What Do We Do With Jesus?

Based on John 6:16-26 (New King James Version)

“Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone—however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks—when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, ‘Rabbi, when did You come here?’”

What was the real reason for why Jesus came to this earth? We see through the Scriptures that the Lord did many things. He healed the sick. He freed the demon-possessed. He did signs and wonders. He fed thousands of people. He taught many things. And He even raised from the dead some people. John also explains that only some things were written about what the Lord did, as he explains in the following passage: “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. So then, we only know what is necessary through the Scriptures.

Although all of these things are good, and part of the manifestation of the Messiah, the most important reason for why the Lord came to this world was to take on our human form, to pour out His blood and die on the cross, and to be raised from the dead. Why? Because this was the only way that we could obtain the salvation that He taught about, the power to be born again in the Spirit. And together with this, it was the only way that God Himself can come to live inside of our being, through faith in Jesus. Otherwise, God cannot convert us into His temples, those that are not made by the hands of man.

Why is it so important for God to come to live inside of us? One of the problems that the disciples had, and all the others that preceded the resurrection of the Lord was that there was no forgiveness of sins. The sacrifices and following the faith in the Lord only allowed for the covering of sins. And the Spirit of God was only able to be upon or with a person, but not inside. In this passage, we see that the disciples did spend some time separated from the Lord even though they were following Him. In this passage, we do not see the detail that the Lord Himself sent them ahead of Him. Both Matthew 14:22 and Mark 6:45 gives us part of the story where the Lord commanded them to go without Him. So, it’s not that they wanted to take off without Him.

The issue is that there is a huge difference between God being with and/or around us, then being within us. The Lord can only come to live within our being when we give ourselves or surrender ourselves completely to Him. That’s the only way we can come to belong to Him, and there is no other way. And by virtue that He lives within us, His Holy Spirit can work within us intimately, in the deepest places within us, those places that even we ourselves are not very aware of. So then, when you invite Him to be inside of you by faith, you don’t have to worry if you took Him somewhere, if you had to leave Him somewhere because He was busy doing something else, etc. He will be within you wherever you go. For it is written: “…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23b.

Now, what do people try to do with the Lord? Incredibly enough, many do not look to have the Lord inside of them, and for many reasons. By what we see in this passage, there are people that simply look for the Lord so they can receive things, to get what they want, to fulfill their desires. They don’t want a personal relationship with Him, or least of all, a commitment. The majority of people look to resolve their problems, like their economic needs, their health problems, and many other things, with almost all the reasons involving temporary things. It’s not that these things are bad and that we should not ask for them, but they should not be the main reason for why the Lord is looked for, or even worse, that these things are the only reason for why He is sought after.

There is something that we all know that can apply to this concept, and that is: the golden rule. The golden rule was said by the Lord: “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” Luke 6:31. This rule also applies to God, and it can be said in the following manner: And just as you want God to do to you, you also do to Him likewise. For example, would you like it if your loved ones only looked for you because they just want something from you? Would you like for people to try to manipulate you, so they can get things from you? Would you like it if the only reason people are with you is because you do want they want you to do for them? Would you like for someone to pretend to love you so they can use you? I believe we all want to be loved genuinely, and we want for people to be with us because they want to be with us, despite the circumstances. So then, if we desire real love and loyalty, don’t you think God deserves the same, especially considering everything He has done, is doing, and promises to do for us in the future?

So, the big question is: “What are you trying to do with the Lord?” Lord bless! John

Misconceptions

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

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

Unfortunately, many of us err because we do not understand what we need to understand. And by not wanting to understand (because “being able” to understand is not the problem), we make life more difficult for ourselves, sowing more evil than good. And by making wrong decisions, we throw away a lot of valuable resources, like time, money, and finally, spiritual gains. When mistakes occur, even though things may look good at the moment, you are going down a twisted path that may lead to an uncertain and evil end. Therefore, we need to correct these misconceptions so that better things can be achieved (for our own good, and for the good of others), but it’s not easy because it goes against our very nature.

The first misconception that we see in this passage (or more exactly, the one with the greatest importance) is the issue that they saw Jesus as a prophet. That is a huge problem. Jesus was not a prophet, and He cannot be acknowledged as such. If Jesus is not acknowledged as what He truly is, and with a complete internal conviction, nothing will be gained. There will be no salvation, or forgiveness of sins, or divine direction, or godly blessings, etc., etc. Quite simply, without acknowledging and accepting Jesus as who He is, then the only path left is hell (it’s not my opinion, but rather, it’s what God’s Word says).

Jesus was and is God. He has to be acknowledged and accepted personally as the Almighty God, the Most High, the Creator, and everything that is a part of being the only God, as part of the Divine Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), because the three are one. If you do not believe in His divinity, then you will not be able to experience His divine power, starting with eternal life. And the second way that He must be acknowledged as is as the Lord. In order for God’s salvation to take effect on your life, you have to belong to Him fully and completely. He has to be the Lord of your life. As you can see, this has nothing to do with being a mere prophet.

The second misconception is related to the first one, and that is: We are not the ones in charge, but rather, God is the one in charge. From the moment we acknowledge Jesus as God and Lord, then as logic would dictate, we need to do what He says as opposed to us trying to command or manipulate Him. It is impossible and absurd to try to command or manipulate God. And besides, nothing good can come from that. The problem is that nothing good comes from trying to get our way or trying to fulfill our desires (and I know it is difficult to accept this). We need to understand that our instincts and desires are governed by the sin that lives within us. That’s the problem. When we surrender our lives to the Lord, it’s only the beginning of a long and hard process of trying to submit those instincts and desires under His dominion. So then, we are incapable of thinking and doing good on our own (I know this is hard, but don’t get discouraged or rebel because you are only going to hurt yourself).

We see this, for example, when Peter tries to persuade the Lord about not dying: “Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’ Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’” Matthew 16:22-24. When we think carnally, we are only putting into action Satan’s will, and not God’s will. The Word also says this: “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.” Jeremiah 7:22-24. When we look to fulfill our will (or achieve our own supposed happiness), we go backwards, to the past that God needs to bury so that He can make new things in our lives, so that we can live the abundant life He wishes to give us. It’s not about happiness, but rather, it’s about eternal purposes that go beyond our supposed happiness or fulfilling our own personal desires. This is what the Word says also: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. ‘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 55:7-9. If we desire good for our lives, we need to change our way of thinking through the work of the Holy Spirit and His Word in us. Our understanding needs to change just like God counsels us here: “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 12:2.

Do you want for your life to truly change? My best counsel for you is that you should leave behind these misconceptions and hang on to the Lord with all your heart, following Him (and not your carnal desires) each day faithfully. Lord bless! John

Living Life for the Lord

Based on John 5:30-47 (New King James Version)

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. ‘I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

For what or for whom are you living your life? Have you ever asked yourself that? I believe the answer for some people is easy. There are others that I don’t think they have ever asked themselves this question. And well, I believe some think they know the answer, but if they look at their lives, they might see something different. And if there is something that I try to do intentionally in the Lord, at minimum, is to try to make people think and meditate. Thinking and meditating is something that doesn’t happen often today. It’s ironic that this is happening in a time like now when we are living in a moment where we have the greatest access to information man has ever had. We don’t think much, because if we did, our lives would be very different (at least, I hope that would be the case).

I don’t think many people understand the value of this life, and moreover, the value of what is to come. But, let’s concentrate in the here and now for a moment. What is the purpose of people’s lives? If we observe and look around, different people have chosen different reasons for their existence. The most common one is selfishness, living to make oneself happy, in one way or another. There are others that have decided to live primarily for a human love, for a family, for a career, for some sort of ideal, for material things, for pleasure, and for a number of other things. There are some people that have no course for their life. They just live life. They treat themselves like a very small piece in a giant machine. And of course, if you really want to see the reason for your existence, I would suggest that you sit down for a moment (or do it walking, however you want), but in silence, without nothing or no one around you; without distractions, and think and meditate on what you are doing daily, and why you are doing things. If you do it genuinely, the answer will become quite apparent.

Why does it matter to know why we do things? Because life has a value. If you are living and breathing at this very moment, it is because God has allowed for you to exist. And as much as Satan and people try to take life in different ways and in different moments (before being born, when young, or as adults), you are alive at this very moment, and for a reason and a purpose. Even the hardest and most evil human being is alive at this very moment because God allows it. There is no other reason, and that life has a purpose. And when you live life without good direction, you finally hurt yourself and everyone around you. And probably the most harmful purpose for anyone to live for is for themselves (it may sound illogical, but it’s the truth).

If we see the life of the Lord, even though He was God, He did not live for Himself. Everything He did was for the Father. He was only looking to do the will of the One that sent Him. He did whatever He saw the Father do. The Lord imitated God the Father to the point of perfection in the life and the works of His Father. He spoke about His Father. He shared with us how to live life and to do what is good. He did signs and wonders, such as the world had never seen. He healed the broken hearted. He made the cripple walk, the blind see, and relieved people of other sicknesses. He freed those that were demon possessed. He raised the dead; children and adults. He obeyed the Father to the point of surrendering His own life in the most painful and agonizing way a human could ever die. But, despite that, even though it cost him a great deal of pain and sacrifice, He did the will of the One that sent Him. And blessed be God Almighty and our Lord Jesus for that, because, what would have happened if the Lord wouldn’t have done everything He did? What would have happened if He would have forgotten His purpose, the reason for why He came into this world? He was (and is) God and He had all the power to decide and to do as He pleased. He would not have ceased to be what He was if He would have done differently, because it is just a fact, that He is God. And nothing can change that.

And now, how should what the Lord did affect us? If we understand our position (that we are nothing, and that we had no hope without Him), and that He did something great for you and me (personally) because He just wanted to, don’t you think that should be enough to live life for Him? If you have truly decided to follow Christ and have made the Lord the master of your life, the Bible teaches us this: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” Colossians 3:23. If we desire to have a full life here, and more importantly, after all of this, the Bible also teaches us this: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:7-9 

So then, if you live life just for yourself and for temporary things (even though they may not be evil within themselves), you will only receive something temporary (if you are able to obtain what you want). But, if you live life for the Lord and for His purposes, you will have what is eternal guaranteed, and God might even surprise you during the here and now also. So then, are you living life for the Lord? Lord bless! John

Acknowledging Jesus

Based on John 5:16-29 (New King James Version)

“For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.’” 

In this passage, we see a couple of reasons for why the Jews wanted to kill Jesus; because of doing things they considered unlawful to do during the Sabbath, and because He said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. But there was another more powerful reason that was eating away at their own soul, because they were full of evil. The Apostle John had noticed the two reasons of which he wrote, but incredibly enough, an unbelieving man had noticed the most important one; which was envy. For it is written: “Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Matthew 27:17-18. Envy was the root of all the hate they felt for the Lord. This was the evil that was born in their heart that stimulated them to kill God’s only Son, the same God they said they were following. Why?

They hypocritically justified their hatred with Biblical reasons. It was true that the Sabbath had to be respected (although Jesus as God could do whatever He wanted). It was true that no one should make themselves equal to God because the penalty for that was death (although it was true that He was the only begotten Son of God). But, their wrath grew within them because they did know that the Lord was truly the only begotten Son of God, and that He was truly God. They knew it and believed it, but not for repentance and conversion, but rather, hatred and envy surged. They hated the idea that the Lord was able to do things they were not able to. They hated the idea of the multitudes following Him. They hated the idea that they were not the focus anymore, but rather, that the Son of God became the focus. No matter how farfetched this sounds, this was the truth.  

We see someone else in history that was also driven by envy; Satan. The Bible teaches us about the envy and the hatred that Satan (before known as Lucifer) felt against the Almighty Himself, for God the Father. For it is written: “How you are fallen from heaven, o Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.” Isaiah 14:12-15. Satan, as he filled himself with groundless pride, He came to envy God, and that was what the cause of his fall. He did not know how to accept the reality that he was not like God, nor could he ever be like God, and that he could never take the Most High’s legitimate place. This was the same evil the Jews that killed the Lord had within them. They wanted to be like the Lord, but they could never be that, and that ate their soul up. There are people that have God complexes, and this evil is much more common than you think.

Although we were made in God’s image and likeness, the issue is that no one can be like God, under any circumstance. It’s naturally impossible. And at the same time, not even the most remote feeling, nothing that could even resemble wanting to be like God should exist in our heart. And more over, and this is the culmination of today’s thought, the only begotten Son of God, Jesus, must become the everything in our lives. Jesus can not only be our Savior and Lord, but He must also be our God. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of David, the Messiah, was and is God. And if that realization does not exist within us, without our very heart, our soul, our mind, our entire being, then there is nothing. The Bible teaches us this: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36.

So then, this is what we need to keep in mind: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-4. Jesus is the Word. Jesus existed since the beginning. Jesus made all things. Jesus is the life and the light. Jesus made man, for it is written: “Then God said, ‘Let Us [plural God] make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” Genesis 1:26a. Jesus (or God) made Himself flesh. God was with man on this earth. God was mocked and beaten. God was crucified. God descended to the depths of the earth. But, God was raised from the dead at the third day. And now, God is seated on His legitimate throne, in the highest place in the heavens, where Satan wanted to be. And God will come for His people and judge the nations. God will condemn to eternal punishment all those that did not accept Him as such. And God will reign forever and ever, Amen.

Now, have you acknowledged and accepted Jesus (God) for what He is? Or, are you part of those that envy Him, trying to make yourself like Him? Lord bless! John

The Intentions of the Heart

Based on John 5:1-15 (New King James Version)

“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered Him, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, ‘It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’ He answered them, ‘He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’’ Then they asked him, ‘Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?’ But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.’ The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.”

Have you ever asked yourself, “why do sicknesses exist?” And the answer that the Bible gives us is that sicknesses come because of sin. When sin entered in the world through Adam and Eve (because both of them fell), everything that produces pain, damage, destruction, and finally death came in. That is why God cannot stand sin. If we read the beginning of the book of Genesis, we see that God made everything good. The world was not made with sin. Unfortunately, sin was brought into a good world, a clean and pure creation, and it ruined everything. So then, sin itself and everything it brings with it is not what God desires.

The issue is that sin brings death. It produces death, even in that which is good. It contaminates things. For it is written: “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23a. And as a consequence, sin produces everything that drives towards death, like sicknesses (because something has to happen so a person can die). So then, we cannot blame God for these things, at least not directly. God wants to produce more of Himself; to produce life. For it is also written: “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23b. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6.

Now then, why do people get sick? There are three main reasons for why a person may get sick (because there may be other reasons). The first one is because we simply live in this world, in a place of sin, an imperfect world. It doesn’t happen necessarily because a person did something wrong individually, or by themselves. In other words, they are not paying for something wrong they did out of their own free will. It happens because we are where we are, and there is nothing you can do about it. For example, a small child has not had the opportunity to sin by their own free will yet (although we are conceived in sin), but they can get sick and/or die also. It happens every day.

The second reason is because of direct consequences from our actions. In other words, a person gets sick because they have done things that naturally produces sicknesses and death. If a person does not take care of themselves, they can cause themselves problems. That is why we must be careful with what we do with our bodies; with what we eat, with what we ingest, and with what we expose ourselves to. And well, there is a list of things that a person should avoid. That’s why drugs are bad; the illegal and legal kind (prescribed by doctors). Drinking alcohol can bring problems also, in any quantity (because everyone is different). Smoking is bad, because it contains things that are harmful. Certain foods, or foods in large quantities can cause harm. That’s why a person should have a balanced diet and do some sort of regular exercise. Being overweight (or underweight) does not help anyone. And like that, there are many other things. Bad lifestyles (certain sins, like fornication and adultery) and physical abuses that not only may cause, but rather, will cause something bad sooner or later, and no one is exempt from that. The Bible teaches us that we become the Lord’s temple when we surrender our lives to Him. He comes to live by faith inside our hearts. So then, His Word teaches us that we must take care of His temple and to avoid things that can affect us, because it also says that He will destroy those that destroy His temple.

And the third reason for why a person can get sick is because of punishment. God can allow for something to happen to someone that didn’t necessarily abuse themselves physically, and here is where we see today’s case. This man who the Lord healed had done something in the past that produced this ailment, because the Lord Himself declared it. He did something that God simply did not like. The Word teaches us this: “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. And we see that despite the Lord healing him, he continues doing evil. Why did he go and tell the Jews who had healed him if he knew they were looking to do something wrong to Him? Even after having received a miracle, undergoing a huge change in life, having suffered for thirty-eight years, he still didn’t learn. That’s why, if God forgives you, and He also heals you, then stop doing what is wrong. Leave sin behind.

There may be other reasons (because we have limited space here), but finally, each person knows why they have what they have. And whatever your condition may be, my counsel is to look for the Lord, and to change what you need to change. Because in the end, even though there may be healing, something worse can happen, whether through your own abuse, or whether you are doing something that God simply does not like. Think for a moment: “What is the intention that God sees in my heart?” Lord bless! John

Issues of Faith

Based on John 4:43-54 (New King James Version)

“Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast. 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.”

The majority of people have a big problem with faith in God, including those that profess to believe and follow God (it’s hard to believe such irony). There are many that doubt God’s existence. There are many that do not fear Him, even using His Name in vain and in a disrespectful and mocking kind of way. Unfortunately, this is nothing new, because the Lord Himself suffered it while in the flesh during His stay on this earth. And it will keep on happening until everyone sees who God really is. How can you see the lack of respect and disbelief? In many ways.

One of the ways that we see it is in today’s passage when the Lord said: “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” What is the problem with this? The problem was that there was doubt with everything God had done. And to make it worse, there was such doubt and disrespect that it gets to the point that people required signs, a demonstration of His power. This issue was seen in another part of the Scriptures when it says: “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign…’” Matthew 12:38-39a. Basically, when a person demands a sign from God, they are treating Him like a cheap magician, like if He needs to perform a cheap trick to entertain them. There is so much pride and hardness of heart that they demand a sign, thinking that they are in a place to humiliate God by getting Him to serve them and please them. Sounds bad, right? Well, this happens at every moment and many people practice this. How many times have you heard someone say: “If God doesn’t answer the way I want, then I won’t believe in Him.”? How many people continue to doubt the existence of God and even question His Word, wondering whether or not it is true? And if God doesn’t do a trick for them (per se), they won’t believe. Almost everyone has no issues in doubting the existence of God, the works of God, the person of Christ, and the Holy Scriptures; and especially when they feel that God does not fulfill their personal requests, by pleasing them with their selfish desires. And to add to the problem, how many times does God answer their prayers and petitions, and even then, they doubt in following Him, not respecting Him, and not being grateful for what He had done? As the Preacher said, “There is nothing new under the sun!”

The issue is that it may not be necessarily about a lack of faith or disbelief in a person, but rather, even though they know within themselves that there is something or Someone greater out there, they simply feel that they are greater and stronger than God Himself. Pride is such in so many people that they believe that God is there to serve them and to tolerate their pride. Or, at the very least, they think: “I don’t know who God is, nor am I interested to know; but well, if He exists, then let Him serve me.” And there is where the big problem is with faith in God.

What people need to worry about is that they will not always be able to abuse God’s goodness, mercy, love, and patience. God is incredibly patient, but not infinitely patient. God has His limits, because in the end, God is love, but He is also consuming fire. Just because God loves us does not make His worthiness and honor go away. God is God. For our own good, we need to understand that God the Father is sitting on the throne of the universe, and that His only begotten Son, Jesus, is the Lord. He is no longer the God that made Himself flesh so He could die for us on the cross. This is what the Bible teaches us: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16. The Word also teaches us this: “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. If you were able to have life, it’s because He allowed it. If you continue living, it’s because He allows it. God is the One that allows for your heart to beat and to be able to breathe. If your end comes, it’s because He allowed it. And finally, it is God who decides who lives forever and dies forever.

So then, if you have never understood your position and God’s position, I recommend that you start to understand, and quickly. If you never respected Him, start now. If you never feared Him, start now. If you never loved Him, start now. Start trying to treat Him as He deserves, while there is still time. For it is written: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36.

So then, have you decided to triumph over your issues of faith before it’s too late? Lord bless! John

Sharing Jesus with Others

Based on John 4:31-42 (New King James Version)

“In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’ But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat of which you do not know.’ Therefore the disciples said to one another, ‘Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.’ And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.’”

Why did the Lord come to world? What was His purpose? I think we all know why: to save us from our sins and to transform our lives. Throughout the Lord’s entire physical life, we can see that this was His focus. We could see His intention in everything He was doing. His dedication was such that He compared the sustenance of His body to doing the will of His Father. His food was to do the Father’s will, and to finish His work. Throughout His ministry, He shared about His Father. He spoke about the kingdom and how to enter it. He taught us how we should live. And as we also read and know; He fed the hungry. He freed the demon-possessed. He healed the sick. And He even raised the dead. Everything He did His whole life, and until His death and resurrection, was (and is) with the purpose to save us and transform us. But, what other purpose does salvation, in addition to having eternal life? A purpose that is just as great!

Everything the Lord did (and does and wants to continue doing) with our lives is so that we can continue perpetuating an incredible movement; that others may come to be saved and transformed until the time of the dispensation of God’s grace ends. God has given a timeframe so that people can come to salvation. We don’t have a clue on how long this will be, but we know through the Scriptures that there is a determined period of time that only God the Father knows about. That’s why the Word encourages us to seek for God while He can still be found. But the moment will come when mankind cannot be saved. But until then, the Good News of Salvation must continue being spread to every human being; to every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, for as much time remains, because that’s how we got here.     

The Gospel entered my life many years ago (over 36 years ago), through a person that was a complete stranger to me back then. And the person that shared the Gospel with me was also ministered to by someone else, and so on. And if we drew a line, the start of the origin of my salvation would reach of course the Lord Himself, but also, it would pass through one of the apostles or another disciple of the Lord. But, one of those people that was around the Lord Himself was the precursor of my salvation; someone that at some point heard, believed, was saved, and felt compelled to share their faith with the world that surrounded them. And of course, all the work is of the Lord through His Holy Spirit. But, God used some human being that was touched and transformed by the Lord Himself.

For example, Paul is the one that is attributed with giving us the opportunity as gentiles (those of us that do not come from Israel). Paul was known as the apostle for the gentiles. God used him to travel throughout much of the known world at the time, to preach about the Lord’s salvation to different nations. But we also read that Peter was used in the life of Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Regiment of the Roman Empire. Cornelius was a roman. And we read in Acts 10 that Cornelius and a large group of people that were with him that came to be saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. The point is that someone centuries ago was touched by the Lord and others became part of the chain. And as the chain grew through the centuries, I have to think on everything that must have happened so that the Gospel could reach me; the sacrifice, the pain, the effort, the commitment, faithfulness, etc. of so many faithful brethren that were before me. And through me, by sharing my faith with others, that touch of the Almighty continues with other people, other generations, until the determined time is fulfilled. And of course, I can’t just think about the chain that was formed so that I could be saved, but also, the other chains that were formed so that I could receive the Lord’s Word through other people all of these years which has helped me grow and remain faithful until now. Have you ever thought about the incredible process that started with the Lord and has continued through the centuries so that you could have the opportunity of being saved and transformed by the Lord?

So then, if we understand that, then we understand how important it is to share our faith with others, but of course, if we have truly been saved and transformed by the Lord. Because, how can something be spoken of if this has no real meaning in the life of a person? If the Lord does not mean much to you, nor what He has done through the ages for you, then, of course, there can be no inspiration. But, if you have experienced the true touch of the Lord in your life, if He has transformed you and made you a new person, then you have much to talk about and share. In the end, we cannot be selfish with the Lord, or fearful either. We must fulfill God’s purpose which many faithful people before us understood; that others must come to the Lord, or at the very least, give them the opportunity to receive something. Now, if they listen or not, that is not your problem. What matters is that you understand what God has done for you, and that you share Him with others that were just as lost as you once were before; without hope and without faith.

So, first of all, have you come to know the Lord personally and intimately? And if that has happened, do you value all the effort it took so you could have Him? And if you have understood, are you talking about Jesus to other people that also need to be saved and transformed? Lord bless! John

God Reveals Himself Only Through the Spirit

Based on John 4:19-30 (New King James Version)

“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’ And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, ‘What do You seek?’ or, ‘Why are You talking with her?’ The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city and came to Him.”

We will only see a part of this passage, because there is a lot here. What does this mean, “when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him?” The answer is, “a lot, and many will not understand it.” The issue is that this directly refers to what the Lord explained to Nicodemus, that it is necessary to be born again, to be born of the Spirit. We cannot come to God through our own terms, or through our means. There is nothing that we can really offer to God that may have any kind of value, at least, something that comes from us.

The first thing that makes it difficult to deal with this issue is our pride, or our lack of understanding our position. In all reality, we are nothing. We really don’t have any value. Like the Psalmist said: What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? Psalm 8:4. So then, if we are nothing, what can we offer to God? What kind of worship would be able to come before His presence that would be pleasing if our being has no value? The Word also says this: “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6. So, what needs to happen so all of this can change?

Before getting to that point, we need to understand something else. We are not the ones that look for Him. He is the one who initiates contact, for starters. He is the one that constantly calls. We were (or maybe some still are) so lost and blind that we had no idea of our need, of our condition, of who God was, and of who we were (or some may still be). Just like we saw in the story of the Samaritan women, it was not her that went looking for the Lord. She had no idea who He was until He started revealing Himself to her. He was the one that drew close to her. He was the one that started the conversation. He was the one that started bringing to the light what was deep inside of her. He was the one that started revealing certain truths. The effort was all from the Lord. The Word teaches us this: In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10. So then, when was it that He started showing Himself to us? Since the first moment we started to experience the creation of this world. For it is written: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 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 1:18-20. We were (or some may still be) so insensitive, that we did not realize that God was trying to speak to us a long time ago, since a very early age. Our five senses are the transmitters of God’s works and His presence. Through our eyes can we contemplate the works of God. Through our hearing we listen to what God has made. We smell the work of God. We taste the work of God. And of course, we feel the different things God has made. And all of these things were made through the power of His Word. Despite all of that, many are still and may continue completely insensitive to God because the fulness of their sin and death is reigning in their lives, being guided by the desires of darkness and evil. This is hard, but it’s the truth. The only way many of us will come to listen to God is when our pride is broken, when we start to realize that we need something greater than ourselves.

Now, how can all of this start to change (and here comes the good news)? By being born again in the Spirit. A person needs to start over through God, through the power of the Lord Jesus. And as a start, there needs to be total and complete repentance and conversion from all sin. They have to turn away from everything that has been the root of their blindness and insensitivity. And they need to make Jesus the owner and Lord of their lives, surrendering the most intimate part of their being: their heart. There is the beginning.

And now then, here is where we get to the explanation of the worship that reaches God. By being born again in the Spirit, we take in the Being of God into our hearts. And by doing that is that the works that coincide with what the Bible teaches now count, because we are giving God something that flows from Himself. The only thing that changes in the condition of a human being that has God is that they turn into a fountain for the Living God, something that flows from deep within their being. And there is where the worship to the Lord becomes living and a fragrant odor. And it is not necessarily about songs, but rather, of service and of actions based and guided by the Spirit of God within our being. This is what truly is the will of God. It is not necessarily what we do (or about the type of work it is within itself), for it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. What matters is “why” we do what we do, the intention of the heart through the Holy Spirit of God.

So then, have you experienced God through His Spirit in your life? Lord bless! John

We Need to Let God Deal with us Intimately

Based on John 4:7-18 (New King James Version)

“A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink.’ For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’ The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?’ Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.’ The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.’”

God desires to do great things in our lives. He wants to change us and transform us, to give us life, and life in abundance: eternal life. That was the purpose of the Lord, to be able to give eternal life where there is only death and darkness. And that this life might reach every person, at least, that each person might have the opportunity, because there is where God’s goodness is manifested. Even though we are not aware of it (like many people blame God, saying that God does not give the opportunity to everyone), we have the faith and trust that in one way or another, God gives (or has given) the opportunity to each person to come to the knowledge of salvation. But, what needs to happen so that this fountain of water can manifest itself in a person’s heart, in the center of a person? A person must let God deal with them intimately; completely, without obstacles or reservations.

What we can see in this passage is that this woman wanted to have what the Lord was offering her, but the Lord starts to bring to the light what is most intimate in her; her sin. In our society today, (and as it has always been), everyone hides something or some things. This is titled today as “our privacy”. Privacy is incredibly important to everyone. Everyone wants to keep their privacy safe and sound. But despite that, God continues to be the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He needs to penetrate that “privacy” for our own good.

The big problem that happens if we don’t let the Lord enter our intimacy, by letting Him deal with that intimacy, with the secrets, with the evil that is hidden within, with everything that is buried deep within us, is that life cannot manifest itself. We continue in death. No matter how much a person bathes, and perfumes themselves, and tries to look like a decent and exemplary person (socially speaking), they still have death, decomposition, and spoils within them. It’s just as the Lord said about the Pharisees, that they were whitewashed tombs because they were clean on the outside but horrible within. And well, if you know anything about water, you know that water is an element that gets contaminated quite easily. When waters are stagnant, a horrendous smell emanates. When water is dirty, you can see it clearly. And of course, you can’t drink it. Maybe there is some water that might come out of a person, but if the water is mixed with stuff that is dirty and contaminated, what is going to come out is quite unpleasant; just like the Word says: smell of death.

So then, just as the Lord showed us, we need to let the evil within us come out. And rest assured (and that is why hardly anyone likes to get close to the Lord), the issue is going to turn very public real fast. But what is good about things to come out not only before God’s presence, but also, before others by virtue that God is dealing with those issues, is that freedom, salvation, restoration come into the picture and that living water of which the Lord spoke manifests itself. That is why the Lord said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. When we let the sin in our heart come out, God takes that burden. God is the one that cleanses. For it is also written: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

Now, how do we know that what is revealed in secret to God comes out publicly? Look at today’s passage. The truth that this Samaritan woman was a woman that had many lovers or sexual partners is being read by everyone today; and millions have read it, and millions more will read it, because it has been imprinted in the Word of God. But, who cares about that if God has forgiven, if He has cleansed, and if He has brought out life from what was once dead? What is beautiful is that this woman let her sin come to the light, and she showed it to everyone, but so that God could work in her life. And thanks to that, not only was she forgiven and restored, but also, others that heard believed in the Lord as well, because of her testimony. That is why the Word also counsels us with this: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19.

So, if you want to continue hiding death and evil within you (although God knows everything, and He also says that everything will come to the light, sooner or later), you will never have living water within you. But, if you decide to let God work with everything that is inside your heart, and you bring it out to the light, and you leave it behind, God can do great things in your life, starting with granting you eternal life. This is really your decision and your part in the affair. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, but you are the one that decides to give in or not. And with that decision is that eternal life come into the picture. Any other way, a person continues abiding in darkness and in death.

So then, do you really want living water to flow out of you? And if that’s the case, are you letting the Lord work within you intimately? Lord bless! John

Jesus as a Human Being

Based on John 4:1-6 (New King James Version)

“Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.”

Many do not understand the Lord’s human aspect. There are almost always misunderstandings about this. For example, many people say: “He was able to do what He did, and He endured what He did because He was God.” Others go a completely opposite direction because they only see Him as a human being with limited abilities and powers, and that’s why they don’t respect Him. There are those that see Him extremely human, but in a sinful kind of way, and they think that He had problems and temptations with lust, including sexual weaknesses. In summary, the majority of people go all over the place as it relates to the Lord’s human aspect, because they don’t quite get to what the Bible teaches.

The first thing that needs to be understood is His real genealogy, where He comes from. First of all, Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity. His beginning as a Being was not here on earth, even though He was born here in the flesh. He is the Eternal God, the Lord of Hosts, the Alpha and the Omega, etc., etc. So then, He was (and is) 100% divine. The other thing that must be understood is that His Father was (and is) God the Father, the first person of the Trinity. So, His Father being who He is makes Him not entirely similar to us in that regard, with fleshly lusts like sexual desires, with the temptation to steal, to kill, to have vices, to lie, to be greedy. In summary, He did not have any of the evil works of the flesh. Now, the human aspect He did take on was from His earthly mother Mary (who was virgin). He was able to take on through her a carnal form, to be born and to live as a human being who was pure. So then, He became 100% man through Mary.

Because the Lord was a man, with flesh and blood (but without evil desires), He lived just like us. God took on our form to know exactly what each of us feel. He took on all of our human frailties and experienced them in the flesh (literally). He knew what it was like to be tired, as we read in today’s passage, when John wrote: “…being wearied from His journey…” He knew what hunger was, having a completely empty stomach, for it is written: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.” Matthew 4:1-2. He knew what it felt like when you lose a loved one, and He even cried because of the pain He felt (for Lazarus). For it is written: “And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’” John 11:34-36. He also experienced agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, for the Scriptures also say: “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44. The Lord experienced abandonment (because He took on our sin), finding Himself completely alone. We see this in the telling of His crucifixion when it says: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” Matthew 27:46. And of course, as part of the sacrifice on the cross, He experienced injustice, being mocked, being scorned, extreme physical tiredness and pain, torture, hemorrhaging, and finally, death. The Lord experienced everything a human being could experience, with reference to our human frailty.

What value does this have? A great deal! God knows everything about us because He is God, but now even more so, because He experienced through His Son what it feels like to be human. He lived it. And the great value that this has is that He humbled Himself for us. He felt what we feel. And He feels compassion because of this. For it is written: Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16. So then, what better God and Intercessor could we have like the one that took our form (because of love), who wishes to be with us through everything we might go through without ever abandoning us! That’s why He left the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, so that He could live by faith in our hearts. The Lord understands everything you feel, and He cares.

The last aspect that we will see is that the Lord is our example. Despite feeling wearied, and everything else He could have felt, He did what was necessary. He did everything the Father commanded Him to do. He obeyed! For it is written: Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Hebrews 5:7-9. We are called to be like Him. God’s purpose is to turn each of us into little Jesuses (per se). So then, if the Lord was able to obey in everything, despite having all of our frailties, God can also do great things in our lives through our obedience.

So, do you understand just how much God loves you, how He understands you, how He has compassion on you, and what He wants to accomplish in your life? Do you understand that there is no one like the Lord? Lord bless! John

Faith Needs to be Centered on Jesus

Based on John 3:31-36 (New King James Version)

“He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

I believe that most people do not have much of an issue in believing that there is “something” (per se) beyond us as humans. And with people that believe that there is a god, they believe a little more than an agnostic in reality, because for them, that god can be a thing or a being, not necessarily the Almighty God of the Bible. So then, the majority of people believe in something or someone. And those that have a bit more faith come to believe in a God, but that’s it. The big problem of faith with the majority of people, including with those that say that they believe in God, is to be able to believe and accept Jesus as God. This is a problem for many, even for those that say that they are Christians. All the issues actually start when Jesus is mentioned, and He then becomes a point of contention. Many people are accepting when talking about God, but not about Jesus.

The problem is centered around how the Lord is viewed. They just cannot get it in their heads that the Almighty was able to be concentrated in a human being, in a man. What is ironic (or more so, what is unfair) is that God is penalized for having humbled Himself to that level, that He took our form so that He could give us the greatest service mankind ever needed; of being saved from our own sins and from eternal death. And the issue is that people don’t value what He did while here on earth, nor do they see the incredible prophetic fulfillment in the life of the Lord; the Messiah that Israel was waiting for. It is also not possible for them to believe that He was raised from the dead. And well, it is just hard for people to believe in Jesus in general.

Now, we need to see something very clearly, that it is not a problem of not being able to have faith, because people exhibit faith all the time. For many, it is easier to believe in things and people than to believe in Jesus. People many times justify their disbelief with the idea that they cannot see Him, or that they weren’t present at the time of the Lord. They say they can’t trust the Scriptures either, whether they are credible or not. There are many other excuses, because that’s what they are: excuses.

Think for a moment, “In what do the majority of people believe in?” They believe in money, in other people that are just as fallible and limited as they are, in objects without life and soul, in gods made out of metal, wood, or any other material, in nature, etc., etc. They believe more in a plate of food served in a restaurant where they don’t even know where the food came from (if it’s organic or not, if it was grown with pesticides and insecticides), how it was made, what it actually contains; and whether the server dropped the food on the floor, picked it right up and put it on the plate again. You might say, “How can you say that?” Easy! Because it happens. And there are many other things that happen with food before it gets on the table, all nice and neatly adorned. They would rather trust more in something like that, to the point of putting it in their mouth, without any questions, than to choose to believe in Jesus.

So then, if they could have so much faith and trust in so many other things and people, then what is the problem with believing in Jesus? The problem is choosing to believe in Him; nothing else. Because the person that does not want to believe, they are not going to believe, no matter what Christ does for them. Some say that they would believe if they could just see the Lord demonstrate His power and glory. He did that before coming to this earth, when He was known as Jehovah to the Jews. But they saw Him as harsh, inflexible, that He was only looking to destroy and punish people (which is not true). And well, Jesus also showed His power through the miracles He did with food, healing the sick, casting out demons, and even raising some from the dead. But, it seems like that isn’t enough. And even further, they see the miracles He does every day; the universe, the sustaining of life, the seasons, the light of day, water, and so many other things that can only subsist through Him. But, it’s not enough either. He showed His love and devotion to us, by dying on the cross for us, for our sins, but that too is not enough. He was raised from the dead and seen by His disciples, by the hundreds, but that’s not enough either. He waits for us with open arms, but many turn their backs on Him, being despised and rejected, because even though He is God, He is humble in His calling out to us. So then, the answer that people don’t believe because they don’t want to believe is logical, because the Lord cannot do anything else for them.

The problem with not wanting to believe, or more exactly, in refusing to believe, is that everything has a consequence. And despite His great love for us, if a person refuses to believe in Him as God, as Lord, then salvation is not possible, because they are despising the only One that can save them. That’s why it’s not necessarily punishment, but rather, a natural consequence. The only One that can remove the wrath of God from abiding on us is Jesus. For it is written: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. Money cannot do it. Your family cannot do it. Your career and your successes cannot do it. Other false gods and idols cannot do it. No one or nothing else can take away the wrath of God from abiding on us.

So then, it’s very simple; either you want to believe or not believe in Him. If you refuse to believe, then nothing can be done for you. But, if you do decide to not only believe, but even more so, to accept Jesus as God (as what He is), and you make Him the Lord of your life, not only will the wrath of God be removed from abiding on you, but you will also see the glory of God. For it is written: “Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’” John 11:40. So, is your faith centered on Jesus, as the God and Lord of your life? Lord bless! John

Gaining a New and Greater Identity Through Christ

Based on John 3:22-30 (New King James Version)

“After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. For John had not yet been thrown into prison. Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!’ John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’” 

Charles Spurgeon once said: “Humility is to make a right estimate of one's self.” What are we really? Do we have something to be proud about? Are we as great and strong and powerful as we think? Are we worth so much by ourselves that we don’t need to be changed or transformed by God? I think one of the greatest problems that exists with people and with their acceptance of God is that they believe that they are more than God, and that they don’t need God because they feel their lives are better off without Him. And together with this thought, they detest the idea of losing their identity and will. Let’s go a little deeper with this issue and our previous questions.

I must warn you that today’s meditation does not have a happy beginning, humanly speaking, because it goes completely against our own pride which is the root of much evil. The reality is that we are nothing without God. Man did not create himself, nor did they have any part in the creation of the world. Charles Darwin and many others that thought of themselves or still think of themselves to be intelligent, fantasied a great deal with the idea that God does not exist and that we are a cosmic accident. But, whether they believe it was an accident or not, man had nothing to do with what happened. Man is extremely limited. We were not able to create or make anything. Power and control is only an illusion.

Now, looking at things spiritually, if we are nothing as human beings, we are even far less by ourselves without God. Man cannot do anything for themselves spiritually. No man can save themselves. Without God, we are all lost in our sins, separated from everything that is good. For it is written: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. The Word also teaches us this: “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:11-13. The only way that we have to be able to get close to God and be saved is only through Jesus. Because outside of Him, we can do and are nothing.

Through the Lord, everything can change, especially if we realize that we need Him infinitely, leaving aside all our foolish pride. The Bible teaches us that: “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. Through the complete repentance and conversion from our sins, and by accepting Jesus as the Lord of our lives, we can be transformed. It’s not that we lose our identity, but rather, God through His Holy Spirit regenerates what was lost, making a new creation out of us. We are still ourselves, but through Christ, we become a new, regenerated being, completely ready so that God can work the fullness of His purpose in us. Of course, when we surrender to Him, it is only the beginning of the process. That’s why His Word also teaches us this: “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. Through time, as we continue submitting to Him, surrendering to Him, is that the transformation starts and continues until we take on the image of our Lord.

Now, coming back to today’s passage, what happened with John should also happen with us; that it is necessary for Him to increase and that we decrease. Again, it does not mean that we disappear, but rather, that Christ and His virtues need to shine more in our lives so that the marvelous purposes of God can be fulfilled. God wants to work through us, through our being. When we understand that it is God that needs to grow in us, then we will understand what needs to happen in our lives, for our own good, and for the good of those that surround us.

In summary, and what we should consider: If we are truly nothing without God, then why be afraid of ceasing to be something that does not help us in anything? And considering even more, if we can attain everything through Christ, by letting Him grow in us, then, is it not worthwhile to take on a better and more significant identity through Him? Do you understand that your own identity by itself cannot compare to gaining a new and greater identity through the Lord? Lord bless! John

God's Love and Light

Based on John 3:16-21 (New King James Version)

“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. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” 

I know that John 3:16 is probably the most widely known verse of the Bible in all the world. You can many times see the signs in the stadium stands at an American football game. And I think it’s so popular because it talks about God’s great love. God loves the world, and He gave His only begotten son, Jesus, so that everyone could have the opportunity to be saved. If we take some time to meditate on what God’s love means, it would be a never-ending thought. For example, God, the Creator of heaven and earth cared for us, and He gave what was most loved and precious to Him, so that we could have eternal life. And He did not have to do it. He sent His Son to pay for our sins, for our wrongs, to take our place on the cross. And going even deeper, if we see things clearly, God sent His Son to die for His enemies, because if we have not given our lives to Him, then we belong to someone else, to Satan. We are children of darkness because of the sins we have committed, because of being born in a world of sin, being conceived in sin. Since birth, we were foreign to all of God’s promises. We didn’t deserve anything. I know it is difficult to accept this, but it’s the Truth. So then, if we see it that way, we can see even more God’s love, Someone who died for the salvation of His enemies, to convert His enemies into children of God, children of light. That’s why it is so important for us to give God our lives, so that we can leave behind the darkness, and belong to Him.

God wants for everyone, no matter what they have done or been, to come to the knowledge of the Truth. This fact shows His great and profound love. For it is 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 then, there is no one that can say that God does not love them. He loves the entire world, without exceptions.

The issue is that everything is conditional with God. He will not force anyone. Everything is conditional because it is based on love, and love is based on choice. God chose to love the world. He didn’t have to love the world. But He chose to. In the same manner, belonging to Him is also a choice, based on faith and love. And what needs to be kept clear is that each choice has consequences. That’s the way the universe was established, and there is nothing that can be done about it. So then, it’s not God that condemns a person to hell when they don’t want to believe in Jesus, but rather, the person condemns themselves by not laying hold to the gift of salvation. This is a universal law: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. If a person chooses to believe in and accept Jesus as the Lord of their life, then they make God the owner of their life. If a person does not choose to believe and accept Jesus as the Lord of their life, then they are continuing with their original master, and they will condemn themselves to an eternal death. It’s your decision! Try to see things logically. If a person does not want to be with God, nor obey Him, then why would God go against their own will and desire, forcing them to be with Him for an eternity? And of course, God allows that the fruits and desires of each person come upon them, for good or evil, for it is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. A person will receive what they ultimately desire within themselves. And God has already taken care of this through the universal structure that He created way before the foundation of this world.

And finally, we will explain what the light of God is about. We all come from darkness. It’s just a fact. But within the power of choice, we can decide to leave the darkness through Christ. When He presents His light through His Word and through His call to follow Him, we have the option to come to the Light of God. So then, if there is someone that wants to be freed from the darkness, they can be free, if they decide to belong to God. What is necessary is to accept that we have done wrong, that we have sinned, and that we want to leave that evil behind, to leave sin behind, for it is written: “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-10. If we are honest with ourselves, before God, we have forgiveness and salvation. He is so good that He makes all things new for those that love Him and look for Him. And if we follow Him faithfully, He transforms us into light. He told us that we would be the light of the world. For it is written: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15. He transforms us into light through Jesus, so we can be light to others that the need the Light of God. That’s how we see the continuity of God’s love, from person to person, from generation to generation.

So then, have you understood the love God has for you, by looking to be part of His light for the world that surrounds you? Lord bless! John

We Must Pursue Jesus with the Heart

Based on John 3:1-15 (New King James Version)

“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus answered and said to Him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

In this passage, we read the most important principle that exists in the Word of God so people can be saved. A person will or will not enter heaven, or obtain eternal life or not, depending on how they understand this passage. So then, it is obvious that you have to try to understand it, meditate in it, and act in a precise manner. It doesn’t mean that it is difficult, because it really isn’t. What is most important is “how” it is understood and what winds up happening with this knowledge.

The first aspect that needs to be seen is that it is not a matter of intellect or study, but rather, of disposition. We see an important religious person (Nicodemus) struggling to understand what the Lord is trying to explain to him. This was an extremely well-educated person, especially in the Scriptures. A person like him could recite from memory any part of the Old Testament, word-for-word. He had not only learned the Scriptures, but also, he learned everything involved with their writing; the context, the history, etc. Nonetheless, and despite his human intellect and years upon years of study, we see that all that effort and knowledge was not helping him. The Bible teaches us that we need to make ourselves like children so that we can enter the kingdom of God, and a child does not have years of study. What a child has is that they don’t question what is being taught. They are sensitive enough to God to accept it and believe it. Having that kind of disposition is what makes being born again in Christ possible. You need faith, at least enough to be able to believe and to start learning from the Lord. And since it is not about intellect, then what you need is the heart; the desire to want to submit to God, to accept what He wants you to do. For it is written: “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10. The only intellect needed is the ability to understand the Word that is being shared.

How do you come to be born again? The Lord said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Being born of water represents John the Baptist’s baptism, the baptism of repentance. This baptism is not literal, by being immersed in water (like the baptism of the believer, the one that was established after the Lord’s resurrection). So then, being born of water is when a person confesses all of their sins before God, repenting and turning away from all their sins, completely converting to God. That is why the baptism of repentance that John demonstrated was by immersion, in other words, when one completely buries the old man and comes up from the water as a new and washed person by God. And being born of the Spirit happens after repentance, when a person believes with all of their heart who Jesus really is (our God, our Lord, and Savior), that He died, He was buried, and at the third day, He was resurrected and raised by God. And believing this, they ask God to come into their life and heart. When these two things are done, with all their heart, that is when a person comes to be born again, being regenerated by God. Then a great miracle occurs; God through the Holy Spirit comes to live inside a person’s heart.

When this new birth happens, then the first and greatest step a person could ever take is established. But, so this can happen effectively, there needs to be two things that are essential; so they can come to salvation and so they can follow the eternal path that is laid down by the same salvation God gives through His Son Jesus Christ. And these two things are: that you need to understand who Jesus really is, and that you need to start loving Him. Since it is a new birth, it’s a beginning, but a beginning and a foundation so that other things can come. The Word teaches us this about Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. Jesus was God made flesh, so He was 100% man, but also 100% God. He was made flesh so He could be the sacrifice for all of our sins, but He was and is God, the Eternal God, the Alpha and Omega (the beginning and the end) also. And the second thing is that our relationship with God must be set only on love. At minimum, when we start on this path, our love for Jesus starts. And the same love should continue growing over time. For it is 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.” Matthew 22:36-38.

So then, you are born, you follow, and you obey God because of love; never out of obligation, but being conscious about who Jesus is: He is God. Our life should start with Christ (at some point), and continue by following Christ for who He is and for what He did for us, and obeying without question because our end, or rather, our eternal continuity depends on Him. So then, are you pursuing Jesus with all of your heart? Lord bless! John

Cleaning the Temple

Based on John 2:13-25 (New King James Version)

“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, ‘Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!’ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.’ So the Jews answered and said to Him, ‘What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ Then the Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”

Even though all sin is unrighteousness, the Bible teaches us that there are certain things that simply can neither exist in the physical temple where believers come together, nor even less, inside our hearts. And as we read today, the Lord could not tolerate the issue of the love of money in the temple. How can we draw a line from selling in the temple to the love of money?

The issue, as the Lord Himself explained it, was that the temple was made for prayer, as a place to speak to God, to look for God; not to conduct business. What was happening was that the priests would allow for the things of the Lord to be commercialized, with the goal to make money. Back then, animal sacrifices were still in effect for the atonement of sins (which God changed forever through the Holy sacrifice of His Son on the cross, offering Himself as an eternal sacrifice for the sins of men). And what was happening was that when people would come to the temple to present their sacrifices, the priests had to inspect what they were bringing. And the Law of Moses taught that everything that was to be presented to the Lord as a sacrifice had to be pure, without blemish, and of the firstlings. And of course, in order to profit from this, they would inspect what was brought and they almost always conveniently found something wrong. And for people’s convenience, they would sell them what they had, because what they sold was of course acceptable. What was also probably happening was that people were not bringing anything either, thereby coming empty-handed, and they would come to the temple with the idea to conveniently buy something there. In the end, everything was turned into a filthy business, concentrating more on money than on what it was all really about: in coming to the House of the Lord to look for His presence, and for the priests to help people have an encounter with their God.

The same commercialization exists today with the things of God. Many preachers, pastors, leaders, etc. profit with the Gospel. Everything is centered more on money and in taking advantage of others instead of doing what God desires and commands. The ministry is more of a way to subsist; a vehicle to make money. People profit with other’s souls. In many places, just as it used to be during the Lord’s time, everything is centered on making money, on materialism. Money is loved more than God. The love of money takes the Lord’s place unfortunately.

What’s the problem with this, with the love of money? The first problem is that it turns into an idol, into a god. And God is very clear with this issue, for it is written: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3. Absolutely nothing can take the place of God. He must be first. The Bible also teaches this: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10. So then, it’s not that money within itself is bad. The problem is when you love money.

The practical problem that the love of money has (per se) is that when money is loved, then what is truly valuable is traded for something that is only an illusion. Money in all reality is an illusion; it’s a reflection of the material world in which we live in. Both money and what it can buy will all go away someday. And when you die (because that day will come for everyone), it will be of no good to you. You can’t take it with you. And, how logical is it to turn something that is an illusion into the center of a person’s life? The love of money and the material world (because that is what it represents) is passing. And for the love of money, in order to obtain things, people do unspeakable things. Nothing is sacred, and what is valuable is tossed away.

And finally, the Bible teaches us that when God comes to live in our lives, we become His temples. For it is written: “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” 2 Corinthians 6:16. The temple that God is more interested in is our temple. And of course, if He hated what was happening in the physical temple which is passing, how much more do you believe it will displease Him if this evil is in our hearts? God will neither tolerate it in the place where His people come together, and even less, in the heart of man. God knows everything that is inside a human being, for it is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10.

So then, are you allowing the Lord to clean the temple of your heart so that it can become the place He desires for it to be, for your own good? Lord bless! John

Obedience

Based on John 2:1-12 (New King James Version)

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.’ And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.”

Through this passage, and also throughout the whole Bible, we can observe an essential principle for life itself: obedience. In reality, there is no other more important concept that can be found in the Bible. The Bible’s foundation in its entirety and to be able to have and cultivate a relationship with God Himself is through obedience. There can be nothing without obedience. The basis for everything in life and in the universe is obedience.

To start, the fall of man was because of disobedience, by not following God’s instructions. God said what He said to man, that he should not eat of the forbidden fruit because he was simply going to die; spiritually and also carnally. The fruit had an element that changed man forever. And that disobedience is what has formed part of every human being until this day. God instructed man so that he could live, so that he could avoid exactly what happened. God warned him of an evil, and if he would have obeyed, things would be very different now.

To continue, salvation through Jesus Christ is a gift, but at the same time, it’s an obedience. The Word explains it in the following passage: “Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.” Romans 1:5. Why is it an obedience? God is God, whether you believe it or not; it’s a reality. Jesus Christ is God and is the Only Begotten Son of God, whether you believe it or not. The only way to the Father is Jesus Christ; there is no other way, whether you believe it or not. Accepting the fault for our sins is accepting a reality, whether you believe it or not. So then, the power to obtain a personal relationship with the living God is based on believing and accepting with all of your heart a reality. You are not doing God a favor, instead, you are simply acknowledging a reality. And through that obedience by accepting a reality, you are doing yourself the good of obtaining eternal salvation.

We have been given the treasure of the Scriptures, the complete counsel of God for man, so that we not only know them, but more importantly, so that we obey them. For it is written: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. “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. If there is no obedience, then the good effect of the Scriptures in man can never occur. If they are not obeyed, then there is no blessing, no life, and nothing good. Because obedience implies receiving instruction and following them; it implies action. For it is also written: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10.

This is what every human being must understand: we are created beings. And when you are a created being, then you were made for obedience. You must follow something. You are navigating a reality based on established laws. You don’t have the power to alter any of those laws. And also, as a created being, it is part of your creation to obey, no matter how independent or powerful you might think you are. It is part of your nature to obey something. In other words, if you do not obey God, then, because of your rebellion, you are obeying Satan and the sin that lives within you. By not following one side, then by virtue that you are a created being that cannot change what is established, then you are following the opposite. There are no other ways. There are only two ways. So then, if you do not obey one, then you are obeying the other. You are obeying “something” because that’s how things are, and there is nothing you can do about it.

But, I hope you understand this, for your own good. As we read in today’s passage, Mary did what was right by running to the Lord in a moment of need, even though she was announcing something unpleasant to Him. She went to Him so He could do something. The other good thing she did was to leave established that they do everything He told them to do. And the servants obeyed, even though there was no human logic in it. But, as a result of their subjection and obedience to Him, a miracle happened. Their collective obedience fixed the situation. We all need God’s help, and maybe even miracles from God. We need divine intervention in every aspect of our lives. So then, if you have already noticed that obeying sin and Satan has brought you nothing good (because that is what happens when you don’t obey God), don’t you think it’s a good idea to obey God, so you can see good, and maybe even see God’s miracles happen in your life? Lord bless! John

Follow Jesus and You Will See God's Glory

Based on John 1:43-51 (New King James Version)

“The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ And Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’ Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do You know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’ Nathanael answered and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.’ And He said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’”

God calls every person, and maybe in different ways, but with the same message: “Follow Me”. Nothing has changed. The “follow me” manifests itself in different ways. It might be with the dawn of a day. It might be with a baby’s pure and clean smile. It might be with the beauty of a flower. Everything talks about God; everything that was created. And the most natural question that should occur is: “Who is behind all of this?” And of course, God calls us in an obvious manner; through His Word, His Gospel, speaking to us about His love. God, through Jesus, came to make a personal invitation to each human being: “Follow Me”. They are very simple words, but extremely deep at the same time. They are words that can decide the eternity of each person. What does “follow me” mean? To follow the Lord implies to come after Him, to pursue Him, without really caring about where that road might take you, just like the disciples did. The Lord invited them to follow Him while they were working or doing other things. And at the moment He called them, they left everything in an instant. What is curious is that there was no deep preaching with eloquent words, or a dissertation that took hours, or trying to convince them for days or even months so they could make a decision. There was no well-organized service with elaborate graphics or digital images, or a theatrical presentation. There was no band, or piano or organ, or a choir signing in the background. There was no banquet or social entertainment to persuade them. And least of all, there wasn’t a person with fine clothes and a fancy building with a modern sound system, and central heating and cooling. The Lord just passed by them, looked at them, and said: “Follow Me”. Nothing more. So then, how were these people able to make such a decision in a spontaneous and definitive manner?

Many might say: “Well, it was God Himself that invited them.” And yes, but the Word of God is God Himself, and it does not matter who is mentioning it; of course, if we believe and respect the fact that the Word of God is just that. Others might say: “They were chosen and the elect of God.” And well, yes, but we also see that they were just like us, with the same flesh and blood, and similar characteristics. None of them had special powers or anything like that. There are others that might say that life was much simpler back then, and that they had the luxury of making such decisions, without too much to risk. A person that ignores history would have that opinion, but reality back then was much more difficult than today. To start, working (hard) assured food for that day only and nothing more, and certainly not for the next day. There were no work benefits like sick days, or vacation, or medical insurance, and least of all, a retirement plan. If they didn’t work that day, they couldn’t eat that day. And also, as Israelites, they were under the rule of the Roman Empire which subdued them and imposed required taxing. If they didn’t pay their taxes, they were simply put in jail, or enslaved (even more), or were killed. There was no financing available. People in today’s civilized countries don’t know nor have an idea of how hard life was back then. It was an extremely difficult life, with much more hardship than today. So then, what is the difference with the “follow me” between them and us?

As the Word says, there is nothing new under the sun, and we can explain it with another Bible passage: “Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’’ And he answered and said to Him, ‘Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.’ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Mark 10:17-22. The problem is that other things are taken more into consideration or valued more than God. Unfortunately, everything here is worth more than God to people. We live in a world that is rotten with idolatry, and unfortunately, idolatry is found everywhere, in every family, etc., since God is not “followed”.

To close, we will see the issue that occurs through this passage when you don’t pay attention to God as required, and when people live more in the vanity of this life: “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ‘Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ ‘Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31. So then, if we follow Jesus, we will see God’s glory, sooner or later. But, if you follow the vanity of this illusionary world that we live in, sooner or later, you will not have a happy ending. Think and meditate in what you are doing with your life, because you never know what will happen and when. Lord bless! John

We Have to Follow Jesus

Based on John 1:35-42 (New King James Version)

“Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, ‘What do you seek?’ They said to Him, ‘Rabbi’ (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), ‘where are You staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, ‘You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas’ (which is translated, A Stone).”

Have you ever been able to compare a copy to its original? For example, when you see an original painting and its copy, side-by-side, you are able to see the many details that distinguish the one from the other. Maybe at first glance you can’t tell, but after a while, and of course, having some experience in viewing certain things, you can start noticing all the imperfections. And of course, no matter how good the copy is, it will always be inferior to the original. Now, have you ever been able to see the copy of a copy of an original? If there are differences between the original and the first generation copy, could you imagine the differences between the second generation copy and the original, especially if there are differences between the copies themselves? Basically, when there are copies of copies, the quality, the detail, and the value of something is meaningless when compared to the original. That’s why copies don’t have much value, even if they are copies of priceless originals.

During the past few weeks, we have been seeing the importance and significance of John the Baptist and the Apostle John. But also, even though they might be very special, there should only be one focus: Jesus. Our attention should never deviate to other people, no matter what they do, especially when we refer to spiritual things. We see in today’s passage that when Jesus showed up, John’s disciples left John and started following the Lord. When the Lord appears, all of our attention should be on the Lord. Many times, whether it be because a person is used in the life of another, or because we see virtues and characteristics that stand out in a person, or simply because we like or admire someone, our attention deviates, and our eyes are taken off the Lord. We can see in the church of the Corinthians that divisions began to happen because of this deviation, as the following tells us: “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:10-13. Our eyes cannot depart from the Lord, because if it happens, then deviation, division, and spiritual fall will occur.

The Biblical heroes (per se) themselves taught that the focus should always be on the Lord. For example, the Apostle Paul said this: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:11. The Lord’s carnal mother (Mary) also gave us this directive: “His mother (Mary) said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’” John 2:5. So, if they themselves gave the command to imitate the Lord, and to do “whatever” He says, then putting our eyes on them would be completely contrary. The only way that a person can be honored is by doing what they tell you to do. It would be absurd to say that you love someone and do the contrary of what they ask you to do, right?

Continuing on this point, God, from the heavens themselves, gave the command that our eyes should only be on the Lord. We see this in the following passage: “Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!’ When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.” Luke 9:28-36. So then, neither the Apostle Paul, nor Mary, nor John the Baptist, nor the Apostle John, nor Moses, nor Elijah, nor anyone else should be the example we follow. The only one we should look to and imitate is the original, the prototype, to the One that is the Beginning and End, the Lord Jesus.

What is the practical side to all of this? And here we come back to where we started today, the issue that occurs when you make a copy from another copy. If we follow other people outside of the Lord (no matter how significant or special they may have been), we become those very imperfect copies. We become those copies of copies that completely lose their likeness with the original, with the Lord. And by losing that likeness with the original, we lose all value. We become worthless, especially before the eyes of God.

And finally, the Word teaches us this: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6. The only mediator is Christ. And, the only way we have to get to the Father is through the Lord. So, if you put your eyes on someone else, then you have no mediator or access to the Father. So then, are you a disciple or follower of the Lord, or are you a disciple or follower of someone else? Lord bless! John

Our Personal Walk Affects the Spread of the Gospel

Based on John 1:29-34 (New King James Version)

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’ And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

For better or for worse, it is our responsibility as children of God of whether the Gospel keeps spreading throughout the world or not. No matter how you want to look at it, we are the vehicle that God established so that people could know about Him and His plan. And if it does not happen, it is not God’s fault, but rather, it’s our fault. We see this in the Scriptures: “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:14-16. So then, we are the ones that need to go into all the world. We are the ones that need to preach the gospel to every creature. And we are the ones that need to baptize and instruct new believers. There are those that think of themselves as being quite knowledgeable in the Scriptures that think this: But the Lord does everything. And yes, from a certain point of view, that is true. Nothing moves without the will of God. But also, God created us with free will and with reasoning so we could be able to fulfill His will, so things like “responsibility” and “obedience” do not invalidate the issue that God is the one that is behind everything, but moreover, it reinforces the idea that you don’t need to use very deep theology (per se) to avoid doing that which is our job and our part in the matter.

What does this have to do with today’s passage? All of the work and glory is God’s, but God made us with the goal to want (which is part of the will) to be part of what He wants to do in the world. Man is part of the equation. You cannot see the movement of the Spirit without man, and this has been since the beginning. Man has to teach his neighbor. Adam had to teach Eve what was is wrong and right. God used Moses to speak to and instruct His people. The Law indicates that the heads of families were the ones that needed to teach their families, from generation to generation, telling them about what God did for them. God established the priests, so they could share the teachings. God sent the prophets to admonish and correct what was wrong in the people, starting with their kings. God took the form of man through Jesus so that the Gospel could be revealed personally to men. And the Lord left the disciples the task of sharing the Truth of God with every creature. And from there, it must continue from generation to generation until the Lord comes for His people. And through this passage, we see John the Baptist and the Apostle John as transmitters of the Truth of God. Man has always been the vehicle to broadcast and share the Truth of God with every human being.

So then, and knowing that, what is necessary to do this? What is vital is the character, or the walk, or the testimony of a person. So, what if John the Baptist or the Apostle John were not trustworthy people before God and men? Could we believe what they said or wrote? What validity would their testimonies have? And this is the problem that we see today, and the reason for why the Gospel of God does not spread in the world as it should. Unfortunately, there is no reality of God in the lives of those that are in position to transmit the Truth of God. This is not the world’s fault. The world is 100% and totally innocent of this evil. This is a problem of the church of God. And if we ourselves don’t believe or obey the Lord, then how will others be able to, those who need this truth so much, so they can be freed from an eternal hell? Many so-called servants of God have lost focus of this because of their love for money, because of humanism and carnality, and because of vying more for personal interests than for the interests of God and others. Large buildings and large personal economic empires are built, but not the church, nor the genuine evangelization of the world. I say, “genuine evangelization” of the world because many times people are not sought after to help grow the kingdom, but rather, to increase tithes and offerings, to cover salaries and building expenses and operations. The church has turned into a business, and it is a lucrative one.

Notwithstanding, within all these problems, and now coming back to a personal level, what is necessary to be able to fulfill the work the Lord has left for us? What is necessary is quite simple, but at the same time, it is extremely difficult because it has to do with eliminating pride and selfishness: and we are talking about love, faith, and truth. First, love is at the top because we need to learn how to love God and our neighbor. Without love, nothing can work. And by virtue of that love, obedience forms part as well. If you love someone, you obey them, right? Second is faith. If you don’t believe in God and in what He teaches, then why do you follow Him to start with, if you don’t believe it yourself? And if you don’t even believe, then how will the world learn to believe in Him through you? And third, the truth is essential. Following God does not imply perfection, so you don’t have to pretend in front of others, nor try to show yourself as “holy” per se. We need to be honest, trustworthy; open letters like the Apostle Paul said. We all have issues, and that’s what letting God work in our lives is about. But if we are liars, deceitful, and dishonest, can people believe what we say and preach? And if we have ulterior motives, don’t you think they will notice? The world is not dumb.

This is the counsel we receive from the Word: “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.” 3 John 1:11-12. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16.

So then, do you want to be part of spreading the Gospel, or bringing shame to the Gospel? Lord bless! John

Jesus is the Center of Everything

Based on John 1:19-28 (New King James Version)

“Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?’ He said: ‘I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’’ as the prophet Isaiah said.’ Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.’ These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

As shared previously, John the Baptist was a chosen person and the greatest of all the prophets, in particular, because of how important he was going to be in announcing the coming of the Lord. John really has no equal. But, despite his great importance, he always fulfilled his ministry, and more importantly, he never forgot his position. He never forgot that Christ was the center of everything, especially in that all the attention was supposed to be for the Lord, as he himself said: “He must increase, but I must decrease. He (speaking of Jesus) who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.” John 3:30-31.

You might say, “It’s obvious that he should have always pointed to the Lord in everything, as God’s elect and prophet.” But, even though it may be obvious, does everyone point to the Lord as they should? Is Christ really the center? And, does He receive glory in everything? Let’s start seeing some examples where God was not given the glory He deserved; like with Satan, or formerly known as Lucifer. Lucifer was thought to have been some sort of archangel, one with sublime beauty and power. Much before mankind’s existence, Lucifer and a third of the angels’ rebellion against God had occurred. And Lucifer, instead of giving God the glory, he wanted to be like God. He forgot that the whole purpose for his existence was to serve God and to glorify God. The Bible teaches us this: “How you are fallen from heaven, o Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” Isaiah 14:12-14. Pride took control of him, and the most abominable being had been born: Satan.

We also see Nebuchadnezzar’s example when he forgot that the greatness and power he had was granted to him by God. The Bible says this: “At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?’ While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.’” Daniel 4:29-32.

The problem is that we can see pride against God at every moment, and in different ways. Christ is usually not the center of things. And moreover, not only is He not the center, but people look for ways on how to remove Him from everything, both the world, and unfortunately, within the church. Disgracefully, Christ is no longer the center of many congregations. Many other things are pointed to as the center. So-called “servants of God” have grown proud. Those that say that they are serving wish to be served and revered. Humanism, money, and paganism is at the center of many congregations, from the moment that Christ and His Word was removed from the center. God’s Word is used to support and substantiate demonic and sinful practices. Many people have fallen into the same decadence that Israel and Judah fell into, worshipping other gods, making altars to themselves and to riches. And this has invaded homes of so called Christians and servants of God. We are living in the worst moment the Church of Christ has ever had, and that’s why judgment is on its way and it will come upon every person, to see if either people repent and change, or so they can finally wind up lost in their madness.

Christ must be the center of everything, and no human being should receive any form of praise, because He is the only one that is worthy. He is the Creator of everything, and nothing can exist without Him, for 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. He is the Alpha (the beginning), for it is written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3. And finally, what makes Him even more worthy of all glory: “Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:6-11.

So then, is Jesus the center of everything in your life? Or, are you and other things at the center of your life? Lord bless! John