The Fool - Proverbs 26:1-12

Based on Proverbs 26:1-12 (New King James Version)

“As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the fool’s back. Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Like one who binds a stone in a sling is he who gives honor to a fool. Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. The great God who formed everything gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Folly or the fool is mentioned a lot in this passage. It teaches that honor is not fitting for a fool. It says that the rod or punishment is for the fool. It says we should respond to a fool as his folly deserves. It warns that we should not trust our communication through a fool. It also says that a proverb or wise thought is of no use in the mouth of a fool, and that it is like thorns stuck or buried in the hand of a drunkard. And finally, it compares repeated foolishness to the vomit of a dog. Therefore, we should be able to understand from what is written that nothing good comes from foolishness. All foolishness is evil and even repulsive before God.

So, what defines a person as a fool? The Bible says this: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” Psalm 53:1-3. So then, the fool is a person that believes in their heart that there is no God and the foolishness they commit as a result or as a product of their unbelief is evil. Note the following detail: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” What is the importance in this? That at the center of the person, in their intimacy, hidden and invisible from others, this is what they truly believe. They might proclaim to have faith in God, and maybe not everything they do is foolishness or evil, but within themselves exists this unbelief. And this is what the Word says regarding that: “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. People can try to deceive those around them, and even themselves, but it is impossible to deceive God because God sees and knows everything. And what importance does this have? That God, as the Owner and Lord of all, will one day judge every human being, without exception, both for what they do and for what they hold in their hearts. This is what the Word says: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15. And for those that believe that Christians will not be judged, the Word says this: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. All of us, both unbeliever and believer, fool and wise, will be judged by our deeds and intentions. Why? Because God has established it so, no matter how much the fool may want to believe otherwise. God has decreed such a thing as responsibility because of the free will He has granted to man.

God teaches us that He is the One who establishes all authority on earth, as the authority He is, and therefore we must respect it, whether we like it or not, whether we agree or not, and whoever rebels against it is going against God Himself. It is written: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Romans 13:1-7. Therefore, God views as foolish anyone who challenges authority. They may say, "The authorities are wrong," or "they are evil." And that may be so, but two wrongs don't make a right, and God will judge every person for what they do, regardless of the circumstances. Keep in mind that when Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote this passage to the Romans, Caesar Nero was in power, one of the cruelest and most wicked emperors of the Roman Empire, who persecuted and killed many Christians. So, if God demanded respect for the authorities during such a reign, what would be left for us?

The bottom line is that God does exist, and He will judge all things in the end. Therefore, we should not have our eyes so fixed on this temporary, passing, and corrupt world. We should be wise and always think about the day of judgment that is coming very soon, and what God's opinion of us is. To avoid foolishness, we must follow this: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7. We all know that God exists and that we have no excuse to think otherwise, as it is also written: “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. Therefore, hold fast to God's grace, repent from all your sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as what He is: God; and seek to be found wise before Him, because in the end, you will be judged by Him. The wise seek to be approved by God, but the foolish bring upon themselves their own eternal condemnation. So, are you wise or are you a fool? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Looking for God - Psalm 88

Based on Psalm 88 (New King James Version)

“O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave. I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength, adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand. You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah. You have put away my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut up, and I cannot get out; my eye wastes away because of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Selah. Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to You I have cried out, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer comes before You. Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; they engulfed me altogether. Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.”

Unlike the vast majority of psalms, this one was not written by David, but rather, by Heman the Ezrahite. Who was this man? Heman is believed to have been a descendant of Levi, one of the grandsons of the prophet Samuel. King David made him one of the three principal musicians to lead musical worship in the temple, directing the temple choir and playing many instruments. He was recognized as a prophet, whom David consulted. He was also known for his wisdom, and history tells us that his wisdom was comparable to Solomon's. This man was not just any person, but someone very special because of his family, his gifts and abilities, and his service to God and his nation.

However, this psalm written by Heman is one of the psalms that most expresses lamentation, loneliness, and suffering, describing a time when he feels abandoned by God, his friends, and acquaintances. And one might ask, “if this man was so special, how could he feel that way?” The reasons why he wrote the psalm are not entirely known, therefore, we can only be guided by the Spirit and discern. From what we read, Heman speaks of the terrors and wrath of God, so we can assume that something happened in his life where he feels that the pain he experienced is a consequence of some wrongdoing he did before God, because he attributes all his problems to God. And if he was a wise man, he was not blaming God for nothing, but some reasons could have arisen.

Now, can we say that people who suffer or experience hardship are worse or more evil than others? The Bible answers this way: “All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all…” Ecclesiastes 9:2-3a. So, we can conclude that someone who does well, so to speak, is no better or has more favor with God than someone who experiences great suffering. This contrasts with some of the bad teachings we have today. Supposed blessings are not necessarily the product of good behavior or favor before God, nor is illness or personal suffering necessarily a consequence of a person's direct sin. If we put it on God's scale (the only scale that matters), we are all sinners, even those who have come to Christ and have received His forgiveness. As long as we are in this carnal state, we will continue to sin until the day we die. Some more, some less, but we all continue to sin; therefore, before God, no one is better. And the fact that one person has a better life than another is not necessarily a matter of a lack of faith either, as many mistakenly claim today. We read this: “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Hebrews 11:32-40. So, it should be very clear to us that our present conditions, good or bad, are not necessarily a sign of either blessing or punishment.

Some may argue, what good do is it for to believe in and follow God faithfully if things can go wrong for me? What good does it do if things can even go worse for me than others? Our sufferings are always the result of sin, whether due to our direct actions or environmental sin (per se), because we live in a corrupt world. And it is possible for God to change our circumstances for the better, whether through our repentance or out of goodness alone, just as everything may remain the same, or even get worse, despite our faithfulness to God (and we have the Apostles as an example). And with this, I'm not saying that we shouldn't ask for help. Pray for God's help with faith, whatever your situation, as Heman did! But what matters most to God is what we decide to do within our circumstances here and now, if we seek to continue repenting, if we seek His will, despite the circumstances. This is where good works or doing God's will makes perfect sense. 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. This is why it matters what we do here and now, especially in difficulty, as a result of our faith. We will all give an account before God. And it also says: “…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48a. God cares about what we do, especially after coming to Christ. We were all created, made, and saved by Christ to serve Him, whatever our condition, and especially if God has given us more than others. With every blessing comes responsibility, and there is great reward when we are faithful in suffering. So, do you seek after God to do His will? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Beware of Destructive Doctrines - 2 Peter 2

Based on 2 Peter 2 (New King James Version)

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 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)—then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’”

This prophesy has been fulfilled for a long time, the issue of having evil doctrines within most of our churches, things that sound like truth but very subtly lead to eternal destruction. And if we're not careful with them, we will either be swept away by them, or at the very least, we will be complicit. And for God, the accomplice is just as guilty as the one who does the wrong, as it is written: “Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32.

To begin, we must understand what the Gospel or sound doctrine really is to know how to detect bad doctrine. There are three fundamental elements that are part of the Gospel, which are: A person must repent and convert from all their sins (“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). A person must accept and receive the Lord Jesus as their effective and literal Lord (“But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:8-9). And a person must live to do the will of the Lord, (“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 14:8-9. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”. Matthew 7:21.) This is the Gospel. These things are what give us access to eternal life and rewards through the Lord Jesus Christ. And anything that deviates from these things is part of these destructive doctrines.

Now, some may argue that there are teachings that are based on Scripture, therefore, they cannot be wrong. And the point is that the devil tries to use certain parts of the Word to tempt us. If he tried to tempt the Son of God Himself with His own Word, how could he not do the same with us? Yes, it's true that he cuts, adds, and does different things with the passage he used with the Lord, but nonetheless, they were parts of Scripture. And what does the devil use to tempt us, even when using what is sacred? He tries to appeal to our sinful side. For example, who likes admitting their sins and having to change their lifestyle to follow the Lord? Almost no one. The vast majority want to go to heaven, but without abandoning sin. That's why some false doctrines tell you that God accepts you just as you are, and that there is no need to repent. You just need to believe. Another thing is: “Don't most desire for their will to be done rather than God's will?” That's why they tell you: God wants to make you happy, and He wants to grant you the desires of your heart, like the good Father that He is. And yes, we can ask the Lord for help, but always subject to one thing, as the Lord prayed: “Thy will be done.” God is not our servant; therefore, we should not treat Him as such. And they also tell you: If works couldn't save you, then they don't matter after receiving Christ either. And the problem with this is that this teaching invalidates the entire purpose for which the Lord created you and then saved you. We are saved for good works, to do His will. This is what the Word teaches: “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.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. Sound doctrine is for your salvation. Therefore, if you want to obtain what God has reserved only for those who choose to love Him, for your own good, hold fast to sound doctrine and discard everything else, separating yourself from those who use godliness for profit to avoid being their accomplice (1 Timothy 6:5). So, are you following sound doctrine for salvation or other things that sound like truth that will lead you to eternal destruction? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

God’s Salvation is for Those That Want Salvation - Acts 28:11-31

Based on Acts 28:11-31 (New King James Version)

“After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him. And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: ‘Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.’ Then they said to him, ‘We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.’ So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: ‘The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say: ‘Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you will see, and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’ ’ ‘Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!’ And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves. Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”

Is it difficult to understand the things of God? Is a great education really necessary to be able to understand God's will? The Jewish leaders to whom Paul spoke had no learning problems or lack of education. On the contrary, they were very intelligent people, well-educated with all the knowledge of their language, with a full understanding of the law and all human knowledge. They could even recite the Law of Moses by heart. So, they were exceedingly capable people. So, for them, it wasn't a problem of lack of understanding or education. Their issue was something else, just as it is for the vast majority of people who have problems with the things of God. So, the answer is: no, the things of God are not difficult to understand but, on the contrary, very simple, and neither great intellect nor great education is required. In reality, the things of God are very simple, so much so that even a child can understand them. This is what the Word says: “But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.” Mark 10:14-16.

So, what's the problem? What determines whether or not a person can understand the things of God? Could it be the enemy, the devil? Throughout the Bible, we can clearly see that the enemy can affect us in certain ways such as through temptation, trying to provoke us to sin, trying to deceive us, confusing us, and inspiring fear and doubt. But we understand that these things are external, things that are not within us. So, he can try to influence, but, ultimately, he can never force someone or coerce someone into doing something, much less take away our power of choice or free will. Ultimately, he cannot have power over us, even when a person is empty, without Christ. One might say: What about a person who is demon-possessed? The only way a demon can take possession of a person is through some kind of dealing with the occult. And of course, the moment a person is exposed to that world out of their own free will, whether for experimentation, or curiosity, or because of their parents (like what happened with the young man who suffered from a young age), they do lose their free will, but again, because at some point they voluntarily opened their life to that evil or were exposed to that evil. That's why we must be very careful and distance ourselves from things that lower our physical defenses, and even worse, our spiritual defenses (even speaking to the unsaved), because when a person gets involved with things that make them vulnerable, like drugs and alcohol, as examples, they are entering the occult world. Anything that alters our senses makes a person vulnerable to evil, and the Bible refers to this as witchcraft (this is not an opinion; it is what is written).

So, what is it then that makes man unable to understand, or rather, choose to reject, the things of God? Evil is within themselves, their own sin, the lust that is contained within their flesh and heart. This is what the Word says: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:13-15. The real problem, man's worst enemy, is their own person. This is what hinders them and makes the simple difficult, and the easy to understand incomprehensible. This is also what the Word says: “And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.’” Mark 7:20-23. So, the issue is not a matter of not being able to understand God, but rather, of not wanting to accept God. And there simply is not such acceptance because there are things that a person does not want to bring to light or let go of, but instead, makes the conscious and voluntary decision to reject the Lord and His Truth. Ultimately, the person who desires to be saved will simply believe, obey, and follow Christ when they accept the Gospel as truth. Those who neither believe nor obey God simply do not want to do so. And so, do you truly desire to attain God's salvation for eternal life, or are you stuck in other pursuits where you will only find eternal damnation? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Danger of Becoming Religious - Matthew 26:1-5

Based on Matthew 26:1-5 (New King James Version)

“Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, ‘You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.’ Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.’”

God has a serious problem with religiosity, and of course, for very practical and just reasons. When a person follows a religion, the issue becomes more about practices and rituals than what God truly desires: an intimate and genuine relationship. God's intention was never to give man a list of rules to give us something to do and nothing more, but something far beyond that: to be able to enjoy a close and personal relationship with each of us. And God only names things as commandments or precepts to give instruction, like what a father should do with a child. God's instruction is synonymous with His love, because He desires the best for us.

The Lord had no regard for religiosity. He showed His mercy to the sinner, even to those who were detestable in society: to the prostitute, the possessed, and even the thief. But when dealing with religious people, He simply could not tolerate them. For example, we read: “And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. ‘But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.’ Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, ‘Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.’ And He said, ‘Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. ‘Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.’" Luke 11:37-52.

What is finally God’s problem with religiosity? Because it goes hand in hand with hypocrisy. This is also written: “He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.’ He said to them, ‘All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban’-' (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.’" Mark 7:6-13. This is the most serious problem with religiosity, because it simply inspires a very deep hypocrisy that takes root in the soul of man, and turns the holy into profane, and life into death. The entire focus that God desires is lost. And the things of God are taken to give only the appearance of something good, just as Satan himself does, who takes the form of an angel to sell perdition.

Now, one can try to point the finger at the Pharisees and Scribes and say that most of them were evil. And yes, that wouldn't be a lie, because there were only two that we know of who didn't consent to be part of the plot against the Lord, who were Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. But what did these chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people gain by worrying so much about the Passover and the people if they were plotting to kill God Himself? One might say: They didn't know He was God. The truth is that they didn't care who He was, nor His deeds, nor His teachings, nor the prophecies fulfilled in Him, nor anything that proclaimed Him to be the Messiah. All they knew and cared about was that they envied Him, as it is written: “But Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.” Mark 15:9-10. The problem is that any person can adopt the same attitude as them when they take the things of God merely for show, but in their hearts, be far from God. The vast majority of so-called believers today create their own personal religion instead of seeking to do what God wants, which the Lord himself reiterated as the most important thing of all: “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. If this is the not the all of our lives as it is written, we will also run the risk of being like these same religious people, that instead of supporting the things of God, to go completely against God. And like that, be lost also. What does the Word teach? “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. The love of which is spoken here is related to loving the Lord. If a person does not love the Lord, everything they do becomes religiosity. So, we should always look at what is our intention, and to change our intention through the Lord if it is not what it should be, because God knows everything and He will judge everything. So then, do you look to love the Lord as He deserves to be loved, or is your reason for existence something else, something that will take you to your own perdition? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Summary of Our Lives - Joshua 24:29-33

Based on Joshua 24:29-33 (New King James Version)

“Now it came to pass after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Serah, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the plot of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of silver, and which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph. And Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in a hill belonging to Phinehas his son, which was given to him in the mountains of Ephraim.”

Joshua's life is probably one of the most exemplary in his testimony of loving the Lord and doing His will. The Bible speaks of Him in a unique way, as we read today. But we must understand something. Joshua was imperfect, because he was ultimately a man. And not everything he did every day of his life, 24 hours a day, was recorded. The Word tells us the general things about Joshua. What's more, the Bible doesn't date everything the Lord Himself did while He was here on earth, because the Apostle John wrote this very thing: “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” John 21:25. The Lord didn't just resurrect a few people, but many more. The Lord didn't just heal certain people, but thousands upon thousands. The Lord didn't just free certain people from demons, but possibly thousands as well, because the Word does speak of Him spending entire days doing all these things, and of course, teaching about the kingdom. A lot can happen in 24 hours. So, God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, inspired His saints to write down what was necessary, both about the Lord and about this Joshua, especially the main things in Joshua.

Now, where am I going with this? It can be assumed that Joshua did many things during his 110 years, he did good things, and as a man, he must have had his moments of imperfection. Also, within all the responsibilities he had, he also had to take care of his family and everything related to that, as well as the well-being of an entire nation that was in a time of conquest and formation. When I begin to think about Joshua's daily life, it must have been incredible. Joshua had to fight wars during his life. God gave him victory, but he still had to fight alongside the entire people. Joshua didn't lead the people from the comfort of an office, so to speak, or with all the comforts of royalty. Joshua had to take care of everything, both for himself and for others, and yes, carry and use the sword when God Himself commanded. Joshua lived a very difficult life.

So, what can we see through all of this? That God doesn't necessarily expect perfection from us while we're here in this temporary world. And that we can achieve not only great things, but even more importantly, we will find entrance into His kingdom and be able to stand confidently before His presence one day when God sees the tally of our lives, if we've done what we should (because true faith leads you to do God's will). What Joshua did wasn't an accident, it wasn't just because. There was an intention within Joshua himself, a thought, which must also be within everyone who professes to believe in God, that one day we will have to give an account, even those of us who follow the Lord. No one is exempt from the coming judgment. Because the Apostle Paul himself wrote this: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. Joshua simply cared about what God thought of him, and he understood that God was watching everything he did. That is the essence of Joshua's life. Despite his imperfections and weaknesses as a man, what stood out and was written in the Holy Scriptures were the results of his faith, because faith must have deeds. This is what the Word says of the father of faith, Abraham, as it is written: “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” James 2:20-24. Abraham and Joshua, and everyone who is already in the kingdom of God, found favor with God through their faith and the works of their faith. For if Abraham and Joshua had remained with faith alone and had done nothing about it, they would not have found entry into the kingdom of God, as the Bible teaches it so.

Some may say, "What about the thief on the right?” His faith had works, even if you don't believe it. If we use just a little common sense, we'll see the work his faith had. Did the thief die moments after his confession? No. He hung on that cross for hours, suffering, seeing the scorn and mockery after his confession, and of course, seeing the very God he had confessed hanging with him. Don't you think his faith couldn't have been shaken in the harshest way by being in that situation for hours? The repentant thief did have works as a result of his faith, and he did more than many do in their entire lifetime, and God Himself made sure his work was recorded as a memorial to him, for the Lord honors those that honor Him.

Coming back to Joshua, what was the resolution of his life? His actions speak for themselves: “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15. This was Joshua’s sentiment: “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. Israel not only served the Lord all the days of Joshua, but also all the days of those who were around Joshua, and that was not an accident, but rather, a very intentional purpose. If you are preoccupied with loving the Lord above all things and seek to do His will as a fruit of your faith, the summary of your life before God will be good, and your faith in Christ will yield you the most important thing: favor with God and wide entrance into His kingdom. But if your focus is not on the Lord but on other things, no matter what faith you profess to have, you will fail and be a bad influence on everyone around you. The choice is yours. So, what will God say about you when your time of judgment comes? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Trials - 1 Peter 4:12-19

Based on 1 Peter 4:12-19 (New King James Version)

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’ Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

To begin to define trials as described in the Bible, it is necessary to first understand what trials are not, the things that have nothing to do with trials, because many believers confuse God's trials with other things. It is also necessary to understand what trials are not in order to make decisions based on God's wisdom, as well as to know how to pray for circumstances, because it is necessary to have a basis before God to be able to ask Him, if a person legitimately desires God's answer and not something else.

The first thing is sin and its consequences, which have nothing to do with trials. And the Bible is clear with its definition of sin, such as breaking the Ten Commandments and everything else God defines as sin. The point is that sin will always have some kind of consequence, especially when it is repeated or practiced as a so-called believer. In the least, if there is continued backsliding, there will be serious consequences here on earth, if God truly cares about a person, as it is written: “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” Hebrews 12:5-8. If sin begins to become a habit, and God loves you, sooner or later, He will allow something to happen as a result of or as a consequence of sin. And I have to say, based on the Word, that God can also despise those who persist in sin, even if they believe themselves to be children of God, as it is also 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.” Galatas 5:19-21. Who inherits, a stranger, a person outside of the family? No. The one who inherits is a son or daughter of the parents. So, if it says: “…that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God,” if a supposed son or daughter of God doesn't abandon a lifestyle of sin, God will ultimately cast them away unless they repent. So, what should happen in this case? Repent! Be converted! If God has disciplined you or you are living with the consequences of your sins, simply change. But if you don't want to see what you do as sin, then you will never give yourself the opportunity to repent.

The other thing that isn't a trial is when a person acts poorly in the faith, or inconsistently with what the Word of God teaches. For example, there are people who turn the things of God into religiosity, giving priority to things that aren't a priority according to the Word, and discarding what truly interests God. According to the Lord, what should we urge each other to do instead, external or fleeting things, or good works? This is what the Word says: “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.” Titus 3:8-9. Why does good work have more priority? Because after loving God with all that we are, God commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Therefore, the person who prioritizes other things over loving God and their neighbor is not fulfilling God's will. Therefore, if they damage their relationship with another over superficial things, they are simply suffering the consequences. What does the Lord want, for a person to criticize the unsaved for their wickedness, or to tell them about Christ so that they may repent of their sins and live?

What else is not a trial? When a person decides to rebel against the authorities for things that are not relevant to faith in Christ, and they suffer the consequences. It is written: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Romans 13:1-7. We must understand that Paul wrote this book to the Romans during the reign of Caesar Nero, one of the cruelest Roman emperors in history. And if the Holy Spirit, through Paul, was teaching such things at that time, what should Christians do today? Break the laws? Hate those in authority? No, and if they don't submit to and respect kingdoms and rulers and their laws, they resist God. And if there are consequences, it is not a trial, but rather, divine punishment.

What then is a trial? Thus said the Lord: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven…” Matthew 5:10-12a. Trials are ultimately what we suffer for the Lord, everything that tries to make us renounce the Lord. But those who endure trials will not only receive eternal life, but also the reward God has reserved for all those who love Him. So, are you experiencing trials or consequences for your actions? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

A God of Purposes - Hebrews 10:5-25

Based on Hebrews 10:5-25 (New King James Version)

“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.”

By the grace of God, and through many years of study and practice, I have in-depth knowledge of architecture and construction in commercial work, and this has helped me understand the full responsibility and consequences that can arise from simply drawing a line, so to speak, as well as the entire process that follows. People who ignore the realities of design and construction think that all an architect does is just put lines on paper. And this is the big difference between art, be it a drawing or a painting, and architecture, and of course, engineering, which goes hand in hand with architecture because both are necessary: ​​one is something that serves to entertain the eye (so to speak), and the other is what is used to construct buildings where people can live or carry out their work. But, if a mistake is made either in the design of something, or in its construction, it can cost a lot of money, and more importantly, it can cost lives, if the entire process, from beginning to end, is not executed with due knowledge and care. So, if you live in a house where you can sleep soundly, it's because a group of people designed and built it properly. Just as a group of people can hold a business meeting safely on the twentieth floor of a tower, it's because a group of people designed and built it properly. In the same way, if a group of doctors can perform life-saving surgery without having to worry about structural or system failures in a building, it's because a large group of people made it possible, from start to finish. All of these things are taken for granted every day because of the knowledge, effort, and proper execution of every person involved. Whether it's the one who drew the line or the one who hammered the nail, they all worked together with one accord to carry it out, with knowledge and due care.

What does all this have to do with what we read? God also says He is both designer and builder (Hebrews 11:10), but the infinite and eternal difference between what He does and I do is that He created not only the heavens and the earth, but also the entire expansive and infinite universe and everything it contains, from the smallest to the greatest, the visible and transient to the invisible and eternal. And not only has He made them, but He also sustains them, and all things subsist through Him, as it is written: “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. That's why it is inexcusable not to come to understand and believe in God, because it's impossible for so many things to be the product of an accident, and my very background and secular knowledge are what helps me understand this truth, because it's impossible for things to be what they are because of an accident, especially knowing that a small error in something like the design and construction of a building can be catastrophic. That's why the Word also 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, what should this lead us to? If I, a simple human being, draw a line or if I tell a worker to do something, I have some kind of reason for doing it, and I have the responsibility to know why I do it and why I ask for it to be done. Many times, I don't even have the time to explain, much less to get into polemics or long stories, but it simply needs to be done. Now, let's think for a moment, if possible, about everything that the Almighty has done and is in His mind, everything past, present, and future, both visible and invisible—if He commands something to be done, can't we simply respect what He says and only do what He commands? It's illogical to question, much less challenge, the knowledge and commands of Almighty God. It is written: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9. A person might ask, “Why did He allow for sacrifices to be made to atone for sins as part of the law before, if He was going to substitute them with the Lord's sacrifice?” And my answer is: “He knows why, and He had His reasons.” Everything in the Lord has answers, and we will understand some of them, but others we will not be able to now due to our fallen state, that although we have been redeemed by His grace, we are still greatly imperfect. Therefore, the only thing that remains for us is something very simple: to obey God, whatever it may be, because, as logic would dictate, it is eternally fitting for us to find favor with this Great Being through His terms and not through what seems right to us, due to our insignificance. And this leads us to love and good works, learning to love God with all that we are and loving our neighbor as ourselves, because the day is approaching where He will come for His church. Our personal moment of departure may also be surprising. The most important thing is for each person to fulfill God's purpose for them, because those who fulfill His purpose will be rewarded, but those who refuse to seek and follow God's purpose will be discarded as what they are: useless. So, are you seeking the purpose the Lord has for you? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Obeying Godly Principles - Esther 2:1-20

Based on Esther 2:1-20 (New King James Version)

“After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s servants who attended him said: ‘Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king; and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.’ This thing pleased the king, and he did so. In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So it was, when the king’s command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women. Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her. Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace. In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king. When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king’s gate. Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.”

We can see very clearly that when Godly principles are obeyed, there can be great blessing. God can do great and wonderful things when we simply do as He commands, even under very adverse circumstances. As background, this is a true story. There was a King Ahasuerus, or as he is also known, the Persian King Xerxes I, who reigned over the Achaemenid Empire from 486 to 465 BC. It was the largest and most powerful empire on earth at the time, with territories on three continents and great sophistication. The people of Israel and Judah were subject to this empire as a product of the conquests of King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian kingdom that preceded the Achaemenid Empire. Therefore, the Jews were people with certain freedoms, but not as legitimate citizens of the kingdom. This is important to understand because God did great things with and through people who did not have great status, but rather, quite the opposite.

What Godly principles do we see here? The first and foremost is to do good to those in need, in this case, Hadassah, or as she is more commonly called in the book, Esther, who was an orphan. Mordecai adopted the girl and raised her as his daughter, caring for her and teaching her valuable things, which God Himself used to help her find favor not only for her beauty but for her attitude and behavior. What other principles do we see? That Esther honored Mordecai as the mother and father he was to her (because Mordecai filled both roles), and God specifically commands us to honor our parents, whether biological or, in this case, where there were no biological parents, she honored the adoptive one. And Queen Esther did not forget this commandment, even while she was queen, but obeyed Mordecai in everything, which God Himself used to help her people later on. And this is what the Word says about obeying God: “So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23a. And this was also fulfilled in Esther: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30. Esther finally became queen of the most powerful empire because she feared the Lord and obeyed Him, and not because she was beautiful.

What is the main thing we must obey? This is what we read: “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. This is man's all in attaining eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ, because salvation is not obtained by a faith that is merely proclaimed, but by a faith that includes works that reflect love for God and our neighbor. If a person does not love God above all things, and one's neighbor as oneself, it is a vain faith, worthless in God's sight. As it is written: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” 1 John 4:20-21. So, when you stand before God in the final judgment, will God see in your works that you loved Him and your neighbor as a product of your love for the Lord? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

God’s Justice Will Come - Jeremiah 39

Based on Jeremiah 39 (New King James Version)

“In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was penetrated. Then all the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sarezer, Rabmag, with the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the plain. But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him. Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who defected to him, with the rest of the people who remained. But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, ‘Take him and look after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as he says to you.’ So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s chief officers; then they sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people. Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, ‘Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. But I will deliver you in that day,’ says the Lord, ‘and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the Lord.’ ”

There are times when God brings about His justice here on earth in very unexpected ways, using people or things that one would never think of. In reality, it's unpredictable, not because God is trying to confuse us, but because we simply don't have God's capacity, nor can we see the whole picture He sees. In the passage we read, we see that God used a being that many would think was despicable, cruel, and bloody. Some who don't know the whole story might think: “How could God use a cruel, pagan king to punish His people?” And they might also say: “I thought God is love and that He doesn't punish.”

To begin, we must understand that God is love, but just because He is love, He cannot ignore the other things that He is as well: that He is holy, that He is just, and that He is consuming fire. God within Himself has a balance, so to speak, and because He has that balance, there are also limits. The Word says that He is slow to anger and of great mercy. But does slow to anger and of great mercy mean that His wrath will never be manifested if a person or group of people persist in doing evil? Or does the fact that His mercy is great mean that it is unlimited, and that He will endure constant rebellion? No. This is the error that exists today, in which many conveniently think that God's wrath will never come and that His mercy is unlimited because He is love. This was the error that Israel made in the past, because for a long time they did not take the Lord seriously, nor the covenant He made with them. And they mistakenly thought that God would never do anything against them. But this same thing was prophesied before evil came upon the nation: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’ ‘For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. ‘Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,’ says the Lord. ‘But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because you have done all these works,’ says the Lord, ‘and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brethren—the whole posterity of Ephraim.” Jeremiah 7:3-15. God brought this about because they persisted in doing evil.

Many so-called believers today think they are a temple of the Lord because they prayed at some point, or because they do things that seem spiritual, or because they profess some kind of faith. But the point is that it is not a good idea for us to think we are right because of what we think or feel. It is written: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:20-21. And the Lord said this also: “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's promises are unshakeable, because God is unshakeable, but a person always has the freedom to seek His will or to do as he or she pleases, as well as to remain in the Lord or to stray away. Therefore, we must use our free will to seek God's true will and do it wholeheartedly, because the only thing that matters is how God will see us when we stand before His throne one day, 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. God’s justice will come, and it will be fulfilled in the great judgment. So then, will you be ready for when God’s judgment comes? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

God’s Patience with Man’s Disbelief - John 4:46-54

Based on John 4:46-54 (New King James Version)

“So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.’ The nobleman said to Him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, ‘Your son lives!’ Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives.’ And he himself believed, and his whole household. This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”

This is a passage that seems very simple, but there is incredible depth in it, and things that are necessary to understand for one's well-being. The first issue we can observe has to do with this man's expectation, and also with the expectation of people in general regarding God, and with the idea that God "must," so to speak, do something for us. I understand that this nobleman begged the Lord to come down and heal his son, that is, he didn't demand it, but the question nonetheless is: “What obligation did the Lord have to do something for him?” Let's turn this into a general question: “Does God owe us something?” Who is God, us or Him? And if He is God, does He have to do something for us just because we ask Him? Where does this concept of seeing and treating the God of the universe as a servant come from? Go to the president of your nation, or the owner of a large company, who doesn't even know who you are, and ask for something out of the blue. Will he give it to you? I don't think so. At the very least, he wouldn't feel any kind of obligation. So, does the God who created the heavens and the earth, who governs all things visible and invisible, have any kind of obligation to someone who is less than nothing as compared to all of existence? Absolutely not. So, neither this man had any right to ask for anything, no matter how he asked, nor do we. The point is not whether or not we can ask God for something, but rather, to realize the fact that God is God, and that He owes us nothing.

The second point is that the Lord Jesus Christ knew of man's great unbelief and hardness of heart, so this was the reason He performed signs and wonders, things that stood out from the ordinary (which is a point that will be discussed later). Despite His human form which He took to fulfill the purpose of salvation, He was (and is) God. And as God, He shouldn't have needed to perform signs and wonders, because man should have been able to sense who He was, if their heart wasn't so hard. For example, the demons themselves sensed when He was approaching. Many times, simply by seeing Him appear, they themselves proclaimed who He was. This is what the Word says: “Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:19b. A person might say: “The demons believed and perceived Him because they are spiritual beings.” But the answer to that is that man also has an invisible, spiritual side, which also has the capacity to perceive God, despite their sin. The death of the soul in sin does not mean that it cannot sense anything divine, but rather that the death in which it finds itself through man's sin is the separation from God. This is what the Bible means when it says that the soul of a human being is dead in sin. So, all human souls have the capacity to sense God. Let’s see this example: “Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, ‘Let no fruit grow on you ever again.’ Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither away so soon?’” Matthew 21:18-20. Was God unfair to the fig tree? No, because it was a living being that should have given God what He wanted. God appeared before the fig tree, and it should have had fruit for the Lord of the universe when He passed by it. As a living being, even as a tree, absolutely everything owes acknowledgement and obedience to God. This is also what the Word says about people who have been exposed to God and His truth: “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. In this passage, we can understand that every human being who has received the Truth of God must bear fruit so that they will not be removed by God the Father. This is one of the many Scriptures that show us that there is a great responsibility when a person hears the Word.

Another point we can see is the matter of how much we depend on God, and this speaks to the issue of taking things as common, or for granted. This is what the Word says: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ‘Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. ‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? ‘Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band; when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; when I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!’ ‘Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?’” Job 38:1-13. “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. Everything we take as common or even for granted—down to the breathing of our lungs and the beating of our hearts, and the entire world and universe and its functions—absolutely everything depends on and exists through the person of God through Jesus Christ. And consider this too: “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, we must understand how much God does for us, and how much we owe Him, and that no one has an excuse before Him. And as if that weren't enough, He even gave His only begotten Son so that through Him we could have the opportunity to obtain eternal life. If we understand this, how can we possibly think He owes us anything more? And in understanding all this, we must come to understand how hard the human heart is, but also the infinite mercy of God, who instead of making us disappear in an instant as we deserve and sending us to hell, He demonstrates His love and gives us an opportunity for repentance. The love and patience of the Lord is difficult to understand, but we must cling on to them while they are available. So, do you live in a way that shows appreciation for all that you owe God? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Suffering Persecution for the Right Reasons - Acts 6:8-15

Based on Acts 6:8-15 (New King James Version)

“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.’ And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.”

Was it a surprise to Stephen that he was persecuted and even killed for his faith in Christ? Is it necessary to suffer persecution for Christ as a requirement for entering heaven? To begin answering this, we see in many parts of God's Word that persecution and tribulation for the faith are part of following Christ. And it shouldn't be a surprise if we are legitimately following the Lord. For example, the Lord Himself taught this: “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake…” Matthew 10:21-22a. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12. So, it has always been part of following God to suffer some kind of persecution, tribulation, and even death for doing good, both in the times before Christ, and during the time the Lord walked this earth (because man even persecuted and killed the Son of God), and in the times of the early Church, and it is also true today. And there will also be persecution like never before when the Antichrist and the Beast exercise their power over this world.

Now, we must make sure that we are truly suffering for Christ and not for something else, because there are many who see the consequences of their sins as persecution or trials, and that is something else. It is more than possible that many are suffering for things they brought upon themselves. But Stephen was not killed because he had done something wrong, or because he had harmed someone, or for anything else. The Word clearly states that they even had to bribe false witnesses against Stephen so they could have the excuse to harm him, because he was greatly expanding the work of God, even through signs and wonders. This is what the Word says: “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For ‘He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ‘And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.’ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” 1 Peter 3:8-17. So, we must realize why we may be experiencing certain problems. The only reason we should suffer persecution is for the Lord, and for defending His principles.

I know this isn't pleasant because no one likes to suffer, much less go through trials and tribulations, but ultimately, yes, it is part of following Christ, and not many today are willing to even endure some disappointment or even discomfort for the kingdom of God. How can I say this? Almost no one is willing to even sacrifice a relationship with a person for God's principles. Instead, they prefer to justify sin and label it "love," such as tolerating those who profess to believe in Christ but live practicing sin, living a lifestyle that does not glorify God. Many think they will lead others to Christ by continuing to participate in the things of the world, even by keeping intimate relationships with the world, and thus making themselves enemies of God, as it is written: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4. Did Christ get drunk with the tax collectors to speak to them about the kingdom? Did the Lord do something wrong to engage in conversation with the Samaritan woman? Did the Lord have closeness with everyone, or only with those who decided to leave everything for Him? So, if Christ acted this way, what should we do? He must be our point of reference, our example, and no one else. So, doing good, drawing the line between God and the world, comes at a price. And the Word also says: “…We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22b.

So, why is it God's will for us to suffer tribulation? Because He wants to see who is genuine, and the only way to know is through trial, through tribulation. This is what the Word says: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6-7. The only way to see whether gold is real or not is through fire. And if we are gold, that is, if our faith is genuine, then the fire will make us even cleaner, removing the impurities from our lives. And what does this speak to us about, and what God ultimately wants to have happen? That we remain, that we stay the course, that we face anything for loving Him. This is what the Word says: “…But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22b. If we decide to remain in Him, despite the circumstances, we will receive God's supreme reward. But if a person decides to abandon the faith due to difficult circumstances, then they decide their own condemnation, as it also says: “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:4-6. The decision is ours, because God does not force anyone. So then, are you willing to suffer persecution for the right reasons? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Striving for Christ - Colossians 1:19-29

Based on Colossians 1:19-29 (New King James Version)

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”

Many people today believe that when they come to faith in Christ, our salvation does not depend on us, because it is God who gives us the ability to be saved, nor does it depend on our decision or effort to remain in Him, because He does everything. And that it is useless to do anything after being saved, because if our works do not save us, then they are of no use afterward either. And this also includes the issue that everything is already predetermined by God. Many completely remove all responsibility from themselves and attribute all responsibility solely to God. But if we look at the fullness of God's Word, and not just a few verses, thus looking to justify irresponsibility, we would clearly understand that the preceding is not entirely accurate. Many use this single verse as a general guideline: “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. But, to accept teachings and doctrines as true or certain, they must be viewed through the fullness of the Word, and how it all works together. Think of it this way: If I see only a person's hand, does that mean I know the whole person? No, it's impossible. The same logic applies to the Word of God.

The first issue we must address is the matter of the free will that God has given to man, in general. Yes, there may be certain exceptions in history where God has chosen, predetermined, and even retained certain people under an established path, so to speak, but for the most part, as concerns us today, we are all free to choose between good and evil, to decide whether or not to remain in Christ, and our decision depends in part on this. We can begin to see things through substantial passages that explain free will to us. For example, God chose the people of Israel through Abraham, but this is what the Word says: “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. ‘See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 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; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:11-20. But if the people of Israel were chosen, how did God give them the power to choose whether to follow Him or not? And we know that Israel not only failed, but even broke God’s covenant, as it is written: “And the Lord said to me, ‘A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” Jeremiah 11:9-10.

And how does this apply to us today? It is written: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:11-20. Everything we read implies free will, obedience to God’s truth, and we read this as such: “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. If a person does not convert, it is because they choose not to. Whether a person decides to follow God or not is by their choice. Whether a person remains or not is by their choice. So, let's not blame God for not having called someone to salvation, or it not being “supposedly” the Lord's time yet (because He calls all the time), or for a person not abiding in Him because God has so ordained it. This advice is for the wise: Strive for the Lord! Decide to love Him as He deserves! God has done everything, but choosing to love Him is up to you. So, will you decide to strive for Christ for salvation? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Fear of the Lord Produces Life - Numbers 2:31 – 3:4

Based on Numbers 2:31 – 3:4 (New King James Version)

“‘All who were numbered of the forces with Dan, one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred—they shall break camp last, with their standards.’ These are the ones who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses. Thus the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers’ houses. Now these are the records of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he consecrated to minister as priests. Nadab and Abihu had died before the Lord when they offered profane fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.”

The Lord is a God of order, a God who has a specific purpose and place for everything and everyone. And we can understand this through creation, in everything we see, from the smallest things, like what cannot be seen with the naked eye (the invisible and microscopic things), to the largest things like the planets and stars, and everything contained in the infinity of space, what we know, and what we have yet to know as a human race, and within that also falls the spiritual realm. Although for the moment sin has corrupted the present world, and although the devil and his hosts exist, God’s order remains unalterable. And when things and people follow His commandments, what He has established, then things generally work well. But when there is rebellion or disobedience, that's when problems arise, both as a natural consequence and as punishment, as we saw with what happened to Aaron's sons, who died suddenly because they offered strange fire before the Lord. So, there are certain things that need to be understood very clearly if a person desires the Lord's complete benefit, both for the present, but even more importantly, for eternity.

Since we understand that following the Lord and being within His order brings blessing and eternal life, then the most logical thing would be to obey Him. The matter is really simple. If we just do as He says, everything will fall into place, so to speak. But for that to happen, there must be something infinitely important within us: faith. Because how are we going to follow Him and obey Him as such if we don't believe in Him? This is what the Word says: “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. And here is where we see the first challenge for man. Do you really believe that God exists, and that He is who He claims to be in His Word? Many say they do, but their actions and thoughts, even deep down, differ from that faith. And if you doubt this, just look at people's behavior. Wouldn't the world be a totally different place if everyone who claims to believe truly believed in God and followed Him as such? Statistically speaking, one-third of the planet's inhabitants profess to believe in the God of the Bible. So, what is happening then? Why do we see the chaos of sin everywhere, even among those who claim to believe in God? Does such faith exist then? We can conclude this matter in the following way, and the line of logic is very simple: if a person truly believes in God, then they would believe that everything they do is seen, known, and will be judged one day by God. The God of the Bible is not blind, nor deaf, nor even less so, incapable. The Lord is the Almighty God, the beginning and the end, and the One who will judge every human being by their deeds and thoughts. Yes, God will judge man even by what he thinks. We see this in the Word: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’” Genesis 6:5-7. “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.

I can understand that it's difficult to keep in mind that God is everywhere, and that He knows even our thoughts, and it's hard for us because we normally take into account what we perceive with our physical senses. However, faith is what gives us the ability (so to speak) to reach that understanding. And if we have such an ability, and everything created speaks to us about God and all He is capable of, then it's no longer a question of ability, but rather, a question of whether we want to believe or not. As it is written: “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, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:20-21. So, according to the Word, a person simply chooses to want to take God into account and believe in Him as such or not. Many so-called scholars of the Word might think that there is something spiritual that has to happen in a person for them to come to the knowledge of God, but His own Word explains to us that creation is what accomplishes that work, and if they cannot see (so to speak) the obvious, like everything around them, it is because they simply choose to not pay attention, and they have no excuse. Can we ignore the sun, the moon, the air we breathe, the beating of our hearts? There is a reason the Word defines as foolish or senseless the person who does not seek God, because they are a person who simply decides not to want to do so and chooses to ignore things that are totally irrefutable and noticeable. Such is the foolishness of man who prefers to believe that all of this is the product of a cosmic accident rather than God as the creator of the entire universe. However, the Word is fulfilled, that when a person decides not to glorify God and persists in that, God Himself will deliver them to their own folly, and they will receive as such the condemnation they deserve.

So, what works together with faith? The fear of the Lord. When a person comes to have that faith in the Lord and comes to understand His ability, the most logical thing that should follow is fear, because He is a Being that is too great and powerful. And when that happens, you should care about the opinion of such a Being. That's why the Word says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7. If we understand very simple things, so simple that even a child can understand them, then a little common sense would be our best ally. Isn't it common sense to fear a Being who can do everything, knows everything, is everywhere at the same time, and yet just as  important, who will judge everything we do and even think? So, do you fear the Lord for eternal life, or do you choose to do something else that will cause your own destruction? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Lord Transforms Those Who Follow Him - Acts 26:1-23

Based on Acts 26:1-23 (New King James Version)

“Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You are permitted to speak for yourself.’ So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: ‘I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. ‘My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? ‘Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. ‘While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ ‘Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

One of the most fundamental or important things to understand is that all of us who have decided to follow Christ as Lord began as something completely different. And this is extremely important to understand because this is what God desires to accomplish in our lives. This is precisely what the new birth or new beginning the Lord speaks of in the Gospel of John is all about. We all begin as something different, in one way or another, before knowing Christ. God rescued all of us who follow Him from a past life that bears no resemblance to the life we ​​live now, as Paul himself recounted in this passage. This is what the following passage is about: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Someone who hasn't experienced this might think: How can something like this happen, like what happened in the life of the Apostle Paul? How can a person change so much, from starting on one side of the spectrum to ending up on the opposite side? And they might also wonder, especially many so-called believers: “Does this only happen to the elect, or can it happen to anyone?” And these questions can be answered through the Word. What happened in Paul's life happened through the divine intervention of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, where Paul (formerly called Saul) was focused on continuing to persecute the church. Now, was it just the appearance of the Lord that did it all? I think something was already happening in Paul's life, even though he was still focused on persecuting the church. The death of the saints must have done something to him, like the death of Stephen, and that is why there is such an emphasis or detailed account of the story of how Stephen preached, and even how he saw heaven opened before him, where he could see the Lord Himself at the right hand of the throne of God, as the Scripture says: “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.” Acts 8:55-58. Who else could have recounted this moment to Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, the most faithful companion Paul had, even in prison? Stephen's testimony didn't lead Paul to conversion, but it must have done something within him. And of course, the encounter with the Lord was the main and culminating event. But knowing how the Holy Spirit works, wasn't it the same Lord who worked in Stephen's death as in His own appearance? And this leads us to answer the other question, whether this type of conversion only happens to select individuals. And the point is that the Lord calls us all equally, and in different ways. It may not be like a light that is so bright that it knocked Paul off his horse and left him blind. But also, isn't the dawning of the bright sun seen every morning in every part of this world, all by the design and will of God, daily showing man the magnificence of the Most High? As it is written: “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, we can conclude that God calls everyone to this great transformation. The issue is whether they want to follow or decide to obey such a call.

So, what does a person need to be able to have such an encounter and such a transformation? What did Paul do when Christ spoke to him? He genuinely recognized Him as Lord and decided to obey His call. When a person repents of all their sins (as Paul did because of a total change of life), and submits to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, everything changes. It's not about being perfect or understanding everything, but more so, about seeking to follow and do the will of the Lord. This is the whole point: Do you listen to God when He speaks to you through His Word, and as He daily demonstrates all His greatness and love through His creation and the cross of Christ? Have you decided to follow Christ as the literal and effective Lord of your life, without reservation? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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

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

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

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

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

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

But as the preacher said, if you have lived another life before that did not demonstrate the power of God, if you have lived more for the world and its pleasures and cares, that was then, and this is now. Now is the time to cast off the past and leave sin behind, and set our eyes on the Lord, in whom we have all the greatest power in the entire universe and especially knowing that we will be held accountable for all we have done, whether good or bad. God is going to ask us, “What did you do with the Gospel? What did you do with the knowledge of My Son's sacrifice?” This is what the Word says: “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:7-9. As the day of reckoning approaches, you must consider for your own good: “What have I done with my life? Am I ready to meet the God and Judge of all the universe?” Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

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

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

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

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

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

Now, to answer the second question, whether God only calls certain people to be saved, the Word teaches us conclusively that God desires the whole world to be saved, without exception. God's love is such that He opens His arms to everyone, without exception, and calls everyone from sunrise to sunset, and even afterward. God calls every human being to repent and come to salvation, as it is written: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17. And it is also written: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4. So, there is no doubt that God desires everyone to be saved, even those who seem least redeemable, like this Charles Darwin, and Christ followers should strive for God's desire.

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

Faith and the Law - Galatians 5

Based on Galatians 5 (New King James Version)

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

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

To begin, we must always remember what the Lord Himself said about the Law and the Prophets, as it is written: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-20. And it is also written: “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40. So, this gives very clear confirmation that neither the law, nor the prophets, and therefore, nor the Old Testament, is being eliminated, under any circumstances. Now, there are people who believe that the fulfillment of the law and the prophets was through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and yes, it's true. He came to fulfill all things. But now, that same thing must be fulfilled in the life of every believer if they wish to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven or inherit eternal life. We must always remember that the Lord is our example to follow, as the Apostle Paul himself said: Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1. So, we should never look to people as our model or example, because they are imperfect, even when there are good intentions. Our focus and attention must always be on the Lord, and to live and do as He did.

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

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

Looking for Failure - Deuteronomy 12:29-32

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Word of the Lord teaches us things here that we must keep in mind even today, even though it is written in the older books of the Bible, which clarifies a mistake: the mistake of thinking that we are supposed to focus only on the New Testament. The Word of God consists not only of the New Testament, but also of the Old Testament, from Genesis to Revelation. Thus, it has been inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself throughout the centuries of its composition. From Genesis to Revelation, it constitutes all divine counsel for humanity and all Biblical teaching. For a doctrine to be legitimate and accepted as holy teaching, it must agree with the fullness of Scripture, and not with one verse here and another there. We must always remember this: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17-18. And it also says: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Therefore, we must read, study, and apply all the Scriptures in our lives, as the Holy Spirit guides.

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

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

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