God’s Wisdom Revealed through Christ Crucified - 1 Corinthians 2

Based on 1 Corinthians 2 (New King James Version)

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

There may be some of you that may not understand what will be shared today, but my prayer, or even more importantly, God’s desire is for everyone to come to understand what God has really done for humanity, as it is written: “Who [God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:4-5. And we also see God’s desire through the following passage that practically the entire world has either read or heard: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. So then, God desires for everyone to understand, but of course, that all depends on how it is received, and what dictates that is what a person desires, what they truly value. And for that, a certain level of intellect is required, not the type that comes from a university or a special course, or anything like that, but rather, enough intellect to understand the reality we live day-by-day, the ability to be able to see beyond the distractions and vanities of this world that Satan uses to deviate our attention from the Truth.

Let us start by asking: “What is the Truth?” And here is where we need some amount of the intelligence we were talking about. What is irrefutable is that we live in a temporary world, starting with our own lives. No one can physically live forever. This should be obvious, but many times, the simple or obvious eludes even the most intellectual of people, because it all depends on what is in the heart of a person. As the saying goes: “There is no worse blind man than the one that doesn’t want to see.” And so, if everything that we see will end, and our end will come sooner or later, then we should, at minimum, ask ourselves this, “What happens after?”

The second thing we will see of what is true is that not only do we know (or should know) that everything in this world is temporary, but also, that everything in this world is unstable and unpredictable. In other words, not only will all of us leave this world at some point, but also, that anything can happen to anyone at any moment, without exception. The poor, the middle class, the rich, the powerful, the famous; they all die. And what we all have in common is that we don’t know when nor how the end will be, and that there is nothing we can do about it. If you watch the news or read some history, or just look around, you will realize that no one has been able to control this aspect of reality. The most foolish and senseless people erroneously think that they have all of the time in the world, and that nothing will ever happen to them. But this life is very uncertain, and right now, we are being taught a very good lesson, right? But, let’s think yet a little more. Who is in a worse situation, the person that thinks that nothing will ever happen to them, or the person that knows that something will happen, but chooses not to worry about it? The race is very close, and many compete to obtain the prize (per se) of being the most foolish. That’s why I say that, to able to understand what we are seeing today, some level of intelligence is required, like that of a child.

But, in summary, if we understand that we all have a sure end here on earth, and we don’t know when, or how, and that there is no way to avoid it, then what should we do about it? This is what the Word teaches regarding these realities: “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’” Mark 8:34-38. So, you need to ask yourself, “What worth do you give to your soul? If you are more concerned about the here and now then about what is to come, then do you truly value your soul?” You can say whatever you want, but everything can be seen in the way you live your life, where you put forth your efforts. As it is written: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21.

So then, the wisdom of God is revealed through Christ crucified. God saw our condition, and that our soul was dead in its sins. And if we die physically in that fallen state, our soul dies forever also. And the only way that a soul can have eternal life is that an eternal being [God] lay down His life for us and pay for all of our sins. There is no greater wisdom, nor anything else has greater value, nor has greater love for us, that He took care of our greatest and most urgent need, something no one nor nothing else, not even ourselves, could have done for us. God died for all humanity so that all humanity could have access to eternal life which is only possible through Jesus Christ. And so, it doesn’t matter anymore when our moment comes. If our faith and life is set on Christ (completely) and we live our lives according to that faith, we will be ready for whatever comes our way, no matter when and how it happens. I hope you understand your reality and that Christ is the only way we have to eternal life. Have you understood God’s wisdom through His crucified and resurrected Christ so that you can have the hope of eternal life? Lord bless! John

A True Conversion Inspires Everyone - 1 Thessalonians 1

Based on 1 Thessalonians 1 (New King James Version)

“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

What is a true conversion? A true conversion does not consist of religiousness or even of morality, but rather, it is about something unique when we talk about a true conversion to Christ. Many become confused and never come to experience something like that because, quite frankly, they allow for themselves to be overpowered by the sin that is within them. So then, a person does not come to convert as they need to not because it is God’s fault, nor the devil’s fault, not even because of the sin that lives within them, but rather, through their own power to reason, in not wanting to convert, because everything that we do consists on our own free will. That’s why there will be a judgment, because in the end, every human being will either be absolved through their conversion in Christ or eternally condemned because of their choice of not wanting to convert to Christ, as it is written: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36. This is the great debate that exists within certain parts of God’s people; the issue that involves predestination (that everything and everyone is predetermined to be something, and that it is out of our control) vs. free will, or having the ability to choose (or that the things of God and the universe are predetermined, but personal decision is what determines what will happen with a person, depending solely on their personal choice for the Lord). And well, it would be a very unfair judge who judges a person for the evil deeds they commit without having any control over themselves. But our God is not only Righteous, but also, He is very good and merciful. So, the question still stands: What is a true conversion?

The Lord Himself explained it this way when He told Nicodemus, as it is written in John’s gospel: “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:1-7. So then, something very definitive in the most inner part of a human being needs to happen, an action that unites totally and completely all of the soul, the heart, the mind, and strength of a person. And this act consists of being born again of water and the Spirit, or in other words, a real, complete, 100% repentance and conversion from all of your sins (born of water), and being born of the Spirit, which is the next step within the same moment that is done, by acknowledging and accepting Jesus as the Lord of your life. And this acknowledging and accepting Jesus as the Lord also needs to be something real, complete, and 100% within you, effectively making Him the Master and Lord of your life, that you are not the one in charge any more, but rather, that the Lord is in charge, to Whom you submit to completely. To be able to belong to God, you need to truly give Him your life. It is so obvious that it even eludes the most expert of people in the Scriptures, not because it is difficult to understand, but because they allow for themselves to be governed by the sin that dwells within. This is what produces eternal life within a human being. This is what transforms even the most sinful people, like I used to be so many years ago, walking down a twisted path, directly going towards an infernal destination, to spend an eternity without this Marvelous and Good Lord that now governs my life. And what determined that great change in direction was that I precisely chose to repent and convert from all of my sins, and effectively make Jesus the Lord and God of my life. This same concept was explained to me, and I realized that I was empty, alone, lost, and without hope, and I chose to believe with all of my heart, without any reservations, despite the sin that was still within me that was trying not to let me believe. But finally, I was able to understand and was willing to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit that was speaking to me through this person that allowed for themselves to be used to communicate to me the most important message of my life. I was able to be born again in Christ, and my life change.

In summary, a true conversion produces a product, a change in life, an immovable faith, things that come from and through the Holy Spirit, as it is written: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23. That is why truly following Christ is much more than a religion. It goes way beyond morality, traditions, or even trying to be a good person. None of that saves you. The only thing that saves you is your decision for Christ, and remaining firm in that faith, and that is what produces a change in a human being, where the transforming power of God is revealed in the life of a person, something that everyone can see, if it truly happened. This conversion was visible in the life of the Apostles, and this was also what could be seen in these Thessalonians. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy wrote precisely about the evidence of this conversion in this group of people, of the way they received the Truth of God, and how they turned from the idols to God, and how they served the True and Living God, with their eyes set on heaven, demonstrating with actions that they were focused on Jesus, in the resurrection of the dead, and that they would be delivered from the coming wrath, rather than on earthly and carnal things. A person’s faith can be seen in the way they live their life. And this is what inspired the laborers of Christ to carry on, and inspired others to believe in the Lord, and it even inspires us today as we read about them, and it will inspire everyone else that will come after us, and towards eternity. Everything that is done and lived for Christ remains in eternity. So then, have you been able to truly convert to the Lord? Lord bless! John

God’s Rights - Romans 12

Based on Romans 12 (New King James Version)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

In today’s passage, we see many indications, many things that we are being taught we should do. We see that we should present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable to God. We see that we should not be conformed to the times we are living in, or rather, to the world we live in, and that we should be transformed. We see that we should look for the will of God. We read also how we should treat our fellow man, and even our enemies. We are being commanded many things here. And one could ask, “Why is so much being requested from us, that we practically have to abandon our lives to live for God and for our neighbor?” And it is a valid question. In all reality, we should ask ourselves this question so that we can then understand the reason for all of this. After all, God did create us with reasoning, with the ability to be able to absorb, understand, process, and like that, make decisions. In summary, before things can get to the heart, they have to first cross through our intellect, by our reasoning. So then, we will argue for the simple fact that God has the right to direct us, for us to do His will, and we have extremely irrefutable arguments that should take us to a complete conviction on why it is fair what God is asking us to do.

For starters, there is the argument that God is God. There is no greater authority in the universe. There is no one else like Him. He is Supreme, the Most High, the Almighty. There is truly no way possible to explain with words this reality. The Word opens for us very small windows (per se) so that we can at least be able to have an idea of Who is this God, and His position in the immovable and eternal world. For it is written: “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” Revelation 5:11-13. So then, the simple fact that God is God, and that there is none higher than Him should motivate us.

The second argument has to do with the issue that God made everything, including, human beings. Nothing that we see, not even yourself would exist if it were not for God. You wouldn’t even have an idea of what life is without the Lord. As it is written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. And so, He not only created everything, and allowed for you to live, but also, we are taught that everything subsists because of Him. In other words, He not only created, and just left it all running on its own, but also, absolutely nothing in the universe can continue existing if it were not for the Lord. As it is also written: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17. And so, if you came to have life, it’s because He allowed it to happen. And if you continue to live and do everything you are able to do now, from the small and insignificant, even to the most critical in your life, even what your body does involuntarily (per se), the beating of your heart and the breathing of your lungs, it’s because God wills it. Even if a person does not want to believe in God, that person anyways exists because God allows them to exist.

And the third argument, and the one that should be the most convincing of all, is that the Lord gave Himself for all of us, even when we were His enemies, and far away from everything He is, as it is written: “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:10. And He gave Himself without any kind of obligation. He did it all for love. God came to this world and dedicated all of His being while He walked in our likeness to do good for us, and even to die for us, giving Himself as the Holy and Pure sacrifice for all sinners, paying the price for all of His enemies on the cross. And there never was any complaining, as it is written: “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.” Isaiah 53:7. There is no being that is as good and merciful like God.

And so, we owe everything to the Lord. We owe honoring Him as the Supreme Authority, as the Creator of everything, as the Sustainer of everything, the One that even allows for us to live, and the One that gives us the possibility of having eternal life. And so, do you understand the right God has, by just how much you depend on Him? Lord bless! John

Doing God’s Will - 1 Corinthians 16

Based on 1 Corinthians 16 (New King James Version)

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me. Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren. Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men. The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

If we clearly focus on this passage, on what we are being taught, we would be able to see the principal theme of the entire Bible, the all of man: that we should love God and love our neighbor. And when we talk about love, it is something that has to do with actions that demonstrate love, because love needs to be witnessed. We see this through the personal care the Apostle Paul put in what he was indicating. Very practical ways of helping are taught here that should happen with those that call themselves followers of Christ. But if we objectively observe what happens today, we will notice that what needs to be seen in us as a group cannot be seen anymore. We as church have become lost within ourselves, in selfishness, in lack of love, in looking for our own interests rather than looking for the interests of God, and in forgetting the holy principles God our Heavenly Father gave us through the Lord. But, if there are failures or forgetfulness, then we need to remind and encourage that which really is God’s will, because God does not desire for us to be lost, but rather, that we turn from our evil ways, that there be repentance and conversion, so that His purpose can be fulfilled, and that is: to rescue as many people as possible from the way of perdition. And so, we will explain the Truth.

For starters, the Word indicates this to us, when the religious (which is very applicable to the problem we have today—to much religiousness) were precisely trying to test God (which many still do today as well): “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35-40. The Bible and the Cross, in their fulness teach us about a vertical relationship, our relationship with God; and they also teach us about a horizontal relationship, demonstrating our relationship with men. And this is what God’s will is all about, about loving both, and that, in that love towards God is that love towards others needs to be manifested. In other words, love for God is fundamental. It’s what should generate our love for our neighbor. The order cannot be altered. The Lord always needs to be first, and the reason for why we do things, and then comes the love for others, as a result of that love for the Lord, as it is written: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.” 1 John 3:16-19. But if we do not love God, and He is not the principal motive for why we do things, then there is nothing of value. It’s tough saying this, but all is garbage and it should be burned in eternal fire. And it is clear, if this principal foundation is not in our lives, there is no salvation, as it was also left written: “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.” So then, it should be very clear that loving God through actions that demonstrate love towards God should generate love towards our neighbor and the corresponding actions that are associated with that love. It’s as simple as that. There is no great theology to it, nor are years in seminary needed to be able to understand these very simple concepts. Sin and rebellion are what make the simple complicated, things that even children can understand. And because of these “complications” that many people create in their lives is that there will be many surprises before the throne of God in the day of judgment, because we will all be judged according to our actions, whether you believe it or not. As it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. So, you should aim to understand what you are doing, for your own good.

So then, what should we do with our neighbor? The Bible teaches us the following: “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 6:9-10. And the Lord also taught us this: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:43-45. So, do good to everyone. Help in what you can help, and in very practical ways. Pray, but also act. Basically, treat others as God has treated you. That is what God teaches. Do you understand what is the will of God, so that you can put it into action, so that you can have eternal life? Lord bless! John

The Disposition of the Heart - Acts 28:17-31

Based on Acts 28:17-31 (New King James Version)

“And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: ‘Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.’ Then they said to him, ‘We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.’ So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: ‘The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say: ‘Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you will see, and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’’’ ‘Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!’ And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves. Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”

What is it that determines the course of a person’s life and defines their eternity? God made us in His likeness and image. And like that, we have similarities with Him. One of the greatest similarities that a human being has with the Lord is the ability to reason and choose, those of which come within the soul and the heart of a person, or the center of a being. In that intangible location (physically speaking) is where everything of importance can be found in a person. We can’t see it with our human eyes, but everything that it generates is quite visible in a person’s actions. So then, it is not necessarily God the One that decides what should happen with a person, but rather, it is the person that finally decides their outcome.  God simply allows for natural consequences to follow. However, there are instances that when a person is too rebellious, and their heart is too obstinate, that God finally makes the decision to push them into complete deviation, because the person has taken God beyond His limits.

To see this issue more clearly, what does the Word say about the heart of a person? It is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. God knows everything, even the deepest part within a person. There is nothing that can be hidden from Him. It’s impossible. He knows our true feelings, our thoughts, everything that is most intimate within our being.

Now then, one of the clearest examples where we can see everything we have mentioned so far is in Pharaoh. Pharaoh, to his disgrace, is an example of what happens when a person is obstinate with God, and that God knows everything they are thinking, and that the Lord is the One that finally rejects someone that is of a hard and rebellious heart. We see in Exodus when God desires to free His people from the hands of Egypt, and that He had to deal with Pharaoh’s rebellion. Pharaoh was given many opportunities to do things right, but his rebellious hard had no limits. God revealed to Moses Pharaoh’s heart, and He knew that it was hard, and foretold that Pharaoh would harden his heart even more, not necessarily because God designed this from the beginning, but because Pharaoh would decide to do it. This is what we read: “And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. So the Lord said to Moses: ‘Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.’” Exodus 7:13-14.  “Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.” Exodus 7:22. “But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said.” Exodus 8:15. “Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’ But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.” Exodus 8:19. “But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.” Exodus 8:32. “Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.” Exodus 9:7. Pharaoh hardened his heart on six different occasions, even when the magicians had realized that they were fighting against God. But after all of those opportunities, God then acted in Pharaoh’s heart, and it was God that hardened him, as it is written: “But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.” Exodus 9:12. Pharaoh could have repented, but he did not while it was still time, and he pushed God beyond His limits. And because God is a supremely worthy Being, even though He is love and full of mercy, He cannot forget that He is God as well, and that He cannot lower Himself.

This is what the Word advises: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:6-9. “While it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:15-19. The people that God took out of Egypt also angered the Lord and they went through what Pharaoh did as well.

God undisputedly has His limits. He is a God of mercy, goodness, grace, and love, but we cannot abuse Him, under any circumstances. What is God’s limit? We don’t know, but why take Him there? If you have problems with rebellion and hardness of heart, use your reasoning to look for the Lord, and let Him work in your life, because otherwise, either you will come to experience much pain, or you will be rejected forever. All of this is your decision. So then, what will you do with your heart’s disposition? Lord bless! John

The Problem that Happens When God is not First - Mark 6:14-28

Based on Mark 6:14-28 (New King James Version)

“Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, ‘John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and there-fore these powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.’ But when Herod heard, he said, ‘This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!’ For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.’ He also swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.’ So she went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask?’ And she said, ‘The head of John the Baptist!’ Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.”

When a person does not have God in first place in their life, they commit great and fatal errors. And unfortunately, this is a very common problem. The issue that God needs to be first is not about fulfilling God’s whim. If we understand how things were really made, and how they work in the universe, we can then understand that it is not a whim or something like that. The issue is that everything was created and made a certain way, and everything works as it is established. That is why Truth is not relative or dependent on the perspective of a person. The universe is much larger than we are, and the universe does not adjust to our way of thinking. And of course, the argument that I will always make (with God’s grace) as long as I live is that the only One that knows how things work, and Who we need to pay attention to is God and His instruction can only be found within the Holy Bible, the Word of God. And that is why He needs to be first, if we truly desire what is best here, but more importantly, what is best for eternity. And a sane and logical person understands that. So, it is not even something that has to do with feelings, although we have an overabundance of reasons if we understand God’s love and what He has done for us.

So then, God’s counsel, what is written, explains to us what needs to happen so things can work for our good in our lives. The Bible teaches us this: “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:3-6. The commandment was given for our wellbeing, so that we can avoid the disasters that come as a result of disobedience. And of course, God explains it with reasons that have to do with love and consequences because He is the Heavenly Father and God Almighty. God has to use the concept of a commandment so that it can be understood that it is something urgent, essential, and critical; that it is not something that should be taken lightly, because again, doing the opposite would be disastrous; not for God though, but rather, for man. So, we cannot put anything neither as a priority before God, nor anything else around us that can disturb our direct relationship with Him.

Now then, what else can we understand of why it is so critical to have God in first place? The issue is that as much as God exists, Satan exists as well, and Satan will not rest in his effort to deviate us. If we don’t understand that, then we will fail miserably, and we will not even notice when we are completely off the Lord’s path, and on our way to death. The Bible tells us this: “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” Genesis 3:1-5. Satan continually tries to deviate us, at every moment, and through different things, through very subtle things, things that may even seem good. That’s why we need to be very careful. If Adam and Eve would have had God in first place, they would not have paid attention to Satan, and we would not be in the situation we are in today. But, let’s not be too harsh on them, because all of us would have done just as bad or worse. That’s why we are having this discussion.

What is the prime concern we should have? If we do not have God in first place in our life, then we will be obeying sin and Satan himself, and this is happening way too often. This is what we see in the Word: “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” Matthew 16:21-23. When we don’t put God in first place, we will accomplish Satan’s will. That’s the grave danger, and that is why it is so disastrous, because Satan will never ever take you to do something that is good for you. There is no room for grays because there is no in between. And that is why God also counsels us in the following manner: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. Herod got involved with someone evil (Herodias). So, we need to surround ourselves with people that help us to keep the Lord first.

So then, do you understand that it is imperative to put the Lord in first place, for your own good? Lord bless! John

A Promised Eternity - Joshua 15:13-19

Based on Joshua 15:13-19 (New King James Version)

“Now to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a share among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, namely, Kirjath Arba, which is Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. Then he went up from there to the inhabitants of Debir (formerly the name of Debir was Kirjath Sepher). And Caleb said, ‘He who attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.’ So Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. Now it was so, when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She answered, ‘Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.’ So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.”

Who was Caleb? If we see the beginning of his story (which can be found in Numbers 13 and 14), we see that Caleb was one of the twelve spies that Moses sent (at God’s command) to spy the promised land. The mission that was given to Caleb (and the twelve) had to do with observing the following: “‘…Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.’ Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.” Numbers 13:17b-20. The twelve returned from their mission, but ten of them spoke more about the giants and the problems they could face, and that incited people to be fearful, and for them to not only turn against Moses, but more importantly, to turn against God. But Caleb and Joshua made their report with faith, and they spoke about the great things of the land, and that if the people found favor before God, that He would give it to them. Caleb and Joshua tried to persuade the people to not rebel against God, and to not fear the giants nor anything else they would have to face. And well, if we follow the story, even up to what we read today, because of God’s mercy (because God was going to reject the people after so much complaining against Him), the people did get to the promised land, and Caleb received his rewards because of having faith in God, by justifying the Almighty and defending His cause.

Now then, was it easy for Caleb to receive the reward for his faith? No. Nothing in this life that is worth fighting for is easy. Everything takes sacrifice and work. It can be read very easily, for example, that: “Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai”, but it was not a lie that there were powerful giants in the land. The giants of which the ten spies spoke of were like what was described of Goliath, for example, a man that was of very great stature (Goliath was about 9.5 feet, 2,9 meters), and very strong. So then, even though God worked in everything, there was much effort employed by Caleb and the people who fought to obtain the promised land. It wasn’t like in the movies, that in approximately two hours, you can see the beginning and the victorious end, where everyone winds up happy and content. Life is not a movie. Caleb had to endure days, months, and years of effort, of fighting, of physical wear and tear, and sacrifice.

So, what makes Caleb so special, and what can we learn from all of this? There were three fundamental things in the life of Caleb that we need to take into account, if we really want a successful and triumphant end. First, Caleb believed in God, not by words, but with all of his being, because he even confronted an entire rebellious group of people because of God, without thinking about the consequences, that he could have even lost his life. He took on the entire world (per se) without any reservation, for His God. Second, he believed His God. God spoke of a promised land. God sent them to see the promised land. Caleb believed God, that if he would find favor before God, that He would give it to him. And third, he did the work and was diligent and hardworking in fulfilling his part, in obeying God. He did not fight for his ideas or because of what came to him on his own, but rather, for what God commanded him to do. And he strove for it, and his faith and effort encouraged others to do the same. If we apply the same things, but with even greater things (because the promised land for which Caleb fought for was a good land, but it was a physical and temporary one, and one that now is, and tomorrow, it’s something else, like everything in this world). Nothing in this world lasts forever. But Christ is forever, and if we put our faith in Him, we can live forever. Death will have no power over us, if we simply do the three things Caleb did. We read this in the Word: “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Is it hard to follow Christ? Yes, because we are fighting against the entire world, against Satan and his kingdom, and against sin and death; all of which are hard and great adversaries—giants really. But, our faith in Christ can conquer all of that.

Now then, let us spy (per se) for a moment the eternity that the Lord promises us: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.’” Revelation 21:1-7. But, in order to receive this reward, the Bible teaches us what we cannot be, as it is written: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8. The eternal triumph is not for the cowardly nor the unbelieving, because it is necessary to face giants and to work hard, with our eyes placed on Christ and on His goal. But, is it not worth facing whatever we need to face, whether we are alone or with others, for a “promised eternity”? Lord bless! John

Who is Jesus? - Luke 5:17-26

Based on Luke 5:17-26 (New King James Version)

“Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said to him, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you.’ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today!’”

It is hard for many people to understand who Jesus is. Unfortunately for them, they see the Lord as a man only, and not for who He was and is: He was and is God. The problem that many simply have is pride and arrogance, and because of that pride and arrogance, instead of acknowledging His incredible sacrifice, that He lowered Himself to that condition so that He could go through what was necessary for us, for our sin, people actually penalize Him and count that against Him. There is no greater injustice in the universe, and as such, that’s why it is fairly punishable as the Scriptures say: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36. This is the grave problem that many of the religious had, and it’s the same problem that many have today, that they see the Lord as an equal or even as someone lower than themselves, and that they are not going to lower themselves to accept someone like that as their God. This was the same problem that Satan had. The enemy did not want (nor does he now) accept that God is God and that it is necessary to submit to Him. In the end, if there is something that has no limit neither in Satan nor in people that refuse to believe and submit themselves to God is stupidity (there is no other word to better describe it). Acknowledging Christ as who He is, as God, is simply acknowledging a fact, and nothing more than that. There are certain things in life that we just need to simply accept and acknowledge, and this is the most important one.

Now then, maybe some people might defend themselves, the people that maybe don’t believe not out of stupidity, but rather, because of ignorance. And God does not have a problem with ignorance. Ignorance is totally justifiable, because if you don’t know something, then you don’t believe not because you don’t want to believe, but rather, because you lack the information. That’s the big difference. Now, for the person that lacks the information, but desires to understand, it is necessary to see the things He did. The Lord, although He took on a humble form, even as a man, He did things that no one else before Him were able to do, nor can anyone do ever. It is necessary to see the facts and accept them as facts. That’s why these things were left written. We see in today’s main passage that He demonstrated that He could both forgive sin and heal. He was and is able to do both things without any problem because He is God. And He did these things countless times, even on the sabbath (for what the religious criticized Him also). So then, He demonstrated countless times that He was God.

What we can also observe here is that sickness has something to do with sin, and we need to try to explain this well because it can be easily misunderstood, especially since there are certain bad doctrines out there. What we need to understand is that sin is in the world and that sin is what causes all of the bad things to be present, both the sin that is outside of us as well as the sin that lives within us. What we see in this passage is that there was sin in the person that was healed. The Word shows us the relationship between sin and sickness through the following passage: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:13-16. So then, sin is always linked with sickness, in one way or another. They go hand in hand. So, what was this man’s sin? We don’t know, but he was sick because of it. That we can see clearly. The other thing we need to understand is that the Lord, as the God He is, knows everything that is inside of us, even what others don’t see, and what is deep inside, intimately within us. For it is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. We cannot deceive the Lord, no matter how much we try. He knows everything.

Now, is sickness a punishment. Not necessarily. The Apostle Paul is one of our main examples in the Bible, especially so we are able to understand what can happen to even the most faithful people to the Lord. Paul had to deal with a thorn, with a sickness. He explained this: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. The thorn that Paul was allowed to have was there so his pride could be dealt with, because that is the only thing that can make a person feel like exalting themselves. And of course, pride does not allow for a person to submit to God, nor to God’s purposes, and that they feel they are better than the rest. What is the purpose for sickness? God allows for certain things to happen in our lives because He is more interested in our formation and preparation for eternity than our temporary comfort in this world. Eternity is much more important than the temporal world. So, if God allows for certain things to happen in your life, whether it be sickness or some other circumstance, it’s simply because He desires to accomplish greater things in your life. The most important thing out of all of this is for you to be always able to see more clearly who is Jesus and what He desires to do in your life. What glorifies God the most is the process of human transformation, because that is the main reason for why He died for us all; not just to save us, but also, to prepare us for what is coming. So then, do you understand exactly who Jesus is and what He really did for you? Lord bless! John

God’s Faithfulness - Matthew 1

Based on Matthew 1 (New King James Version)

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.”

We should realize quite clearly that we need some sort of refuge or security superior to us by seeing that we are in a world where lies are the rule, and where we cannot trust in very much, where there is so much deceit and taking advantage of. Every person, by virtue of being human (a limited being with many vulnerabilities), needs to put their trust on something or on someone so they can literally be able to survive.

It is hard for many people to trust in things or in people outside of themselves because important things and people in the past failed them at some point. And to explain better, we are not talking about a failure from a parent that involved saying something inappropriate or painful, because it would be illogical or unfair to punish them, per se, because a person said something wrong or committed a mistake in a given moment, and to dismiss all of their sacrifice over something like that. Some sons and daughters try to punish their mother or father when something does not come out right, or a mistake is committed. The duty of a father or mother with their child, before God (which goes beyond what society teaches) is to give them what is necessary like: love, shelter, food, clothes, care, advice, and protection, while they become adults (and Biblically, a person is an adult when they are 20, because they were able to go to war, although many were kings of Israel and Judah much sooner than that; so, it really varies). But, nonetheless, after becoming an adult, a parent does not owe their children absolutely nothing else. They don’t owe them at any point of their life designer clothes, or cars, or entertainment, or trips, or college careers, or help after they get married, or anything else. And if a parent has given you what is necessary, within their limits, and they commit a mistake, and you despise them, it is punishable before the eyes of God, and the only thing that you are doing is shortening your lifespan, as it is written: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12. So then, what we are talking about has to do with real faults and failures, with deep and harsh wounds, not superficial stuff. And that’s why it is very difficult for many people to trust, and they turn their faith towards themselves, or to other people, or to things that they cling on to along the way that can also fail just as much or even more than their parents.

Now then, if we are wise and logical, we should realize that we need to trust in something or someone that is immovable, in something or someone firm, stable, and lasting. If we observe everything that surrounds us, and even ourselves for a moment, we should realize that it would not be very wise to put our trust on something temporary, because everything here is temporal and fallible. Money can leave quite easily. Power is an illusion. Fame can last but an instant. Our health can change in a moment. Our loved ones can fail us even by accident, without any ill intention, because they are just as fallible and imperfect as we are. So then, where can we put our trust? What or Who has demonstrated qualities of faithfulness and security? And here is where our God comes in.

God is faithful. How do we know this? Do you have anything to do with the world’s rotation? Is it man that causes the sun to rise and to set every day? Do you have any control over your lungs and the beating of your heart? Who allows for you to live at this very moment? These are only a few examples of things that you or others have no control over. God is in all of them. In today’s passage, we saw God’s faithfulness throughout the generations, by fulfilling His promise. For starters, God does not lie, as it is written: “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that He should repent.” 1 Samuel 15:29. And He has the power to do impossible things, as it is also written: “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11. And He promised this centuries before it happened: “So the Lord God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.’” Genesis 3:14-15. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14. And finally, God does not change, as it is written: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8.

If God does things for us that no one else can, at every moment, things that are out of the control of man, and He has even made a way for salvation by fulfilling His promise, through Jesus Christ, then, you can trust Him. He is unlike everyone else, even us; He is faithful. So, have you been able to understand and appreciate God’s faithfulness which transcends time, and that it lasts for all eternity? Lord bless! John

When We Align Ourselves with the Lord - Joshua 10:1-15

Based on Joshua 10:1-15 (New King James Version)

“Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, ‘Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.’ Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, ‘Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.’ So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.’ Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: ‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.”

One of the many great values of the Word of God is that it gives us examples of what happens when a person obeys the Lord, and also, when a person does not obey the Lord. The only way that faith can grow in a person is by seeing the Word and the experience that is written in it. For it is written: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. When a person reads believing what they are reading, then faith starts to grow and become stronger. And a person also needs to believe this, as it is written: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. God does not change. So, He was able to do great things before. He is able to do great things today. And also, He will be able to do them tomorrow.

Now then, when is God able to work miraculously in our lives? For this to happen, we need to get into the compliment of things that need to be present in a person so that God’s miracles can be seen, because this does not just happen. Can God heed the voice of a man, as it is written, like He did for Joshua? Yes, but not in the manner that many people think erroneously.

For starters, if a prayer is answered (as a person desires), but outside of God’s order, it is not God that is answering that prayer. So, we need to be very careful because the enemy is also listening to what we are asking for, and he could give us the illusion of an answer, or give us what we are looking for that goes against the will of the Lord. If we understand just who Satan is, that he is all evil, then we can understand that he is capable of many things, everything that is within his reach to help us deviate, especially if we are walking down an erroneous path. The enemy will always try to encourage deviation, that we feel confident in our sin. And if he can keep us under the illusion that God is the One that is fulfilling our desires (to make us think that we are ok), he is very happy to do so. Satan will do everything that is possible for him that can help get us off the path, to go against God’s will, to support disobedience, and finally, to help bring about our destruction.

How can we avoid having our prayers answered by the wrong person? By understanding and making God the Lord of our lives in a very practical and literal way is how we do it. Christ needs to become the center of our lives, just like Joshua did. Joshua was completely submitted to God, and he sustained an unconditional faithfulness towards the Almighty, not really caring about what others were doing, as it is written: “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15. This is the foundation that should be in every Christ follower; belonging to God.

The second thing that should be in a person is what Joshua precisely did which was to serve the Lord, not looking for his own will. Joshua didn’t do things because they seemed right to him, or because it was his idea to go to the promised land. Joshua submitted to God’s will, and he looked to do what God wanted him to do. He was a man that was obedient to God. God will prosper what we intend to do when it is what He wants, not our will, and even far less, when we are doing things wrong or walking in sin. God will not do any miracles if you are going down the path of error by practicing sin. Now, this does not mean or imply that you have to do things to get God to work, but rather, you have to be aligned with God so that God can manifest his greatness. These are two very different things.

So then, here is the recipe (if you will) that can help us see God’s miracles in our lives: belonging to the Lord, putting our faith on Him, looking for His Word daily so that our faith can continue growing, submitting to Him as the Lord He needs to be in our lives, putting His Word into works, obeying and serving Him, and aligning ourselves with His will. Do these things imply perfection? Absolutely not. Joshua wasn’t perfect. There is only one that is good and that is God. But, if we try to obey Him with fear and trembling, just as the Scriptures tell us how we need to take care of our salvation (because we need to take our salvation seriously and not for granted), and we look to fulfill His purposes, we will then see great things. Our prayers will arrive before the Throne of Grace. But the question is: “Is your life aligned with the Lord, by looking to fulfill His purposes?” Lord bless! John

God's Constraints for Man - Luke 13:1-9

Based on Luke 13:1-9 (New King James Version)

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.’ He also spoke this parable: ‘A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”

Many people decide to either ignore the issue that there is a limit on how long we are on this earth, or to think that they have all of the time in the world. When people are young and in good health, they think they are invincible and that nothing can touch them at the moment. And meanwhile, they think whatever they want and do according to their arrogance and pride. The Bible teaches us that there is a time for everything, as it is written: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-3. Reality teaches us that no one knows that limit of time (if we pay some attention to what happens around us). We don’t have any idea of when it is our turn. In today’s passage, we saw two stories that taught us that we have a time limit, and for two things specifically: for repentance and to produce fruit.

In the first instance, the Lord explains to us that things that may be seen as bad do not necessarily happen to people that are worse than others. And this goes against what many people think, because many think that if they are good or if they do good things, that nothing bad will happen to them. In the grand scheme of humanity, and because of carnality reasons, we are all sinners, and that includes even those of us that have been redeemed and forgiven by the Lord. The only difference between a person that has converted to the Lord and an unbeliever is that the converted have been forgiven by the Lord. But, just because there is forgiveness does not imply total freedom from the effects of sin that is in our flesh and in the world.

The Bible teaches us this principle: “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23a. Sin is what makes things here and even our own lives temporary. This is the effect of sin. And whether we sin voluntarily or even if we don’t sin voluntarily, sin is in our flesh and all around us. The reality is that we live in a world of sin. So then, if the whole world is full of sin and the wages of sin implies death, then everything that is here is under death and has a time limit (it’s finite). So, no matter how much we struggle, sooner or later, we will all perish physically either because of a sickness, or because of what another person did, or because of circumstances we explain as accidents, etc., etc. One way or another, no matter what we do, whether we are good (per se) or bad, everyone’s time will come. And the lesson is: we need to be ready for that moment, and the wise person understands, by the simple fact that all things are uncertain in this world, that they need to be ready always.

Now then, the second instance, the issue regarding producing fruit. We have a time limit on this planet, but also, there is a limit on the time that God gives us to produce fruit. The issue is that we are saved and redeemed in Christ for good works. God is a God of production, of life. So then, God gave life and awaits to see the fruit of His labor also, that He expects to see a result worthy of His investment. That is part of the likeness we have with God, the aspect that every person desires to receive something for their work and dedication. A person works so they can receive payment for their labor. A person studies because they think that it will give them more tools so they can earn a better living. A person loves someone else with the hope that the other person will value them and return that love. A couple has children and raises them with the desire that one day those children love them back, and value them the same way they did. I don’t think anyone does things so they can receive something contrary, right? No one loves so they can be despised. No one works to receive nothing. No one invests with the goal to lose everything they invested. Do you understand?   

If we expect to receive good results for our efforts and affection, how much more should God expect? God created us, and gives us the ability to exist, allowing us to live; things that are said very easily and quickly, but everything that is involved with that cannot even be explained nor detailed because it is impossible. And if we think about what He did through His only begotten Son, through Jesus, and how He gave Him as the Perfect Sacrifice for all of us that don’t even look for nor appreciate Him as we should, so that we could have forgiveness and eternal life. The Righteous and the Holy died for the unrighteous and sinners. And frankly speaking, we neither deserve His sacrifice, nor does He have any kind of debt with humanity. He did it out of love. But even love looks for some sort of result, and we know this all too well because we live this daily.

This is what the Word teaches us also: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:1-2. And It also tells us this: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:19-25.

So then, God not only gives us a time limit so can we repent and convert to Him, but also, so that we produce things that His Spirit helps us produce, things that finally show that we are alive in Him, and also, that we should use wisely the time He gives us to live while here on earth. So then, do you understand the time constraints that God gives you for your own life? Lord bless! John

God Has Priorities - 1 Samuel 21

Based on 1 Samuel 21 (New King James Version)

“Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, ‘Why are you alone, and no one is with you?’ So David said to Ahimelech the priest, ‘The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.’ And I have directed my young men to such and such a place. Now therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found.’ And the priest answered David and said, ‘There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women.’ Then David answered the priest, and said to him, ‘Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was consecrated in the vessel this day.’ So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the Lord, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away. Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. And David said to Ahimelech, ‘Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.’ So the priest said, ‘The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here.’ And David said, ‘There is none like it; give it to me.’ Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?’ Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, ‘Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?’”

Can we as human beings fulfill all of the Word of God, what God commands us to do while here on earth? Do we have the capacity of being perfect here on earth (we are talking in practical terms, not spiritual)? The answer is no, and that includes taking into account having the Holy Spirit in our lives and being redeemed and transformed through the grace of God. We will practically never come to be perfect while here on earth. And this is because the believer is still in the flesh. While we are still in this body of death (as Paul described it), sin will still be in our lives.

So, what then? Do we just give up and let sin reign in our lives? Or, will it be like some say, that because we are in grace, that it does not matter what we do, because God forgives everything, and so, we shouldn’t worry? Absolutely not on both accounts, because the Word teaches us exactly that we will not be able to see the Lord without holiness, and again, this is something practical that God teaches us, not just spiritual, because there are many out there that teach that since we have been forgiven through grace, and that we cannot remain saved by our works, and so, everything is by grace. My brethren and friends, God teaches us that after grace comes, there must be this process of obedience and sanctification in the believer, and this implies that there must be changes and transformation so that we can be made more similar to the God that called us. Both the spiritual and the practical process must be present, because if God would have just thought about sacrificing His Son on the cross, and that this would have not been fulfilled practically, then none of us would have salvation. God’s things need to be taken to action and fulfilled. So, what should we do?

The Bible explains to us that there are things that are more important to God than others in the scheme of obedience. God knows that we cannot be perfect while here on earth. We see the following story that the Lord Himself taught us which relates to the Scripture we read at the beginning, as it is written: “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!’ But He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:1-8. The priest that gave David the showbread to eat didn’t do it without reason, but rather, because David and those that were with him had a great need, because David was fleeing for his life, unjustly persecuted by Saul because Saul wanted to kill him out of envy. So, the priest did sin by giving him the bread, but he did a greater justice before God. He practiced mercy. This teaches us that there are priorities in obeying God, even in grace (because the Lord Himself clears it up here).

The Word also teaches us the following: “Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’’ And he answered and said to Him, ‘Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.’ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Mark 10:17-22. God will always take you practically through these priorities: “Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘Which is the first commandment of all?’ Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31. If you allow yourself to be guided by these greatest commandments, and in their order of priority, even though you may commit mistakes, not only will you find forgiveness in God’s grace through Jesus Christ, but you will also be able to obey Him practically in a way more in tune to God’s heart. So then, are you living in God’s priorities? Lord bless! John

The Time for Salvation is Now - 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Based on 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (New King James Version)

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Many times, I have heard some believers say that: “A person is saved in the Lord’s time.” If we understood what we read today and many other passages in the Bible, we understand that a person decides to come to Christ not only when God wants them to, but rather, when they have understood after diverse experiences (the majority of times) that there is no other good option (which is unfortunate). What we understand is that God is willing and desires the salvation of the entire world, as it says in the Gospel of John: “For God so loved the world…”, which implies that He desires for all to come to the knowledge of the Truth, and that He calls many times. The issue is that many either don’t realize that He is calling, or that they take things for granted.

The first problem is our own sense of security in ourselves, or our pride, that we cling on to the illusion that we are in complete control of our lives (as we have seen before). We believe that we have complete control over our time here on this earth which is far away from reality. The Word teaches us the following: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” James 4:13-14. The truth is that our lives are very uncertain, and we neither have an idea nor control over anything in all reality. The only thing we do have control over is our own free will which we use many times to just do the desires of our pride or our ignorance, like ignore the fact that we are excessively small in a world that is completely not under human control. This may sound a little harsh, but it is only the truth.

The Bible teaches us that God gives us opportunities, and they may be many throughout the course of our lives. This is known as the “Grace of God”. If we see for a moment this short phrase, and its key word “grace”, we should understand that through God’s good pleasure is that He gives us these different opportunities of which the Scriptures counsel us as follows: “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, ‘Today,’ after such a long time, as it has been said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.’” Hebrews 4:6-7. In other words, if the Lord is giving you the opportunity, and He again highlights “today”, that you should not harden your heart (which clearly illustrates free will, that it is not necessarily God the One who determines who gets saved or not, or that He determines when a person is saved).

I hope you are asking yourselves this, “when is this moment of God’s grace?” To be able to understand this, we need to understand something that is quite essential: The Word of God. The Word itself teaches us this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. The Word is Christ, which explains to us that the Word of God is a Person expressed in a language. When the Word of God appears in the scene of your life (per se), that is in fact when God is trying to speak to you in some way. God speaks through His Word. When you see verses of the Bible somewhere, or you hear them somewhere, that is God that is trying to reach out to you somehow. He is trying to share that life that can only be found and is Jesus, because again, He is the Word. As we just read, “In Him was life…”

As part of this call, when He calls you even more clearly, He sends a message that has to do with repentance and conversion. This is the complimentary foundation of the Gospel. It is not just about believing in Jesus as Lord only. This is what sound doctrine teaches us: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14-15. And also, this: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19. This is also what the Lord taught us: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’’” John 3:3-7.  

The Bible also warns us in the following manner: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6. God calls, and He many times insists, but there is a limit, a moment when that time can stop, and it may be much before you leave this place. Because we are also warned very clearly that sound doctrine will cease to be heard, that this message will end, and therefore, the opportunities may end, either individually, or as a group. Because the Word says this: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:1-4. Today, we hear many fables, things that sound like the Truth, but they are not truth. They are undercover lies, even though people many times use Bible passages to substantiate them.

In the end, the time of salvation is today, not tomorrow or later, because now is when you are listening (or reading) something sound, and because you do not know what tomorrow may bring. If you don’t know the Lord yet personally, do it today. If you have strayed away from Him, the moment of repentance and conversion is today. God is speaking to you today! Do not leave for tomorrow what you should do today, and immediately. Will you take advantage of this opportunity the Lord’s grace gives, while He can still be found? Lord bless! John

Why Did the Lord Come? - John 10:1-21

Based on John 10:1-21 (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. 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?’”

Why did the Lord come? What was the purpose for Him coming to this earth to endure everything He endured? Many of us should either understand the answer to this question more clearly, or we should always have present this answer within us, because either the purpose is misunderstood or forgotten. Unfortunately, within everything that is taught, this issue is not cleared up well for many reasons. Other things are taught which make us lose focus of the true point of His mission. And the reason for why we need to understand well the why of His mission is because everything on this earth will put to the test what we believe, until the day our existence ends here. If we don’t understand clearly the why, sooner or later, we will abandon the faith in the Lord. Or even more so, when the true reason for His coming is understood, it may produce a decision within some people that will take them off course, where it is ultimately defined whether they are a sheep (or person) that belongs to Him or not. Everything will be seen in time.

To be able to explain the issue more clearly, I remember when my sister opened my eyes to the reality that there was no Santa Claus. I was a boy. I remember that the new revelation was unpleasant to me. I did not want to accept the fact that this being that would come at Christmas to bring toys didn’t exist. I don’t think that the idea that someone told me a lie bothered me at first (maybe that came after), but rather, the first phase of my anger was accepting that he did not exist. I insisted to my sister that he in fact did exist, and that it was impossible what she was telling me, and that she was lying to me. The way she would try to help me reason that my father was this Santa Claus was by explaining that, if this Santa Claus really existed, then why would poor kids not get toys at Christmas? That was what helped me accept something so difficult for me back then. I finally understood that reality, that if this really special being of Christmas existed, that all children would have gotten toys in Christmas, without exceptions.

Now then, how does this story of my childhood ignorance relate to the explanation I’m going to give? Does the Lord answer all prayers? Does everyone that ask for healing get healed? Does everyone that ask the Lord for financial help come out of poverty? Does everyone that pray for a spouse find that person they are waiting for? Can all couples stay married? And finally, do all of our problems get resolved when we come to or follow Christ? And the answer is, “No”. As an example, I have met many people that had been healed from cancer, but I have also know so many more that were not able to survive that and they are no longer with us, and this is something that affects me personally. Not all are healed. Not all of us will be financially stable. Not everyone will have their problems resolved.

Why do some get solutions and others don’t? Is it a faith problem like some suppose? Does God work in different ways, or have limited powers between the United States and Venezuela, or Ethiopia, or Haiti (for example)? My friends and brethren, God is the Almighty, and He can do anything, but He did not come necessarily to solve all of our worldly problems, because if that were the case, no follower of Christ would have any problems in any part of the world (like if there was a Santa Claus, all the children of the world would have toys). God can change things, but it all depends on things and purposes that are greater than our personal circumstances; there are greater things at stake. The greatest example that we have that not everything will go well here, even when doing as best as possible the things for the Lord, is the Apostle Paul. Paul many times could not have worse moments. Aside from having a very difficult and solitary life (because Paul was single and had no physical children) after coming to Christ, he even died for the Gospel. He himself taught us this: “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Life here will never be perfect, and the person who truly follows the Lord will also have problems here and now, and not because of reasons that have to do with making mistakes (because many of us are suffering the consequences of our sins).

So, what is the answer? Christ came with the goal to give us eternal life, something that no one or anything else can do or resolve in this world. This is the foundation of the Gospel and of our faith, and this is within the reach of every person that looks for Him. This works anywhere on the planet, without exception, and even the most vile and lost person can attain God’s mercy. So then, have you understood your most important and true need, and do you desire to be one of His sheep, those that live forever? Lord bless! John

Understanding the “Why” is Power - James 1:1-17

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

“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. 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. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

Everything in this life has an answer. Nothing is just because. And since everything has an answer, then everything has a purpose. Everything has its function, a reason to exist. All of the events on this earth and in our lives are like words in a sentence. Maybe words such as articles, conjugations, and even symbols like punctuation may not seem like great things on their own, but without them, our sentences would be incomplete, and the meaning of what is being communicated would be lost. And if you understand anything about the law, many times, those small words or symbols can mean the difference between a person spending the rest of their life in prison, or that a fine or penalty be worth millions of dollars, or a number of other things.

In today’s passage, we see that the Apostle James writes to a group of people that are going through a tough time, to the 12 tribes that were scattered abroad. The scattering occurred when much of the people of Israel fled from their land, trying to escape tyranny and destruction. To start, it is very difficult to leave your nation without wanting to (reasons that go beyond economic benefit), because your life was in danger unjustly, because a foreign power wanted to impose their dominion over you, by demanding, and even abusing and killing with the goal to conquer. This scattering did not consist of things that many people would consider today intolerable. The comedy that exists today was not present back then, what human rights have become (because I cannot reason Biblically speaking, that a group of people can call persecution when authorities are trying to establish some sort of order, for the good of its own citizens). Because even the Apostle Paul wrote that we should pray for our authorities (and he lived during the church’s great persecution under Emperor Nero), and that rulers must be respected, and that we should do good, as it is written: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.” Romans 13:3-5.

In the end, James was writing to people that were not doing well at all. And what he was trying to teach to those that were scattered (and also every one of us that may find ourselves under similar circumstances) was that, even though they were suffering injustice, that enduring diverse trials had a purpose. The trial, although difficult to endure, has a why, a reason, and therefore, a function in the life of a Christ follower. And here comes the most important part, that we need to understand why, the reason for why things are happening. He continues giving his counsel, that we should ask for wisdom, and for a very powerful reason: so that the circumstances can have their full effect within our lives. Divine wisdom has as an intent to give us the capacity to understand what we need to understand, so we can act as it is convenient here and now, so that we can have the greatest blessing possible in our eternal future. Wisdom is what teaches us the value of the eternal so we can act now how it is most convenient for us. That’s why, whether we are rich or poor, or whatever our situation may be, it is convenient to live wisely, just as God counsels us through His Word, because the here and now will pass quickly, but the eternal is forever (obviously). Wisdom teaches us how we can best live out our lives, and that’s why it is so necessary.

We are encouraged in this passage also to endure the temptation. Notice that it is not talking about temptations, but rather of a temptation. And the temptation (by what we can deduce when seeing the prize that is mentioned) consists of abandoning the faith. The crown of life is reserved only for those who do not abandon the faith, as it is written: “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10. It is impossible for this temptation to come from God. God will never tempt you to leave Him. The only one that wants for us to abandon our faith in God is Satan. That is why he even tried to tempt the Lord Himself, and in His weakest condition (humanly speaking). The devil will try to tempt you to leave the Lord, that it is not worth following Him, and that you will live a better life here if you leave Him. And this temptation will always be present. This is the most important reason for why we need wisdom, because God’s wisdom will always point to what has the greatest value, to the eternal; not to what is temporary and disposable. Divine wisdom will always take you to that which has the greatest value, that it is convenient for you to love the Lord above all things, for your own good. There is no better advice, because that advice alone will take you to greater things, to resist the temptation of leaving the faith, to avoid eternal death; in the end, to be able to remain faithful until death, so you are able to receive the greatest prize: the crown of life.

So then, do you look to understand the “why” of things, so you are able to understand God’s purpose for your life, so you are able to receive every good and perfect gift which can only come from above? Lord bless! John

The Lord Fulfills His Promises to the Faithful - Luke 2:25-35

Based on Luke 2:25-35 (New King James Version)

“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’ And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.’”

The Apostle Paul said this shortly before dying for the Lord, as it was written: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:6-8. Paul spoke about his walk with Christ like a fight, like a race, things that not only can be long, but can be hard and tiring. On the one side, it is easy, per se, to come to Christ (although true conversion is not easy either, because it requires 100% total repentance, conversion, and surrender to Him). Salvation is free, it is God’s gift to humanity through the sacrifice and resurrection of His Only Begotten Son, through Jesus. But, being transformed daily, dealing with the continual challenge of leaving the ways of the Lord for the delights and pleasures of this world, persisting in sound doctrine, in the teaching of the Word, fighting against adversity and reproach; these things are what make it difficult to follow Christ. This is part of the fight, part of the race Paul mentioned. The Lord also said this: “‘…The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.’ Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.’” Luke 9:22-24. When we truly follow the Lord, we need to carry a cross, our cross, which has to do with the fight against ourselves, against the sin that still lives within us. Quite simply, the Truth is: that following Christ requires extremely difficult things, and whoever says different either does not know the Scriptures, or has simply not come to the Truth yet, or they are setting you up to fail in the very near future, which can only come from the enemy.

The Lord warned us about this: “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. ‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 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 24:3-13. So, it is not just about coming to the Lord, but a person must also persist and remain in Him (despite the circumstances), a person must endure to the end, until their last breath, until their heart stops beating, and until their spirit goes to the presence of the Most High and Sovereign God; then they shall be saved.

All of this sounds difficult, no? Yes, and no one that comes from the Lord said it would be easy, and that is the Truth. But, here comes what should be considered. Despite how hard and difficult things may get (humanly speaking), none of that can compare to what the Lord has for those of us that remain faithful in Him and to Him. A difficult life in this world cannot be compared to eternity in the presence of God. And those of us that truly understand the real value of what matters, we understand that an eternity in Christ does not compare to a few years here on this planet. A little bit of diversion or pleasure, that is here today and gone tomorrow, cannot be compare to what the Lord has in store for us. All of the great heroes of faith of the Old Testament understood this, starting with Abraham. And all of us that came to follow the Lord after, like Paul, John, Peter and all the others, including those of us that live in this era, also understand that what the Lord has for us is much better than the here and now. Those of us that legitimately strive to follow the Lord, by denying ourselves, we do it not because we are foolish or ignorant or stupid, like many people think, but rather, because we know that the Lord has greater things than what this world and Satan can offer. And because we understand this also: “I [God] love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.” Proverbs 8:17.

Now then, if you don’t know the Lord yet, come to Him and you will know what I am talking about, just how great God can be, even in your most difficult moments (humanly speaking). And if you have not been faithful to the Lord, but rather, you have given in to the stumbling in this life, the answer is very simple: return to the Lord. It is never too late to get into the fight or in the race but learn to be faithful to Him once and for all; do not play with God. And those of us that continue to remain in Him, let us continue fighting and running, because great things are waiting for us, if we remain faithful to the end.

So then, in all of this, the big question is: “Are you ready to not only make a new year’s resolution, but rather, to make a life’s resolution, to follow the Lord faithfully now and forever, so you are able to receive the Lord’s promises here and those that will be fulfilled in eternity? Lord bless! John

What Does a Person Need to be Able to Truly Believe? - Acts 9:1-22

Based on Acts 9:1-22 (New King James Version)

“Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’  So the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.’ Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.’ And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, ‘Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?’ But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”

What is it that makes it so difficult for a person to come to truly believe in the Lord? Could it be that there is lack of information, that we think that what we know about God is limited? If someone desires to blame their lack of faith for reasons that involve limited information, I would have to say that they are someone that either leaves a lot unnoticed or voluntarily ignores much of the reality that surrounds them and even their own existence. For starters, everything that was created speaks to God’s greatness and His eternal power. And that fact alone, per se (because there is much to observe) is what condemns an unbelieving person, as it is written: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:18-21. If we just observe things just as they are, (and in this, true science does help us understand a bit more the magnitude of things) these should at minimum inspire a curiosity for God, for the Being that is behind all of this. That is what should happen in a human being, especially in a being that believes they have some sort of intelligence, or at least, an intelligence that is superior to that of the animals. Reason and intelligence, together with the ability of observation our senses give us, would give a person the capacity to believe in the Invisible. Let’s see things like our planet, our solar system, the stars, the galaxy, and the universe, all things that we know more of thanks to science and its advances. We can describe and even understand how many of these things work today, but being able to describe or understand does not give us the ability to create them or control them, and here is where we should start understanding our limitations and the unlimited nature of the Creator. If we observe well, it is impossible to conceive that everything that exists can be the product of an accident, because of its incredible and detailed design and unalterable order.

Now then, let’s look at things that are closer to our scale—ourselves. How incredible is human creation! We understand better how we function and why things are the way they are, but can we replicate them, are we be able to create something like a living being just as it is, and from nothing? It is impossible. Human beings cannot create something from nothing, and least of all, something as incredible as a human being with a body, a mind, and a soul, unless we follow the natural process we received from the Most High, or use the things that only He created. The issue that things do come from somewhere is completely true, because whether a person wants to believe it or not, everything comes from the Being of God. As it is written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17. So then, He made everything, and everything continues existing because He allows it, even your own existence; the beating of your heart, the breathing of your lungs, the universe, etc. Nothing cannot exist nor function without God. That is the Truth.

Now, does God desire for a person to come to know Him through extreme situations or through disasters? No. He is not the One that determines that, but rather, our hardness of heart, our pride or desire to do our will, our unbelief is what takes God to allow for extreme things to happen to help us recognize an irrefutable reality, that Jesus is God, and that He has to become the center of our lives because it is the only way that a human being can attain salvation. There is no other way. There is only one Truth, and when we come to that Truth, everything else gets shifted to a secondary place, because we have simply started understanding who God is. This is the true reason for Christmas, that God made Himself into flesh to save humanity (without any obligation), to break our own destiny, from a sure way to hell to eternal life. This is what Paul understood, and that’s why he did everything he did, and this is what we must understand also so we can do what we need to do as well. So then, do you truly believe in Jesus, and in such a way that He has changed your reason to live? Or, are you still in your voluntary and deliberate blindness? Lord bless! John

Suffering Injustices - 1 Samuel 29

Based on 1 Samuel 29 (New King James Version)

“Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. Then the princes of the Philistines said, ‘What are these Hebrews doing here?’ And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, ‘Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.’ But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, ‘Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?’ Then Achish called David and said to him, ‘Surely, as the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.’  So David said to Achish, ‘But what have I done? And to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?’ Then Achish answered and said to David, ‘I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ Now therefore, rise early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart.’ So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.”

Last week, we saw that God allows for injustice so that there can be room for judgment for those that do evil, as a result of what each person does with their free will, both the unbeliever and the believer, because we will all give an account in the end. As a second part, we will now see those that suffer injustice, because in this world, it is possible that we may suffer injustice, even though we may do what God commands. As we read today, David had not done anything wrong in this instant, but he was treated unfairly. Let’s put forth this question: “If someone does what is right or good, does that mean that the result will be good? Absolutely not. Doing what is right does not guarantee that everything will come out right in this world, and least of all, that if we do good that it may be seen as good by others. There will be times that good will be detested by many, especially if it is something that agrees with the Word of God. Things may not turn out well, even when doing God’s will.

The first and clearest example we have that doing good never can guarantee a good outcome here and now is God Himself. The Lord Himself suffered incredibly harsh and unfair things on this earth. The Word teaches us this: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” John 1:10-11. The Lord was perfect. He never sinned. Nonetheless, He was a poor man (without material wealth), and that He was even buried in a borrowed grave. And of course, He suffered the cross and all of the scorn and pain associated with the process of the crucifixion. And, what personal guilt was He paying for? Was His sin healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding the masses for free, preaching the kingdom of God, raising the dead, or being the only begotten Son of God? Was there something evil in anything He did? Impossible. So then, the Lord suffered the greatest injustices any being could ever suffer in the universe. There was no, nor will there be any greater injustice than what the King of Kings and Lord of Lords suffered for all of us, for our sins.

Now then, some may say: “Well, He had to go through all of that, so that He could pay for our sins.” And I would have to leave very clear for anyone that would make that statement, that He did not have to suffer any of that, because He did not owe us anything. So then, yes, it was necessary, but be careful with thinking that there was some sort of obligation. Leaving the Lord aside for a moment, the Bible also explains in Hebrews 11 that many were able to do great things through faith, but also, that there were many where things didn’t go so well for them for defending their faith, as it is written: “Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Hebrews 11:36-40. So, quite simply, just because someone does things right does not guarantee under any circumstances that things will come out right here on earth. If things turn out well, it may not necessarily be because you did things right. And in the same manner, if things turn out bad, it may not necessarily mean that you did things wrong. You can’t necessarily judge things as good or evil by their results.

I know it sounds a little depressing, because it takes away the hope in here and now, but unfortunately, that’s the way things are. Nonetheless, here is where true faith is exercised, because this is what the Word of God teaches us: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12. This is the true reward for those that do the will of God. It also tells us this: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. And finally, we are encouraged in the following manner: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:7-9.

In the end, even though we may suffer injustices here for doing good, what really does not matter is here and now, but rather, that God is watching, and the only thing that should be of concern to us is God’s opinion because He is the One that will judge us according to our actions, whether good or evil. So then, are you suffering injustice with the hope that God is watching? Lord bless! John

Why Does a Just God Allow Injustice? - Matthew 23:27-39

Based on Matthew 23:27-39 (New King James Version)

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

I believe that one of the many things people use to not believe in God is when they dare to judge God, and they accuse him of being an unjust God, or a God that either has no control over this world and over the evil people do. I have commonly heard this: “If God is so good, so powerful, and just, then why does He allow for the world to be as evil as it is?” Many have dared to say this, or at the very least, thought it. And well, they have felt they have the right to accuse, judge, and even sentence none other than the God of the universe. And of course, within themselves, a sentence of death has been given to God; they have killed Him within themselves in an attempt to scorn Him for what He is, and because He has not done things the way they think He should have done them. Why does a just God allow injustice?

Many times, we turn elementary things into incomprehensible things, and like that, we are unable to see the answers. Nonetheless, the answer is quite simple. God allows for there to be injustice in this world for a very simple reason: judgment. And as an irrefutable link to judgment, there is such a thing as responsibility; something that Satan is trying to erase. No one likes to feel responsible for anything. If they did something wrong, it’s not their fault, but rather, the circumstances pushed them to do it, or it was inevitable, or someone did something wrong to them before, etc. Psychology is the primary weapon that is used to take away responsibility from a person. For example, if a person kills someone else, it was for reasons that overpowered them, and here comes the excuse. The same happens with so many other things, like when I have heard that, “The system failed a person, and so, they are product of the system.” The issue is that each one of us are responsible before God for what we do, and God has to allow people to do what they do so that the judgment that is coming can take place. Otherwise, how can you judge someone if they have not done anything wrong? It would be unjust, right? So then, each one of us have such a thing as free will, and the judgment that we will face has to do with what we did with our free will, for good or for bad; and most importantly, whether we chose to believe and do what He commands us to do.

The Bible explains to us that each person that has not chosen for the Lord will stand before the throne of God, as it is written: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15. So then, for the unbeliever, the issue is quite simple, that if they chose not to believe in and accept Jesus as the Lord of their life, they have drawn their path to eternal death out of their own free will. It’s not what God wants to have happen, but He is not going to force anyone. If a person does not want to be with God, then how can He force them to be with Him forever?

And now then, the issue for the Christian is also very simple, but it has been confused a lot because Satan has infiltrated the church with the goal to erase judgment and responsibility. When we come to Christ, and we are born again in Christ, we are given a new beginning; we are redeemed. And we receive forgiveness of sins and redemption. But, what do we do with that new beginning, with that forgiveness of sins and redemption? And here is where we identify the evil. People are taught quite often that there is nothing left to worry about, and that you don’t have anything else to do; or if you sin, you have forgiveness for all past, present, and future sins. And the issue is yes and no. Yes, we do have forgiveness, but we have not received a license to practice sin, as well as, faith without works is dead. The Bible is very clear in that the people of God will also be judged and give an account for what they do right and wrong, as it is written: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. It also teaches this: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31. And finally: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23.

Each person is responsible for their actions. So then, what are you doing with your free will? Lord bless! John

Saved for a Godly Purpose - Ephesians 2:8-10

Based on Ephesians 2:8-10 (New King James Version)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

For a long time, and in different places, a gospel has been preached that teaches that when you receive God’s salvation, that you don’t have to worry about doing works because works neither save you nor are they necessary to keep your salvation. Basically, they use part of the passage that we just read to justify that everything is by grace, both obtaining salvation, as well as being able to maintain it. But, unfortunately, the enemy’s schemes do not consist of creating new things in trying to deceive, but rather, of taking parts of the truth and distorting them so that the lie sounds like the truth, and like that, be able to cause the deviation. Satan’s work is very easy because it only consists of just producing small deviations to carry out his plan of destruction for the soul of a person. The word “sin” is defined exactly that way, that it’s about “missing the mark”, and so, the deviation. That’s why we need to be very careful and take the Bible as a whole, not just certain passages here and there.

The issue is that yes, the truth is that we are saved only by the grace of God, through faith in God. No one can save themselves through the works they do, as it is written: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Galatians 2:16. But, where the passage is usually cut off is at verse 10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” We are saved by grace and faith, but for something. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works. So, every Christian was made with a purpose, and that purpose is through Christ, not to live whatever way you want to live. And here is where the devil comes in with his lie; to try to paralyze the work of God, to take away the good purpose of God, and to try to destroy the very reason we were created for.

And here we need to see the first problem. To be able to get to God’s salvation, you need to believe and accept Jesus as the Lord of your life. For it is written: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10. This implies that you belong to Him and that He is the One that is in control, not you. If you are struggling with this concept, that Jesus needs to be the One in control of your life, I have to tell you that you haven’t even entered the race yet, that you haven’t even registered to run or to be able to do what God desires for us to do. The Lord Himself taught us to pray this way: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10. The will of God must be fulfilled, not our will. We were created and saved by God so we can serve Him, and not so that God can serve us and fulfill our whims. That is why the Word also explains this to us: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. So, if you struggle with accepting the Lord’s lordship, then you have serious problems. If you are struggling with problems that have to do with the practice of sin, you also have severe problems, because you will give an account. We have to be very clear on this, that “we must all appear”, for even Paul who writes the letter to the Corinthians includes himself in this judgment seat of Christ, that he will give an account for his actions, whether they were good or bad (And who is going to question Paul’s salvation?). And the Bible also teaches us this: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26. So, we can explain it this way, based on the Word of God, that salvation is not kept through good works, but rather, it is necessary to do good works because of the salvation we have received. It is vitally necessary to do God’s will. Otherwise, we are not letting the Lord be the Lord in our lives, and that carries within itself serious problems at Christ’s judgment seat. How do you think God will see that?

And finally, let’s see this passage which sums things up: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 25:14-30. Whoever receives God’s salvation (by recognizing Him as Lord) receives the title of servant (because that is the natural relationship) and also, receives a talent, at minimum, through God’s Spirit, something that comes from God to be used for Him, and according to their capacity (not something that is beyond them). And simply, if we don’t serve God, and we don’t use the talent He gives us for His purpose, nothing good awaits us. Because even though we may be servants (beyond being children of God), we will be cast into the outer darkness, to a place that the Bible describes as hell if we don’t do what we should do. Understanding it this way, can we believe anything else that does not have to do with fulfilling God’s purpose? Do you understand that the Lord needs to truly be the Lord in your life and that you were saved for a Godly purpose, and not to fulfill your own will? Lord bless! John