God’s Will vs. Man’s Free Will - 1 Chronicles 12:23-40

Based on 1 Chronicles 12:23-40 (New King James Version)

“Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord: of the sons of Judah bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred armed for war; of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor fit for war, seven thousand one hundred; of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred; Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites, and with him three thousand seven hundred; Zadok, a young man, a valiant warrior, and from his father’s house twenty-two captains; of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul); of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their father’s house; of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks; of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear; of the Danites who could keep battle formation, twenty-eight thousand six hundred; of Asher, those who could go out to war, able to keep battle formation, forty thousand; of the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, from the other side of the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand armed for battle with every kind of weapon of war. All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king. And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. Moreover those who were near to them, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys and camels, on mules and oxen—provisions of flour and cakes of figs and cakes of raisins, wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel.”

Did all this that was formed to support David happen because God alone wanted to do it, or because there were people who were willing to take part? Was David himself who he was because only God wanted him to be, or because he decided to be so? In the same way, is man what he is because God wanted him that way or because he decides to be the way he is? Is everything that happens the will of God or the culminating product of the will of a group of people? These are possibly the biggest dilemmas that exist within Christian teaching, the issue of whether we are only part of a great design that is only realized over time or whether man really has free will. There are many, for example, who more secularly see predestination as believing that there is such a thing as destiny, and there is not much difference between the two. You can say that they are practically the same. But what is the reality or the truth?

In order to seek the answer, it is necessary to turn to the Word of God, in Its fullness, because just clinging to certain verses here and there is not a good idea because that is where many errors and distortions begin. Is there such a thing as predestination? The Bible gives a possibility to this thought, but in very select places, and even in those places, one must be very careful with the interpretation based on the context, because it does not mean what many think, on which they base such a doctrine. We could use repetition as a guide. In other words, if something is mentioned many times more than anything else in the Word, it means that it is a point that God wants to drive deeply. When God mentions and gives examples of the same thing time after time, and in such a way that even the Lord himself emphasizes it, it is because we must take note. For example, the word or name “Lord” appears in the Bible 7,830 times. And the word or name “Savior” appears in the Bible 37 times. So, what can be deduced very easily? That it is overwhelmingly more important to God that we recognize and treat Him as Lord than as Savior. And to make it even clearer, a person only attains salvation by literally recognizing Jesus as Lord, as 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.” Romans 10:9. If a person does not recognize and treat the Lord as such, there is simply no salvation. That is why this matter of faith goes far beyond recognizing or believing in a generic god or even saying that there is belief in Christ.   

Now, the point is that God is Sovereign, and His will shall be done, no matter what happens, whatever we do, and everything is subject to Him. God established the progress of things and even the passage of time for the entire universe through the creation. And God put things or beings superior to us humans to make happen everything that happens in the grand scheme. We read this in the Word: “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. But within all that, there is room for free will for man. And how can we understand this? Easy, because the Word speaks of a great judgment where we will all give an account, even those of us who have decided to follow the Lord. The day will come when every human being will give an account for their deeds. This is what the Word says even when speaking about us believers: “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. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. So, if there is judgment it is because there is responsibility for our actions, and the only ones who will be justified on that great day are those who use God's salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ to do His will, as it is also 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.” Matthew 7:21. So, it is not only what we believe that matters, but even more so, what we do based on what we have decided to believe.

So, what can we get out of all this? That God is going to do what He wants, that everything He says is going to be fulfilled sooner or later, but each person is free to get involved in the things of God or not. The only thing that should matter to us personally is whether we want to be part of what God is doing or not, and always with the thought that we will be judged one day depending on how we decide to respond to God with our actions. David wanted to follow and love the Lord. Those who joined David also decided they wanted to be a part of what God was doing. Now, the question you should ask yourself, for your own good is (because the Lord has nothing to lose), “do I use my free will, especially the new freedom I have in Christ, to seek to do the will of God?” Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Looking for Signs - Luke 11:29-32

Based on Luke 11:29-32 (New King James Version)

“And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”

In this passage, the Lord spoke of the wickedness and hardness of heart of the crowd around Him, for He openly declared to them that they were a bad generation. But what was it that made them bad? Their demand for a sign from Him. Demanding signs involved several evil implications before God. To start, they demanded that the Lord do things to prove to them that He was God. And this fact is fraught with many evils. The first thing is the matter of feeling entitled, that the crowd felt they had the right to be owed something. For them, the Lord had the obligation to show them who He was with their demands. And this leads us to the second thing, that the crowd asked for signs or things they wanted, as if the Lord were some kind of magician. And the third thing that can be seen was the issue that they did not value at all what He had already done, all the different miracles, and even several resurrections, and most importantly, the truth that He was teaching them. We could see more evil if we had the time.

A person may ask: What is wrong with these things? If we only see the three things we mentioned, we would understand how wrong they were based on a single fact, that the point is that the Lord was (and is) God. And that is what should put things in order. Does man have any right over God? No, impossible. Does God owe something to man? No, nothing. Does God exist to serve man? No. The Lord did not come to do His will, but the will of the Father. And even though everything He did was of service to man, that did not mean that His position was to be man's servant. That is, we should never take God's goodness and grace as something that God owes us. Neither God the Father owes us anything nor does the Lord Jesus Christ owe us anything. So, the matter of them feeling they had the right to demand, and that God do as they pleased, and that they did not value in the least the works that He had already done, proving conclusively that He was (and is) God, that crowd was only worthy of condemnation with their disrespect and hardness of heart.

Now, the Lord gave 2 examples. The first example we could see is that of the queen of Sheba. This is what the Word says of her: “Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. So, Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. Then she said to the king: ‘It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.’ Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.” 1 Kings 10:1-10. The queen was already prepared to give what she had due to the simple fact of what she had heard from third persons. But there is a very profound detail, that the queen valued the work of God in Solomon as it is written: “Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord…” She went searching for the work of the name of the Lord, and that’s why she traveled from distant lands, and brought with her offerings for the same reason.

The second example is Nineveh, and this is what the Word says: “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, ‘Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” Jonah 3. The message that the king and all the people of Nineveh valued was really very short: “…Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Nothing more was said. There was no great theological explanation or dissertation, not even how to find grace before God. It was just a declaration of destruction. But the people deduced for themselves that this message came from God, even though they were pagans, totally apart from the people of Israel and their beliefs. And the king thought within himself how to obtain the mercy of God, with the repentance of the nation.

Now, what do we have now to be able to believe in God? We have the greatest thing from God: the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and if we repent from all our sins and receive Him into our hearts as what He is, the Lord and God Almighty, we will have eternal life . There is no greater sign not only of God's power, but also of His love for us. But he who does not know how to respect and adopt such faith will be deservedly condemned for all eternity, because there is no greater contempt than that. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36. So then, are you continuing to look for signs from God to bring about your own perdition? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

How to Experience God - Ezekiel 47:1-12

Based on Ezekiel 47:1-12 (New King James Version)

“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, ‘Son of man, have you seen this?’ Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: ‘This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.’”

From a human point of view, this passage may not make much sense. How can so much water come out of a house? What does all this mean that I don't understand? And this is one of the most fundamental things that must happen within a person, that what God does and says surpasses our way of thinking, our logic, and intellect. The things of God go far beyond, even beyond our imagination. Why? Because we are very limited beings, and especially those who believe they are very intelligent and capable. It's not that education is necessarily a bad thing, but simply, divine knowledge will always surpass our skills and knowledge. And of course, when human beings try to compete with God, the more foolish things they do and think. This is what the Word says: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9.

What are the things of God that surpass us limitlessly? For example, the concept that God is eternal, a being without beginning, and without end. Why is such a thing incomprehensible or unacceptable to the vast majority? Because we are finite beings, since we physically have a beginning and a defined end. It is impossible for many to accept that God created everything, and especially in the way He did, just by Him mentioning things. And why can't many accept that? Because human beings cannot create absolutely anything. All the things we do are simple manipulations or changing things that already exist. And of course, just because we say something doesn't mean it will become a reality (although many live with that illusion). The vast majority find it difficult to accept that there is an almighty God. And why? Because each of us are weak, limited, and very fragile. Do you doubt that? So then, why are we so afraid of an earthquake, or a hurricane, or a tornado? Or, why can something as small as a bacteria or a virus kill us, which cannot even be seen with the naked eye, that it even requires a microscope to be seen? Are you afraid of nuclear war? Of course we should be afraid of it, because thousands or even millions could die in a matter of seconds. But, although many cannot believe in what God can do, and although many cannot accept the existence of God, none of that affects the existence of God, nor does it make Him weaker.

So, what should a person do to be able to experience God’s mysteries in their life? They must do something that is very logical when they understand who God is, and that is to start over, to assume that what they know or have done has been of no use, because in all reality that is the case. The Word of God says this: “For the wages of sin is death…” If that is so (which it is), then what do we get out of holding on to things that are only leading us to certain death? Albert Einstein (a person who was very intelligent, and who believed in God) said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” The same can be said of sin. How can you expect to live forever if you keep doing things that only bring death? Unfortunately, we live in a world full of crazy people. But this is what the Word says: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19. The Lord Himself also said this: “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 implication of being born again is to start again, to change paths, to go against what was done before. The water of which the Lord spoke of refers to the baptism of John, the baptism of repentance, which means leaving sin behind, abandoning sin, turning completely in the opposite direction. And being born of the Spirit involves taking the new life that can only be obtained by submitting to Christ as Lord and God. If you want to see the power of the Creator in your life, for Him to create something new from you, you must surrender to Him and let Him be the one to teach you what to do. There is no other being that can create, or that can give eternal life. This is what the Word says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

And, what else needs to happen? When we start over again in the Lord, we must let ourselves be led like children, let Him be the one who takes us by the hand, and of course, obey Him as such. This is the practical side of starting over, of letting go of the old, of forgetting what you knew before to learn something totally new. This is what the Lord said: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:1-4. So, a person must become like a child in knowledge and obedience for God to work. So, have you decided to leave sin behind, and start anew, so you can experience the great mysteries of God in your life? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Don’t Forget the Past - Nehemiah 13:14-31

Based on Nehemiah 13:14-31 (New King James Version)

“Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services! In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, ‘What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.’ So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, ‘Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!’ From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy! In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?’ And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!”

Was Nehemiah doing God's will? Of course, and in every aspect. What exactly was Nehemiah doing? He was reminding the people what was right before God, that they should not forget the disaster that God Himself brought upon the entire nation for their sins, he also did practical things to help the people not to sin, within his limits, and everything that he did, he did it with the conviction that God was taking his actions into account, because he was only interested in what God thought of him. And all of these things are totally applicable today, for those of us who profess to be Christ followers.

The first is an issue that has to do with bad doctrines that have spread within many of our churches, and that is: that works no longer matter in grace. There is no worse mistake than that, because if it were like that, then God would not care if we did good or evil, and that is not the case. God cares about what we do, and in such a way that we will even be judged according to our deeds, 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. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a.  What we have to take into account in this passage is its writer (because the Author is the Holy Spirit, because His Word is divinely inspired). The Apostle Paul is the writer, and he refers to and includes himself when he says that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” If Paul said he would be judged for the good and bad he did, what would be left for us? And the letter is addressed to the church in Corinth, and not to unconverted people. And also, he uses the phrase “the terror of the Lord”, so this is something that needs to be taken very seriously. So, it should be very clear that God does care about everything we do. Therefore, good works gain great value before God after our conversion, as a fruit of our faith. The Apostle James wrote repeatedly that “faith without works is dead also.”

Now then, what was Nehemiah doing that also applies today? What the Lord Himself said: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.’” Matthew 5:13-16. We are to be salt and light in the world, practicing the things the Lord teaches and helping others to practice them too. This is what the Word says: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1. Nehemiah was addressing the problems of not keeping the Sabbath and being unequally yoked. The true keeping of the Sabbath was as the Lord demonstrated, and not what the Pharisees thought, as it is written: “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14. And the Word says this regarding being unequally yoked: “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. God destroyed His people because they sinned against Him, and God will also destroy us not only here on earth if we practice sin, but we will also be judged in eternity. So, are you serving the Lord, remembering the past from which He rescued you? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Doing God’s Will - 2 Thessalonians 3

Based on 2 Thessalonians 3 (New King James Version)

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

Throughout this passage we see that we are taught things that are fundamental to be able to fulfill the will of God. The instructions we receive are not for certain believers, but for all. People who are new to their faith in Christ or who have not been properly instructed in the faith may ask: Why is it necessary to obey the Word of God and do His will? And the answer was given by the Lord Himself when He said: “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.” Matthew 7:21. Some may reply, “Why then do many say and believe that faith in Christ does not consist of works, and that, if we were not saved by works, works are of no use after conversion either?” And the answer is simple: “Because they are very wrong because they either do not know the fullness of the Word of God, or because they have simply adopted an erroneous doctrine.” We are not saved by works, and we can never earn salvation by our own merits. That is very clear in the Word, because it says: “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.” Ephesians 2:8-9. But the problem emerges when either the majority do not know the following verse, or they very conveniently do not take it into consideration, which also says: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. God created man to serve Him. This was the purpose of our existence. If you want the answer to the question: ‘Why do we exist?’ This is the answer: ‘to serve God.’ This was from the beginning, before man fell into disobedience, as it is also written: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:15. So then, God gave man a task to perform immediately after being created.

And then, you may also ask, ‘Wasn't work a punishment from God for man having sinned?’ No. Man always had to work, it was always God's purpose for man to do good works, the will of the Father. The big difference was between what God originally intended and the consequence of sin. Sin made the work more difficult, because of the decay and death that sin produces. This was the punishment: “Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: ‘Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19. So then, sin changed something good like serving God into something very difficult and complicated. But working and serving God was always God’s plan.

Now, what then did God do through Christ? God gave us a new opportunity to do His will, to serve Him, to do those things for which we were created and are allowed to continue existing. So, through this we now understand that man is not saved by his works, but rather, for good works. Therefore, works or serving God gains value again through Christ. And this is what helps us understand that the person who does not serve God as a fruit of their faith will not be able to enter the kingdom of God. If a person's faith does not have works as fruit, then their faith is dead. This is what the Word says: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, o foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:18-20. So, it is easy to conclude that, if a person does not have works that glorify God as the fruit of their faith, it means that, in the least, there is a serious problem. Can a person who has a dead faith live forever? No. It's impossible.

So, what do we see in this passage that is God's will for us? To be in prayer, concerned that the Word of God spread through us, or in the least, help others spread His Word. What else? That we work both for the Lord and in the secular. It is disorder not to work and provide for one's own needs as well as for the needs of others who cannot provide for themselves, the needy (but not the lazy, nor the irresponsible, nor least of all, those who use the ministry for their own profit). The Apostle Paul himself talks about his own way of life, that he worked hard secularly so as not to be a burden, as well as in the ministry (obviously). Furthermore, it is estimated that Paul traveled more than 10,000 miles (16,000 km) to preach the Gospel and to help and instruct believers, at a time when there were no automobiles, trains, airplanes, or much less, television, radio or the internet. With everything we have today, what would this world be like if all of us who call ourselves followers of Christ were so concerned about serving God, working properly, and loving our neighbors? The world would be a very different place. So, today I ask you, ‘Are you seeking to do the will of God for eternal life?” Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Sensitivity to God - Daniel 2:1-30

Based on Daniel 2:1-30 (New King James Version)

“Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, ‘I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.’ Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, ‘O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.’ The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, ‘My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.’ They answered again and said, ‘Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.’ The king answered and said, ‘I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.’ The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, ‘There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.’ For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.  Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, ‘Why is the decree from the king so urgent?’ Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. ‘I thank You and praise You, o God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s demand.’ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: ‘Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.’ Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, ‘I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.’ The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, ‘Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?’ Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, ‘The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: ‘As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.”

This king Nebuchadnezzar was a real person, and his reign was between 605 and 562 BC. And such was his kingdom that there has been no other like it, not only because he dominated the known world, but because of its incredible order and structure within his reign. It was a kingdom that was 100% subject to its king, and the king's commands were respected by all, both small and great. What the king said was done, without question and urgently. It was something unprecedented, and something totally impossible today. King Nebuchadnezzar not only ruled and was obeyed because he was the king, because of his human power, but because there was deep respect in the people he ruled. And that was not an accident, but rather, because he was wise and not weak, and he was not hypocritical, nor did he have alternate agendas (very different from the present).

But this Nebuchadnezzar was a very unique person, even though he came from a pagan nation. And his spiritual value was revealed as time went by as God dealt with his life. He began in one way, but what was deep within him did not develop until later. Those who have some knowledge of Nebuchadnezzar may say that he was a bad and perverse man because he destroyed the nation of Israel and the few survivors that he allowed to live were taken as slaves or among the poorest, left on the land to cultivate it for his kingdom. You could say this, but it would be a serious mistake. God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to destroy all Israel and Judah because they sinned against God and exceeded His mercy (His mercy is very great, but not unlimited). God sent His people priests and prophets for many years to tell them to turn from their evil ways, but they persisted in their rebellion. Therefore this happened, as it is written: “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.” Jeremiah 25:8-9.

How can we see that God saw something more in this king? His vision was revealed not only because Daniel and his friends sought God for the answer, but Daniel declared it: “…that you may know the thoughts of your heart.” God gave him that vision because Nebuchadnezzar was always sensitive to God, even when he was in his paganism. He was not a man who was concerned with the pleasures and vanities of this world. He wanted to understand what would happen in the future, and God granted it to him, as God also dealt with him until his conversion came, as he himself declared: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” Daniel 4:37. So then, are you sensitive to God, or are you only looking to satisfy your desires in this world? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Divine Constructions - Exodus 38:9-31

Based on Exodus 38:9-31 (New King James Version)

“Then he made the court on the south side; the hangings of the court were of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long. There were twenty pillars for them, with twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. On the north side the hangings were one hundred cubits long, with twenty pillars and their twenty bronze sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. And on the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits, with ten pillars and their ten sockets. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. For the east side the hangings were fifty cubits. The hangings of one side of the gate were fifteen cubits long, with their three pillars and their three sockets, and the same for the other side of the court gate; on this side and that were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. All the hangings of the court all around were of fine woven linen. The sockets for the pillars were bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver, and the overlay of their capitals was silver; and all the pillars of the court had bands of silver. The screen for the gate of the court was woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. The length was twenty cubits, and the height along its width was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court. And there were four pillars with their four sockets of bronze; their hooks were silver, and the overlay of their capitals and their bands was silver. All the pegs of the tabernacle, and of the court all around, were bronze. This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, which was counted according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord had commanded Moses. And with him was Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, a weaver of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine linen. All the gold that was used in all the work of the holy place, that is, the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. And the silver from those who were numbered of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary: a bekah for each man (that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone included in the numbering from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. And from the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil: one hundred sockets from the hundred talents, one talent for each socket. Then from the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made bands for them. The offering of bronze was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels. And with it he made the sockets for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, and all the utensils for the altar, the sockets for the court all around, the bases for the court gate, all the pegs for the tabernacle, and all the pegs for the court all around.”

Did Moses build the tabernacle alone? No. It would have been impossible for one man to put together everything that was needed, to have all the knowledge to do the different tasks, and to have done all the labor. In this passage, we see Moses as the spiritual authority of the people, but there was also a large group of people who came together in one accord to do the work. Some are named such as Ithamar, Bezalel, and Aholiab, but there were others who are not named (but God does know them), and formed part of the work.

Now, the purpose of this message is not necessarily to inspire material constructions, and that groups of people must begin to donate time, money and effort as proof of faith and loyalty to God, as many supposed spiritual leaders often do today, who are more focused on the material and temporal than in the eternal of God. And because of my secular profession (as an architect and builder, which God has given me so as not to be a burden to anyone as His minister), I would have a good excuse to justify and inspire such material constructions.

What will this be about? Regarding the following: “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” Acts 17:24-25. We must focus not on building material things, but rather on the temples that Almighty God seeks to inhabit, in the hearts of men. Because this is what His Word also says: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. The temples that matter to God are people. Each of us who chooses to follow Christ is a temple of the Lord, and we are holy temples by the grace and forgiveness of God through the works of the Lord Jesus Christ, because of His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension to His throne, at the right hand of God the Father. 

So, similar to the building of the tabernacle, God has chosen that we be the ones to build His temples here on earth. And this is a group effort. Each of us has our place, our responsibility (because God does not force anyone). The Lord gives us the opportunity to be saved and redeemed so that we can return to the purpose for which he created us, to serve Him. If anyone wants to know the answer to our existence, it is this: ‘We were created and made to serve God.’ And by His grace, despite our sins and rebellions, He has made provision for the restoration of our purpose through faith in Jesus Christ, as it is written: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. God made man to serve Him. And by His grace, we have a new opportunity to do His work together.

And what does the Lord call us to do? “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27. “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17. We have much to do as disciples of Christ, and we have to do it together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So, are you part of the divine construction, or are you following the devil by just thinking about yourself? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Consequences of Evil and the Reward for Good - Psalm 36

Based on Psalm 36 (New King James Version)

“An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. He devises wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil. Your mercy, o Lord, is in the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; o Lord, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the workers of iniquity have fallen; they have been cast down and are not able to rise.”

Finally, what is this life about for most? From a general human point of view, this life is to live as you see fit, basically everything that has to do with our self-indulgence. The majority of people today live for themselves, for their own benefit. And at the moment, every human being can live as they wish. Now, there is no verse that literally says this phrase, but its meaning and implication is throughout the Bible, which we call: free will. And, with this free will comes the weight of consequence, and there is a general consequence for when a person lives their own way, sooner or later.

Human beings must always keep in mind that they can live as they wish, but everything has consequences. Notwithstanding, a person who chooses to do evil very interestingly wishes that their evil does not have any bad consequences, but on the contrary, they desire that their evil be rewarded with well-being. Let's look at this for a moment. The thief steals because they want to live well and obtain everything they want with the least possible effort, and of course, not suffer the punishment of prison. And no thief likes to be robbed. The adulterer's desire is the same. their desire is to have their sexual encounters with other people without anyone knowing, and without bad consequences, so that everything goes the way they want. And also, no adulterer likes to be cheated on, even the most daring and shameless ones. The same thing happens with everyone who seeks to do evil, those who devise wickedness on their bed, as the Word says, to plan to do everything they want to do and have no negative consequences. They want to use their free will to attain and do whatever they want without any consequences, especially after they die. Their wish is that all their bad deeds go completely unpunished. It will sound illogical to some of us, but this is the wish of most people. And if not, why do you think there is so much evil in the world? Do you think that those who do evil think that their evil ways will come upon their own heads one day? Of course not.

Now, can evil go unpunished if a person chooses to believe this way? As it has been said many times, neither our opinions nor our desires have any kind of power to dictate or control reality. Many may think they are getting away with things because nothing bad seems to be happening to them at the moment, as the Scriptures say: “So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free,’” (Malachi 3:15), but the truth is that every person will suffer the consequences of their evil deeds, whether now in this world, or in the coming judgment, if they do not repent from the heart and seek the Most High in time. The Word is very clear on this, as it says: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

So, if things are like this, is it then all about the works we do? Yes and no. Works alone are not the focus of the matter, although there must be a product. The first thing we must understand is that we are beings created by God, and as such, we were made to serve and obey Him. So, if we have a product, they must be things that He looks for, and not what we think. If we look at what happened at the beginning, when God made man, He gave him tasks to do (works), as we read: “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:15. And it also says: Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. Genesis 2:19-20a. So, doing these things was not man's idea, but rather, God gave them to man to do. But what did man do with their free will? When temptation came, they sinned against God, and instead of doing God's will, they disobeyed God and paid more attention to the serpent who gave them nothing, than to God to whom they owed absolutely everything to. And why did they disobey God? Because they liked the proposal of being like God. So, this separated man from God, and their purpose for existing was lost. They became useless and lost the purpose of their existence, far from any divine purpose. But blessed be God that His grace abounded and gave a way for man to return to life again, and to the purpose of existence for which they were made for. This is what happened: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10.

So, some will argue, if we are saved by grace alone, where does the importance of works come in? If we understand the previous passage well, we would understand that God saved us by His grace, but as a product of faith and the grace that was given to us, so that man could begin again to do the good works for which God created them, as it was from the beginning. So, through this we understand that faith and grace must yield a product so that there is eternal life, as it also says: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:17-20. So, what ultimately distinguishes good and bad work? There is only one thing and that is doing the will of the Father. If things are not done seeking to obey the Father, then everything that is produced is bad work, even if they appear to be good things. This is what the Lord said: “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.” Matthew 7:21. So then, are you living to do the Father’s will to receive His reward? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

How Are We Born Again? - Acts 19:1-7

Based on Acts 19:1-7 (New King James Version)

“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.”

We see in this passage that there were certain people that seemed incomplete in their faith, even though they were baptized with the baptism of John the Baptist, with the baptism of repentance. What was it that they were missing? True conversion not only consists of repentance, but also of a precise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but very exact things must be done to attain a true change of life, or as the Lord said, so that a person had to be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

To begin, we need to look at what the Lord explained about being born again or coming to a genuine conversion. This is what the Scriptures tell us: “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, the Lord spoke about being born of water and the Spirit. What do both things mean? Being born of water consists of repentance from sins, which is what John the Baptist preached. This is foundational, essential, and a complete requirement as the first step to be able to be born again or come to a real conversion. It does not necessarily mean that a person must be immersed in water physically for it to happen, because the baptism of repentance was a symbolism of what must happen in a person, that they must repent and convert not only from some sins, but from all their sins completely, without reservations, which is the implication of baptism by emersion. It means dying to ourselves and to our sins, to be washed and raised as totally new people. The baptism of repentance is what prepares a person for the second part, what was missing from these disciples who had not even heard of the Holy Spirit.

What is the second thing that is essential for being born again, for there to be a true conversion, which the disciples Paul found lacked? Being born of the Spirit. How does this happen? When a person not only comes to believe in Christ, but, by faith, surrenders their life to the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ, believing with all their heart in Him as Lord and God of their life, and believing in His death and resurrection. This is what the Word says: “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10. So, a person must go beyond accepting the Lord as Savior. He is our Savior, but He must become the Lord of our lives. We must make Him the absolute owner of our lives. Why? As He Himself explained: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6. So simply, if we do not ask to belong to Him, we will never belong to Him. No one is born automatically a child of God. The only way a person can become a child of God is by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ within them, as it is written: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12. This is what must happen for a person to be legitimately born again or to have a real conversion, to become a new creature, as it is also written: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This is the complete Gospel from God, the basis for sound doctrine. This is what the Lord Himself preached, as it is written: “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.

Now, is there anything else missing after being born again in Christ? And the answer according to Scripture is, yes. Being born again implies precisely that, a new beginning, but it is only a beginning. One must live to do the will of God. After coming to Christ, a person should not continue living life as they want to or seek to fulfill their desires only. If a person does not seek to do the will of God, no matter how much they repent, no matter how much they confess to having accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord, if they do not do the will of God during the time that God Himself gives them to live after their conversion, they will not enter the kingdom of God. The Lord Himself made this very clear: “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.” Matthew 7:21. This is what is lost in the teachings today, because many believe and teach that God is there to fulfill our dreams, to do what we want, as if He were a divine genie. But this goes totally against what the Word teaches. This is what the Apostle Paul said: “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:7-9. And how do we know that we must live for the Lord, and that we cannot stay with just a decision and nothing more? The apostle also gave this as an example and left as a teaching: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14. So, if Paul could not say that he had yet attained it, what is left for us? So, it doesn't matter if a person believes that salvation can be lost, or that a person who lives for themselves were never saved, if a person does not live to do the will of God, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. God says this.

So, are you living to do God's will, or to do your own will? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Is Our Heart Right with God? - Psalm 53:1-3

Based on Psalm 53:1-3 (New King James Version)

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

Are things really as bad as the Word says, that there is no one who does good? There are many who may disagree with this, and would think it is an exaggeration. There are people who have the opinion that there are good people, and that not all of them are criminals, per say. And there are also people who would say: “No one is perfect, but if a person is bad, that is another thing.” Anyway, many may differ in opinion (because at the moment they have that right), but it all depends on the standard that is used to measure (so to speak).

And here is revealed one of the main problems that exist today, that we live in a society that has collectively determined to establish its own standards for right and wrong. Not too long ago; either by virtue in that the majority of people believed in God in some way, or by the teachings of certain Christian religions (all of us who believe in Christ), there was a fear in crossing certain boundaries, and there was such a thing as shame when something bad was done (Do you remember that there was such a thing as shame?). Whether due to social stigmas or religious teachings, there were limits. And the most notable thing about that issue was that there were people who did not have good lifestyles, who did not want the same for their children, because again, there was at least some recognition of what sin was, even though they were not religious. The prostitute did not want her daughter to be a prostitute. The thief did not want his children to be thieves. Parents once wanted better lives for their children. I still remember those days. Now, the vast majority of society has tried to abolish all feelings of guilt and has tried to make the concept of sin disappear. And in many of our churches they no longer preach about sin, nor repentance, and that there must be a change of life as proof of conversion. Many of our churches have chosen to preach that God accepts you just as you are, and they use God's love as a pretext. And of course, there is no reprimand or discipline within the church for the simple fear that those who go to church will stop going, and that tithes and offerings will decrease. And no one who makes a living from the ministry wants that. Many may say: “Society was more hypocritical back then.” And well, maybe yes, although not in all cases, but the difference was that there was no glorification, nor was there pride in sin. Today sin is glorified and even pride in living a sinful lifestyle is taught. And God warns about precisely these problems, as it is written: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:20-21. And this takes us to our next point.

Who is it that has the right to say what is right and what is wrong? God, the One who created everything. God is the only One who has the power to set the standard for good and evil. Furthermore, man was not the one who created morality or justice. That comes from God. And many of our laws still take root from what God established such as: You shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, and so on. So, morality does not belong to man, under any circumstances.

Now, many would say today: “Why should we take God into account? What does it matter what God thinks, if He even exists!” And the bottom line is that our opinions or desires are not what determine reality. Nothing we feel, or think, or do will affect the reality that God is God, and that He will judge every human being, despite what they want to think. Many apparently believe that there is such a thing as democracy in heaven and that our favor affects the Almighty, but that is not the case. God is God, and all judgment belongs to Him, and this same thing will be fulfilled, no matter what people choose to believe: And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27. And the Scriptures also say this: “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. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. This isn't heard very much in church, now is it? Nevertheless, each one of us, without exception, is walking towards a judgment where God will judge every human being, and there is nothing anyone can do to avoid it. Regardless of your beliefs, your economic or social status, whether you are a member of a church, or even within a ministry, we will all give an account before the Judge of the universe. This is what the Lord Himself taught: “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. So, if God will judge His servants according to what they have done with their talent, and they will be cast into eternal darkness if they are found lacking, what will happen with the rest? This finally is what God says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. So, is your heart right before the Lord? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Reason Why We Preach About the Lord Jesus Christ - Acts 4:1-20

Based on Acts 4:1-20 (New King James Version)

“Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, ‘By what power or by what name have you done this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, ‘What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.’ So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’”

Why was Christ preached so much? Because there has never been another being like Him in all the earth, not from creation until now. No one has done what He did, neither another so-called god, nor any prophet, there has been absolutely no one who is equal to Him. This is what He replied back to John the Baptist when John sent to ask about Him: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.’” Matthew 11:4-5. And the Apostle John declared that only enough was written for there to be strong evidence that Jesus was (and is) God, the Messiah, as it was left written: “This is the disciple [John] who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” John 21:24-25. So, simply His works are unique, and of such power that He defeated demons, and He resurrected many dead apart from Lazarus, whom He resurrected after four days of having died, when it was already thought that his body was decomposing. His works are miraculous and many. 

The other thing that makes Him so different and unique is that He defeated death. Although He was crucified and died in the cruelest way that a being can die, without any doubt remaining about His death, on the third day, the Father raised Him from the dead. All the other world leaders, or emperors, or kings, or religious leaders, like Buddha or Muhammad, are all in their respective tombs. But the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected on the third day from the dead and ascended into heaven to be at the right hand of the Father. This is what the Biblical account says: “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’” Acts 1:9-11. And Stephen declared this moments before dying: “But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’” Acts 7:55-56.

And, what else has made us preach so much about this Jesus Christ, whom practically the entire world knows thanks to that preaching? The way our hearts have been touched, and we have been transformed by the power of God through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see, for example, the different stories of all those who preceded us who not only lived for Him, but who counted it as a privilege to have even suffered for Him, and went so far as to give their lives for their faith in Him. We know about these same people like Peter and John who lived for the Lord, and despite prisons and persecutions, could never stop talking about the Lord, for that same Lord who transformed their lives forever. They saw and experienced the glory of the Only Begotten Son of God, of the Messiah. We also see Paul's story of being a persecutor of the Church and coming to have an encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, where his entire life changed. The Lord transformed him forever, from persecuting the Church of Christ, to dying for that same Christ who captivated him with His love. He himself preached this: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” Romans 14:8.

And finally, what can I say? Blessed be the Lord forever who had mercy on me, and saved me from my sins, and has made me a new creature in Him, giving me the hope of eternal salvation by His grace when I deserved to die for my sins. And not only did He give me eternal life, but also like this man who was healed, He miraculously healed me also, when science had reached its limits. And I have lived all these years by the power of His Holy Spirit. Like those before me, I owe everything to Him and He has changed my life forever. And my hope is to be faithful to Him until I die or until He comes for those of us that truly love Him (because His coming is near).

Now, can God also touch your heart and change your life forever as it has happened to so many of us? Of course! You just have to repent and convert from all your sins and accept by faith the Lord Jesus as the Lord and God of your life, and follow Him faithfully, doing the will of the Father from now on. This is the Gospel that we strive to preach throughout the world, because He is our only hope. So, have you had a real encounter with God through the Lord Jesus Christ who can transform your entire life forever? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Marriage God’s Way - 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, 10-11

Based on 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, 10-11 (New King James Version)

“Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control… …Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.”

Who invented or established marriage, God or man? For those of us who believe in the Almighty and what His Word reveals, we faithfully believe that it was God who created not only man, or the human race, but also the institution of marriage. And since the matter is like that, then who should we look for to know what marriage should be like? If we are believers in God, should we let ourselves be carried away by what society says, or by our own opinions, or as it should be, seek God to know how the same thing that He created should work? If there is any logic, we would understand that no one knows more about how something should work than its creator. So, if a person really wants to know how a marriage should work, they should seek the Lord, the Creator.

To begin, in the book of Genesis we see how God created marriage. This we read: “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’ Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:18-24. What can we see with this? How many people must there be for a marriage to work? There must be three: God who created and formed it, and a man and a woman. And this is the first problem why many marriages do not work today, because God is simply not there. God is the one who is missing in one way or another. If a marriage is made only between a man and a woman, it will not work properly, no matter how much they try to make it work, and even if they look happy, it is not being formed properly. God made marriage for the same purpose as everything else. He created everything, and He made everything for Himself, so that it would serve Him, so that it would fulfill His purpose. So, a couple can be together, united and seem happy, looking full, but if God is not there, it is a total failure. Why can I say this? If two people do not belong to the Lord, much less, they are not both doing the will of God, where do they end up, in glory or in hell? So, if two people end up condemned in hell for all eternity, can that marriage be said to have been a success? No. And if one of them is saved and the other is lost, can we say that the marriage was a success? No. Because precisely, marriage is defined as such by the union of two people, and God as the center. A marriage that functions as God commands will consist of two people united in Christ so that both together can achieve eternal life, through their dedication to help each other follow the Lord together.

Now, if we go back to when sin entered the world, precisely with Adam and Eve, we will understand that if God is not within marriage, everything becomes a complete failure. This we read: “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.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” Genesis 3:1-9. This was the worst moment of this marriage, and not only of them, but of the entire human race, when sin entered the good world that God created. What happened? First, where was God? Did God depart from man? Impossible. The man and the woman turned away from God, for some reason. What was the other thing that happened? The serpent found the woman alone. For some reason, either the woman started venturing out alone, or the man left her alone, but either way, they were separated. And in that separation, vulnerability entered. And in that vulnerability, the serpent took advantage of the moment, and convinced the woman with things that unfortunately were very attractive to her, so much so that she disobeyed God, and later, caused her husband, Adam, to fall. They both fell. If both together would have returned to God in time, the story of their marriage and this world would be something totally different.   

And finally, this is what the Lord taught: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ‘Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” Matthew 5:27-32. The only reason there can be divorce is because of the act (not the thought) of adultery. But also, if there is genuine repentance in the adulterer, and genuine forgiveness (because for marriage to work, there must be an agreement), God can also restore and remake what sin destroys, if both together put God in His proper place, at the center of their marriage. So, are you carrying out God's will in your marriage? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Belief is Not Enough - John 8:31-59

Based on John 8:31-59 (New King James Version)

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. ‘I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.’ They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.’ Then they said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.’ Then the Jews answered and said to Him, ‘Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

We read in this passage that it begins to talk about some Jews (that is, the religious people who were Hebrews) who believed in the Lord, and that after the Lord and they spoke, they ended up trying to stone the Lord. And if the Lord had not hidden Himself and left the temple, they would have killed Him. How do you explain this extreme change in a group of people, from believing to wanting to kill the Lord? When we seek the explanation through the Word, we can come to understand that it is not so difficult for there to be such a sudden transition, so to speak.

One of the passages that help clarify this issue is found in the book of James, where it says this: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19-20. What can we see here? The demons also believe, and even tremble, and that it is a sign of fear. Now, does that mean that because the demons believe and even tremble that they can be saved? Of course not. James clarifies that faith must go far beyond mere belief, but that for a faith to be valid for salvation, there must be a product, there must be works or actions that demonstrate such faith that is acceptable before God for salvation. This is also what the Lord said: “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.” Matthew 7:21. So, this passage defines what works one must accomplish to attain salvation: doing the will of the Father. That is the product that faith must have: obeying God. And this is obviously not what demons do, nor what these Jews who believed in the Lord do either. Because of course it should be clear, and just as the Lord said: ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?’ Obeying God consists of abiding in His Word. That is why the Word of God should not become something intellectual or for knowledge only. If we do not live out the Word of God, doing as God's counsel guides us, then we will never do the Father's will, and there is no salvation for those who do not choose to do the Father's will, because again: “…faith without works is dead.”

So, what must happen in a person's life for their faith to be genuine? This is what the Word says precisely what happened to the vast majority of people during His coming to this world: “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. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” John 1:10-12. The world did not know Him, nor did the religious people receive Him. These Jews we read about believed in Him, but they simply did not receive Him, they never accepted Him as the Messiah, as the Only Begotten Son of God. Receiving the Lord consists of complete repentance and conversion from all sins (the great purpose of John the Baptist's ministry was the baptism of repentance), and of course, not only just believing, but receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord in our heart, surrendering the deepest part of our being. True faith begins with this and continues through obedience and doing His will. Those who receive Christ are those that are given the right to become children of God. These Jews who believed, but never received Him, never abandoned their true position, being slaves and children of the devil. That's the truth. And if a person does not receive the Lord as Lord, they are not leaving the darkness behind. And by persisting in that feeling and state, they will even come to hate God at a given moment, because of the dominance that sin continues to have over them. They will never come to the Lord.

What is ultimately the proof of true faith? This is what the Word says: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 8:8-9. If you do not live and even die for the Lord, if necessary, you are not doing the will of the Father. And as such, you will not gain entry into His kingdom no matter how much you say: “Lord, Lord.” So, do you believe only in Christ, or have you received Him as the Lord of your life to live and even die for Him? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

Religion is Not the Answer - John 18:28-40

Based on John 18:28-40 (New King James Version)

“Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this Man?’ They answered and said to him, ‘If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.’ Then Pilate said to them, ‘You take Him and judge Him according to your law.’ Therefore the Jews said to him, ‘It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,’ that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die. Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no fault in Him at all. ‘But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ Then they all cried again, saying, ‘Not this Man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber.”

How is it that the Pharisees, being so religious, not only had enmity with the Lord, but they even had Him killed? Some will think that the death of the Lord simply had to happen, so the Scriptures could be fulfilled, and that everything that happened was the will of God. And yes, it is true, that everything had to be fulfilled, because everything that is written is fulfilled, in one way or another. But the Word itself also says: “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” Matthew 18:7. That is, Christ had to die, but each person chose to do what they did out of their own free will, and not because God forced them, because it is also written: “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.” Matthew 18:8. So, everyone, and especially the religious, could have chosen to do things in a very different way. So, what was the problem?

The point is that religion or religious practices do not lead to God. What is religion? By definition, it is: A set of beliefs or dogmas about divinity, feelings of veneration and fear towards it, moral norms for individual and social behavior and ritual practices, mainly prayer and sacrifice to worship it. And this was what the Pharisees observed. They did not follow God, but based their lives on beliefs, rules and commands. Therefore, and although they thought they pleased God, they were very far from God, because following God does not consist of doing religious things, no matter how good they look. Works are vital to faith in God, but God desires something that goes far beyond simple works alone. The point is that God looks at and searches the most intimate part of man, the intentions of the heart. This is what the Word says: “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 17:10. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. The Lord Himself spoke about this, clarifying that doing things that appear spiritual and even supernatural are not a sign of true faith, nor that these things ensure entry to heaven, when He said: “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 the Word says this also: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. What love is Paul talking about here? Of feelings, of fleeting and emotional things? Of carnal passions and desires? Absolutely not. The love that makes everything have value before God is the genuine and pure love towards the Lord, as it is written: “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 12:29-31. This love for God must be the reason for why we do all things. This love must be the root of everything in our life, the reason why we love our loved ones, as we must also love our enemies, because our neighbor is everyone around us. Paul also said this: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:8-9. If love for God is not what governs us for everything in our lives, and the reason for why we do all things, then we will be against God, as the Pharisees were, who despite their strict religious practices, they had the Only Begotten Son of God killed on the cross. Now, of course each of us was responsible for the Lord's death, because He died for all of our sins, but they were the instigators. Therefore, nothing is gained from being religious. The basis of everything must be love.

Now, how will we see more clearly this issue that what God seeks most is to be loved? Our best example is David. This is what God Himself said: “And when He had removed him [speaking of Saul], He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus— Acts 13:22-23. David was not perfect, but one thing is very certain, and that is that David loved the Lord, and he loved Him in such a way that God Himself established that the Messiah had to be the Son of David. So, is loving the Lord your motivation for everything in life, rather than simple religion? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

We Need to Learn to be Fair with God - John 1:1-12

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

“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. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 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. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

When we talk about God, referring to the true God, do we really understand Who He is? Do we understand, for example, the Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? I know that it can be a little confusing to understand this matter, that we speak of a triune God, that the Three are One. But, nevertheless, they are three Beings totally God and unlimited in every possible. This is what the Word teaches us: “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7. So, we must ask ourselves if we can at least accept this fact, even if we do not understand exactly how this works. But if we do not believe in this properly, we will always have a very limited and ill-founded faith, and that will never lead to anything good.

However, God is Who He is, the omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God of the universe, whether people want to believe it or not (because this fact does not depend on people since it is a reality). And everything that exists was created and made by this Being. And not only that, but everything continues to exist and consist and subsist through this God of the universe, just as the Apostle Paul said: “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 of course, as such, when God decides, everything that must end will also end, and there is nothing we can do about it, because again, we are talking about God. 

The other thing we must understand, in conjunction with the above, is what God did for us. God loved us undeservedly, and in such a way that He sent His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (God) to be born, live, die, and even resurrect on the third day, all for love for us, so that we could have the opportunity to obtain forgiveness of our sins and eternal life, just as the Word says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17. This is also a fact, and an irrefutable one, that must be accepted for a person to have the right faith.

Now where are we going with all this? The point is that we must learn to be fair with God, but in order to be fair with God, there must be a correct faith, because if a person does not have the correct faith, then they will never obtain forgiveness of sins, let alone salvation or eternal life. Simply put, the whole point of faith in God is precisely learning to practice justice towards God. For example, it is unfair not to recognize God's position as such, because for our own good, He (as the Holy Trinity, and not as a generic God) must be recognized as such, as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. If it is not believed as such, then there will never be true respect, fear, honor, etc., etc. that there must be for Him. We owe everything to Him, even our breathing, the beating of our hearts, all the so-called involuntary functions of the body (as science calls it) and even our soul. If we do not believe in Him as the authority that He is, we will never pay Him the deserved attention, nor will we obey Him, let alone give Him the first place of which He is worthy of. If He is not our literal and effective Lord, then we do not belong to Him. And if we do not belong to him, what then will save us from the wrath to come? This is what God says: “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ ‘You offer defiled food on My altar, but say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?’ says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:6-8.

And also, if we don’t acknowledge His love, the incredible grace that was shown voluntarily through the Lord Jesus Christ, we will never love the Lord as it is commanded in the law and the prophets, the same that the Lord Himself came to reestablish, as it is written: “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.” Mark 12:29-30. If we do not learn to love the Lord, there will be no forgiveness of sins, no salvation, no eternal life. Because everything God wants from us goes beyond simple belief and acceptance. Love is necessary, it is a requirement.

So, to be just with God, we must do and treat Him like the Lord and God that He is, and we must love Him with everything we are, and above all things. The beginning is the grace of God, and then faith. But that faith must culminate in complete submission to the authority of God (the Holy Trinity) and in perfect love for God (the Holy Trinity). This is what the Word says: “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. “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.” Romans 10:9. “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!” 1 Corinthians 16:22. Therefore, we must believe in the Son, confess him as Lord, and love Him as He deserves, in order to avoid the wrath of God, to be saved, and to stop being accursed. So, are you learning to submit and love God accordingly, seeking to do justice to Him, for your own good? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Blindness that Comes Because of Lack of Faith - Luke 24:13-35

Based on Luke 24:13-35 (New King James Version)

“Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. And He said to them, ‘What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?’ Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, ‘Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?’ And He said to them, ‘What things?’ So they said to Him, ‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.’ Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.’ And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’ So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.”

What is the real problem that man has in not being able to have the faith they need? Is God guilty of not opening their eyes or their understanding yet, and that is why they cannot find a way to believe properly? Many think that, that man does not have the capacity to believe because for some reason, God is guilty of not having opened their understanding yet, that all this matter of believing, and faith, comes from God. But by seeing this passage, we can understand that the problem of faith is not God's but rather, man's problem.

The vast majority of people have a serious problem with faith in Christ, and that they simply do not come to complete conviction for one reason or another. Even many so-called believers, who call them Christians, incredibly enough have this faith problem. And why can I say this with so much confidence? Very simply. Observe the way they live their lives. The vast majority, and even those who profess to believe, live in a manner as if God does not exist, and that this world is all there is, and that there is nothing else. That's how they live. And this is of course the unbeliever, and also the vast majority of so-called believers.

What do we see in this passage? The Lord Himself reprimanding these disciples that were on the way to Emaus. He tells them this: “…‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!...” So, this doesn't sound like God's problem, that God didn't open their understanding, or that He didn't give them the faith they needed, but rather, that their blindness came from their own unbelief, despite being disciples. And yet, even when the Lord rebuked them, they still could not find a way to believe. The only thing that broke their disbelief or made them realize that it was the Lord Himself standing before them, was when He broke the bread. A material act awakened them, so to speak. It is possible that the Lord had some unique way of breaking bread. We don't know, but their understandings did not open until that moment. And they themselves meditated after this: “‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?...” What does this mean? That quite simply their hearts did not burn, nor did they feel His presence, nor His revelation while He was with them. Why? Was it God’s fault? No. It was their own unbelief. How do we know? Because of what they declared: “‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people…” The Lord was not a prophet. The Lord Jesus Christ is Lord and God, and if a person does not come to that complete realization, not only by word or intellectually, but with their whole heart, and literally treating the Lord as the Lord of their lives, they are still blind. And again, is that God's fault, because God has not enlightened them? No. They chose not to have reached that point yet. And that is the serious and universal problem that exists. Because if a person believes and has the Lord as Lord in their lives, are they seeking to do their own will or the will of God? If one has Him as Lord, then one should live alone to seek to do His will. But the serious problem is that almost everyone lives to do their own will.

Someone might say: “Why do you say that the evidence of truly believing in Christ should consist of only doing His will?” And the answer is because when you reach that conviction and acceptance, you have seen Him for who He really is, and there is no purpose greater or more worthy to follow than to do what that immense and infinite Being tells you. We are talking about the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the One who was, and is, and is to come, the One who will judge all humanity by their deeds. There is no one greater, there is no one more important, there is no one to whom we owe more. Our entire existence and our future depend on Him. So, it is only logical that if you come to believe in Him as such, that a great change of direction will happen. But if you do not decide and accept Him as such, you will never see the glory of God, and you will never have the salvation or eternal life that only the true God can give through precisely the Lord Jesus Christ (God). You will never please God because you chose not to have that faith, as it is written: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 12:6.

In summary, there is nothing left for the Lord to prove to us that He is Who He says He is. Everything created speaks of Him. And the cross demonstrates His love for us. And even the beating of our hearts, and the air we breathe, depend only on Him. It is simply your decision to either ignore the irrefutable evidence of the Lord and die forever or accept His Truth and live as such in order to attain eternal life. So, do you choose to believe and follow the Lord, or do you choose to continue in your blindness and die that way? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

The Consequences for Disobeying the Lord - 2 Samuel 1

Based on 2 Samuel 1 (New King James Version)

“Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, on the third day, behold, it happened that a man came from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. And David said to him, ‘Where have you come from?’ So he said to him, ‘I have escaped from the camp of Israel.’ Then David said to him, ‘How did the matter go? Please tell me.’ And he answered, ‘The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.’ So David said to the young man who told him, ‘How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?’ Then the young man who told him said, ‘As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, there was Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. Now when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ He said to me again, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.’ So I stood over him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.’ Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. Then David said to the young man who told him, ‘Where are you from?’ And he answered, ‘I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.’ So David said to him, ‘How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?’ Then David called one of the young men and said, ‘Go near, and execute him!’ And he struck him so that he died. So David said to him, ‘Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ’ Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher: ‘The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon—lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. ‘O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings. For the shield of the mighty is cast away there! The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty. ‘Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. ‘O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury; who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. ‘How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan was slain in your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women. ‘How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!’ ’

One of the biggest problems that man can have with God is the sin of disobedience. It is possible that God can have mercy on the evils that people do when they do not know God’s will (which is almost impossible not to know today). But when God's will is known, when God has given the necessary instruction (that is what the Bible is for), and it is disobeyed, then serious problems arise. God simply does not have much tolerance for disobedience. He is loving and very merciful, but ultimately, He is also God and the supreme King of the entire universe. And as King, He is the highest authority, something that is not governed by democracy, nor by votes, nor even less by human opinion, because we are nothing before Him, nor can we do anything to affect His authority and position in any way. And this is something that human beings must accept and guide themselves accordingly if they wish to see good, especially in eternity.

Saul brought his own destruction to himself and to those around him precisely because of his disobedience. Saul knew what God's will was, but he chose not to obey, but rather, let himself be carried away by his own opinion, or even worse, by public opinion. And although God gave him the undeserved opportunity to be king over Israel, the Lord regretted having done such a thing, not because God made a mistake (because God does not make mistakes), but because He gave the opportunity. But, anyway, and here we see free will in full action, God lets us make our decisions, and that is what dictates our path on this earth and what happens to us in eternity. This is what the Word says about what God felt about Saul, after his disobedience (because it was not just an incident): “Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, ‘I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.’” 1 Samuel 15:10-11a. And in the following passage, we will see what exhausted God’s patience, and where we can see that our obedience is of supreme importance to God: “Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.’ And he said to him, ‘Speak on.’ So Samuel said, ‘When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?’ And Saul said to Samuel, ‘But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.’ So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:16-23.

The matter is very simple. We were created and made by God for one purpose only, to do His will. And even though we sinned, God gave us another chance (a final one) by His grace through the Lord Jesus Christ to return to that original purpose. But, if we discard this gift from God to be useful to Him again, there is nothing more to do. And every human being, without exception, will give an account before Almighty God, who they are, because there is no power that can oppose God’s judgment. Saul was powerful, but his power came to an end. Everything has its consequences here, but even more so, in eternity. That is why the Word says: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. So then, are you looking to obey the Lord, or are you still looking to cause your own destruction? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

A True Repentance and Conversion - Acts 9:20-31

Based on Acts 9:20-31 (New King James Version)

“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. Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus. Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”

When a decision is made to follow Christ, it is not about following a religion, or assuming certain practices, or obeying certain rules. But it is about something deeper, decisive, and above all, a change of life, making our life take another course totally different from the one we were on before submitting ourselves to the Lord. And when something like that happens, there must be something very visible, and even tangible, happening in our lives. In summary, when that moment genuinely happens, it is an encounter with Almighty God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Simply put, something totally climactic must happen, a transformation that shakes the very foundations of our lives.

Why should there be something so noticeable in us with that encounter with God? Because that is precisely what the issue is about. It may not be something as physically tangible or noticeable as what happened to Paul, but also, not so far away, and something that has nothing to do with feelings or emotions, but with deeper and more meaningful things. In order to explain this type of reaction that must exist in us, we must first answer a question: Who is this remarkable encounter about? It’s about God. God is not a human being. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, although He took on our human likeness in order to fulfill the sacrifice of the cross, was (and is) more than a man. He is God, the God through whom God the Father created all things. He is the Word which God used so that things would be created. This is what the Word says: “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. “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. When we meet certain special people in our lives, people like you and me, it leaves a very deep impression sometimes. For example, people who get married remember very well the first moment they saw that special person. There are others who are impressed by meeting an artist, or an athlete, or a rich person, or a highly intellectual person, and so on. But if we are impressed with human beings who are ultimately made of flesh and blood just like us, who exist one day and perish the next, what then should the encounter with the Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, be like? Are you beginning to understand the matter?

Now, what is it that produces a real encounter with God, what can really transform a human being? True and genuine repentance and conversion, and that belongs entirely to us. The Lord is always trying to have encounters with us and calls us to salvation at every moment. The problem is that we are so focused on our own sin and will that we overlook this incredible Being, despite all the times and different ways He tries to call us. Sin is what blinds us, despite how good and right we believe ourselves to be. Such is our hardness of heart that we even ignore things like the brightness of the sun every morning, the incredible dance of the planets that follow their course precisely, and something as supposedly simple as the breathing of our lungs and the beating of our hearts, all of them made possible because God simply spoke them into existence through His Word. This is what the Scriptures say regarding repentance: “Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’” Matthew 3:4-10. God calls. God brings conviction of sin through His Holy Spirit. God provides us with His Word so that we can understand. God is the One who allows circumstances to help us realize that we need Him, but responding to God “appropriately” belongs entirely to us. And if we do not come to God with the “correct” disposition and recognition, there is simply no change, there is no born again experience as Christ explained. This is what the Word says: “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.

In Paul, there was this very notable repentance and conversion, and he was able to be born again, and in such a way that the churches were even able to have a short time of peace, because it was Paul who was persecuting the church. His conversion not only stopped persecution momentarily, but he even became what God would use to bring the Gospel to us today. That is what produces a true conversion, what can really transform man and make known the presence of the Almighty Lord on earth. So, how have you chosen to respond to God? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

What Happens when People Reject the Lord - Matthew 23:34–24:2

Based on Matthew 23:34 – 24:2 (New King James Version)

“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!’ ’ Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’”

There are many who think that because God is loving and very merciful that they will never have to answer for their sins. There are others who think that because they choose not to want to believe in God, that this means that God does not exist, and that is why they will not have to be held accountable. And there is another group of people who think that everything is already predetermined in each person and that everything will happen as it is set, no matter what they do, so they also think that they will not be judged because, “How will God judge if He was the one who predestined everything?” And also, there is a group of people who think that, if you present the Word of God to a person, even if that person is rebellious, they will eventually convert because the Word will somehow change their mind, sooner or later, and support this thought on the following passage: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10. But, the issue is that nothing of what has been mentioned is true, as we can see in His Word.

First of all, God is loving and very merciful, but, however, that does not mean that He will never do justice. We cannot err. God is loving, gracious, and merciful, but He is also just and even a consuming fire. Written 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. God is good and loving, but He will also punish mockery and rejection, undoubtedly. So, there is a moment where we will all give an account.

Now, with reference to those who “choose” not to want to believe in God, it is totally illogical to think that the will of man makes it possible to change certain unchangeable realities in the universe. To begin with, we are totally weak, limited, and finite beings. We are like nothing before nature, and if that is so (because it is), what are we before the eternal and almighty God who simply spoke things into existence? So, can our humble and insignificant opinion affect Someone like the God of the universe? Impossible. Everything created proclaims the existence of God because He was the One who made them. His creation speaks of His greatness and His infinity. And His Word says this: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20. So, it is impossible not to be able to believe in God, that He is who He is. But if a person “chooses” not to want to believe, then that is another story, and it will not have a happy ending. They will be judged for your unbelief.

Now, with the matter of predestination being a reality, I must say that there is such a thing, but with very specific beings in history. But the vast majority of us have free will, and that is undeniable if we look at the Word. If there were such a thing as universal predestination, the main ones who would be predestined would be the people of Israel and not us Gentiles, who are all strangers to the promises given to Israel. And especially if there were such a predestination, God would have done it for the salvation of all of Israel. But we see in the Word that not all of Israel came to see good. In fact, on the contrary, few were saved. This is what the Word says: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Deuteronomy 30:19. So, if God tells Israel to “choose life,” how can we think that we are all predestined, and that there is no free will? Impossible. We all have free will, so if we do what we do with our lives, it is only by our choice and not because God predisposed it that way. Therefore, we will give an account before God for what we did in this life.

The point is that the Word of God is fulfilled in our lives according to how we respond to the Lord. God calls and speaks to every person from birth, and every day, until we stop breathing our last breath. There are countless times and ways that God calls each human being. But this is what the Word says: “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:1-14. This is not about God choosing who will be saved, but rather, it is about those who choose to respond to His call. Therefore, this is what the Word says: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. And, what happened with what we saw at the beginning? History teaches us that what the Lord prophesied about the destruction of the temple occurred exactly in the year 70 AD, when the Romans destroyed Israel. And why did it happen? Because the people of Israel did not value the Lord as such, but only a few. The Word was fulfilled for judgment and not for blessing. So, will you choose to reject the Lord or will you treat the Lord right? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!

A Life of War - 1 Samuel 14:47 – 15:7

Based on 1 Samuel 14:47 – 15:7 (New King James Version)

“So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he harassed them. And he gathered an army and attacked the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them. The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Jishui, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself. Samuel also said to Saul, ‘The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’’ So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley. Then Saul said to the Kenites, ‘Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.’ So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.”

Whether we like it or not, everything in this life is about a war, and each of us has our own war. Since we are begotten and conceived, before leaving our mothers' wombs, we are already involved in war. Many today do not even survive that battle because their own mothers become their worst enemies, killing them before they see the light of day. And so, even when we begin to exist, we become part of a great conflict, and there is nothing we can do to avoid it.

Now, is this God's will? We can say yes and no. No, because God does not wish evil, in any way. God is life. But also, since sin has entered the universe through a being who instead of worshiping God decided to worship himself, and envied God, wanting to be like Him, then the devil’s will brought about war. This being that rebelled against God is the devil. Many prefer to think that the enemy does not exist, but unfortunately, he does exist, and he is our worst enemy, and of course, he is God's main enemy because he is His opposite. But well, since sin exists, which has given rise to choice, God allows there to be war, because His desire is to test mankind, individually, and see with His eyes what each of us decides to do. As a result, there is such a conflict in this universe that there is a war that affects all existence, and also each of us have our own war with endless battles.

Now, returning to today's passage, we can see what happened with Israel and what continues happening with them today, and what is happening with each of us. In order to understand Israel's present, we have to see the past. The problem that exists today is the same reason that existed a long time ago. Israel arrived at the promised land by the hand of God, and God gave that land to Israel, and yes, they defeated many kingdoms to take possession of the land. The problem that arose, and why Israel was (and is today) surrounded by enemies, is because they left undone what God commanded them to do. One can say: “Did God order to get rid of entire groups of peoples to give the land to Israel as a possession? And the answer is, yes. And why did God do it? Because God wanted to remove people who only did evil, totally dominated by the devil. God never does anything just because. Everything has a purpose. And some may say, “Why does he allow destruction if he is supposedly good and full of love?” Because along with being loving and good, He is also just, and He cannot set aside His justice for His love and goodness. And the Word also tells us that He is consuming fire. Then, God gave opportunities to those kingdoms and peoples that previously existed in those places to repent, but they decided to serve the devil rather than God. But, as Israel disobeyed God and left many things unfinished, they always lived surrounded by enemies, the ancestors of the same enemies they have today. And just as before, these enemies only want one thing, to make Israel disappear completely. That is why it is impossible to find peace in the Middle East, because no matter what Israel does, no matter what they give up (as it has done for years), the desire of its neighbors is to see them disappear. When Israel was destroyed by the Roman Empire and the survivors were dispersed, those around Israel took advantage of the opportunity and began to occupy the land, and thus this people of Palestine was formed, groups of people who simply took land that did not belong to them. And at the end of the Second World War, the prophecy was fulfilled, that God would bring His people Israel back to the land that He had promised them. In 1948, Israel was established once again, and the occupation of those who took its land were removed. And this brings us to the conflict that exists today. Whether you agree or not, the land belongs to Israel, and the promise of the Sovereign God to His friend Abraham remains valid to this day: “Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3.

So, let's see how all this applies to us. In reference to Israel, our task as followers of Jesus Christ is very clear and simple: we must support and bless Israel. But also, and just like Israel, we are at war (and we cannot leave things unfinished), therefore, we will have affliction, we will have many battles, some momentary and others that last for years. And all those who are like-minded in our faith in Christ will help us and receive mercy (as God did with the Kenites, those that did show mercy to Israel). But, those who oppose, seeking to obey sin, ultimately the devil, sooner or later, will receive their eternal punishment. Meanwhile, God tells us: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. But, the Word also says: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-10. We will have many battles here, but if we win our war with Christ, remaining faithful to Him until the end, we will have the eternal life that only the Eternal God can give. And best of all, we are not alone. God is with us, if we honor him, as the Word says: “…for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” 1 Samuel 2:30b. So then, how is your war going? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!