Do You Belong to Jesus?

Based on John 10:22-30 (New King James Version)

“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, ‘How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.’”

Is it wrong to ask God questions? There are many that teach that you should not ask God anything, and that you should just accept. But, that’s not true. God is not bothered by our questions. Even more so, He prefers that we ask Him everything, and we see this in different places in the Bible. For example, David asked God many things, because he wanted His direction, and He never denied him any answers, for it is written: “It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Go up.’ David said, ‘Where shall I go up?’ And He said, “To Hebron.” 2 Samuel 2:1. Moses also asked the Lord questions, when he encountered Him, as it is also written: “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ So He said, ‘I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’ Then Moses said to God, ‘Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’’ Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’” Exodus 3:11-15. And through Moses’ search and questions, not only did God answer, but the Almighty even had a conversation with Moses. So, God is not bothered at all by any of our questions.

What determines whether God has an issue or not with a question is the intention of the heart. The heart’s intent is everything in this life. For example (and as we saw in today’s introductory passage), there are people that ask questions, but not being genuine, instead, having other purposes or ulterior motives. There are times when people ask questions, but with a certain something behind them, not necessarily because they are looking for an answer, but rather have something covered up. And there is where God has a problem.

There is something that needs to be kept in mind. God is God, and He is the Almighty and Sovereign God (these are but a few of his many describers). He made everything. He knows everything. He can do anything, and there is none higher than Him. So then, if God is all of that and has those capabilities, don’t you think there should be some level of respect? How can you question someone like that? Can a human being be more than God, if they don’t even know what will happen the next five minutes? Can someone know more than God?

Also, the existence of God does not depend on our faith or respect. God is God, and He is and does what He does independent from what we believe. Therefore, whether a person believes or not, God is God; He is a reality. The reality that Jesus was (and is) the Son of God, but at the same time, God Almighty also, did not depend on the pharisees or scribes, nor on anyone else. And we also need to bear in mind, that just because God is incredibly merciful and loving, and a bolt of lighting doesn’t fall instantaneously on a person (one of the many ways God could do something, because He can do whatever He wants), for their evil and lack of respect, does not mean that a person should take Him lightly. For it is written: “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains quake before Him, the hills melt, and the earth heaves at His presence, yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him.” Nahum 1:3-6. So, just because He is “slow to anger” does not mean that His anger will never come, if a person wishes to continue doing evil. Inevitably, each person in the end shall give an account, either here on earth or in heaven before His throne.

There is also something else we must meditate on. No one can snatch away from God a life that has surrendered to Him, and also, God will never abandon anyone, no matter what happens. The problem comes when a person, under their own will and power, separates from God (because the Lord doesn’t force anyone; He does not force His sheep). For it is written: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:4-6. Therefore, the decision to abide in Him belongs to us. The Lord can try to help someone learn through discipline, so they can reason through what they are doing. But God will not force anyone to stay with Him, because the foundation for everything is love, and love is a decision. God desires that we decide for Him, and that we desire to continue belonging to Him, no matter what happens, just like we want to be loved; not out of interest or obligation, but with a well-intentioned desire.

So then, do you understand who God (Jesus) is? And if you have understood, do you ask Him genuine questions? And finally, do you wish to belong and continue belonging to the Lord, to return His great love for you? Lord bless! John

A Shepherd Like No Other

Based on John 10:7-21 (New King James Version)

“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. ‘Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.’ Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, ‘He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’”

Through the centuries, there have been an endless number of gods, deities, idols, leaders, and spiritual guides; whether they came from man’s imagination, or demonic or Satanic manifestations, or men that have raised themselves up, or men that have been raised by others. For example, there have been such like Amon, the chief god of Egypt; Asherah, a Canaanite goddess; Ashtoreth, the goddess of war and fertility; Baal, a Canaanite and Phoenician god of fertility and rain; Baal-Zebub, a popular deity of the Philistines; Bel or Marduk, the chief deity of Babylon; or the son of Marduk, Nebo, the god of learning and writing; Chemosh, the chief god of Moab; Dagon, a deity worshipped by the Babylonians and Philistines; Molech, the chief deity of Ammon; Tammuz, a Babylonian fertility god; Zeus, the principal god of the Greeks; Mercury, a Roman god; Artemis or Diana, a Greek goddess, Castor and Pollux, the two sons of Zeus that were viewed as the guardian deities of sailors. And now, in more modern times, we have Muhammed, the chief prophet of Allah; Buddha, a good teacher made god by many Asians, and well, there is a much longer list. And each one of them bring along their own religious rules and pagan rituals. Each one demands different types of sacrifices and gifts to obtain their favor, or at least, they require an immovable loyalty. Each one of these deities o gods emphasize human decadence or destruction, from those that perpetuate fornication and adultery, to those that demand for newborn babies to be burned alive on a stone altar. These are part of the shepherds and guides of which the Lord spoke of.

There also exists false shepherds or pastors (and teachers) within the called “believers” in Christ; the hirelings. This is the person that supposedly serves God, but only for the interest of making money. These are the folks that use the name of God for their own convenience. And here is also a long list of people, and many exist today as well; too many in all reality (but praise be to God, that not all are like that; that there are still some who serve faithfully in the ministry). Today, many have turned the ministry into a money-making machine, by taking advantage of the ignorance and innocence of many new believers or unlearned. There are many people like these that instead of getting a job or a career and working like many of us do, they see the opportunity to take advantage of others and live off their good will and effort. This is what the Word teaches regarding those that look for money and well-being in the ministry, for their own convenience: “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:3-10. So then, if we see greed and bad teaching, we should take some distance from them. We cannot stay next to a hireling because godliness cannot become a means of gain, and least of all, it cannot be supported as such either.

Now then, let’s get back to the main point, to Him that makes everything different. Who is like our Lord Jesus Christ! None of the other deities can compare to Him. He is the God of love, of comfort, of mercy, and of goodness. Instead of bringing judgment upon our heads for all of our sin, He made the greatest sacrifice to pay for them. Instead of punishment, He offers forgiveness and eternal salvation. He will never abandon you. He will always be with you, if you remain in Him. And the other great difference with all the rest is that He not only died, but also, was raised from the dead at the third day and is now sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of God, of the only true God; to Him be all glory, and power, and majesty forever and ever. Amen. For it is written: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.’” John 11:25-26a. The Lord is the only one that can give us eternal life because He is the only one that triumphed over death.

Having said all of this, where is your faith (truly)? Do you believe more in other things, in other people, in other deities, in riches, in yourself, more than in Jesus? Is the Lord in all reality the principal figure within your life, in your heart, and above all things? Are you returning His love faithfully? In the end, not only is He the only One worth following, but also, immovable faith and love in Him makes it possible to see great things in our life and around us. For it is written: “Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’” John 11:40.

So then, do you really believe in and are following faithfully the Shepherd that is like no other? Lord bless! John

Who Are You Following?

Based on John 10:1-6 (New King James Version)

“‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.”

Nowadays, there are many more voices (per se) than ever before, in the sense that there are all kinds of media that is bombarding us at every moment. Today, and thanks to technology, we have printed material like books, newspapers, etc. We have the radio that transmits music, commentary, opinions, etc. We have television that not only does what radio does, but also, it shows us visually different messages. And of course, we now have the internet with millions of websites. According to a survey Netcraft did on January 2018, it is estimated that there are more than 1.8 billion websites in the internet. And through the internet, you have everything that the print media, radio, and television combined can offer, and moreover, at your finger tips. Welcome to the world of mass media and communications! And all of this media is constantly trying to tell you what you should do, how you should live life, give you advice, opinions, etc. The majority of the media tries to control even what you believe, what you think, what should be your sexual preference, who you should vote for, what a family is, etc., etc. There is a lot of information that is trying to penetrate us wherever possible! With so much information, like what we receive from individuals around us and through the different forms of media, how can we decipher what is true or not true, what is good and what is not good, and what we should pay attention to or ignore?

To be able to focus a little better, we need to assign proper value to what should be searched for; to that which helps us get to and grow in the Truth of God. There may be a lot of things that might be good and important, but nothing can give you eternal life and the wisdom to live that life that has no end like the Truth of God. The Truth of God is the only thing that can help us get to the things that can really fill us, that can change our lives, and that can teach us how to treat our fellow man. But again, with everything that exists, with all of the different sources of information, how can we know what really comes from God? How can anyone know that what they are reading, or listening to, or seeing is part of God’s Truth?

Now then, where is God’s Truth? God’s Truth can be found in the Holy Bible, which is the inerrant and infallible Word of God. We need to have some time alone with His Word, so we can read it, meditate on it, study it, and let the Lord speak to us through it. We need to cultivate our own direct relationship with the Lord, so we can understand and here Him clearly. And when we listen to something, or read something, or see something or someone, we need to observe them carefully, to see if they coincide with God’s Word or not. The Scriptures give us an example on how to do things, where it says: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11. Despite the fact that the Apostles themselves were the ones ministering, and performing signs, miracles, and wonders, done through the work of the Holy Spirit, these people still had the zeal in trying to discern whether what they were being taught was right or not, whether things coincided with the Scriptures or not. That’s why everything I share I always try to do it by being inspired and based upon the Scriptures, and not using the Scriptures to support what I want to say (as an example). Everything has to be looked at very carefully, because there are all kinds of things out there. Not everything that is said to be good is good.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the enemy of our souls disguises himself with things that seem nice, and pleasing, and attractive, and even good. Satan will never come close to you using his real appearance, as he tries to tempt you to follow something false. Everything he uses to deceive with sounds and seems like the truth. This is what the Bible says regarding this: “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15.

We have to be very careful who we listen to. Unfortunately, there is a lot of evil, people that are only looking to take advantage of others, looking for their own convenience and interest. But the Lord did warn us about the problems we would face, and He gave us good insight, so we can be careful with people like that, for it is written: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. ‘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 7:15-23. So then, we just need to see their conduct and their lifestyle, at least, whenever possible.

We need to be careful with lacking knowledge, for it is also written: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6. The Word of God is within our reach. But, if we don’t pay attention to it, the natural consequence is that we will be ignoring the very thing that can guide us to everything that is truly good.

So then, are you looking for and following faithfully the One (Jesus) that died for you, so you could have life, and have it abundantly? Lord bless! John

Why Do Sometimes Certain Things Happen?

Based on John 9 (New King James Version)

“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, ‘Is not this he who sat and begged?’ Some said, ‘This is he.’ Others said, ‘He is like him.’ He said, ‘I am he.’ Therefore they said to him, ‘How were your eyes opened?’ He answered and said, ‘A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.’ Then they said to him, ‘Where is He?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.’ Therefore some of the Pharisees said, ‘This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?’ And there was a division among them. They said to the blind man again, ‘What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’ But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered them and said, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’ So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, ‘Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.’ He answered and said, ‘Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.’ Then they said to him again, ‘What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?’ Then they reviled him and said, ‘You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.’ The man answered and said to them, ‘Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.’ They answered and said to him, ‘You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?’ And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’ And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.’”

Everything wrong that happens in this life, first of all, is caused by something. Although God allows for absolutely everything to happen (because He is the Sovereign God), the vehicle that produces everything evil in this world is sin. That’s why it is necessary to understand that sin, whether small or great, is a problem. Even though God allowed for sin to exist so that there could be genuine free will, God hates sin. And if we understand that sin is the thing that produces all evil; sicknesses, pain, and finally, death, then we should have the same sentiment that God has towards it.

Although we are usually the cause of our own disasters (because of our own sin), there are situations that happen that may not be a person’s fault, and we just read about an instance like that, of the possibility that something wrong happened without it being their fault. Many times, and among the “supposed” wiser and more knowledgeable of the Scriptures (the religious, like we read today), they always point the finger and say that if something wrong happened to someone, it’s because they did something wrong. And moreover, many people associate prosperity and personal well-being with the blessing of God, because they feel they are doing things right. And that can be far from the truth. Things don’t always turn out well for those that do right, and also, not always do things turn out bad for those that do evil, for the moment. The same sin that exists in this world is what causes this imbalance. So then, we must be very careful in assuming too much. Each person in the end knows their own story before God.

Now then, everything, whether good or bad, has a purpose. And of course, everything happens based on God’s consent. God’s permission is involved with everything that happens, everything that happens to the affected party and to those that surround them, and it all happens for a reason. The first purpose is, that if we really understand that sin is bad, then the purpose of sin is so that we can see what happens, and that we look to the One that can free us from sin; from our sin, and from universal sin; that we look to God so that we can be made free eternally. And the second purpose is so that the effects of sin can test the intention of the heart of every person in every way. In this passage, we see a completely abandoned and shunned man. No one worried about him until this miracle happened. It even seems that his parents abandoned him because they let him live on the street to beg. There was an incredible amount of apathy surrounding him. He was alone! The only one that had mercy on him was the Lord. And this is what the Word says: “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:47-48. Everything happens with God’s permission in this life, to see ultimately what each person does; the affected and the spectators, and this is what makes possible God’s judgment, because each person is responsible for their actions before the eyes of God.

So then, where are you, and how are you reacting to your own circumstances, and the circumstances of those around you? Meditate well on this because God is watching, and some day, you will give an account for everything you do. Lord bless! John

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