but God will see through all of that and will only see our true selves. This is what the Lord said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 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. On the day of judgment, there will be much confusion, many surprises, and much sorrow, because those who pretend to be righteous will be completely exposed before God and His heavenly hosts. It is a serious problem if God sees your offerings, your sacrifices, and your works as abominable things, even though they may appear holy and righteous to those who are unaware of the truth that lies deep within a person’s heart. What will matter at that moment is what is evident to God. And as the Word says: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26. It doesn't matter if your works look good in the eyes of men. What matters is whether God sees your faith as genuine, based on the works it produces.

The Word teaches us very clearly that we will give an account of everything we have done, and of course, what we did with the knowledge of the Truth. Did it remain merely knowledge, or did something more happen? No one likes the idea of ​​being held accountable for their actions, but just because we don't like something doesn't mean it won't happen. This is what we read. “And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’” Acts 24:24-25. For your own good, follow this advice: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” 2 Corinthians 13:5. Ignoring or refusing to believe that there will be a judgment is foolishness, and you could lose everything if you don't take God's warning seriously. The stakes are too high. God will hold you accountable for what you did with the Gospel, with the knowledge of His Word, and ultimately, with Christ. So, are you living a genuine faith in Christ so that you can pass God's judgment, or are you still treating God and His Word lightly and irresponsibly? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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A Call to Repentance and Conversion - Deuteronomy 28:15-30

Based on Deuteronomy 28:15-30 (New King James Version)

“ ‘But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: ‘Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. ‘Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. ‘Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. ‘Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. ‘The Lord will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me. The Lord will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. ‘The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth. Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away. The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart. And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you. ‘You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall lie with her; you shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but shall not gather its grapes.’ ”

One of the many undeniable truths in this life is that God's Word always comes to pass, in one way or another. The Lord himself said this: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11. The mistake many believers make in interpreting this verse in Isaiah is that they think it means that if a person hears the Word of God, it will eventually bring about a change in that person, and they will be converted. But we know that absolutely every person, in one way or another, knows who God is, and knows what the cross of Christ means, and has been exposed to the Word of God many times, and yet, many have not been converted and are lost. If their interpretation were correct, evangelizing the world would be very easy. The truth is that the Word of God is fulfilled completely, for blessing and salvation, as well as for curse and destruction, depending on what each person chooses to do with the Truth of God.

Now, why is God's judgment manifesting itself increasingly severe upon the world? Because there is a great difference between the ignorance that once existed in humanity concerning the things of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the access people now have to His Word. God does have mercy on people's ignorance, but such ignorance of the truth has not existed for a long time. Instead of seeking the Lord, humanity has either done the opposite or are attempting to twist or manipulate the things of God to justify their sin.  Furthermore, many of the most wicked people maintain their sinful lifestyles while professing to believe in God, claiming that God made them the way they are. This is what the Word says: “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. Almost everyone knows who God is. Almost everyone knows who Jesus is and what He did on the cross. And the vast majority know that the Holy Bible is the Word of God. The entire world, in general, has been evangelized, but instead of conversion, as there was more of before, people have now turned more towards darkness, towards the delights and pleasures of this world, and ultimately, towards sin. And so, do we expect things to get better? Does humanity expect God to bless them for their rebellion, for their wickedness, and for supporting the abominations of sin? No, impossible. And God has nothing more to give to prove to the world who He is and the love He has shown. The only signs humanity will continue to see are those that come as part of God's judgment, unless they repent. And this leads us to the next point.

Such is the goodness of God, and the love of God, and His grace, that He continues to call for repentance and conversion, so that, even if the body is lost, the soul of man may be saved, and thus obtain eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ. These truths are taught to us in His Word: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9. A person will gain nothing with God if they do not admit their sin, and they must not only acknowledge sin, but also repent with all their heart. It is necessary that they turn from their wicked ways, that they allow God to work in their life to help them change, because we cannot do it alone. But repentance and conversion from sin, the decision itself, belongs to us. This is also what the Word says: “ ‘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?’ ” Ezekiel 18:21-23. “…‘Thus you say, ‘If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?’ ’ Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die…?’ ” Ezekiel 33:10b-11a. God's mercy is at the door; and if a person genuinely seeks the Lord, they will find it.  However, if a person persists in their rebellion and wickedness, they will not see good, but will experience God's judgment both here, and worse, in eternity. This is what determines the outcome: “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 says this: “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. So, will you continue to pursue your own will, leading to your own judgment and eternal destruction, or will you repent and turn to the Lord with all your heart before it's too late? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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The Fruit that God Wants from Our Faith - Romans 5:1-11

Based on Romans 5:1-11 (New King James Version)

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Anyone might ask: Why is it necessary to go through trials and tribulations? Does God enjoy seeing us suffer, seeing us face difficulties? Why would a loving God allow pain, suffering, illness, and death? These questions don't have easy answers, but there are answers, and they are all found in God's Word. Now, receiving answers doesn't necessarily make things easier in the moment. The answer doesn't mean we will avoid all the evils that may occur in this world, but, as the Lord said: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32.

Now, what relief can knowing the truth bring in a world full of suffering and pain? Knowing the truth should create something greater than our present circumstances, something more powerful—faith. And if we grow in faith and practice it as needed, it will help us overcome the present and obtain what is truly worthwhile: eternal life and reward. Faith is what will help us overcome the present and look toward the future, to stop paying so much attention to what is corruptible and instead focus on the incorruptible, and not to concentrate so much on the temporal world but on the eternal.

Continuing, let's clearly understand who our enemy is. God is not our enemy; on the contrary, He is our greatest ally, who loves us incredibly. So, if God is not our enemy, then who is? The obvious answer would be the devil, but we have something even worse to face than the devil, and that is: sin, evil. Obviously, the devil and his forces are a serious problem, but our main enemy is sin. And what makes the devil so evil is that he is an agent of sin; he promotes sin and tries to introduce it into everything he can. Why? Because the enemy is all evil, all sin. When you understand the nature of something, then you understand what it is capable of. That is why God abhors evil and sin, as it is written: “You love righteousness and hate wickedness…” Psalm 45:7a.

So, if God is good, and He is above all, why would God allow something like sin and the devil to exist? Because God is love. And someone might ask, "What does love have to do with sin?" For love to be defined as such, there must be free will, the power to choose. It's impossible for true love to exist or be possible without free will, and for free will to have meaning, there must be distinct and opposing options. That is, there is God and there is a devil. There is justice and there is evil. There is good and there is evil. There is love and there is hate, and so on. Therefore, God, who is love, allows options opposed to Him to exist so that it can be proven whether we love Him or not. This is what God says in His Word: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…” Deuteronomy 30:19-20a. God allowed for there to be options to give validity to that free will. This is why He allowed sin to exist. God's desire was never for anyone to be with Him out of obligation, but rather out of their own free will.

The Apostle Paul explained that we must go through trials and tribulations, and that we should even rejoice in what these things produce in us, such as hope and patience. But, along with this, he tries to lead us to consider what God has done for us to enable us to endure difficulties, such as the fact that we receive free justification before God through the Lord Jesus Christ. And that God did what He did even when we were sinners, His enemies. This is what the Word says: “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. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:1-8. And 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.

So, what does the Lord ultimately desire as the fruit of our faith? What He has always wanted, which He gave as a commandment—not as an obligation, but so that we would understand that it is something indispensable. And that is to love Him above all things, in response to His love, His grace, His mercy, and His goodness. It is written: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ‘And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7. God's desire is that we not only come to love Him willingly, but also that we help others to love Him in the same way. He wants His love to be reciprocated by everyone, not out of obligation, but because we have rationally understood, through His truth, all that we owe Him. So, are you learning to reciprocate God's love as the fruit of your faith in Christ for eternal life and reward? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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The Word and the Light of the World - John 1:1-13

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

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

What good does it do us to know that the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, is the Word and the Light? If we not only learn these truths, but also, and even more importantly, allow them to become a living reality within us, we will receive more than we need; we will receive the infinite nature of God. The entire panorama of who God is would open to us, and we would gain the faith we so desperately need, obtaining answers that go beyond the everyday, beyond this temporary and imperfect world.

The Bible teaches us that this world is very imperfect and fleeting, that nothing in it will last, as it is written: “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. This is the first glimpse of God's light, which teaches us the reality of things. It is quite possible that we can understand this because we see it everywhere. Good times are few. There are more sadness and emptiness, even shortly after experiencing moments of joy. Everything passes, and everything becomes a memory. Human life in this world is like water slipping through our fingers. The vast majority live to acquire things they believe will bring them joy and satisfaction, but when they finally obtain them, the emptiness may return even stronger, greater, and deeper, because they realize that this life consists only of illusory vanities. I am not saying this to create a feeling of pessimism and sadness, but rather so that we may focus on what is truly worthwhile, on what we truly need.

What is the answer we need to be able to cope with this temporal reality? The first thing is to understand that the Son of God is the Word, who makes everything visible and invisible possible, from the infinity of the beginning, the present, and what remains eternally. God created everything through this eternal Word, and everything subsists and continues to exist thanks to this Word, both what is present and what is to come. This is what the Word says: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17. Therefore, if everything was made by and through Him, we can understand that if we have Him in our lives, within our being, we not only possess the eternal nature of God, but we will also become part of His nature. When God's nature becomes a part of us, then, through His grace, we obtain eternity—a beginning, but without end.

Now, what benefit do we gain from knowing and believing that Jesus is the Light? The Light of God has many meanings, but I believe the primary one is the light of understanding the things of God, from which true faith is born. Without the light of God, it is impossible to have faith. And without faith, it is impossible to please God. Before Christ came, the world was completely dark, even God's own people. Although they had received the law, which is holy and from God, Christ was the one who brought the light of God to the world. God performed the greatest miracle. He took on our human form and lived among us. God dwelt with humanity, and lived like us, and suffered like us, and even died like us. There is nothing greater in the universe, no more sublime act than that He humbled Himself not only to be with us, but to deal with our greatest evil, our sin. And He conquered death so that we might live forever. This is what we learn through the Light of God: who God is and who we are, and what God did to remedy our condition. Divine light is the knowledge and understanding of the divine, but it cannot merely just stay as knowledge and understanding. We need to understand it to such an extent that it becomes a reality within us. And this is what produces faith. And faith in God leads us to the fundamental truth, that we can become children of God. We are not born naturally as children of God. We are His creation, but we are not His children. The Word teaches us that there is only one way to become a child of God, and that happens 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.” Therefore, the light of God's knowledge helps us understand our reality—that we do not belong to God—but it also gives us the answer to how to remedy our problem: that if we receive Him and believe in His name, then we become children of God.

Knowing the Word of God and the Light of God leads us to all truth so that we may live eternally. We will receive all things from God, and they will become a reality in us when we overcome the world and every temptation of the enemy through Christ, as it is written: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13. This is what makes possible the Word and the Light of God: the birth and growth of divine faith, the conviction and patience that endures all affliction, all temptation, and even all tribulation. Ultimately, the Word and the Light of God is what leads a person to fulfill God's supreme commandment for all eternity, as the following passage states: “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. The only way a person can come to know the Word and the Light of God is as the Lord Himself taught: by being born of water and the Spirit, through repentance and conversion from all sin, and by receiving Jesus as the Lord of their life. So, do you know the Word and the Light of God intimately? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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The Problem with not Accepting the Lord Correctly - John 6:1-15

Based on John 6:1-15 (New King James Version)

“After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?’ But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.’ One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?’ Then Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.’ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’ Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.”

Today we read about one of the many manifestations of the Lord's power, how He produced something great from something small. It is believed that there were many more than 5,000 people present at this miracle, because it speaks of 5,000 men, and does not mention the women and children. However, it is very easy to assume that there were also women and children present. The Bible mentions the men at this point to indicate that there were possibly 5,000 families. In short, the Bible gives this account not so that we might engage in a census exercise, but rather to help us understand that there were thousands of people who personally witnessed the Lord's work. What He did was something great, undeniable, and unprecedented, demonstrating who He was (and is). But something happened that might be seen as unexpected by many, as it is written: Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. Many might wonder, "Why did he prevent them from making Him king? Wouldn't He have accomplished more, or wouldn't it have been more advantageous to continue what He was doing as king?" And we can understand through Scripture two general concepts that explain why He withdrew from everyone when they wanted to make Him king.

First, He wasn't seeking the things that are attractive or convenient to most people. Although He was 100% man, flesh and blood, just like us, He didn't have our worldly desires, because the vast majority of people seek high positions, places of prestige, wealth, or power. He had no interest in excelling in the human sense. Second, He didn't depend on human things or positions to fulfill His ministry. Yes, it would have been more practical from a human perspective to have the position of king to influence more people, to have people pay more attention to Him or take Him more seriously. And of course, being an earthly king, the religious leaders could no longer harm Him. And third, as an earthly king, He could have established order to spread the things of His kingdom here on earth.  Humanly speaking, all of this makes sense, but blessed be the Lord that He never allowed Himself to be swayed by earthly things, not even when the devil himself tempted Him in the desert, offering Him all the kingdoms of the earth. If He had yielded to such things, the Father's will, which is perfect, would not have been accomplished.

But the most essential reason why He avoided being made an earthly king was for an even more powerful reason: because the people did not recognize Him for who He truly is. They wanted to make Him king because they saw Him as a prophet, but nothing more, which was (and is) a fundamental and even insulting mistake. Someone who doesn't fully understand God's will, or even lacks basic human reasoning, might argue: It wasn't offensive to recognize Him as a prophet, since being a prophet was a very respectable position or status, especially in Jewish society. Others might think: You should start somewhere. And I will explain it in a very earthly way so that it can be understood why it was an insult. Is it an honor to recognize the president of a nation as a senator or a governor? It's not bad to be a senator or a governor, but these are lesser positions than that of a president, and therefore, even though they are prestigious positions, it would be a great diplomatic insult to treat a president in that manner. Similarly, it would be like seeing the owner of a company as nothing more than a supervisor. So, this matter of recognizing the Lord as a prophet is a mistake of immense proportions, one that goes beyond mere insult. It is blasphemy. The Bible makes this matter of how to recognize the Lord's divinity very clear through its constant repetition. References to "God" as such appear in the Bible more than 4,300 times. And references to "Lord" as such appear in the Bible more than 7,000 times. All other references are far less frequent, even that of Savior, because the primary message of God's Word is to accept Jesus as Lord, and nothing less, under no circumstance.  Furthermore, the only way a person can be saved through Christ is by fully believing in and accepting Him as Lord, as it is written: “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10. It is an absolutely essential condition accepting His Lordship so a person can attain salvation, just as important as complete repentance and conversion from all sins.

Now, the Word of God further clarifies that recognizing and accepting Jesus as Lord must be genuine, literal, and effective.  That is, the title of Lord means that we belong to Him and that we are fully subject to His will and not our own, completely willing to do whatever He says, literally. And if this is not the case in us, then we will not be able to enter His kingdom, 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. So, what can we understand from this? That it's possible to witness even miracles from God in our lives, things that are truly incredible, but if a person doesn't come to the realization that He must be Lord in their life, sooner or later, He will depart. Recognizing Him as the Lord He is not a favor, or flattery, or a compliment to Him, but rather a universal reality that must be accepted if a person desires to be saved. Otherwise, it's impossible to obtain eternal life. The time will come when every being, even the devil himself and his demons, will have to kneel before His majesty, but when that happens, it won't be for redemption or forgiveness, but rather for eternal punishment. Don't wait until it's too late. Acknowledge Jesus as Lord for your own good now, while you have the opportunity. So, have you decided to submit to Jesus as Lord, or are you still doing something else that will lead you to eternal condemnation? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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The Lord’s Punishment and Restoration - Jeremiah 30:12-24

Based on Jeremiah 30:12-24 (New King James Version)

“For thus says the Lord: ‘Your affliction is incurable, your wound is severe. There is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up; you have no healing medicines. All your lovers have forgotten you; they do not seek you; for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased. Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you. ‘Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; and all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; those who plunder you shall become plunder, and all who prey upon you I will make a prey. For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: ‘This is Zion; no one seeks her.’ ’ ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places; the city shall be built upon its own mound, and the palace shall remain according to its own plan. Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. Their children also shall be as before, and their congregation shall be established before Me; and I will punish all who oppress them. Their nobles shall be from among them, and their governor shall come from their midst; then I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach Me; for who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord. ‘You shall be My people, and I will be your God.’ ’ Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goes forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind; it will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord will not return until He has done it, and until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it.”

Did God punish in the past? Does God still punish today? Many people think that God punished in the past, in ancient times, but that He no longer does so because we are in the dispensation of His grace through Christ. But if we look at God's Word and pay less attention to the sin within us, it is very clear that God still punishes, and beware, even more severely than before. Many don't see it this way because they don't see anything tangible happen the moment they do something wrong, like being struck by lightning from the sky. And also, many take this apparent lack of punishment as a sign of God's weakness, or even worse, they choose to think that He simply doesn't exist.  That is, most people, including many supposed believers, think either that God doesn't punish because He is love, or that God isn't so powerful because He doesn't do anything immediately, or they conclude that God simply doesn't exist, and that's why nothing happens instantly. What, ultimately, is the truth?

To begin, God did punish in the past, and we see this in various parts of the Old Testament, starting with Adam and Eve, who were the cause of all our problems with sin in humanity. The main punishment or consequence of envy and disobedience against God was death, because that is the natural consequence of sin. And why is that? Because God established it that way. God allowed sin to exist so that every rational being would have the option to exercise their right to free will. And God was the One who created the structure or established the universal law that the punishment or consequence of sin would be death. And after that, there are many other instances of punishment, such as the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and so on. And we read today that God punished His people Israel for persisting in the magnitude of their wickedness and the multitude of their sins. God almost wiped off of the face of the earth the people of Israel as punishment for their sin.

Now, does God punish today? Yes, and He does so by allowing the natural consequences of our wrongdoings to occur, or ultimately, as a result of His final judgment on each individual. This is what the Word says: “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. Many believers may think, "Nothing bad will happen to me because I am one of God's people, and God loves me, and now that I believe in Christ, everything will be forgiven." And this is a great mistake.  Many argue that if a person practices sin, it's because they were never truly converted, which is very possible. But the Word of God also clearly shows the danger that exists when a supposed believer defies God's grace. It is written: “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.” Galatians 5:19-21. First, to whom is Paul writing, the world or the church? Second, who is in a position to inherit, the stranger or the son?  Clearly, this warning about living a sinful lifestyle, or practicing sin, is directed at God's people, the children of God. What else does the Word say? “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.’” Hebrews 10:26-30. To whom is God speaking here? To His people. And He says that He will carry out not only punishment, but also His vengeance against those who mock His sacrifice. And God says this to His church as well: “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 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 3:1-5. So, God does punish now, and the punishment is worse because if a person does not repent before it's too late, they may suffer punishment not only now, but even worse, in eternity. God restored His people Israel through the grace they received through repentance, and not automatically. This always applies: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14. So, will you continue practicing sin until there is no more time for repentance? Will you turn from your wicked ways in time to still receive the Lord's grace and restoration? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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Raising Children is a Great Responsibility - 2 Samuel 14:1-24a

Based on 2 Samuel 14:1-24a (New King James Version)

“So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, ‘Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead. Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.’ So Joab put the words in her mouth. And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, ‘Help, O king!’ Then the king said to her, ‘What troubles you?’ And she answered, ‘Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead. Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.’ Then the king said to the woman, ‘Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.’ And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, ‘My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.’ So the king said, ‘Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.’ Then she said, ‘Please let the king remember the Lord your God, and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.’ And he said, ‘As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.’ Therefore the woman said, ‘Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.’ And he said, ‘Say on.’ So the woman said: ‘Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again. For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him. Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant. For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.’ Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’ ’ Then the king answered and said to the woman, ‘Please do not hide from me anything that I ask you.’ And the woman said, ‘Please, let my lord the king speak.’ So the king said, ‘Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?’ And the woman answered and said, ‘As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant. To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.’ And the king said to Joab, ‘All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.’ Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and thanked the king. And Joab said, ‘Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.’ So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said, ‘Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face.’…”

If there is one thing that is difficult, it is raising children. There is nothing easy about it. Having children happens in many different ways, or for many different reasons. And most of the time, they are had for the wrong reasons, which is why they often become an even greater challenge as the years go by. Some people have children to fulfill personal desires, or because they feel it is a stage of life they need to complete, like a checklist. Some wives have children hoping to fix marital problems. Some people have children because they want to take advantage of them in some way. Some people have them by accident, although we all know it is not an accidental process, but quite the opposite, very deliberate. And there are a few people who even have them as a result of rape. Ultimately, children come into the world for all sorts of reasons.

So, what is the right reason? To arrive at the right reason, it is necessary that both parents (because a child should only be brought into the world within the bond of marriage, unless it is by adoption) have a right relationship before God. Why? Because everything must ultimately be done to fulfill God's will, for His glory. If there is another reason, then it is not right, even if it is done out of love between two people, because even in that circumstance, although it may seem right, it is not, because it is done out of carnality. And according to the Word, everything sown to the flesh reaps corruption. Nevertheless, however a child comes into being, they are ultimately an inheritance from God, and that is a great responsibility, and must be taken as such. This is what the Word says: “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” Psalm 127:3-4. Children can be like arrows, but an arrow can be useful to you or can be used against you. It all depends on its direction. This was the problem King David faced, who had many issues with his children, so much so that one son (Amnon) raped his half-sister (Tamar), and Absalom killed his brother Amnon for this vile act. And although Absalom was brought back, as we read today, he became David's enemy, usurping the kingdom and seeking to kill his father. Absalom died also, killed by none other than Joab, the same Joab who used this woman from Tekoa to bring Absalom back, to lift David’s spirits, because the kingdom was sinking due to his grief.

No matter your reason or the circumstances in which you had children, you have an incredible divine responsibility, and God will hold you accountable. In fact, we will be held accountable for everything, but especially for children, as it is written: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. The Lord commands this: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ‘And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7. Now, will doing this guarantee a good outcome in this temporary world? Maybe, maybe not. What should matter to you the most is what God thinks of you, and that you have the Lord's support when things get tough. So, are you glorifying God with the way you raise your children? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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The Law and Faith Are Interdependent - Hebrews 10:1-27

Based on Hebrews 10:1-27 (New King James Version)

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.’ ’ Previously saying, ‘Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them’ (which are offered according to the law), then He said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’ He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,’ then He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 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.”

Are there contradictions in the Word of God? Are there things within it that are supported in one place but not in another? I can tell you with complete confidence in the Lord that there are no such contradictions, and I can say this both from studying it for many years, but primarily, in conjunction with the revelation of the Holy Spirit, because without the Holy Spirit, neither the Word nor its revelation can be understood. But at the same time, intellect must be engaged with the effort because it should all work together which is part of the point of this short message.

To begin, one of the biggest mistakes people make is forming teachings and doctrines based on certain passages of Scripture, instead of verifying them by considering them in conjunction with the rest of the Bible, or by trying to see the whole picture. For example, there are indeed very important details that form the core of certain teachings, but a teaching must harmonize with the entire counsel of God, not just with certain aspects, for it to be valid. The clearest example I can give you is getting to know a human being. Can we truly know a person by focusing only on a hand, or their hair, or their eyes? It's impossible. To truly understand a person, it's necessary to observe them from a distance to see the whole picture, so to speak. And to get a better understanding of their appearance, we can't just see the front, but all angles—that is, see them from behind, from the sides, and so on. So, can we really say we know someone, even if we see their entire physical appearance? Obviously not. Because a human being is more than their body; they also have a mind, a heart, and a soul. And to truly know someone and these aspects, it's impossible to know them in a single moment, because a person's inner self is revealed over time, and through different circumstances and events. Can a wife say she knows her husband 100%, and vice versa? No, even if they've lived a lifetime together. Each person is a world unto themselves, and each person is who they are depending on the circumstances. True love isn't revealed until the end, when beauty fades, when you cannot be of service, when nothing more can be given—but quite the opposite, in fact—when life becomes difficult. That's when you truly know who is who. The one that is with you, day after day, in the hard times is the one who loves you.

In a similar way, the truths of God's Word can be verified by viewing it with a spiritual connection, always striving to see it not from a single angle or through only certain passages, and certainly not trying to find things that support our human convenience. For a teaching or doctrine to be considered true, it must be applicable here and everywhere, as well as applicable to the past, present, and future. God's truth always is, because the Word of God is God, and God is: I AM. For something to be considered sound doctrine, it must alternate with reality as God alternates with it. And if a person feels there is a contradiction in the Word, the simplest explanation is that something is missing, or something is not being understood correctly.

Now, the Lord did not come to abolish or destroy the law. He Himself said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17. So, if He came to fulfill it, does that mean the law becomes obsolete? No. Impossible. Why? Because the law is the Word of God. The Lord fulfilled the temporary aspects of the law to make them perpetual, like the sacrifices, by dying on the cross, but that doesn't mean we should ignore the rest of the law, because then we would have to forget what God Himself commanded through the law, as the Lord Himself reiterated: “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. The law is God's instruction, God's warnings (because all His Word is conditional), what teaches us His will, and if we do not fulfill His will literally, no matter how much faith a person claims to have, if they do not do God's will, they will not gain entry into His kingdom. 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 5:21. God's will begins with faith, continues with works as the fruit of faith, and both must be founded on love for God, which must be lived until our last breath. God was faithful unto death, even death on a cross. To be saved, it is also necessary to be faithful to Him unto death, which is the sum of faith, the law, and works. So, do you love the Lord above all things through faith and the fulfillment of the law in your life? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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We Lose When We Do Not Follow the Lord - 2 Kings 25:1-21

Based on 2 Kings 25:1-21 (New King James Version)

“Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. And the king went by way of the plain. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him. Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon. And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around. Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude. But the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers. The bronze pillars that were in the house of the Lord, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried their bronze to Babylon. They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered. The firepans and the basins, the things of solid gold and solid silver, the captain of the guard took away. The two pillars, one Sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits, and the network and pomegranates all around the capital were all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with a network. And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.”

Who loses when we do not follow the Lord, God, or us? One of the biggest problems humanity faces today is the perception of reality. Quite simply, people generally make the mistake of thinking that truth is relative, or even worse, subjective to themselves. But if we only understand the vastness and expansiveness of the universe, we would understand that it is illogical to think we have any power over reality, or that reality depends on us in any way. So many things happening all around us clearly show that nothing depends on us, and that we are truly insignificant in existence. Even the beating of our hearts, the air we breathe, and the involuntary functions of our mind and body indicate that we are incredibly dependent beings.

Let's ask ourselves this: Do we have any control over the galaxies and the billions upon billions of stars that exist in our universe? In our galaxy, the Milky Way, it is estimated that there are between 100 and 400 billion stars. Do we exert any dominion over the planets in our solar system, or over the sun itself? And with regard to our planet, is its rotation controlled by humans in any way? Is it our intellect that makes this planet spin on its axis, which is invisible to our eyes? Are we in charge of days and nights? Are we responsible for gravity? Does rain fall because we designed it that way? Are you beginning to grasp the point, and how insignificant we are?

And now let's see, who did all this? God or man? Many want to believe that all this is the product of a cosmic accident that happened approximately 13.8 billion years ago. And I understand why they want that so much, because it justifies their atheism and creates within themselves the illusion that they neither depend on nor owe anything to a being like God. That is their reality, because there is no other reason for their disbelief. And they choose not to understand that the Genesis account primarily focuses on the creation and design of our planet, not the universe. God (Elohim – the Trinity) simply ordered things with the sound of His voice, making existence possible through His Word. This same account tells us that many things already existed in the universe, including our planet, as it is written: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2. Only God knows how much time passed between what is said in verse one and two, but the earth already existed in some form before the seven days of creation. But what tells us most that God made all this possible is His incredible design and order. It is not possible, even after so much time, for an accident to produce so much order and structure. This is what the Word says: “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.

So, if we understand the basics we just explained, who loses when man does not follow the Lord—God or man? The answer should be quite obvious, but the sin within us prevents us from seeing even the most obvious magnificence of God and our great dependence on Him. God loses absolutely nothing when we disobey, when we do not follow His Word. Today we read that Judah was destroyed, its king was blinded and jailed, his sons were killed, and even the Lord's temple was destroyed, all because of rebellion. One might say: God lost because His temple was destroyed. But what does the temple matter if He is the King over all existence? It is written: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” says the Lord… Isaiah 66:1-2a. But He also says this: “But on this one will I look: ‘On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.’” Isaiah 66:2b. So, quite simply, it is we who lose, and if we do not do as He instructs us, we will lose our souls forever. We need Him to look upon us with grace and compassion always. So, will you follow the Lord as He truly is, for your own eternal good? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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We Know the Ending - Revelation 22

Based on Revelation 22 (New King James Version)

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’ Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that for I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’ And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.’ ‘And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.’ Blessed are those who [g]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. ‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.’ And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

I think we can all agree that this world is not perfect, that it is far from perfect. We may have some pleasant moments in this life, but in general, no matter where you live, you have had, you have, or you will have many challenges. For some people, hunger and poverty are their challenges. For others, it might be health problems in family or friends, or even within themselves. Others struggle with loneliness. Others struggle with crime or violence. But no matter where you live, or how much you have, there's always something, or some things, that are not easy to deal with. And this has nothing to do with not being grateful for all that God gives us, because we should be grateful for everything, as Job said: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” Job 2:10b. But the Lord Himself said: “…In the world you will have tribulation…” John 16:33b. And if we read about the Lord's life here, even before experiencing the sacrifice of the cross, and all that preceded that event, we would realize that God Himself did not have an easy life. They conspired to kill Him at birth and on other occasions as well; He was poor, persecuted, troubled, always facing confrontations with religious authorities, despised, and He felt weariness and even pain, like when He wept for His friend Lazarus who had died. He had a very difficult life. And if this happened to Him, what can we expect for ourselves?

Now, why is this world the way it is? Because of sin. Sin corrupted everything, even nature itself and human life. That is why we suffer all that we suffer today. I was asked the other day: Why are there diseases in places where food is supposedly healthier than in other places, since food is thought to be the root of many of our physical illnesses? And I answered: Because of sin. A person may not be experiencing an illness because of something wrong they directly committed, although we are all sinners without exception, even those of us who try to legitimately follow the Lord. But sin is in the environment, all around us, and of course, deep within our being. So, sin spoils everything in the present. This is why even children die, beings who are completely innocent, because they sin without being fully aware of their wrongdoing. And although the Lord was perfect even in His carnal state (because He never sinned), He suffered all the consequences that sin brings on this earth: hunger, thirst, pain, brokenness, sadness, tiredness, etc., because sin is everywhere and affects everything.

So, what can we take away from all this? Blessed be the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will do in the future for those who choose to love Him despite sin, despite corruption, despite everything they experience now. As we read today, we know through faith that this entire present world, which is temporary and corrupt, will pass at some point. All the decadence we experience while living in this age will one day end, and we will receive eternity from the Lord, according to our faith and love for Him. We understand very clearly what we are going through today, but we also know and have the certainty in Christ that this is not eternal. You may have problems, suffering, trials, and even tribulation today, but it will pass. And most importantly, we know how it all ends. Those of us who have genuinely decided to love the Lord have conviction in the world to come. We know how the story ends. Our story does not end in sickness, suffering, pain, sadness, or tribulation. And when we die, it is not the end, but quite the contrary, it is the beginning of an incorruptible eternal life, after passing through the great judgment of our God. This is what we read: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’” Revelation 21:1-5. That is why the true Christian does not live for this world, nor do they define the direction of their life in this manner. Rather, they live by faith, with their eyes fixed on Christ, seeking to do His will, with their sights set on the future, as it is written: “…‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:17b. So then, do you live in a way that your future with Christ is the most important thing? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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Getting What You Want Can Be a Problem - Genesis 13

Based on Genesis 13 (New King James Version)

“Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. So Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.’ And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.’ Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.”

Most of the time, many of us make decisions based on what we see, on our own perception, when something seems right. And often, we pray according to this feeling, asking God to answer our prayers according to what we want. But if we look at Lot's life, we should understand that what we want or desire in the moment, or what seems right to us, is not always the best. And often, if we get what we want, it can create a bigger problem later on. We must be very careful with our decisions, and even more importantly, with the intention behind them.

To start, we see the example, or rather, the bad example of Lot, even though Lot was not a bad person. The Bible even says that he was a righteous man, as it is written: “And delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).” 2 Peter 2:7-8. So, if Lot was righteous, and yet he made bad choices, how much more should we be careful with our own decisions? We must always understand that even under grace, we have free will. God is not going to force you to do anything. The Holy Spirit does not come to impose His will on us. So, this idea that some people have that once you come to Christ, everything will be alright, is a mistake. Everything in our lives will unfold according to how much we submit to God and are willing to do His will. And the only way everything will work out for our good is if we choose to love Him as we should, as it is written: “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. Therefore, the condition of loving God must be present in the believer so that all things work together for their good. But if a person makes decisions without the intention of their heart being to love God, they will simply experience the consequences that God allows, and without any benefit. That is why we must be very careful, especially if we are in the Lord, because we are responsible for our actions, and we may suffer irreversible consequences if we choose poorly and without love. We must always keep in mind that God sees everything, knows everything, and that we will receive not according to our appearances, but according to our intention, as the Word says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10.

So, what was Lot's mistake? Like most of us (because nobody gets everything right all the time), he did not seek God's guidance. One might say, "How could he, when there was almost no contact between God and man back then?" We must understand the big picture and not forget the details. Abram (later known as Abraham) left his land and his relatives in obedience to God, and Lot should have known that the reason Abraham embarked on such a journey was based entirely on God's Word. That was the sole reason they left where they were. So, not consulting or seeking the Lord's advice was the first and most fundamental problem. And as a consequence, he took the second step, which was to be guided by his own eyes, because he saw that the Jordan Valley was irrigated, something that made human sense. And to make matters worse, he pitched his tents as far as Sodom, and it was already known that: “…the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.”  So, he placed his trust and based his decision on what seemed right to him, siding with what was displeasing to God. And what was the consequence? History tells us that he had to flee Sodom and Gomorrah with his wife and daughters. He left with only the clothes on his back. All his possessions and wealth were consumed by fire. And to make matters worse, it seems his wife was from that land (because Scripture doesn't say he left his homeland with his wife, as we see with Abraham and Sarah). Therefore, it can be assumed he married a local woman, which is why she looked back—because she was from there. Finally, his two daughters were depraved. Fearing there were no more men on earth and wanting children, they plotted to get Lot drunk so they could conceive children. Lot, though a righteous man, made such mistakes that it cost him everything.

What is the answer to avoid such things, to avoid losing things without any divine purpose? The Lord Himself gives us the answer, as He Himself taught us to pray: “In this manner, therefore, pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10. If we seek God's will in everything, we may experience losses and challenges in the present, but they will have divine purposes that will bring us eternal rewards. Everything we do for the Lord has its value and reward, especially if we do it all out of love for Him. This was the great difference between Abraham and Lot. Two righteous men, but one sought to do God's will instead of being guided by his own opinion. And God not only blessed him then, but continues to bless him to this day, as the father of faith that He is. His descendants continue to grow, because when we embrace faith in Christ, we become children of Abraham. So, are you still seeking what you want, or are you seeking to do God's will? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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The Consequences of the Practice of Sin - 2 Kings 10:1-11

Based on 2 Kings 10:1-11 (New King James Version)

“Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote and sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those who reared Ahab’s sons, saying: Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and weapons, choose the best qualified of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, ‘Look, two kings could not stand up to him; how then can we stand?’ And he who was in charge of the house, and he who was in charge of the city, the elders also, and those who reared the sons, sent to Jehu, saying, ‘We are your servants, we will do all you tell us; but we will not make anyone king. Do what is good in your sight.’ Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: ‘If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.’ Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons and slaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel. Then a messenger came and told him, saying, ‘They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.’ And he said, ‘Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.’ So it was, in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, ‘You are righteous. Indeed I conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed all these? Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the Lord has done what He spoke by His servant Elijah.’ So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests, until he left him none remaining.”

One might say, "How awful what Jehu did, even slaughtering King Ahab's sons!" Yet, it was God's will. How could something like that be God's will? And like many things the Lord does and commands, they may sound harsh, cruel, or even unjust, but He always is right because He has irrefutable reasons. To start, man has neither the right nor the slightest capacity to believe himself more just or good than God. It's impossible. God is perfect and righteous in all His ways, and we are the opposite: completely imperfect, sinful, and evil, no matter how good we may think we are. Therefore, anyone who believes himself to be good, and so much so that he feels entitled to judge God, has no idea of ​​the world he lives in, much less any perception of his own evil. He is completely blind, and if he allows his blindness to continue guiding his life, it will lead him to eternal perdition. And there he will know perfectly, without missing any detail, how he got there, and that it was all his responsibility, just as he will also know the perfection of God, but it will be too late then, which will make his condemnation even more intolerable, and for all eternity. It is a very high price to pay for attempting to condemn God, and entirely avoidable if we only use a little reason, because there are many things that can be understood with just a little sincerity and intelligence.

To begin with, we must always consider God's point of view, because it is the only one that truly matters, for all existence depends on Him, and even more importantly for us personally, our eternal destination. He is the one who decides not only what we experience in the present, but even more importantly, what will happen to us in eternity. As the Lord Himself said: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28. From God's perspective, we would understand that we were the ones who offended Him first. Man sinned against God, and God never sinned against man. What wrong did God do to man? Create man? Give him life? Give him the entire earth to rule over? Give him an existence free from corruption and death? Was that the wrong God committed against humanity? You might say, "I wasn't there at that time, therefore I'm not responsible." And that may be true, but what have you done since you were born? Have you sought after God and His will? Have you lived thanking Him for your daily existence, for everything you have, for everything He gives you and does for you each day, every moment? Have you put Him above all things and loved Him more than anyone else? If you're honest, none of that has really happened, and you're not alone, if we're all honest. We have all been very ungrateful. And if that weren't enough, we have all offended God with our sins, repaying with evil the good He does for us. That is what happens every time we sin, whether a lot or a little. We have all been, and still are, very ungrateful and offend God all the time. So, it is impossible to justify ourselves in any way, and far less, dare to judge the One who is perfect, righteous, and good to us, as the Word says: “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 5:45.

Now, what did King Ahab do? Or perhaps we should ask, “What evil did King Ahab not do?” His wickedness was great, and his rebellion against God even worse. He and his wife Jezebel worshipped false gods and idols and tried to exterminate everyone who followed the Lord, even the prophet Elijah, thus corrupting the entire nation. He never repented of his sins, and he died with them. And as Jehu fulfilled God’s punishment, the consequences of his sin fell upon Ahab’s entire family and even upon everyone connected to him.

Some may say, "I am not like Ahab." Today we have the dispensation of God's grace through Jesus Christ, which gives us greater access to His kingdom than before, but it also brings with it even greater responsibility, as it is written: “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. And it also 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. So, let us not indulge in sin because we have His grace today, for whoever does not take care of their salvation with fear and trembling will face an even greater judgment both here and, even worse, in eternity if they do not repent before it is too late. So, do you live to do the will of Him to whom you owe everything, or do you remain stuck in your sins, living to do your own will? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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We Need to Abandon Hypocrisy - Matthew 16:1-12

Based on Matthew 16:1-12 (New King James Version)

“Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.’ And He left them and departed. Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.’ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have taken no bread.’ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

The most difficult thing for anyone to accept is the truth. It may sound odd, but that is the general tendency. There are some who might say, "I like the truth”, but let's delve deeper into the matter. When a certain truth concerns another person or group of people, we often like that truth, when it's the truth that others are confronted with. But when the truth addresses us, especially in a more personal and direct way, that's when it's no longer so pleasing. That is when it feels unpleasant, especially when we feel confronted with certain truths that expose our evils, things we know are not right, but even worse, we have not yet understood that we should let go or stop doing them. This was the problem the Lord always had, especially with those who had not yet understood, or who simply did not want to abandon such evil, like religious people. Now, it is very easy to judge religious people in the Bible because, frankly, they are a very easy target. But let us not be so quick to do so because we all have similar problems, it just varies a little, but nevertheless, we all have a certain level of hypocrisy, and we all lie. So, I know this will be difficult for everyone, if we truly allow this to penetrate, as we need to, but we must be transformed to do God's will, both by deed and by intention.

The first thing we must understand is that the truth is absolutely necessary. We gain nothing if we do not expose ourselves to the truth, nor allow the truth to work in our lives. I understand that many try to speak the truth in a pleasant way, trying to avoid confrontation, but if the message is not delivered with the necessary clarity and tone, it is also a bad thing. The message should not be delivered with hostility and seeking to offend, because this is also bad, but rather, things should be spoken with transparency, and in such a way that a person realizes it and the truth does what is necessary. Without truth, there is no freedom, especially the eternal freedom of which God speaks to us. And truth is not relative, as many believe. The truth is God, and what He says. That is the only truth that truly matters. Other apparent truths or perspectives produce neither freedom, nor even life. Thus said the Lord: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. God's truth is supreme, universal, and brings both spiritual and physical freedom. The truth that we are all sinners hurts, but it is necessary to know. The truth that we were not naturally born children of God, but rather children of the devil, is also very unpleasant, but it is necessary to know. The truth that Christ was tortured and killed on a cross for our sins, and that we are all responsible for what happened, is also hard to hear, but we need to understand it. And the truth that we are all still liars and hypocrites, even after coming to Christ, is also very hard to accept, but it is necessary, in order to know where we are starting from. This is what the Word says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. But the good thing about God's truth is that it not only confronts us with our realities, but it also gives us the way to resolve them. However, we must obey the truth for it to do what we need, because if we do not obey it in a practical and genuine way, we gain nothing from knowing the truth. This is also what the Word says: “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.

Now, what can we do to remedy our hypocrisy and dishonesty? First: expose ourselves to the truth, even if it hurts, and accept it. Ultimately, things are what they are, and if we desire the eternal good of God, it is necessary to accept the truth. Second, repent and convert, or completely turn our backs on our sins and change direction, and this applies to conversion to Christ as well as to what God continues to do in our lives after we come to Him. Third, accept that we are powerless to remedy our wrongs on our own. We not only need to believe in the Lord, but to literally make Him our Lord and God, to make Him our master and to make Him the one who rules our lives completely and literally. Why? Because we need the God of the universe to change our condition and not just a teacher, or a good man, or a prophet, or even a savior, and it is this God who must rule. We have already seen what we achieve by being in charge: only emptiness, corruption, and, as a final product, eternal death. And if you don't see this yet, you're still far from the truth. And lastly, and possibly the most difficult, is to be willing to do what God commands, because God won't force anyone. We can do everything through Christ, but only if we fully align our lives with Him, if we yoke ourselves to Him. This is what the Word says: “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. All of this is voluntary, but absolutely necessary. Faith is lived, and it must be lived inside and out, leaving behind our hypocrisies and lies, seeking the Lord not only to solve our daily problems, but more importantly, to do His will, because the only ones who will gain free entry into His kingdom are those who faithfully do His will. This ultimately tells us His Truth: “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. So, do you live a life of hypocrisy and lies, or do you live God's Truth so you are ready for the coming judgment? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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Live for Christ in Whatever State We are - 1 Corinthians 7:10-24

Based on 1 Corinthians 7:10-24 (New King James Version)

“Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”

One of the first things we can see in this passage is that the Lord is a God of order, of structure, and that, in order to honor and glorify His name, we must seek to live His way. And this is one of the great benefits God brings to our lives through repentance and conversion (because this is the foundation of the Gospel of God through Christ): “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. God, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of His Word, not only comes to bring order into our spiritual life, but also our physical life. He seeks to work in both the eternal and the temporal, because that is how the eternal begins to take shape within us. Without carnal order, there can be no spiritual order. Before coming to Christ, our lives were destroyed and meaningless, formless, with only one destination: the road to hell. Our lives were a mess before Christ, and headed for a worse, eternal state. We were just like our planet before God spoke the Words that would change everything, as it is written: “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2.

Everything created, even everything we see today, is precious and admirable, precisely because of the order God established through His word. And despite the corruption of sin in the world, today we have beautiful things to admire and enjoy, thanks to God's order. These include mountains, rivers, valleys, animals, trees, flowers, and so many other things. They are all what they are and are in their place, fulfilling their function, thanks to the order God established. The wonder of the human body and its functions: everything works as God intended; everything has its place; everything has its value, in which we have the physical as well as the spiritual, the temporal as well as the eternal. So, the order and structure God created was not made to torment man or to make life difficult, but quite the contrary. What God made was so good that even within this fallen, corrupt, and temporal world, we can make everything count for what truly matters, for the invisible (at the moment) and the eternal. Let's take a good look at our true enemy. Our enemy is neither God nor what He establishes, but rather sin and death, which go hand in hand with the enemy—Satan. God brings order so that there may be life, and Satan disrupts so that death may prevail. That's why this issue, if a person is born one way but feels they should be something else, doesn't come from God, but from something else, as a result of the disorder the enemy fosters to destroy what God has made, and as such, lead man to destroy himself, not only temporarily, but eternally. Why? Because the enemy seeks to have plenty of company in his eternal condemnation. God didn't necessarily create the everlasting fire for man, but the Word says this: “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41. God does not necessarily send people to hell, but rather, people decide their own destiny when they choose out of their own free will to follow the disorder that the enemy incites through temptation. On the day of judgment, the Lord will only fulfill each person's desires: to those who chose to love God more than everything else, He will give them eternal life with Him, but to those who loved the world and darkness more, He will also give the consequence that this brings: spending all eternity with the enemy and his demons.

Now, God teaches us through His Word what we must do to return to His order, to finally do His will. In the passage, He teaches us some things that married couples should follow, for the benefit of both. We must clarify here that the word "separation" is often misinterpreted as "divorce." Separation can occur within the same home, or even when living in different places, but it is not synonymous with divorce. And the only justification for divorce before God is when there is adultery, and the one who suffered the offense has the right to marry again, if they so choose, with another person who has not committed adultery. Thus said the Lord: “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality [the act of adultery], and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” Matthew 19:9. If there's anything in great disorder today, especially within our churches, is marriage. God created marriage, and it must be respected as such. If it's not carried out as God intended, it will bring great disorder to your life and your family. And we've already seen who incites disorder.

Finally, and most importantly, whatever our situation or condition, if we desire to be pleasing to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we must seek to fulfill what He tells us through His Word, doing our best within our means to live for the Lord, considering Him in every aspect of our lives. This is what the Lord died for, as it is written: “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:7-9. And it also says: “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, do you contemplate the Lord's will in every aspect of your life, to do as He says, for your own eternal good? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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God’s Priorities - Luke 6:1-11

Based on Luke 6:1-11 (New King James Version)

“Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them, ‘Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?’ But Jesus answering them said, ‘Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?’ And He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.’ Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Arise and stand here.’ And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?’ And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.”

Does God prioritize His own commandments, such that some are more important than others? According to Scripture, the answer is, yes. To begin, we must establish certain facts in order to understand why some things are more pressing to God than others, and why He Himself creates certain events where exceptions can be made. To begin, the first thing we must understand for our own good, and in order to be pleasing to God through Christ, even when we sin out of error, is this: that the most important thing to God is that the foundation of our faith, and therefore of our life, the reason for our existence, must always be the first commandment, as it is written: “Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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 12:29-30. So quite simply, if the reason we live and do everything we do is not solely because we love God, then even if we keep all the other commandments, including loving our neighbor as ourselves, it does us no good. We are of no use to God if we do not love Him. This was the mistake of religious people back then, and it's the grave mistake of many today, even of many believers.

The Bible is very explicit about this. Everything written leads us to this very fundamental point, to the essential: that we must love God, and that this must be the whole point of our lives. He must be the reason we love our neighbors, the reason we keep the commandments, the reason we love our families, and the reason we even come to love our enemies. He must be the reason we study or work, the reason we grow and ascend, the reason we buy and sell, the reason we do everything in our lives. This is how we make everything we do count in our favor before the God of heaven, even the smallest things. This is what doing God's will is all about. And this is what we must spend our entire lives learning, from the moment we come to the knowledge of salvation. It is written: “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 [a]to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. This love for the Lord is what this passage is talking about. And if a person does not have this love, no matter what they do, to God, they are worthless. That is why He commanded this, which continues being in effect today: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ‘And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Study the whole Word, which is good, but always review this, every day, that our everything, the reason for why we do everything, must be because we love our Lord.

We can see very clearly in the Scriptures that believing is not enough. In fact, there are many believers who have bad intentions, as we see in this passage: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. ‘I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.’ They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.’ Then they said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.” John 8:31-44a. How could these religious people believe in Christ and be children of the devil at the same time? Because we see that faith or belief, if it doesn't have good intentions, if there's no love for the Lord, it is then useless. How many people only seek God so that God may serve them, and nothing else? It is written: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:19. So, believing is not enough. Doing religious or even good things do not convince God either.

So, what justified the disciples, even when they did not fulfill certain things of the law, was not only their faith in Christ, but also the fact that they were doing things with the permission of the Lord of the Sabbath. When Christ Himself performed miracles on the Sabbath, He did so not because He felt like it, but to do the will of the Father. And the will of the Father is: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6. So, are you living your life based on God’s priorities, loving Him how He deserves to be loved and doing His will? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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A Change in Course - 2 Corinthians 5:12-21

Based on 2 Corinthians 5:12-21 (New King James Version)

“For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

As Christians, should we follow the world's course, our own course, or follow Christ? To be able to reason which is best for us, we should see what we truly gain from each. But first, we must consider the aspect of time, because that is what helps us understand the value of things. Contemplating the benefit of something and "when" it is useful will help us further understand what it is truly worth. Most people, and even most so-called believers, live for the present age, for the here and now. Many believers may deny this fact, but their own lifestyle and even their prayers reflect or consider the present more than the eternal. Furthermore, most believers come to God only to resolve their present problems and needs, and that's the end of it. There is no aim, no feeling, no purpose for the eternal, only for the present. And the Bible says this about it: “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. The present world, especially ourselves, will only last for a certain amount of time, and this brings us to our next point.

Everything in this life has an expiration date, so to speak, or a certain lifespan, including ourselves. Nothing based on this temporary and passing world will last forever. Money loses its value or changes form. Human power is one thing today and something else tomorrow. Regarding fame, a person can be at the top today and tomorrow become an unknown and insignificant being to everyone. And what can we say about our years here? How long is this life? The Bible says: “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.” Psalm 90:10a. This is what happens in general, and there are certain exceptions, but it may only be a few more years in some cases. And this is why even our most significant relationships don't last long. By nature, parents almost always pass away first. And there are more circumstances today where children pass before their parents. And in married couples, one always leaves before the other, and sometimes a marriage lasts several years, but other times less. But every marriage sooner or later faces separation.

Having said this, let's now look at this matter. Is it worth it to follow the course of the world, or even our own course? Since we have seen that everything on this earth passes, and that the longest thing that can last is the length of our life, but that all this has an end, can we justify following the will of the world, or even our own will? Does it make sense or logic to put so much focus on a world that is here today and something else tomorrow, and our own lives that keep changing until they come to an end? What do we gain from the world or from doing things our way? We may gain certain benefits, and even enjoy certain things in the present if we fight for them, but how long will they last? And is there anything in this world that assures us eternity? We can conclude that neither this world, nor even doing our own will, has any value or contribution for the future, but only God. And this brings us to the conclusion, which I hope will be your own conclusion as well.

The Apostle Peter made this statement: “But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” John 6:68-69. This is the reality that is truly worthwhile, especially considering the fact that there is an eternity, and that only the Lord is the answer to obtaining that reality. There is nothing in this world that can give us this. And it is impossible for us to obtain it on our own, no matter what we do. Therefore, what is the point of being so focused on the present and dedicating ourselves only to the temporal? And why dedicate ourselves to things that only last for a certain time? The Apostle Paul said the following: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8. And because of this very thing, he also said this: “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. Christ came to change the course of our lives, so that we would no longer focus on the temporal, the fleeting, on what doesn't serve us for eternity. Why? Because none of this helps us for eternity. We can ask God for help with our needs but consider this: The Lord raised Lazarus from the dead, which constitutes the greatest miracle that can be physically performed. But Lazarus is not physically alive today; he died later. So, if even something as great as the physical resurrection doesn't last forever, what's the point of focusing so much on it? And if the physical resurrection is more significant than a job, or a house, or material possessions, etc., then does it make any sense to pay so much attention to these things, and even worse, to seek God only to resolve temporary matters? This is what the Lord said: “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” Luke 9:23-24. If we change course and decide to live for Christ, we will have the most precious thing, something worth more than anything we can imagine. But if we don't decide to change course and continue living to do the will of the world, or our own will, we will lose the present one day, and worse, we will lose the eternal, and there is no other opportunity after that. Today is the opportunity. Tomorrow is uncertain. So, have you changed course in your life to follow Christ, or are you following the course that will only lead you to eternal damnation? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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Our Faith Must Produce Fruit - Luke 13:6-9

Based on Luke 13:6-9 (New King James Version)

“He also spoke this parable: ‘A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ’ ”

Salvation is attained only through the grace of God, when we repent and convert from all our sins, and by faith, acknowledge and accept that Jesus died for our sins and was raised by God the Father on the third day, and receive the Lord Jesus as our Lord and God. This is the full Gospel message of salvation. But once a person makes this decision, is there anything left to do? After this, can a person live only for themselves, to do their own will, and expect to live eternally? Or must there be something that is produced as a result of this faith?

Many believers today think that after accepting Christ or converting to Christ, everything is done, and that nothing more remains to be done, and they base this belief or doctrine on certain passages scattered throughout the New Testament. Many believe that since salvation is not attained by works, then works after conversion no longer have any value either. However, looking at a much larger and broader view of the Scriptures, which goes far beyond just a few verses, we would understand that when we are born again or converted to Christ, it is only the beginning. Through many of the Lord's own teachings, we understand that God's will is for us to yield a product as a result of our faith, and if we do not bear the fruit God expects or live to do His will, just as we read, He will cut us off and remove us from His vineyard.

The first thing we must understand is that we cannot accept teachings as complete based on just a few verses. The Word of God relies on itself, and in multiple places, to complete a principle. For example, there are four gospels written by four different people who existed at different times. And incredibly enough, two of them were written by people who did not physically see the Lord, like Mark and Luke. Who is responsible for the authorship of the Scriptures, man or God? It is written: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16. So, why would God inspire four different gospels to be written by different people, and by two who had never even seen the Lord? Wouldn't one book be enough, and for it to be written by a single writer, and by the closest and most intimate person to the Lord? If that were the case, the only gospel that would matter would be the Gospel of John. But that's not how God designed things. He allowed and designated different people to give different perspectives, and even to complement each other in demonstrating the fullness of Christ, both through the account of the person who was closest to the Lord on earth during His ministry (John) and the person most distant and removed from the Lord's physical life, like Luke, who wrote his gospel 50 to 70 years after the Lord's death. What does this teach us? That it is God who inspired and gave His accounts through the Holy Spirit. And also, that we must look beyond just a few verses here and there to complete divine principles that must be observed and followed as part of faith in Christ.

Another point we can discuss is the matter that once a person converts to the Lord if they no longer need to worry about anything else. The moment a person converts, does the Holy Spirit begin to function as some sort of autopilot (as some think) within our lives? Returning to the Scriptures, if this were the case, that a person no longer needs to worry about anything after converting to the Lord except to ensure that there is a genuine conversion, then why study the Scriptures? Let us go further. What would be the point of God inspiring such a book as the Holy Bible, which is not a short book, a product that took centuries to produce through many writers? Why spend so much effort and sacrifice if the Holy Spirit is enough to do everything we need to do? What would the Scriptures matter if we are already on a set path without any possible detours, so to speak? It is impossible to think that the Scriptures were created and written as a waste of time. If we look at the universe, everything God has made, everything that proclaims His greatness, from the smallest and invisible things to our eyes to the largest and most expansive reaches of space, absolutely everything has a purpose. And if that is the case, wouldn't God have an even greater purpose with His Word? Through it, He created everything that exists today and that will remain eternally. God used the Word to create the visible and the invisible, the physical and the spiritual, the temporal and the eternal. 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. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3.

So, what is the purpose of the Word? God never took away or canceled man's free will, neither before Christ, nor after Christ. The Bible teaches that everything is subject to free will, to what man decides to do within the immovable things of God. The Bible teaches us that there are things already fully set by God, but within all of that, He allows man to decide what to do with their life, and thus, leaves room for judgment. It is impossible for judgment to come if we are simply God’s puppets or robots. Each of us is accountable before God for what we do, and we will be judged as such. The Lord Himself spoke often about the coming judgment, and that all of us, even believers, will be held accountable for what we did. This is what the Word says: “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. If the Apostle Paul was to be included in such a judgment, we are to be included also.

And so, we must understand that our faith must bear fruit, that is, we must do with our faith what God commands us to do. We must study and live the Word to do God's will. This is the purpose for which we were saved, to do God's will voluntarily, convinced of His truth, and out of love for Him. Thus said the Lord: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.“ John 15:1-2. So, is your faith producing the fruit God so longs to see in you? Or are you producing nothing, thus running the risk of being removed by God forever? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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