Man's Disbelief

Based on John 8:48-59 (New King James Version)

“Then the Jews answered and said to Him, ‘Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

For many people, the Lord can never do enough to help them believe how they need to believe in Him. They always want something more; like more evidence, that He fulfill their desires, that He do for them a miracle. But, it seems like it is never enough, even for those that say they believe in Him. Within the deepest parts of many people, this doubt still exists: “Is Jesus God?”

Unfortunately, many people continue being like the pharisees and the religious people of that time, and even like the regular people that existed back then. For it is written: “Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.” Mark 6:5-6. The majority of people did not believe in the Lord as who He is, even His own disciples; because there was also a moment before His arrest that He was abandoned by His disciple, for it is written: “But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.  And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” John 6:64-67. When Jesus was arrested, the remainder of them scattered as well, leaving Him completely alone. And finally, when He was buried, no one waited to see His resurrection, no matter how much He told them that it would happen. So then, even those closest to Him did not believe completely; because if they would have, they would have been waiting right next to His tomb to see Him resurrected at the third day.

We can start to contemplate all of the different reasons why people have a hard time believing, but the issue is, hardly anyone believes that Jesus is who He is: God, Lord, and the Almighty. Whatever the reason, or reasons, man’s disbelief bears a price: eternal perdition. No matter what they say, or what they do, if there is no real faith in the Lord, there is no salvation, because God cannot be deceived. 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. He knows even man’s most intimate things; their thoughts, their feelings, absolutely everything. For it is also 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, there is nothing hidden from Him. And one thing is sure, whether people believe it or not, that the power of judgment is in the Lord’s hands, and this is something that everyone should have present. For the Scriptures also say: “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” Matthew 10-27-29.

But here is where we see God’s great love (even though many don’t appreciate it because they ignore its value), that if you still don’t believe as you should in Him, and you are reading this, He (and only Him) is still giving you the strength, the ability, and the intellect to be able to come to believe as it is necessary. If a person is still living, it’s because of the manifestation of the Almighty in all of His love and splendor that is still giving them the opportunity to believe, 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. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:1-6. Even though a person may not believe it, He still continues giving opportunities to believe. This is the true manifestation of His love, His power, His glory, and everything that makes Him worthy, because such patience and goodness would not be possible any other way.

Maybe the greatest problem that many people have is that they lack the ability to realize that God is really trying to help them. They are blind to the reality that they will be lost if they don’t change and repent. The greatest miracle in all of the universe is the eternal salvation of a soul. There is nothing else that is more worthwhile. Eternity does exist, and it matters more than these few, miserable and sad years here on this planet. And if you don’t understand that, for your own sake, try to understand that, before your time comes to an end, because the opportunities will end.

So then, is there anything that might be holding you back from truly believing in the Lord as you need to? If you do have something that is interfering, my most excellent advice is that you let that go because nothing is more valuable than your soul. Doubt will send you straight to hell. The decision to believe in the Lord for who He is, and with all of your heart, is your responsibility. Lord bless! John

Truth and Affinities

Based on John 8:31-47 (New King James Version)

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. ‘I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.’ They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.’ Then they said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.’”

What makes the truth, true? In our society today, it is taught that truth is relative. In other words, that what might be true to one person may not be true for someone else; that the truth is based on a point of view. This is clearly not a new concept. All of the great philosophers of antiquity believed something similar, those of which who proposed certain theories on truth, because they also did not believe in an absolute truth.

There also exists the idea that all religions can lead you to the same God, and there are many that believe this. For example, there are many that might say, “Allah, Jehovah, and Buda are the same deity, and that different people just use different names for him.” But the idea is that, if we follow faithfully whichever one of them, you will get to the same place, because in the end, it’s the same person.

Now, a religious relativism has also been created; in other words, people that have joined together the idea of how truth is defined (like we saw a moment ago) with the idea that all religions take you to the same place. For example, if you are a person that believes in a god, and that suits you, then keep on believing that. And if you are person that believes in many gods, and that’s what does it for you, then also, keep going. In the end, if a person feels good with what they believe, then that is their preference, and that’s fine because reality is defined by a person’s beliefs. And well, there are all kinds of other ideas for all kinds of people.

The issue is that, if you define the truth as the truth, then there can only be one truth. It’s just like the idea of perfection, that there cannot be multiple versions of the same perfection. The big problem with the ideas that were mentioned before is that our opinion does not define reality. Reality is not relative because reality is something that does not depend on us. For example, if I decided that gravity does not exist on this planet, that doesn’t mean that gravity ceases to exist. So then, if I jump from a plane without any kind of parachute, I might feel like I’m flying during the time of my descent. But, the reality is that I’m falling at an approximate rate of 122 mi/hr. (195 km/h). And no matter how much I want to believe that gravity doesn’t exist, I’m going to find out really quick that it does exist, when my body hits the ground at that speed. And if that moment occurs, I will be able to confirm very quickly that God does in fact exist. So then, if the truth is true, and it’s something that is beyond us, that it does not depend on us, but rather, on something greater, then logic would dictate that our opinion cannot define reality. We need to look for something or someone that is greater than us.

Now then, the Lord said that He was the truth, and that He would set us free. I know that this is something that is ultra-defined, and many people don’t like that, or at least, find it hard to believe; but the source should be considered. A logical person should at least weigh everything the Lord did. He healed incurable diseases, did miracles never seen before, raised the dead, etc., etc. And as a demonstration of His love, He died for all of us, so that we could have eternal life. But not only did He die, but He was also raised from the dead; because His tomb is empty. There are irrefutable historical facts that speak about this truth or reality. No one has been able to do the things the Lord did here on earth.

The other point we should bear in mind is that, the Lord’s reality transcends time. In other words, it keeps on being true today. And the way it keeps on being a reality in us (not because we define it) is when you try to follow the path He shows us through His Word. If a group of people truly have the Lord in their lives, and that same group of people tries to follow faithfully what He taught, there will be a unity that transcends races, languages, distances, and anything else that can exist. The Word teaches us this: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Amos 3:3. The Lord also said this: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:20-21. So then, if we follow the same Lord, and we try to do the things He taught us, there will be an unalterable unity because of an affinity that exists that is based on both the Spirit and the Word of God.

Jesus and His Word are the Truth. So then, have you known the Truth of God that can make you free and create an unbreakable affinity with Him and with those that follow Him faithfully? Lord bless! John

Surrendering to Jesus

Based on John 8:21-30 (New King James Version)

“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.’ So the Jews said, ‘Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?’ And He said to them, ‘You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’ Then they said to Him, ‘Who are You?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.’ They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.’ As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.”

There are many people that think that just believing in the Lord is enough, that this is all that is necessary. But the issue is that simple belief is not what transforms a life, nor does that produce the eternal fruit of which Jesus spoke of. Just believing is not what fills the life of a person, nor does that change things, nor does that get you forgiveness from God, and even far less, it does not produce eternal life. For it is written: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:18-19. So then, we see that not only do demons believe, but they go even further than those that profess to be in the Lord; they believe and tremble before the presence of the Most High. And I think we all know that demons, as the fallen angels they are, have no possibility of being saved or redeemed. So, what is truly necessary then?

The first issue is that a person needs to clearly understand, without any kind of question, what their true position is. Our reality was (and for some, maybe still is) that we were completely separated from God, lost in our sins. For it is written: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. There is such a thing as human destiny, when a person does not get to the Lord the way they should; that their undoubtable end is hell, and that there is nothing they can do on their own to change that destination. The sin we were born with (“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” Psalm 51:5) and practiced (whether it was a lot or a little) out of our own free will was what laid down that path to eternal destruction. If a person does not understand clearly that truth, there can be no salvation, because repentance and conversion to Christ is what blots out our sins (for starters), for it is written: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19.

The other issue is that there needs to be more than just a belief, a person needs to be completely convinced of who Jesus is; that He is God (as the Son of God the Father He is), Lord, Savior; that He is everything. And when that is understood, then there must be belief and confession, acknowledging Him as the Lord of our lives. 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 Lord must become the Lord and Master of our lives. After all, how can we ever come to belong to Him if we don’t surrender our lives to Him?

And as a result of that repentance, conversion, and surrender to the Lord, what is also essential must emerge; doing the will of the Father. The Father’s will does not consist in being religious, when the things of God are observed as a practice; following a to-do list. There are many people that do the right things for the wrong reasons. There are many people that impose this personalized list of dos and don’ts upon other people, teaching as essential those things that are not of priority to God, and putting those things that are important to God as optional; or barely even mentioning them because they are quite far away from God’s will. The Lord Himself taught this: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. Good works are necessary, but when they are done for the right reasons, with this as their complete focus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5. Love for God must be what produces the desire to do what is right in our lives, and only that. The work by itself does not define us as being genuine.

Now then, since we have been trying to explain how to come to have that personal relationship with the Lord (that goes beyond belief), what do you finally get to through all of this? When a person really surrenders their life to God, fully and completely, the miracle that happens (because it’s the greatest miracle that a human being can ever experience, even greater than healings, and moving mountains, and parting the seas) is that the presence of God (the Father and the Son) comes to live inside of us. This is what transforms a person. This is what produces the salvation miracle, restoration, and the regeneration of the soul. The Most High and Sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the God that makes the impossible possible comes to live in our hearts, in the center of our being. For: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘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 14:23. This is what changes everything!

So, have you been able to not just believe, but also, surrender completely to Jesus so that God can change and fill your life? Lord bless! John

Light Like No Other

Based on John 8:12-20 (New King James Version)

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’ The Pharisees therefore said to Him, ‘You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.’ Then they said to Him, ‘Where is Your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.’ These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.”

What kind of light is Jesus? It can only be understood when a person understands who Jesus is (we will see this a little later). But, for starters, the light that emanates from the Lord has different forms, different dimensions, and different aspects; there is not just one type of light, or a form of His light, and we will some of them.

One aspect of the light of God is that God made the physical light. If we can physically see things today, it’s because God made it. For it is written: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:1-5. So then, if it were not for the Lord, we would not have any type of physical light to be able to see daily like objects, colors, nature, the sky, the stars, the firmament, the sea; practically everything that exists; that can be contemplated with our sight.

Another aspect of God’s light is human life. Without God’s light, human beings could not exist. Whether people believe it or not, God’s light is what allows for each human being to be able to live, physically speaking. 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. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. In His light, there is physical life. Without everything that was created, and that all things subsist in Him, there just could simply be no life for men, for it is written: “Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it.” Isaiah 42:5. God’s light is what allows for absolutely everything to have material life.

The other aspect of the Light of God is the guidance towards eternal things, and also, the guidance so we are able to lead a different life here on earth. The Bible teaches us this: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105. The Lord gives us the light to be able to come to eternal life. Without His guidance, we cannot get to eternity. He is the One that lights our path so we can understand our error and sin, so we can understand that we need to leave those things behind, and that we need to invite Him to be the Master and Lord of our lives, because His Light shows us that if we don’t do it, we will remain in darkness with an assured destiny leading straight to hell, where the Bible says that only weeping and gnashing of teeth exists. And together with this, with the new life that the Lord gives us through His Light, He also gives us the light of reason, of wisdom, of vision, of the knowledge of God, to be able to understand what is good and not good for us to do here on earth, so that what we do here could be for our own good, and for the good of others now, and so it all counts towards eternity; because good works do count in Christ, and they do have reward.

But there is something that makes this Light as great as it is, that gives it a unique and unlimited power, and that is, that when a person accepts the Lord, they also accept God’s Divine Trinity. We saw in today’s passage that if we know the Son, we will also know the Father. And the Word not only says that we shall know Them, but They can come to live in our lives, if we love Jesus and keep His Word, 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 14:23. The Bible also teaches us that the Three are One, so then, when receiving Jesus, we also receive the fullness of the Divine Trinity, for it is also written: “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7. Therefore, by receiving Jesus in our life, we receive the magnitude of the greatest Being (Beings) in the universe, which can completely change our lives. Nothing can compare to Their Presence. That’s why the giants of faith gave everything they had, even their own lives for this faith, because of the reality of experiencing the Most High within their being, like Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Paul, John, Peter, and so many others that were before us. Because in the end, if we truly believe and receive the Lord’s light, we shall see great things here and in eternity, 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

In summary and through all of this, we understand that the Lord’s light has made and sustains everything that was created, and moreover, it even gives physical life to man, to both the believer and the unbeliever. And we also understand that His Light gives us eternal life and all the knowledge to be able to live life here. So, do you really understand what the Lord’s light truly offers? And if you do understand, have you come to surrender your life to Him in a such a way that allows you to experience light like no other, the Light of Jesus? Lord bless! John

No One Knows More Than God

Based on John 8:1-11 (New King James Version)

“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?’ This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.’ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’”

It might be difficult for many to understand that there exists a being that sees and knows everything, without any limits. And I think the reason why it is hard for many to understand that is because of their own limitations. The issue is, whether people believe it or not, there is a Being that knows everything, and it’s God. And of course, since Jesus was (and is God), He of course had that same capability of knowing everything, without limits. And together with the power to know everything, His knowledge also had no limits. There is no one that can know more than God.

To start, the Lord knew that there was something wrong when they only brought the adulteress woman to be stoned. First of all, one person cannot commit adultery by themselves (because they caught her in the act). There must have been another person with her. So then, if they legitimately wanted to test Him according to the law of Moses (finally the law of God, because God gave it to Moses), they should have brought two people to be stoned, because this is what the law really commanded: “The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.” Leviticus 20:10. So then, both parties should have been put to death. So, where was the other person? No one could have more knowledge about the Word of God than God Himself (and Jesus is God, also known as the LORD in the Old Testament). When Moses was receiving the law of the Lord, it was Jesus Himself that was dictating it to him. So, how can a human being try to test the Author Himself with His own knowledge? Absurd, right?

The other issue is that no one can know (talking about the ability to be able to see everything, even before things would happen) more than the Lord. Before they came with the woman to test Him, He already knew what was going to happen, the path they would take to get to where He was, and even the clothes they were wearing at the moment. This is what is understood of the Lord; that He knows all things because He can see them before they happen, and while they are happening. Physically, He has no limits, for it is written: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13. So then, physically, He can see things before they occur, and while they are occurring. He can see everything everywhere, without any kind of limit.

The other aspect of His omniscience is that He knew the reason why they were doing it. So then, He not only knew physically everything that was going to happen, but He also understood their reasons, even their most intimate thoughts of why they were doing it. The Word explains this to us: “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. The Lord knows even the most intimate things of each person; their intentions, thoughts, and feelings. King David knew well the power and ability of the Most High, and he explained it this way: “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” Psalm 139:1-4.

Now then, since we understand that the Lord knows everything, He also knew that the woman did commit adultery. Despite it being a trap, the act did occur. We don’t know what the Lord was writing on the ground while everything was happening, but we did see what He did. Even though there was sin, and He knew everything He knew, having the right and authority to punish as the Holy God He is, He acted in mercy. And here is where the great love of God comes in, the mercy of God, and the dispensation of His grace. Instead of executing judgment on all of them, on the adulteress woman and even on the evil religious people, each person was able to walk away alive from that scene. It is written: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17.

But, to be able to receive God’s great mercy, there must be confession of sins before Him: “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, and also, the Lord must be believed in with all of the heart: “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.” John 3:18. And like the Lord Himself told the woman: “…Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”; something that many do not teach; that there has to be complete repentance and conversion from our past life, from sin, so that there can be eternal life. God forgives and desires to bury all of our sins, even in the depths of the ocean; but we should leave them buried also, by not going back to them. 

So then, do you live your life in such a way, with the conviction that God knows everything, even what is most intimate in your heart? Lord bless! John

Faith and Biblical Knowledge Produces Real Life

Based on John 7:37-53 (New King James Version)

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, ‘Truly this is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Will the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?’ So there was a division among the people because of Him. Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why have you not brought Him?’ The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this Man!’ Then the Pharisees answered them, ‘Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.’ Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, ‘Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?’ They answered and said to him, ‘Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.’ And everyone went to his own house.”

Faith is something that is essential for living life. Nothing can be done without faith, especially something of great value. Everything in this life requires faith, and I’m talking about (for starters) common faith (nothing spiritual, at least not yet). All great achievements, discoveries, successes, etc. have been attained with faith, in believing without yet seeing the fruit of what is believed. Faith is synonymous with vision, the power to imagine and fight for the result of something hoped for until it is achieved. There have been many people throughout history that have demonstrated great faith. And through that great faith, they have been able to achieve what they believed, and have also opened opportunities so that others could achieve great things through their feats. I’m reminded of Christopher Columbus, even though by accident, if he would not have determined within himself that there was a better way to get to a destination, facing what was unknown back then, he would not have discovered America (although the Asians were first, and then the Vikings rediscovered it, but neither had a clue or idea of what they were doing; and this also has a very important point that we will see later). And if Christopher Columbus would not have discovered America, we would not have the world we know today. How many other great achievements were attained through people that did have some faith; achievements in science, in medicine, and in so many other things that have changed the face of this world? Faith produces struggle, effort, taking great risks, facing great oppositions, etc. Faith is something powerful. Without faith, nothing can be accomplished.

Now then, what do we do with the ability of faith that was introduced into our being (because every person has this ability)? Being able to have faith is part of the likeness every human being has with God, like the created beings we are (and here is where today’s passage starts coming in). Every person implements faith on different things, and that is a decision. A person chooses where to put their faith, and how exactly to apply their faith. For example, let’s see when a person implements their faith on secular things, and not on God. The great majority of people use their faith only for temporary, limited and superficial things. They put all of their faith to gain material things, careers, achievement, success, fame, plans, personal relationships, physical fitness, power, etc. It’s not that these things are necessarily evil, but if that is all they are using faith for, then they will not gain anything lasting. They might get what they want, but those things end when this earthly life ends, or when this same earthly life changes somehow, because everything here is uncertain. The Bible teaches us a much valuable reality through this passage: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36. Material things can go in a moment. A career only lasts as long as mental abilities, good health, or necessary aptitudes last. Achievement and success are not remembered on a death bed. And all of those people that once upon of time surrounded someone when they used to be respected and well-known are not there anymore, because they have abandoned that person. Plans can change at any moment because of an accident or because of an unexpected circumstance. Personal and intimate relationships can also come undone because of an accident, because of attitude changes, or simply because of the environment and what life itself can bring. Physical wellbeing and appearances can fade away because of illness, time, etc. Science does have limits. And well, power can also leave in an instant. You have to think also, what is human power vs. the forces of nature, or against an incurable disease? We all die, even people with power.

Now, how exactly do we decide to implement our faith in God (because that is also very important)? There are many people that believe to have their faith on God, and even more so, they think that their faith can even move mountains. But, how are they exactly using their faith? There are many people that use their faith in God to try to get something temporary, the same things we wrote about before. Many believers use their faith by trying to use God, and for them to continue being the lord of their own lives. A great majority of people want to keep on doing whatever they want to do. This is nothing new, for it is written: “…everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25b. Many want to keep being their own master and do whatever they feel like doing. And well, in some moment of need, they humble themselves before God to get help. But when that scary moment is gone, they go back to trying to make God the servant and themselves lord. I don’t need to explain why that’s wrong, right?

But, when faith is legitimately used for the Lord, not only putting our faith in the Lord, but also, focusing on His will as we should (which can only be found by rightfully using God’s Word), then our thirst can be satisfied, and rivers of living water will flow from within; and that remains unaffected by any circumstances. For the Lord Himself said: “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. The Glory of God is greater than any other created thing, than any emotion or feeling; it goes beyond death itself. It brings life, and life in abundance, because it’s the combination of faith in God with the knowledge of His Holy Word. For if these same scholars of the law and the Scriptures would have searched well, the Lord did come from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem. Every prophecy written about the Messiah was fulfilled to perfection in Jesus. But, they simply did not want to believe, no matter what the Lord would have done. There are many people like that today. They use their faith for different things; and some put their faith in God, but both the unbeliever and many supposed believers use their faith to try to gain earthly things, or to fulfill their own human will. We should not commit the same mistake the Asians and the Vikings did (what I mentioned before), that they did not know what they were doing. Faith is not very useful without the appropriate use of God’s knowledge, which guides you to the Lord’s will and authority. So then, have you put your faith in Jesus and in His Word so that rivers of living water can flow from within you? Lord bless! John

Overcoming the Sin Within to Desire Jesus

Based on John 7:25-36 (New King James Version)

“Now some of them from Jerusalem said, ‘Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.’ Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, ‘You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.’ Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. And many of the people believed in Him, and said, ‘When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?’ The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.’ Then the Jews said among themselves, ‘Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

I remember that I had a stage in life during my early childhood years where I ate very little, especially healthy food. I detested eating vegetables and other foods that were good for me. I was awful! My parents tried to make me eat going about it in a nice way, and not so nice way, but nothing worked. I think the only thing they didn’t try was knocking me out with anesthesia and feeding me intravenously. As a few years went by, and because of weakness and having exposed myself to extreme and unexpected cold weather, I got very sick. And because of that, I nearly lost my life. If it wasn’t for the divine power of the Lord upon my life, I would not be telling this story today.

What was my problem? Why didn’t I choose to eat well while things were still ok, and avoid getting sick? It was explained thousands of times to me that I had to eat because it was good for me, so I could grow and avoid getting sick. Even though I was a child, I was old enough to understand what was being said. It wasn’t a question of lack of intellect. It wasn’t because I was being told to do something that was beyond my physical reach, because my parents always found a way to have good food for me every day. It wasn’t that I lacked the aptitude or ability to be able to eat, because I had my hands and my mouth. I had very good teeth (I would bite my sister sometimes when we would fight. She’ll tell you I had excellent teeth). I was able to see what was put in front of me. And sometimes, to try to convince me to eat, they would try to make food look nice, and pretty, and appetizing. So, what was my problem? I didn’t like the flavor or the sensations that many foods gave me. It was simple obstinance. I didn’t like it, and no one was going to force me to do something I didn’t like, neither trying it the easy way and even far less, doing it the hard way. And this foolish obstinance nearly took me to the grave while still being young. What does this have to do with today’s passage?

We read that many people would ask themselves if Jesus was the Christ. We see that some people looked to kill Him. Others were indecisive. Others maybe believed, but not enough to leave everything and follow Him; without complete surrender. And similar to the problem I had with food, people not being able to accept Jesus as the Messiah did not involve a lack of learning, or a problem of not being able to understand, or a problem with a lack of capacity of being able to believe. Nothing physically or mentally was impeding them from believing as they should. There were no mechanical impediments, per se. Because the Lord Himself declared this: “You both know Me, and you know where I am from…” So, if the Lord said so, then it was so. God doesn’t make mistakes. The root for such disbelief was sin. Sin within people is what interfered with being able to believe as is necessary. Now, we need to make a distinction within sin itself. We need to dissect sin per se. We need to understand something important. Within our being, there is such a thing as choice, the ability to reason and make decisions despite what we may be feeling or wanting. The sin that does not let a person make the decision to believe is pride. Even though a person knows what is good, they simply refuse to do it or believe it because they feel they have the power to do so. So then, it’s not necessarily the other types of sin that limit faith. Pride against God is the most destructive of all sins. It’s when a person says within themselves, “I don’t want to believe because I don’t feel like believe,” or “I won’t surrender to the Lord because I want to do whatever I want to do.” The sin of pride is synonymous with rebellion. And if you ask a person why they don’t believe, if they were sincere, they would say, “I choose not to believe because I can, and that’s it.”

The Bible teaches us that when the Lord really loves us, but has to deal with the sin of pride, He tries to break that pride. It’s not that He likes to break us, because God is love, but rather, the level of pride a person has is what determines this. This is what the Scriptures tell us regarding His so-called people’s sin: “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, because you have been a snare to Mizpah and a net spread on Tabor. The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, though I rebuke them all. I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me; for now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled. They do not direct their deeds toward turning to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, and they do not know the Lord. The pride of Israel testifies to his face; therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them. With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them. They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, for they have begotten pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage. Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah! Cry aloud at Beth Aven, ‘Look behind you, O Benjamin!’ Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure. The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark; I will pour out My wrath on them like water. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked by human precept. Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness. When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb; yet he cannot cure you, nor heal you of your wound. For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” Hosea 5. The Lord gives opportunity, but He warns that there is a limit also, and that you need to look for Him while the opportunity is still there. For it is written: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6. If a person has too much pride, the Lord’s calling may end at some point. When does this happen? Only God knows. So then, are you trying to overcome the sin of pride within you so you can desire Jesus, as is necessary? Lord bless! John

Aligning with Jesus

Based on John 7:14-24 (New King James Version)

“Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, ‘How does this Man know letters, having never studied?’ Jesus answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?’ The people answered and said, ‘You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘I did one work, and you all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.’”

There are a lot of things that can be seen in this passage, but we will only see a few. One of the things that needs to be seen is that although Jesus was 100%, He was also 100% God. There was a very different process in the Lord as compared to our own. He did grow up humanly speaking just like all of us, in terms of His human body. El also developed just like us in His intellectual capacities. For example, he learned how to speak and express Himself. But, He starts showing His divine aspect in the knowledge of the things of God, and in His revelation. And here is where the big difference between Him and us lays.

They themselves (the religious) noticed that there was a very advanced level of learning, despite the fact that He did not follow the steps they did. The Lord was not taught the Scriptures by the learned Jews. He did not study in their schools. He never obtained the credentials that people of education would acquire during those days. His humble background did not afford Him that possibility, especially since that type of thing was reserved for people of wealth and position. Carnally speaking, the Lord was none of those things, but rather, quite the contrary.

So then, how did He know what He knew, and even more, how did He learn to do what He did? The answer is very simple, and it lays in His divine nature. Jesus was (and is) God. And as God, He naturally possessed the knowledge of God; it was in Him. And to understand even more, He was (and is) the Word of God. John said this of Him when God revealed it to Him: “In the beginning was the Word (speaking of Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3. So then, even though He was speaking about His Father, Jesus could not avoid speaking of Himself, because He was much God as God the Father. So then, when He would reveal the Father, He could not avoid speaking of Himself, because He was the Word of God. And moreover, when everything was created, God the Father created everything in conjunction and through the Lord, when He “spoke” things into existence. The Lord was the vehicle (per se) through which creation was possible. In other words, without Jesus, God the Father could not have created anything, because such “word” would not have existed. And here is where we see the integrity of the being of the Trinity, but in particular, the dynamics between God the Father and the Son (Jesus). Even though they are two very distinguishable beings, both are part of the integrity of one another; both are necessary to one another. Without the thought of God the Father, the Son cannot do anything, because the initiation of all divine thought originates from the Father. But also, without the Son, God the Father cannot turn his thoughts into a reality in the physical and spiritual universe. This is what the Jews refused to believe, because they had the capacity to understand these concepts. But, even though they refused to believe, and even killed Him, the Truth that Jesus is God could not be covered nor stopped because the Truth is unstoppable, especially the Truth that God is God, and nothing or no one can change that.

The other truth that could be seen here is the issue of whether a person aligns with the Lord or not. As we read in today’s passage, and we have seen at other occasions, there were very few people that would listen and accept Jesus. There were more enemies than friends, and such were His enemies that they finally killed him. The irony (although when the truth is seen, there is no irony) was that the religious were the ones that hated Him, and they hated Him until death. Why? Because they were simply not aligned with Him. Even though the religious said they believed in God, and that they respected and taught the things of God, they were quite far from God Himself. How does that happen? One of the main things that determines this is the intention of the heart, or the “why” things are done. The pharisees did not do things for God, but rather, to make themselves stand out and shine, to have dominion over the people, to have good economic status, etc.; the same reasons for why many people do it today. If the Lord were here today on earth, the religious would try to kill Him again, and the majority in that group would be priests, pastors, preachers, ministers, etc. Everything would repeat itself all over again just like before. There are many that seem like followers of God, but it’s only an appearance. How do I know that? Easy, because if all those people were with God, they would do just as God commands. And everyone of us that truly look to love and follow God would be united in harmony doing what the Lord desires. Many times, these religious people focus on things that are not very important, and they push aside that which is of extreme importance to God. For the Lord Himself said this: “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” Luke 11:42.

What is finally the will of God? Exactly what the Lord Himself did on earth. The Lord taught that the most important thing was to love God above everything else, and second, to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Lord taught about eternal life, the will of God, and He helped everyone in need, those that had enough faith so that God could work in their lives. The Lord did not fight to construct buildings, or to make His fame grow throughout the world, or for material things, or for human flattery, or for positions of power, etc. He did not speak to people to flatter them, but rather just to tell them the Truth. And His fruit was: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; the fruits of the Spirit. And if we have His same feeling, then we would be doing and showing the same things, and it would come out of us naturally because these are things He produces in us; you don’t have to force them.  

So then, are you aligned with the Eternal God, with Jesus? Lord bless! John

Valuing Jesus

Based on John 7:1-13 (New King James Version)

“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.’ When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee. But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, ‘Where is He?’ And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, ‘He is good’; others said, ‘No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.’ However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.”

I would like to ask you some questions (and I know that maybe many of you may have already had this experience because painfully, this issue is common). If one of you have had certain problems or symptoms with your health that give the appearance of cancer, and the doctor sends you to undergo a lot of tests and analysis to see what exactly is happening, and the day comes that the doctor needs to give you his/her diagnosis based on all the information he/she has, and acting quickly with the treatment is critical, what would you like for the doctor to do with you? Would you like for the doctor to delay the appointment and avoid talking with you because they are concerned more with how you will react than your health? Would you like for him/her to lie to you and tell you that everything is fine, so he/she does not scare you or make you uncomfortable? Would you like for him/her to beat around the bush, not speaking clearly, and risking that you don’t understand what they are saying, leaving you even more confused? Or, would you like for the doctor to tell you the truth (even if it is hard to accept), and how to best deal with the situation as quickly as possible so you can have a good chance to survive? I think even though it may be hard for us, we would prefer the last option, right?

Now, I believe the majority of us would think that it is important to know the truth when something is wrong with our health. By seeing the reaction of many people over the years, I have noticed that not only do we want to know all of the details, but also, we look for all kinds of solutions, especially if it is something that is a matter of life and death. But, what is curious is that when we talk about spiritual things, of eternity, there is no such alarm, at least among those that feel that they have a long time left or that everything is relatively fine. Coming back to the series of questions made before, at least when paying attention to the way people act (not paying to attention to what they say, because people say many things), the majority of people either don’t like to listen to what they need to listen to, because it’s unpleasant, or they like being lied to indiscriminately so they are not uncomfortable, or that they like being spoken to unclearly because somehow, the confusion can be left aside and resolved another day. Since many believe that the things of God, life and death, and eternity are not important, or just simply, that they are not real (at least at the moment), they don’t take these things seriously. And the majority of people do not like being told God’s truth. And I believe that this was the problem that existed when the Lord was here on earth, and even now. I have observed that in the end, the majority of people are attracted to lies, and that is why they don’t look for the Lord, or simply, they just don’t like looking for Him. And here is where we get into today’s passage.

In what we read today, we see that not many people were fans (per se) of the Lord. Neither the Jews (that were supposedly the more religious and believing in God), neither people in general, and not even his brothers (because clearly, even though they were brothers, they didn’t believe). The great multitudes followed Him only because of the miracles He did, or because He healed them, or gave them food, etc. But when the time came about speaking the truth, many people didn’t like that. For it is written: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” John 6:66-67. At that moment, the thousands abandoned Him, and the only ones left were the twelve and some women. And of course, when we talk about the religious people, they disliked Him so much that they wanted to kill Him, and looked for ways to do so. That’s why when He was in front of Pilate, and Pilate asked the people what he should do with the Lord, the multitude yelled, “Crucify Him!”, because He no longer pleased them.

The issue with not valuing Jesus and His Truth is that you are ruining your own life, sooner or later. Nothing happens to God if you don’t listen to Him, and a lack of faith and appreciation for the truth does not make Him less real, nor does that affect the reality that He is God. We are the ones that need His Truth. He does not need us. He does not depend on us. People need to convince themselves that no matter how much they don’t like truth, or try to dodge it, or that they desire the lie more than the truth, the Truth is the only thing that will help them, no matter how difficult it may be. The sick person needs the medicine; and not the other way around. For it is written: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” John 8:31-32. God’s Truth is the only one that will bring freedom. And together with that Truth is that other things like the way to God and life come also. For it is also written: “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. Peter also said this when the Lord asked them if they would leave Him also: But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” John 6:68-69.

The big problem is that when the truth of God, Jesus, is avoided, evil starts to fill the void left by the truth. The Bible teaches us this: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The one that comes to fill the void that the truth leaves when it is rejected is the lie, nothing more. And with the lie comes the devil, for it is written: “…He (speaking of the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44b. The lie only brings destruction and death, no matter how attractive it sounds, no matter how much they like listening to it. Wide and easy is the path to perdition!

To be able to have eternal life, not only do you need to believe in Jesus, but even more so, you need to follow Him. And the only way that something is truly followed is when it is valued. So then, do you value more lies, or are you learning how to value Jesus and His Truth, so that you can truly be free and obtain eternal life? Lord bless! John

How We Need to Accept Jesus

Based on John 6:41-71 (New King James Version)

“The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ And they said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?’ Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Medraws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.’ The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.’ These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.”

The majority of people believe in something or in someone. Almost no one has a problem with accepting that there is something that exists beyond us, or in something above us. In the US, and according to a survey done by Pew Religious Landscape in 2014, approximately 3.1% of the population say they are atheist, and 4% say they are agnostic. The balance says they believe in a God or in a being. I have been able to more or less experience this data personally with the majority of people I have shared a conversation with through the years, even with those in foreign countries where I have visited or lived in, that almost everyone has told me that they believe in someone, and that it is not hard for them to believe in a god. Just the other day I was speaking with a young person who is a recovering alcoholic that has been clean for over 10 years, that he was taught in Alcoholics Anonymous to cling on to a higher power, and that this faith had helped him move forward. But, there was a problem in the conversation. We didn’t have any issues in talking about a higher power, or even being able to concentrate that higher power in God. The problem surged when we started talking about Jesus, and how Jesus needs to be believed in. Everything was fine until that point.

Here is where the problem with faith occurs in many people, when we start talking about Jesus and who Jesus is. Many have this issue, and the large percentage of believers that the statistics give start to change. According to Pew Research Center, approximately 67% of the US population say they are Christians. It can still be thought of as a considerable majority in the US (although it’s much less in the rest of the world), but things start to change. So then, and just as it happened with this young man, a large majority of people believe in someone, but not necessarily in Jesus.

Now, within those that say they are Christians, how exactly do they believe in Jesus? There are many that do say they believe, but the differences start emerging in “how” they believe in Him. The majority see Him as a Savior. And yes, of course He is the Savior of the world. But, how many do believe in Him as the Bible teaches, as the Lord and God He is? And many say that they believe in Him in that manner also, but is it a reality? Do they believe and follow Jesus as we are taught? Is He the everything in our lives, the reason for our existence, the One that dictates the course of our daily life? And here is where everything changes, and that large percentage turns into a very small number. How can I say that? Easy! At least here in the US, if we say that there are so many believers in Christ, how can there be so much sin (not that God expects anyone to be perfect)? How can there be so much wrong, starting with those that say that they are not only believers, but also, even ministers and preachers of the Word of God? And here is where today’s passage comes into focus.

The Bible teaches us that we should believe in Jesus as Lord, as God, and as the Savior; as the only begotten Son of God. And not only accept and believe in Him as such, but also, so that it can be something complete, we need to make ourselves one with Him. This is what eating His flesh and drinking His blood means. We need to get to such an intimate relationship with Him that not only does He come inside of our lives, but through the work of the Holy Spirit and His Word, He needs to become part of everything in us, just like food. When we eat and drink something, those substances go into our mouth, are digested in our stomachs, and its elements transform and travel through our entire body, to every cell within our being, giving us nutrition and life. Food and liquids sustain us. They also help repair what is damaged. Without these things, no one can live to see tomorrow. It should be the same with the Lord in our lives. We see in the Bible that many were able to come to believe in Him in some manner, and even follow Him, but the majority of people could not deal with this, and they left Him. Only the twelve remained along with some women, and even one of the twelve was not be trusted because he would come to sell the Lord. The same thing happens today. The majority look for the Lord to solve their problems, for a number of different reasons, but not to make themselves one with Him, and so that He can become the center of their lives. And the problem with that is that you cannot get to have the life that God talks about unless Christ becomes your sustenance. If people do not eat or drink from the Lord, there is no life; just like if we left food to the side. We would die sooner or later. So then, do you accept Jesus as you need to so that you can have the life He desires so much to give you? Lord bless! John

The Problem with Disbelief

Based on John 6:27-40 (New King James Version)

“‘Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.’ Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’ Therefore they said to Him, ‘What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.’”

Everyone chooses to either believe in someone or something, because we were simply made with that capacity and function. It is something that is inevitable. Even the hardest of atheists that say they don’t believe in absolutely nothing believe in something or someone. If they refuse to believe in God, or in some sort of deity, then by default, they come to believe at the very least in themselves, in their intellect. So then, if we understand that each person, by default, comes to believe in something, then everyone has the ability (per se) for faith.

Like we have explained many times before, each person has the capacity for faith, and a lot of faith. The person that says that they do not have much faith is not very observant, and moreover, they use their faith for things, or do things, that can be considered quite scary. Logic goes hand in hand with divine faith. Let’s meditate a bit on what many people that say that they don’t have faith do on daily basis; and with this, I’m giving you fair warning because we are going to get into very personal things here.

One of the things that is mostly practiced today is sexual liberty, and what I am referring to is all sexual acts that are outside of the marriage, whether it relates to single people or married people that have affairs. The Bible refers to this as fornication. The majority of people practice this, of having sexual relationships with different people (we won’t get into the issue of homosexuality, lesbianism, etc., because that is something that goes beyond fornication, and of course, for worse). In the US, before graduating from high school, 62% of students have already had sex. And of course, the numbers jump even higher for when they turn into adults. Within those that have “healthier” practices are the people that have sexual relationships with people they are dating or that are having something a little deeper (before marriage). And they do it for many different reasons. The big problem with this is that yes, it is sin before the eyes of God, but also, there are logical reasons for what it is wrong (because God is the most logical being that exists). There are people that are always washing their hands and disinfecting themselves, but yet, they are able to have intimacy with people they barely know, exchanging bodily fluids and allowing themselves to be touched, without any concern. There are people that hate using a public restroom, but yet, they get intimately involved with people that use those same public restrooms that they fear, and of course, thereby exposing their bodies to the most intimate contact with the filth they fear. Just using statistics that relate to the US (because statistics are much worse in other countries), according to American Sexual Health Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two people (50%) that are sexually active ”will contract” a sexually transmitted infection (STI) before the age of 25. Almost 20 million new cases of STIs occur each year, and 10 million of them occur among young people between the ages of 15-24. Today, 25% of all Americans have an “incurable” STI; that’s 1 out of every 4 people. 85% of Americans that have herpes (about 42 million people) don’t know that they have it. With all of this, and no matter what precautions a person takes, even while trying to keep a monogamous relationship, what can ensure someone that they won’t catch something, or that they might already have something and not know it? And yet, many choose to believe that a small piece of material over their bodies will protect them completely, like if it was some sort of magic forcefield that will keep them safe from any sicknesses and uncleanliness.

And well, we could even talk about things that could be even more dangerous, by getting involved with a stranger; sharing intimate moments with them when a person is most vulnerable physically. Have the people that have invited strangers into their beds thought that they might get someone who is mentally unstable, or a murderer? Don’t they think that their contraceptive methods might fail, and that someone might just get pregnant? Don’t they think that the other person that is getting intimately involved with them might have ulterior motives? The majority of people do have bad intentions, especially when it involves sexual relations. There are many real risks involved. But, the majority of people don’t even think about one of these things before getting involved with someone. They would much rather believe in their instincts (or just go with the moment), in their intellect, in the other person, in so many things that are fallible, limited, untrustworthy, or even unknown and insecure, and yet, they “cannot” come to believe in God like they should.

The problem with disbelief is 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. And the simple reason for why a person “cannot” come to believe is explained by the Bible in this manner: “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.” John 3:18-21. So then, the problem is not lack of faith, but rather, a person not wanting to change and leave sin behind; and that’s it.

If the Lord is not believed in as is necessary, there is no salvation, no forgiveness, and no life. And a person exposes themselves to all the evils that sin brings, because sin only brings destruction, sooner or later. So then, do you believe, as you need to, in Jesus and in what He teaches so that you can have life and have it abundantly? Lord bless! John

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