An Eternal Hope - John 14:1-6

Based on John 14:1-6 (New King James Version)

“‘Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

This is one of the most widely used passages for Christian funerals. We even hear this passage read in the movies when there is a funeral. Unfortunately, it seems like it’s the only moment that it’s taken into consideration. When a person leaves this world, or when we ourselves are close to that step is when we start thinking about the end. When I have tried to share the Gospel with some people, and I start trying to share with them about giving their lives to the Lord, they quickly reply: “I’m not dying!” But also, unfortunately, that may be far from the truth.

The truth is that each person that is born into this world has already started that process. Cells grow and cells die every day. According to an article found in UCSB Scienceline, approximately 300 million cells die every minute in our bodies. Each day that goes by, we are getting closer to that moment when we will leave this place. As the days, hours, and minutes go by, there is a clock somewhere that only God knows about counts down in a similar manner. Everyone is unaware of when their time will come.

The majority of people think that it will happen when they are old, full of years, and when they nothing else left to do. Reality is something else. The information we have in the US through the CDC says that there were 2,744,248 deaths in 2016. Of that amount, 769,634 deaths were related to things that happened suddenly, such as heart disease or accidents. If we see them by age group, 57,616 people died that year between the ages of 25-34; 77,792 died between the ages of 35-44, and 173,516 died between the ages of 45-54. To put it into perspective, during the time the US was involved with the war in Vietnam between 1955 and 1973, 58,318 of their soldiers died. So then, in 2016 (in just one year), nearly the same amount of young people died between the ages of 25-34 than US soldiers during the whole Vietnam war. So, according to statistical facts, a person should not live in the ignorance that everything will turn out just like they think it should be or desire to. By coincidence, my father was one of the 2,744,248 deaths that were registered in the US that year. As such, I know through my own experience what those numbers mean.

The Bible describes the uncertainty that exists in the following manner: “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. So, this could be fulfilled in one of two ways: Either the Lord comes for His people through what many know as the Rapture, the event where the Lord will physically take to Himself in the clouds both the dead and living in Christ, or when the Lord allows for a person to die individually, because it is God that allows for life to end. Absolutely nothing happens without His involvement, and no one is exempt.

Having said that, how should a person live this life if the reality is that the anything can happen to anyone at any time? Should they get depressed and let everything fall apart because it will all end anyways? Should they do the complete opposite and live party to party, and from one emotion to the other because it could all end in a moment? No, because neither way has any kind of wisdom. The Bible teaches us clearly that there is something much better after all of this (and here is where today’s passage comes in). No matter how much a person may think that this is all that is real, they are deceiving themselves. Even if the here and now is what we are living today, everything in this world is vanity as the Preacher said. So then, everything here is an illusion, and it goes by fast; much faster for some than for others, but everything will pass. So, the way we should live is like there was something greater after all of this, because there is something greater. And this is what a so-called believer should ask themselves, “Am I living with the conviction that there is a God and that there are better things after this? By what we see daily, it does not appear so.

This is not a criticism, but rather, an observation. Today, many believers live in such a way like if the Earth was all that matters. Gospels are preached and followed with this message. They look for the Lord more for the loaves of bread and fish, than for eternal life and eternal rewards. The Lord is only looked for so that He can tend to carnal and selfish petitions than for those things that are really God’s will. For it is written: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:1-4. So then, if you love the world and you only desire the things of the world, even though you might say you are a believer, that’s not what you are living.

Now then, no one says that you should not consider what the here and now because we do have to be responsible (I myself work to pay bills and to survive). Even the Lord Himself paid taxes (which many try to cheat their governments out of). Paul, Peter and the other apostles worked with their hands so they could support themselves and help others in need. So, through these examples, we see that we should do both: take care of earthly things, but with our eyes set on heavenly things, for it is written: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.

So then, if your focus is only set on earthly things, in the end, that’s all you will have, and you will be excluded from heaven and everything eternal. But, if your focus is Christ, then you will obtain God’s promises. Where is the focus of your life? Lord bless! John

Having Faith Through the Unknown

Based on John 13:31-38 (New King James Version)

“So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, where are You going?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.’”

Do you know how things will work out for you? Maybe some of you might say: “Of course, because they are going according to my plans!” And yes, that’s true. Some plans do work out for some of us. I have met people that cannot live without making plans; plans for their personal life, for their careers, for their finances, for almost everything in their lives, even how many children they will have and how long they will wait between one and the other. There are women that plan their weddings ahead of time. They already have thought about the dress they will wear and its style, where they are going to get married, who they are going to invite, and even where their guests are going to sit in the banquet hall they already have in mind. There are many people with many plans, and some work out. I’m not saying that it’s bad to have plans, as long as they are plans that are prepared with good motives.

Now then, if plans do work out for some people, even though they are plans with good motives, are they the best in the long run? There are folks that might say: “My plans are what’s best for me because I know what I’m doing.” And there I would say, “Be careful, because your arrogance will take you somewhere you never thought you would be, sooner or later! For example, Simon Peter went through that lesson, which is the first thing we will see in this passage. Peter had very good motives. For starters, he wasn’t thinking about vain or selfish things. He had left everything for the Lord. He left his job, his daily life, and even his family to follow Him; so we are talking about someone that had very good motives. But Peter failed; He failed in his plan and determination, because he did deny the Lord just as it was said. In the moment that the Lord was arrested, when Peter saw that things were not going to happen the way he thought they would (through human strength, because he did cut Malcolm’s ear when trying to defend the Lord), Peter fled. And after fleeing, he did deny the Lord, to avoid getting into trouble. Why did Peter fail? Did the Lord sentence him to fail? No. He failed because he trusted in that things would be resolved through his strength and by what he thought, and that arrogance made him fail. And of course, God knows everything, and He knew that even though Peter had good intentions, those intentions were founded on the flesh. And thank God Peter failed, because if he would have freed the Lord, he would have destroyed himself and us. Our arrogance and dependence on carnal things will only bring pain, especially if they are obstacles to what God wants to accomplish. So then, if everything turns out the way you want them, I suggest a lot of caution, because you might be creating your own destruction, especially if you are leaving God aside, because no human plan takes into consideration God’s design, nor the eternal good, even though everything goes smoothly. And where you should have the most caution is when every carnal plan goes well, without any problems; because it is not God that is prospering them. Satan’s perfect plan is to make you think that you don’t need God, and that you can achieve what is best for you without Him. So then, be careful if all goes well (humanly speaking)!

Now, the other side of the coin. What happens when things don’t turn out the way you would like them to? What happens when you find yourself in a completely unknown situation where your plans failed? I think that every human being is affected negatively when things turn out wrong. No one likes to find themselves in a problematic or chaotic situation. What we least desire is the unpredictable. For example, and as we read today, how could the Lord have been glorified when someone was going to put into effect their plan to betray Him? What good could come out of the Master being betrayed, judged unfairly, humiliated, whipped, publicly scorned, crucified, and killed?  Humanly speaking, it makes no sense, right? Is it logical (seeing it from the disciples’ eyes) to see the One where you put your faith on in such a weak and humiliating state? If it was a problem to the majority of the Lord’s disciples then, it is certainly an issue today (because that’s how people continue seeing Jesus). The majority of people associate glory and success, and God’s blessing with power, riches, well-being, happiness; in summary, with everything man desires. And the majority of times, when things turnout backwards, or even when we could be doing good for the Lord, unpredictable things will happen. Things that we don’t understand will occur. And this is the explanation we need to cling to: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9. So then, if we are doing the Lord’s will and things don’t turn out the way we think they should, we should cling to the notion that God is doing something better, even though our situation doesn’t look so good.  

I have to be honest. I know that it causes frustration when we don’t see our prayers answered like we would want, or that we can find ourselves in tough situations, even when doing things right. We all go through that. But, by having faith, and letting time go by, I have been able to see that what I was asking for was not the best, and that God used for the good of many things a difficult or hard situation. And there have been many times that I have actually thanked God for not answering certain prayers, or that certain things did not go the way I would have wanted them to go. God’s will, even though it is incomprehensible many times, renders better results where many are helped. This is the logic we see through this passage, by understanding the entire plan. If the Lord would not have died, and He would have remained in the state His disciples wanted and desired Him to be, neither they would have had the gift of salvation, nor us. Human destiny would have remained intact, which is winding up in hell. But blessed be the Lord that He went beyond human logic, beyond fulfilling the desires of the few so He could save all of us that follow Him!

This finally is the point: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. My counsel to you (and it’s what I try to keep in mind also) is: Have faith and love God, and let Him guide you; and everything, even what is unpredictable, hard, and unknown will work together for good in the end. Lord bless! John

The Fulfillment of Scripture

Based on John 13:18-30 (New King James Version)

“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.’ When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.’ Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.’ And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.’ But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, ‘Buy those things we need for the feast,’ or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.”

If there is something completely sure and certain in this life is this: Everything God has said through His Word, sooner or later, will be fulfilled. Everything will be fulfilled, just as it has been happening thus far. For it is written: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:35. Not even Satan himself, with all of his power, will he be able to change anything, even if he will try to in the last days. For it is written: “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. ‘But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever.” Daniel 7:25-26. Nothing can change God’s times, those of which are dictated by His Word. Now then, so does this issue that nothing can change the Word’s fulfillment have anything to do with predestination?

Within God’s plans, there are many things that are predestined, or, that there is nothing that can be done. For example, Satan is a condemned being, without any kind of possibility for forgiveness because he was a created being that rebelled against God, knowing God in His fullness, just like the fallen angels (those that are now known as demons). There is no redemption for them, so then, they are completely destined for the lake of fire, the place where death and hell (Hades) will be cast into, where they will remain for all eternity.

Now, human beings, after we fell in sin, were also destined to end in hell, and not one of us could do anything to change that reality, since we were constituted enemies of God because of our sin. That’s our reality. But, when Jesus came, and by dying and being resurrected, the greatest act in all history occurred (next to the creation): God broke the destiny of every human being through Jesus, to give us the possibility of being saved. So then, up to a certain point, we were all predestined (because of our sins) to die in hell. But, through Christ, all of that changes, when a person is born again in Him, and remains in Him until the end. So then, every person’s destiny can be changed through Jesus.

So, the big question is: Did Judas Iscariot have a choice? The answer is, yes. Judas could have chosen not to be the son of perdition. But, despite seeing the marvelous ministry of the Lord here on earth, despite seeing all of the signs and wonders, he chose for the love of money over the Messiah. His faith was more rooted in the material rather than on God. There was going to be someone that would turn the Lord in, no matter what, but it did not have to necessarily be him! This same reality exists for each one of us.

For example, there will be offenses in the world. For it is all written. And so, it will be fulfilled. But, it is our decision whether or not the offenses will come through us or through someone else. For it is written: “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” Matthew 18:7. In the same manner, there will be false prophets (and there already are, and there are an incredibly large number), but the prophet chooses what kind of prophet they will be, depending on where their heart is. In the same manner, the love of many will grow cold because there will be much evil (and we are already there), but it all depends on who allows for their love to grow cold. For it is written: “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 24:11-13. And the issue of enduring until the end to be saved is certainly dependent solely on each one of us. According to the Word, we need to endure to the end; so then, when you accept Christ, that is only the beginning. You need to finish the race, so you can get to what God has in store for everyone that loves Him. But, that is all up to the person. That is not predetermined by God for every human being. He knows who will believe or not believe, and who will endure and not endure, because He is God, but it’s not because He has determined it saying: “This one will be lost and this one will be saved.”

We read in the Word that there is the power of choice in every human being, because there will be some that will even come to fight against Satan himself (directly) in the last days. We understand by this that they will be able to choose to fight, even though God will allow for them to be overcome here on earth. For it is written: “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:6-8.  

So then, everything will be fulfilled, but everything is still not set individually speaking. Each one of us that are still alive is still writing the story of our lives. God knows how each of us will end up, but you and I don’t know yet, and it will not become a reality until everything is written. So, how will the Word of God be fulfilled in your life? For good or for evil? That is your decision. Lord bless! John

Washing Each Other's Feet

Washing Each Other’s Feet

Based on John 13:1-17 (New King James Version)

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.’ Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’ So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

There are many that have misunderstood what the Lord did here, or at least, they have turned a teaching into something literal, and have completely lost sight of what it meant. What the Lord did (like everything He did) had a very deep meaning, because He was able to hit on many things (per se) with just one action. We will try to explain at least the essentials within this teaching.

The first issue is that the Lord’s example should not be taken literally, the issue of literally washing another person’s feet, as it is seen in many places. The sad thing about this is that even though there are many that have done it literally, the essence of what is taught is not practiced and that is the problem. If people’s feet were washed literally, but also, fulfilling what the Lord taught, then everything would be fine. But if contrary, then the act becomes something meaningless, and the kingdom of God is not about that. The Word of God must be “lived” in a practical, logical, and applicable way.

What the Lord was teaching through this (like in everything He did) was the order of things, that if we really love God above all things (just as He loved and obeyed His Father), then the natural consequence of that love should be manifested with other people; the real fulfillment of the Law: to love God with all of our being, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. For it is written: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” 1 John 4:10-12. So then, it should be clear; if you love God, then you will also love your neighbor, which includes service (and service has all kinds of significance and depth).

The Lord should be our example for everything. No matter how special the people that followed Him were like Paul, Peter, John, etc., our model for everything should be the Lord. And as the model, the Most High God served us by coming into the world, by taking our form (coming down to our level), by teaching us the Truth, by giving us everything we need in this world, and even giving Himself on the cross (literally) so that we could have eternal life. So then, if He did that for us, we should also do the same for our neighbor, and our neighbor is every person that surrounds us, even our enemies (because remember: each one of us used to be God’s enemy before repenting from our sins and making Him the Lord of our life).

Therefore, just as He did, we need to do as well. Washing a person’s feet was the job of the lowest servant in a house (if the house had servants). What the Lord demonstrated through this was that we should humble ourselves and do whatever we need to do for each other. There are no limits for the type of service we should render, but only in what is “needed” or necessary; not for spoiling people or being taken advantage of. That’s why when Peter told the Lord to wash him completely (exaggerating the issue), the Lord Himself told Peter that it was not “needed”.  

So, what is necessary? Salvation should be first. We should share the Gospel with everyone because every human being needs God’s salvation. Second, we should help with everyday and practical needs. If a person needs a roof, take them in or help them. If they don’t have food, then feed them. If they don’t have clothes, then clothe them. If they are sick, visit them, or at the very least, pray for them. If the Lord has given you the gift of healing, then use it; or a way to help medically, then do it. If someone is sad, comfort and exhort them. And if there is a worthy situation, that you have to lay your life for your brother, then do it, because that is what God did for you. The Word of God should be learned and lived.

And finally, if the Lord has given you growth, then share [with love] what you have learned with someone that needs knowledge, so they can grow and become strong in God’s will. It is written: “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:18-20.

So then, are you willing to wash your neighbor’s feet, just as God has done for you? Lord bless! John

All or Nothing

Based on John 12:37-50 (New King James Version)

“But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: ‘Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: ‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’ These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Then Jesus cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Contrary to many things in this world, with the Lord, there are no grays or middle grounds. In reality, it’s something quite simple: either it’s all with Him or nothing without Him. It’s so simple that it becomes very difficult (or at least, people make it difficult), because unfortunately, extremes are not accepted. Now then, we are not talking about pursuing details, but rather, understanding fully what is written. You don’t need much depth with a lot of the Scriptures, especially when it is related to the simple fact of either following the Lord or not. Let’s dig a little deeper.

There are believers that focus so much on the details that they lose sight of the main idea, or they make something out of nothing. It’s not necessary to draw lines (per se) or have a very deep understanding to be able to get it. In this passage, the Lord clearly explains the extreme of things, the simple fact of believing in Him, and following Him, no matter what; or not believing in Him and not following Him for whatever reason may exist, and with that, not only is the Lord being rejected, but also God the Father. And hardly anyone likes this extreme. Therefore, nothing has changed since then.

If we go step-by-step, we see that no matter what the Lord would do, there were people that did not “want” to believe in Him. And in this passage, we see God’s worthiness. God is love, but He is consuming fire. He is worthy. In other words, by seeing their disbelief, the simple rebellion that existed in their hearts, God also put on His worthiness. God has a limit. His mercy has a limit that only He knows where it is. So then, we should not misunderstand this passage in the sense that God predetermined them to have a hard heart, but rather, since they rejected Him, He then put forth His worthiness as the God and King He is, and He finished things by hardening their hearts and closing their eyes. If they would not have been rebellious, it would have been a completely different story.

We also see the lukewarm tendency of some, by understanding that they did believe, but preferred to please men rather than confessing God. And before the eyes of God, that is unacceptable, because again, He is a Worthy Being. He cannot have a second a place, because quite simply, the reality is that there is nothing greater than Him. This is what the Bible says regarding being lukewarm: “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.’” Revelation 3:14-16. It also has this to say about confessing Him before men: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33. In these kinds of things, there can simply be no grays or lukewarm. Simply, either you are, or you are not.

Whether you believe it or not, there is a war in progress; the war between good and evil; a war between God and Satan, and there is no middle ground. And this draws a very definite and distinguishable line. The Lord Himself said this: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34-39.

So then, it’s quite simple. Either you accept Jesus as who He is, or you refuse to believe, and so, you deny everything that is related to Him, including the Father, heaven, the Truth, and finally, eternal life. Either you confess and proclaim Jesus Christ before men, no matter what may happen, or you deny Him, and like that, you try to please those that can neither give you eternal life, nor forgiveness of sins, nor anything that is lasting. In the end, it’s either all or nothing. So, is Jesus everything to you, or is He nothing? Lord bless! John

The Divine Sacrifice

Based on John 12:27-36 (New King James Version)

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to Him.’ Jesus answered and said, ‘This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.’ This He said, signifying by what death He would die. The people answered Him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.”

Have you ever imagined how the Lord must have felt knowing during all of His days here on Earth that He was going to die in the most horrid way for the sins of the world? What did every minute that passed feel like for Him as His time kept drawing closer and closer to the horrible sacrifice of His death? I don’t think He felt good about it. Among the more insensitive and selfish, it may be said that: “Well, that’s what He came for, right?” And yes, He Himself acknowledged that, but nonetheless, that is what made the sacrifice so perfect: He was 100% human, with all of our weaknesses, feelings, and sensitivities. He felt pain, anguish, loneliness, and everything else we would have felt if the same were to happen to us (although no one would suffer what He did). He felt impotence of injustice, even though He is the Almighty. He felt loneliness. He felt the scorn and mockery. He felt the beatings and the lashes when they lashed Him with whips that were filled with pieces of glass and metal as they stripped off pieces of skin and flesh, leaving parts of His skeleton exposed with blood behind. He felt it when they placed the crown of thorns on His head. He felt the large nails they used as they drove them through His hands and feet, those of which would take the weight of His body. He felt hunger, thirst, and extreme pain upon His whole body as He hung on the cross. In the process, He felt something that none of us would ever feel: the weight of all mankind’s sin upon Him. And finally, as He breathed His last breath, He felt death. And He knew that all of this would happen way before it actually did.

Those people who spoke to Him in this passage ignored the Scriptures, because this was written about the Messiah over 700 years before, that He would be sacrificed and killed for the people. The Prophet Isaiah foretold it like this: “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53.

Before the time of the rapture of which the Bible talks about is fulfilled (when the Lord will raise the dead in Christ from their tombs, and those of us still alive will be caught up into the clouds), each person shall die, including every believer, without exceptions. Every person will know what death is, and some sooner than others. And in reality, because of our sins, the natural consequence is that we should die, even though we may have been redeemed by the Lord because everything has consequences. But, what happened to the Lord was not fair. The thief that was to the right of the Lord understood this, when he said: “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Luke 23:41.

Why talk about this? Because in order to be able to appreciate something, we must understand what was given, what was done for us. First, the Lord did not have to do what He did. There was no obligation neither on His part nor from the Father. What they did, they did because they wanted to, because of goodness, mercy, love, etc. Second, since He suffered it, the Lord experienced all of mankind’s injustice. He suffered for things He had nothing to do with. And third, not only did He die, but He died in the most horrid way a person could die. The process of the crucifixion that was used for Him was unique. It was a long and extended process. Through the same process, a supernatural power was observed, because a common man could not have made it to the place where they crucified Him. Within all of the torture that His body suffered and the amount of blood He lost, it was impossible for anyone to have lasted so long being conscious.

Now then, what should happen with this knowledge of the Lord’s divine sacrifice? First, there should be profound and infinite acknowledgement and gratefulness. Second, we should use this as the reason for living a very different life, a truly transformed life. Your salvation was given freely to you, but it cost a great and infinite price. In the end, the Lord did everything so that we could believe in the Light, so we could be children of the Light, and so we could do things that are of the Light. So, what effect has the Divine Sacrifice had on your life? Lord bless! John

You Will Reap What You Sow

Based on John 12:20-26 (New King James Version)

“Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, ‘unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.’’”

Every human being fights for something or somethings in life. Since the moment we are born, we fight for the breath of life. And after that, we use our instincts to fight to eat when we cry. And after that, if we have the potential of mobility, we strive to go from one place to another, first crawling and then trying to stand up and walk, and so on.

As part of our instinct to strive, a human being starts to establish goals; whether they are goals to study, to work, or to get what they need or want in any kind of way possible. There are people that look for their sustenance the good way, and others look for it using not so good ways, but, in the end, everything is work. And of course, within all of the struggle, there is a price to pay. Everything has a price. So then, every struggle bears a cost. A child when wanting to walk, because of their restlessness, they pay the price of not being in the arms of their loved ones. As the young person dedicates themselves to study, they pay the price of time and effort, and being away from home. The people that get married pay the price of separation from their other loved ones and the loss of freedom (if they really want to make their marriage work, otherwise, if there isn’t a coexistence and time spent together, but rather, a power struggle or self-sufficiency, then they should prepare themselves for a divorce because it’s coming). And the person that works pays the price of time, and effort, and of separation from loved ones.

Now then, if everything has to be fought for, and everything has a price, then logic would dictate that everything should have some sort of reward. If there is no reward, then why do it, right? For example, if a child strives to walk, and thereby sacrifices the warmth of their mother’s arms, it’s because within themselves they see as a reward the ability to walk; they see the independence they have achieved as a reward. The person that studies, thereby sacrificing time, effort, money, and time away from loved ones, sees as rewards both graduation and the acquisition of more tools so they can get what they need or want. The person that works, having also sacrificed things that are similar to the one that studies (except money), see their pay as reward. Even the person that steals or does other wrongful things also sacrifices, because if you think about it, it takes more sacrifice and greater risk for those that do evil than good, because the person that breaks the law risks sacrificing their freedom and even their life with what they are doing. The price the lawbreaker could pay is much higher than the one that sacrifices themselves legally. And well, those that get married see as a reward for their sacrifices having companionship and support for years, or whatever they were looking to obtain because nowadays, many people do not marry for love. Unfortunately, there are many people that have ulterior plans or goals that are very selfish or even destructive for marriage (they see marriage as a vehicle to obtain other things they desire). Many human beings today have dark or evil intentions. But, in the end, every person desires to receive some sort of reward for their sacrifice.

So then, you have to think, “What is worth living for?” If we see things clearly, the majority of things for which people strive for today do have rewards, depending if all goes well, but they are temporary rewards. In other words, the struggle involves things that can change at any given moment, or the reward has a very limited value. For example, I give thanks to God for my health and being able to move my body freely, but if I turn my life into striving exaggeratedly to have the perfect body, spending hours upon hours in a gym, and some day, God forbid, I have an accident; what then? And if strive for a career or a job in such a way that it consumes all of my time, and lose that job or the abilities to work on that career, what else is left? And if my main focus is getting married and having children, and I do it in such a way that it turns into the center of my life, and then that fails or it ends someday (because marriages do break, and children leave, and even abandon their parents in their greatest moments of need), what else is left for me? Is it wrong to take care of your body, to look good, or to have a career, or to have a business, or a job, or a family? None of these things are bad within themselves, but you have to think about their durations, and that’s if everything goes well. There is something very certain in this life, and that is that each one of us have a limited timeline, and some have less time than others (you never know who though because everything is uncertain). And just with the simple fact of growing old (a normal process for all of us), you will lose your mobility, your abilities, your health, and people leave also, in a good way or bad. And well, if the unforeseen happens, an accident or illness, everything changes in a moment. So then, what happens with the things that man strives for?

The Bible 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. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:7-10. We must strive for everything in life, but we must think about what we are striving for, and what is its reward. I am talking about something simple that eludes many people, especially the intellectuals: the reason for life. The Lord speaks to us in this passage about this concept, and that, if we strive to live life for ourselves and our goals, this life will end someday, and then what? But, if He becomes the reason for our existence, as the goal of our lives, even though this life ends, we will live forever, and everything we do for Him will come with us. Nothing in this world can give us a greater purpose to live than God because nothing in this work lasts forever. God is eternal, and we can also be eternal, and the rewards that He can give us are eternal, and no one can take that away. Here, everything ends, and everyone leaves, but God can be with us forever. So then, what are you living for? What will you reap in eternity if you only sow for what is temporary? Lord bless! John

Why Do You Follow Jesus?

Based on John 12:12-19 (New King James Version)

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!’ Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.’ His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, ‘You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!’”

“Love is a commitment that will be tested in the most vulnerable areas of spirituality, a commitment that will force you to make some very difficult choices. It is a commitment that demands that you deal with your lust, your greed, your pride, your power, your desire to control, your temper, your patience, and every area of temptation that the Bible clearly talks about. It demands the quality of commitment that Jesus demonstrates in His relationship to us.” Ravi Zacharias.

While reading this passage, it made me think of something: “What was the reason for why these people followed Jesus? This was the earthly moment that Jesus was treated somewhat similar or like (but not completely) He should have always been treated, as the only begotten Son of God. Some folks that might believe themselves to be very knowledgeable, when reading the detail in the words, they might say: “The Scriptures needed to be fulfilled; that’s the reason for that moment.” And of course, it’s true. But, let’s dig a little deeper, to a personal level. Even though it was the fulfillment of Scriptures, there is also a personal issue. As we understand in the Scriptures, God is in control of everything; everything that occurs is based on God’s will, but within the large wheels (per se) of God’s power and will, there exists a personal answer to what God is doing.

Let’s dig even a little deeper. Through the Gospels, we see that people followed and praised the Lord because the Lord had done something they considered great. It could have been a healing, casting out a demon, a sign, giving them food, etc. In this particular moment, these multitudes were following Him because of the great sign and miracle he had done which was raising Lazarus from among the dead (because he was buried for four days). This had never happened before. And, this sign meant to all this people that Jesus was someone powerful and great, a Being that showed them the potential of changing all of their personal problems, a Being that would raise Israel from the ashes they found themselves in, a Being that maybe was so mighty that He could free them from the Roman Empire. In summary, this Jesus seemed like the answer to everything earthly that they wanted: to transform Israel into a world power where none of them had any kind of need; and why not, even making them prosperous. He would be the Messiah that they so desired (not necessarily the One that was written of). They thought He would be able to establish for them a new golden age, an even greater one than the one King David gave them.

Why am I saying what I am saying? The progress of time later demonstrated what was truly in their hearts. And again, we do know that everything must be fulfilled, but there is always a personal response within the fulfillment of things. The Bible (and history) shows us that just a few days later, all of that great worship would have a very quick ending. When the Lord was arrested, there was no one by His side, not even His most faithful disciples, for it is written: “…Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Matthew 26:56b. When the moment of truth came, absolutely everyone abandoned the Lord. They left Him alone. Where were these great multitudes that were raising their voices saying, “Hosanna!”? Where were all of those people holding palm branches? What happened even with those folks that had left everything to follow Him? Well, what happened was that He stopped seeming great in their eyes. He was not doing the things they considered great. I believe that all of them, and maybe even more so, His disciples were waiting to see another great sign, that legions of angels show up to protect Him. But, none of that happened. So then, everything changed in a moment. The only ones that were faithful until the cross were but a few, for it is also written: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” John 19:25-27. So then, out of the multitudes that followed Him, only four people remained with Him at the foot of the cross. And what was most ironic out of everything was that at that moment, He was performing a sign, a great act, the greatest demonstration of what God could do for humanity. He was making the impossible possible: the salvation of all mankind through His death. This surpassed everything He had done before. And this act of dying on the cross, and the pouring out of His blood would leave us an open path to the God of the Universe and to eternal life.

Today, many people say they believe in Jesus. Furthermore, statistics say that approximately 31.5% of the world is of Christian faith. In other words, of the 7.2 billion inhabitants in the world, 2.268 billion profess to believe in the Lord. Now then, if we are so many, what is happening? Why is there so much evil, so much sin, so much disorder? So, one has to think, “Why does this great number of people believe in Jesus?” Sadly, not much has changed since the Lord was on the cross. Many believe in Him for different reasons, for the reasons that only they know. But, when the moment of truth comes, everything changes; from the moment a person decides not to do what pleases God, and that’s why we see what we see today (sin, evil, disorder, etc.). The Bible tells us that the end is coming, and at that time, the Church of Christ will be persecuted worldwide, in every corner of the planet. How many will be left then? And here is where Ravi Zachariah’s quote comes into the picture. The only thing that is true and that will last forever is the commitment to “love” the Lord. Love (the type the Bible talks about) is everything. Mary, her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and John loved the Lord. Everyone else, including those disciples closest to Him followed Him for temporary reasons. And the Word says that we must love the Lord, and that only those that love the Lord will have eternal life and eternal reward.

Now then, and always looking into the personal side, turning to free will, why are you following Jesus? Lord bless! John

The Power of Choice

Based on John 12:1-11 (New King James Version)

“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.’ Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”

What is the thing that finally dictates what a person decides or how they act? In science, the idea of nature vs. nurture has been discussed for quite some time. In other words, one group thinks that a person does what they do because of what they have inside. And another group thinks that a person’s upbringing or influences are what dictate a person’s actions. And well, who is finally right? If we see it through the Scriptures, both perspectives have some validity, but there is something else that needs to be added so the answer can be complete.

The Scriptures teach us that there is such a thing as desire, and a person is born with that, and so, this forms part of the nature they were born with. We see this: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:12-15. Now then, if we understood what we read, there is such a thing as the nature that one carries within themselves. But also, we also see the power of choice. We read that there is a blessing for the person that endures temptation and achieves approval. We see also mentioned those that love Him (God). All of these things are evidence of the power of choice.

Now then, by seeing the issue of choice, it is understood that influences have something to do with it as well. A human being is not born with intellect. Instead, intellect is acquired together with their development. But even though influences and intellect have something to do with what a person does, they are not the final factor either. Each person is born with a soul (which is the greatest likeness we have with God), and the soul is what connects this physical world, the nature of a human being, and the intellect of person. Reason is found in the soul; which is what separates us from the animals. Animals generally act based on instinct. Mankind has the capacity to act based on reason, and reason is what gives us the power of choice. There is the basis of everything that makes the difference in a person; that which finally dictates the direction in which a person acts. And here is where the Scriptures bring it all together: “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” Ezekiel 18:20. So then, neither a person’s nature (what is inherited) is finally responsible, nor the influences, but rather, the soul or the reasoning of a person is what finally dictates a decision. The reasoning of a person acts as an impartial balance within themselves and weighs all things together. So finally, a person decides what they decide through their reasoning and that’s it. And this is what makes God’s judgment possible, because we all “decide” to either look for God or to reject Him, and we cannot blame our nature or our influences. They are factors, but they are not the final step. Each person has this capacity to choose.     

So then, this is what the Scriptures continue teaching us: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:18-25. Everything is about choice.

Martha chose to follow and serve the Lord. Mary chose to follow and worship the Lord, not caring about what others might think of her. Judas Iscariot chose to continue thinking about money and stealing. Many of the Jews chose to believe and to look for Jesus. But also, the chief priests decided that not only was Jesus a problem for them, but also Lazarus; and that they both needed to be killed. This is what also shows us that the persecution of those that choose to follow Christ will not be mystery, because the world will prefer choosing for evil and sin than for that which produces real life. And they will hate us and kill us because of the Lord’s Truth.

So then, this is the end of the matter: What are you going to finally choose to do with your life? Lord bless! John

Are You Interested in the Truth?

Based on John 11:45-57 (New King James Version)

“Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.’ And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.’ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples. And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, ‘What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?’ Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.”

We can see the truth that existed in each person’s heart through the actions of the Lord and how they reacted to them. The same thing happens today. In today’s passage, for example, we see very curious reactions in different people. We see Mary, the Jews that believed, and also those that not only did not believe, but thought to do evil against the Lord. How can you think about doing something wrong to Someone that only did good, Someone that did so many miracles, even raising someone from the dead before their very eyes? And the answer is not very complex. In fact, it’s very simple: they had other interests that absorbed them more.

There are people that frankly just don’t care, no matter what you tell them or show them; they simply will not believe; not because they cannot believe, but rather, because they are more attracted to other things. The Lord Himself could stand right in front of their face (just like He did with these religious people), and they are simply interested. Like Judas Iscariot who lived with the Lord for three years, witnessing and maybe even doing miracles himself through the power of God, but preferred to sell the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. The silver was of more value to him than the King who he lived with day-by-day. Judas saw and heard everything of the Lord, but it was all useless to him.

These religious people had other interests, other things that were feeding them inside that attracted them more than the Messiah. Even though they mention hypocritically that they were worried about their place and the nation, there was another deeper feeling that they didn’t mention. This feeling was kept in the sepulcher of their hearts. There was someone outside of the Lord that did know: Pilate. For it is written: “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 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 27:15-18. The religious envied the Lord; nothing more, nothing less. They envied God Himself. They envied His works, His Word, everything that represented Him. There existed a being with these characteristics before, and this was Lucifer, the one that is known today as Satan (the Devil). The Lord, as God, was very clear on what was happening, because He said it just as clearly to the religious: “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.” John 8:43-45.

So then, almost always, the problem that people have with the Lord is not one that involves understanding. It’s not a problem of faith. It’s not an intellectual problem. The problem is lack of interest. These religious people were more interested in their envy, in their position with the people, in their pride than in the fulfillment of the Scriptures, in the manifestation of God Himself, and even in their own salvation. Other people have this problem also. But there are also other things that divert people. There are many that have more of an inclination to fulfill their own will than doing what God says, and that’s why they don’t listen. Others believe more in the supposed power of money than in the power of the Almighty. There are others that believe more in their carnal relationships than in the Lord. There are many that would rather continue following sin, enjoying the very thing that produces death, instead of following the Word of Life from God’s only begotten Son. And well, there may be many other things that people are more interested in than in God.

The issue is that even seeing things practically (because believing and following God is the most logical notion that can exist), nothing should take the first place of God because nothing or no one can do what the Lord can do. What did these religious people gain by giving so much importance to their envy? Could their envy free them from the eternal fire that they find themselves in today? Was the thirty pieces of silver able to give Judas Iscariot the happiness he was looking for? Did not Judas hang himself even though he had the pieces of silver in his hands, having accomplished what he wanted? Can a human being save himself if they don’t even know what will happen to them in the next five minutes? Can one human being give another eternal life if they are just as limited? Can the practice of sin give life if within itself it can only produce death? So then, is it worthwhile to put our eyes on other things, giving preeminence to that which is of less value?

You should ask yourself (because this is the most important question you can ask), “Am I really interested in the Truth of God, or is there something else that is keeping me entertained that is of lessor value? Lord bless! John

Are We Truly Convinced of Who Jesus Is?

Based on John 11:38-44 (New King James Version)

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’”

I once heard this saying: What have you done for me… …lately? Many people treat the Lord this way, in the sense that His life, His death, and His resurrection is not enough, at least, so it seems. They think that their relationship with the Lord is based on answered prayers and granted whims. We live in an era where this mindset is propagated even among children and young people, and the laws in many countries now support this kind of upbringing; because in many places, you can’t discipline children like before. So then, almost always that I go to a store where they have things for children like candy, or food, or toys, you can hear the “sweet sound” of screams and complaining. And well, thanks to many of our laws now, the parents need to try to calm their children down in a very tranquil manner so that they don’t get sent to jail, and have their kids taken away.

But even though many people don’t like what is happening, they practice this with God. Many judge God based on things that are not granted. And this varies between things of little importance like, “God did not answer my prayer in that I didn’t want it to rain today because I wanted to have fun outside; to things that are much more serious like: “God did not grant my petition and I lost a loved one.” The Lord and His power are under judgment depending on how circumstances turn out.

Now then, what does this have to do with today’s passage? We see Martha, that even though she had confessed before her faith in the Lord, she still had doubts, and she mistrusted in such a way that she even questioned the Lord in what He was doing. The issue is that, when it comes to actions that are incomprehensible to us, doubts start coming up to the surface. And of course, there is a lack of acceptance. Because these are the issues: The Lord is not our genie; He is not here to fulfill our will; and, He knows what He is doing, even though we may never understand it. So then, having said this, are we truly convinced of who Jesus is? The grave problem is that, even though there may be verbal confession, that the Lord is believed in, there is no such faith. It is written: “Therefore the Lord said: ‘Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.” Isaiah 29:13. There are too many people that believe in the Lord, but they believe superficially.

The problem is that many people still innately have pagan inclinations in their hearts. Pagan beliefs in the end teach that the function of a deity or deities is for them to grant wishes to their followers when gifts, sacrifices, or homage is given. So then, the Lord is treated like a common idol. That’s why people prefer to believe in a “God” because “God” means to them something or someone that is Almighty, but to grant them their petitions. But, the problem comes when it involves acknowledging the lordship of Lord. And the problem becomes even greater because it involves someone like Jesus, a person that was seen as humble, troubled, and poor. How can a person accept as Lord someone like Jesus? They might not say it, but that is what they feel very down deep inside in their hearts, where only the Lord can see things very clearly.

The other problem is that, if people believe in Jesus in some way, He is treated like where we started today: “What have you done for me lately?”. There is no appreciation for what the Lord did for us, and quite possibly because people don’t have a single idea of what hell and the lake of fire are (because they are real places that are reserved for the unbelieving in heart). If it was understood well, an eternity would not be enough to be grateful for what He did because those places involve eternal punishment. In the end, the so-called people of the Lord fail in their faith because of ignorance, because they neither understand who the Lord really is, nor what He did for us, nor what God does daily. What He does is not very imaginable, where there are an innumerable series of reactions and interactions between one human being and another, and that each interaction takes you to another, and another; and now, add the component of time. My head hurts just starting to even imagine everything the Lord could have in His mind in a single instant. So then, with so many things He keeps under His control, looking for everyone’s greatest benefit (because He is good, and He loves us), can you venture to think that your petition, whether small or large, bears in mind everything else that it might affect? I don’t think so. But, God does know. And as God and Lord, He knows what He is doing. I don’t want to say that you shouldn’t pray for things. You should pray, and with faith, but also, we need to think of the possibility that granting our petition may not be for the greater good, because it might affect things negatively, even us. What would have happened if the Lord would have healed Lazarus as opposed to have raised him from the dead? I have had to many times thank the Lord for not granting me many of my petitions because they were not best, and I was able to understand that as time progressed.

So then, what is most important, is that we must believe in Jesus as Lord which implies that He is the Almighty, that we do have eternal life through Him, that He does look out for our best interests (even though we might not understand it at the moment), and that His will needs to be done and not ours, because in that manner, He is working out the greatest benefit for all of us collectively, including our own (even though we might not see it). Faith in the Lord is indispensable, for it is written: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6.

So, are you really convinced of who Jesus is? Lord bless! John

The Foundation of God's Grace

Based on John 11:28-37 (New King James Version)

“And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, ‘The Teacher has come and is calling for you.’ As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, ‘She is going to the tomb to weep there.’ Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’ And some of them said, ‘Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?’”

This is possibly the deepest passage in all of the Bible which allows us to almost touch the foundation of God’s grace; the difference that exists between our faith and every other belief. I have been asked many times, “why are there so many different beliefs?” And the answer goes against everything our society teaches (because society in general is not guided by God, but rather, by the prince of this world, by Satan). There can’t be many perfections, or else there is no such as perfection. There is only one perfection, and that is God, but even more exactly (since we are talking about perfection), the God whose only begotten Son is Jesus (the Messiah).

When we understand the true significance of what it means to sin (by missing the mark), we then understand that Satan’s work is very easy. He just has to cause very small deviations to be able to make people err, or sin. That’s it. His handiwork doesn’t have to big or complex. In reality, they are quite simple, because again, his job is a very simple one. So then, the reason for why so many options (per se) exist for beliefs and religions is simply the work of the enemy as he employs deviations from the Truth. As much as there cannot be many perfections, having many truths cannot be possible. There can only be one Truth, and that is: The Truth of the Only and Supreme God whose Word and instruction can be found in the Holy Bible. I’m sorry, but if something else is followed that is outside of Jesus and His Word, then the only Truth and Perfection that exists in the universe is not being followed.

But, coming back to our principal theme, there is none other like our God. What is infinitely incredible about God’s Grace is that our God made Himself flesh, taking on our likeness even though He is perfect, holy, and everything else He is, with the purpose to pay for our sins (not His sins), but also with another very peculiar purpose. The foundation of God’s Grace was to provide Himself as our High Priest. The way that God now knows everything about us is not only because He is God, but also, because He lived it in His own flesh (literally), because He took on our form, and He took it with all of its weaknesses, frailties, feelings, etc. The shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept” is also the deepest passage in the Bible. God, the Almighty of the Universe, took our form, and felt the pain we feel in the most intimate way. So then, He knows what is felt when something hurts very deeply. He allowed Himself to take on our condition, so He could know absolutely everything we feel. Therefore, He understands us fully. He is the perfect High Priest, for it is written: “For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:16-18.

Therefore, it is very certain to know that God knows everything you feel, especially pain. He understands completely our pain, and He feels it. And not only does He feel it just to feel it, but so He could have compassion on us, especially to help us, to comfort us, to aid us. And in what way do we need most His aid? We need it for when we are going through a hard moment, intimately and profoundly, and in our loneliness. If there ever is a moment in our pain when we need help is when we find ourselves alone, without anyone by our side.

For example, when we lose a loved one, there is a void that is left with feelings of pain, of confusion, of anger, nostalgia, etc. And with so many feelings and pain all together, an internal whirlwind is formed that does not allow us to find peace. Even though we may have many times people around us physically, a deep loneliness is still felt as well, because we miss that loved one. But even more so, there are those moments that a person is completely alone, and then is when the feeling of loss, of pain, and all of those other feelings that are felt are experienced that much stronger. Our mind amplifies even more the pain and the void that we feel when we have lost someone. Death produces things that are very different to other forms of pain.

But, the Lord desires and can fill all of the voids that death leaves behind. And the way He does it is not just by being around us, but also, inside of our heart, in the very depths of our being. Therefore, the foundation of God’s grace is: that the Lord took on our likeness to feel everything we feel, and that through the salvation that He alone can give, He comes to live inside of our heart by faith so that we can never be alone, with a unique companion that knows everything that can be felt, ready to listen to us, to comfort us, to counsel us, to be everything we need in our most difficult moments of sadness. For it is written: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. He is the only one that can give a peace that is incomparable, even in our worst moments.

So then, is the foundation of God’s Grace (Jesus) in the deepest part of your being so that you can experience what the one and only True God can do in your life? Lord bless! John

Faith Challenge

Based on John 11:17-27 (New King James Version)

“So when Jesus came, He found that he [Lazarus] had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ 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. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’

Do you believe in something when it is achieved, or while it is fought for, before achieving success? Everything in this life presents itself like this; that you have to fight for everything, but always with the vision of what it will be like. We all wake up in the morning (unless you work or study at night), with a goal in mind. We have a vision of something. For those of us that think short term, we think about what we are doing at the beginning of the week, or even, at the beginning of the day, to be able to get the desired result. For example, many people think about their weekly pay. They work all week with the idea that they will be compensated for their efforts at the end of that same week. Some folks think a little farther ahead; they think on what they will gather in a month, to make the usual monthly payments. Others think even further, and not only do they think about the week, the month, but also, how much are they able to put together to buy a certain piece of furniture, a car, or even a house. And well, there are others that even think about retirement: “How much can I save, so I can retire some day?” But, in all of that, no one gets anything ahead of time, with what involves getting paid to work. You first work, with a vision and a hope (because it’s like that), that they will pay you at the end of a certain period. I have known of some people that have worked very hard, and they did not get paid for their efforts. They were cheated (and that’s unfortunate, but it happens also). Nonetheless, there is always a vision, a hope, and a challenge. God does the same thing.

In this passage, we read about Lazarus, the Lord’s friend that dies, and his sisters (Martha and Mary) who are crying for him. The first words that Martha says are: “‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’” Even though she calls Him Lord, she rebukes Him, scolding Him because she blames Him for Lazarus’ death. It seems like we all have similar thoughts, and for different circumstances; that the Lord is never to be found when needed. Even though He is omnipresent, God always seems to be absent, especially when we need Him most. We judge whether God is present or not depending on how things turn out. If things turned out well, like we wanted, then we say: “God was present”. And if things turned out wrong, we say: “God wasn’t there,” or “He abandoned me”, or “It wasn’t His will”, etc. People judge God depending on how God performs for them. And there is a problem, or problems with that.

The first problem is that we think that God should revolve around us (individually), being watchful over every little thing, and of course, doing things like we think they should be done. If that is not pride, then I don’t know what else that could be. The big problem with this is that we take God’s love to mean that we should be at the center of the universe for the Lord. This is like thinking that the Sun revolves around the Earth, and not like what really happens, that the planets in the Solar System revolve around the Sun. The Lord loves us, and immensely, but the world consists of more than just one person (me). The Lord loves the whole world; not just one person. So then, He watches out for everyone and everyone’s purpose all together, or at the same time.

The other issue is being able to see the determination of our faith, whether it’s something momentary, or lasting; superficial, or genuine. The majority of people give up quickly, especially when things do not go the way they want them to. Time and through difficulties are the only things that reveal a person’s faith; not the temporal, nor while things are going well. There was a lot of purpose through Lazarus’ death, and that could be viewed by seeing it through Lazarus’ family, through Martha. Part of the purpose for Lazarus’ death was to see how Martha would react, whether Martha would continue believing in Him despite the time Lazarus suffered during his sickness, by seeing him die, and while he was dead in the sepulcher for four days, but even more, to see how long He took to get there. If you see Martha’s reaction, Jesus failed by not being there, by letting him die, and for taking so long. At that moment, Martha must have been thinking that this Jesus whom she had followed and served had failed on all accounts. And the only thing left was that her brother would be resurrected at the last day. How many of us think like that, that God has failed us everywhere (according to our thoughts), and even more, that doubt starts setting in, and the Lord’s position in our life is lowered? People sometimes treat the Lord like shares in the stock market, that when everything is going well, people buy even more shares because they think things will get even better. But when something goes wrong with a company, or something moves the consumer’s trust, they start selling their stock as quickly as possible.

The issue is that faith is a challenge, and it is a challenge that God allows for at every moment. And faith challenges always happen when circumstances choke us, when things are not going well, when we see delay, or when we never get what is so longed for here on earth. But, since we have the advantage of the Word of God, we know exactly how everything will end, and even more so, how things will be long after we have left this planet. So then, the question will always be, especially while we are here on earth, and during our worst moments: Do you believe in the Lord, and in such a way that it transcends even your worst moments, not really worried about how long they will last? 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. It is also written: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6.

So then, have you accepted the faith challenge? Lord bless! John

The Lord's Mysteries

Based on John 11:1-16 (New King James Version)

“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, ‘Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.’ When Jesus heard that, He said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to Him, ‘Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.’ These things He said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’ Then His disciples said, ‘Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.’ Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with Him.’”

Do we know, or rather, understand who the Lord really is? Do we understand who is the Almighty? I believe that if really understood just a little bit, our lives would be very different. I think we would behave very differently. I think we would do a whole lot less evil. Our priorities would completely change. We would worry a lot less over different issues, and we would be concerned more over other things. In summary, everything would be very different.

To help us out a bit, Job had a very interesting conversation with the Almighty once, and here, a very small window is opened to us so we can be able to start to understand who God is, as it is written: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ‘Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band; when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; when I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!’ Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It takes on form like clay under a seal, and stands out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and the upraised arm is broken. Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, that you may take it to its territory, that you may know the paths to its home? Do you know it, because you were born then, or because the number of your days is great?” Job 38:1-21.

So then, by beginning to understand that such a God like we read exists, I believe it would help us start to understand our limits; and this is the big problem people have: they don’t understand God’s reality, and how we compare to that. We are truly small and insignificant, especially if we start drawing comparisons. We couldn’t even aspire to being microbes if we compare ourselves to the planet we live on, and we would be far less if compared to the Solar System, and even far less, to the Milky Way (the galaxy that contains the Solar System). And well, we are far less than nothing when compared to the universe. Do you start to understand a bit just who God is?

God created everything that exists. It’s said easily, but is it understood? Just with the concept of “creation” is something amazing, because “to create” means to make something out of nothing. Man fancies himself on being a “creator”, but in all reality, he can only manipulate and play with what already exists. Man cannot create anything, using the true meaning of the word. Man can explain certain things through science with numbers and calculations, to be able to understand how certain cosmic things function, but can he replicate it? Did man have anything to do with what was created, speaking about the planet, and everything in it, for starters? Some say that everything started with a spontaneous explosion. Let’s assume that is true for a moment (and we really need to use a whole lot of creativity to be able to believe something like that). What is man in comparison to that explosion? Man is nothing! And I’m not trying to be insulting. It’s just a reality. What are we really?

And now, let’s come back to the reality of God (No matter how much some try to cover this certain reality, God does exist, and He is much more real than the fables they cling on to). If we just begin to understand who God is and the world He created, can we then come to understand everything that happens, and why it happens? That is quite impossible. Our limits do not allow us (and here is where today’s passage starts coming in). The Lord had a plan with Lazarus’ death. At that moment, no one understood it, but He did know what was happening, and He understood to such a degree this single act and moment in history that He also knew that we would be talking about this today, at the very instant you are reading this meditation. How incredible is the mind of God! This is what we need to understand about God: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9. The Lord is very great and infinite, and we will only be able to understand only certain extremely limited things, but there are many other things we cannot understand until we are completely enlightened in eternity. Until then, everything is a mystery to us, something that has an explanation, but that same explanation eludes us at the moment. So then, through this we should be able to understand that we should just trust and obey, knowing that what the Lord does will be a mystery to us for now. But the good thing in all of this, through the Lord’s mysteries, we know that His love for us is always present, even though we cannot understand it at the moment. And God works even greater things for us through His mysteries. So then, are you learning how to trust in the Lord, by knowing a little more about Him, even though everything seems like a mystery for now? Lord bless! John

Believing in the Lord

Based on John 10:40-42 (New King James Version)

“And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, ‘John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.’ And many believed in Him there.”

In these days, and in many parts of the “developed world”, the existence of God is questioned. There are many people that think they are too intelligent to believe in the God of the Bible, like if we were talking about a fable. Christian faith is considered by many to be more apt for those that are simple, or uneducated, or for the superstitious and weak. Many simply believe they are gods, but some day, they will realize they are not gods, and I hope when that day comes, that they still have the opportunity to believe while the grace of God is still in effect.

I remember many years ago, when I was studying in the university, I heard my biology professor (who was also one of the head doctors involved with cancer research) boasted in front of our group (we were about 400 students in the class) that human knowledge had reached a point where we had become like God. Some weeks later, when he started to talk about cancer, he humbly said, that the study of cancer was one of the greatest failures science had ever had. So, in one moment, we were like God, but in another moment, we were a failure. Despite his arrogance in the knowledge he had, he at least admitted that there was a limit, and that it was an embarrassing one.

As an observation, one of the ways that human beings need to realize that God does in fact exist, is because there are many things we don’t know how they work, and how they came to exist. But also, if we are sincere, we need to realize that we are very limited in all respects, if we just observe the universe and the great order that exists; things we had nothing to do with, and also, that medicine cannot even cure something as simple as the common cold. Yes friends, we can go to the moon and beyond, but we cannot even cure the common cold.

But going even further, let’s suppose that humans are able to achieve many more things, we will never be able to cure what really matters; the void of an empty heart and to be able to live eternally. No matter how much science and knowledge of the physical world may have advanced, people today commit suicide more than ever (for example). The Washington Post (one of the most liberal media outlets in the US) wrote an article in June of this year that stated that almost 45,000 suicides occurred in the US in 2016. It continued declaring that it was the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15-34. And it also declared that in the majority of cases, these people were not suffering from any mental sicknesses or diseases. Nadine Kaslow, the past president of the American Psychology Association, finally said in the interview that suicide was a crisis in public health, and that the numbers could continue increasing; that this issue was everywhere, and that they knew that the numbers might be even higher than what was declared.

What is the cause? Why has science not been able to deal with this issue? Man, in their quest to try to make God disappear from everything so they can do whatever they want, is also taking away some of the most essential things to everyone: faith and hope. There is no pill for faith. There is no treatment that can fill the hole each person has in their heart. Neither money, nor fame, nor knowledge, not even personal relationships, nor doing whatever a person wants to do can take away the void or the lack of hope each person possesses. Not too long ago, I heard about a suicide that had happened where a young man (around 20 years of age) had taken his life, even though he had a family that loved him; and he had no mental issues. Without God, there is no faith or hope; it’s as simple as that, because God is at the root of faith and hope. This is the major reason for why the Lord came to this earth, so that we could have faith, so that we could have a living and true hope that can overcome any obstacle and any circumstance, even the most difficult of moments that anyone could have, so they can feel the peace that surpasses all understanding; if they simply just believe and surrender their life to Him.

We read this in the Bible: “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’ And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” John 20:24-29. Those of us that have come to truly believe in the Lord know that there is no one greater, and that the Lord is everything in life (and yes, there are many of us that are educated, with a great deal of human knowledge that do believe). Believing in God does not make a person inferior, but quite the contrary, that makes them even more powerful because they know something that transcends all limits in this world, and everything that exists. We can even achieve immortality through Jesus Christ.  

In the Word of God, we can find all the knowledge we need so we can reach the Lord that fills our emptiness and gives us the hope of eternal life. For it is also written: “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30-31.

So finally, have you been able to truly believe in the Lord, so you can overcome everything in this life, and live eternally? Lord bless! John

Honoring the Lord

Based on John 10:31-39 (New King James Version)

“Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, ‘Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?’ The Jews answered Him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods’’? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.’ Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.”

Today, we are living in a time where a great number of people do not respect the law, nor authorities, and respect their neighbor even far less. Even though this evil has always existed (like the Preacher said: “…there is nothing new under the sun”), the Word is being fulfilled in that evil would multiply, which means, that the percentage of those that are doing wrong is much greater than what it used to be before (trying to put this perspective in numbers, so we can understand). In other words, there is a greater number of people within a group of people that dare to disrespect what is established. Basically, there is a growing anarchy in our world, and even far greater, against God, including in those that call themselves believers and followers of Christ.

Disorder and rebellion in reality are illogical, like we could see in today’s passage. Where was the logic in the supposed religious leaders, those that knew more about the Word of God, that they would want to stone, and finally kill the Lord? What were the Lord’s evil deeds; healing the sick, feeding the multitudes for free, freeing the possessed, and even raising the dead? These were the evil deeds the Lord had to pay for? The evil He did was doing things that were never done before, thereby showing the power of the Living God through them? Because neither Abraham, nor Moses, nor Elijah, nor David, nor anyone else did what Jesus did. So then, is it true justice killing someone that only does good? Do you see how illogical rebellion is? Nonetheless, that is how man is thinking nowadays (more than before).

Humans have a severe problem, that they believe they are much more than what they really are. Many think that because they don’t see something happen right way, they think they got away with it, or that they are mightier; and they take advantage of God’s incredible goodness. In the Lord’s case, while He was here on earth, He came in peace. He did not come to make fire come down from the sky (like He had done before). The religious (and humanity) at that moment took advantage of Him because He had come as the Holy Lamb for the sacrifice, and not for punishment. The dispensation of Lord’s grace is still in effect during these times. And humans keep thinking that God does not exist, or rather, they do not respect Him because they don’t see something happen in response to the evil they do. But, that will not last. God’s judgment is coming, and for every person, with no exceptions. The mercy of God will cease at some point, and every human being (personally) will see who God is; the Lord they despise, disrespect, and dishonor. The Word of God says this: “Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” 1 Samuel 2:30.

When the Lord comes back to deal with all of this, once and for all, He will come like this: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.’ And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.” Revelation 19:11-21. Therefore, if no army, not even the one that is spoken of here which will be the most powerful army mankind will ever have, with all of its technology and science; and not even Satan and his malignant deity will be able to resist the Lord, what do you think any other person will be able to do against God? Who could face the KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS in the day of judgment?

And for those of us that have come to believe and accept the Lord, we will also stand trial before the judgment seat of Christ one day. We will also have to give an account to the Almighty. It’s not as simple as many preach things, trying to erroneously guide the people of the Lord, by preaching things that please the multitudes, so they won’t have a sense of responsibility with the gift of salvation, for it is written: “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:10-12. Do you prefer to believe that the judgment will only be for giving out rewards to believers? That’s fine. Keep telling yourself that. You will experience later the hard reality that we are responsible for what we do, if we don’t repent and change.

In summary, we need to honor the Lord Jesus and His Word, for our own good. God is love, but He is also consuming fire. So then, are you honoring Him as best as you can? Lord bless! John

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