The Offer Of Life

 

You have given your life to the Lord. But, there is something more important that many Christians don't understand regarding their salvation. Knowing what God has given us will change your life and your eternity. Come along with me as we discuss this topic. Resources: The Bread of Life livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/gospel_of_john_027_6_33_59_bread_of_life_ext.mp3 https://share.google/DeDqmAfN6p0mKKxT1

Is it Heresy to "Accept Jesus"?

There are many ways that people describe being born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. They say things like, "I gave my life to Jesus." Others say, "I asked Jesus into my heart," or "I accepted Jesus." All of them mean the same thing. However, there are those that call this description of one's salvation experience a "heresy." Why? Because if they don't see a recognizable change in a person, they will say that person is "not converted at all." But, is this true? In this video, we will explore this subject from a scriptural perspective and see what the truth is behind what it means to "accept Jesus." Resources: The Curse of the Law livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/galatians_06_curse_of_law_1_6_9.mp3
 

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 Our Gospel Is Veiled

 

Have Christians stopped sharing the Gospel? Some Christians say that we have neglected our duty to tell others about the Good News of Jesus Christ and have given it over to the government to change the hearts and minds of the people. However, the Bible doesn't point the finger at believers but at something more sinister. Are Christians getting in the way of God building His kingdom? Were believers in the past responsible for the lack of people coming to faith in God? Resources: Ashamed of the Gospel livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/romans_08_ashamed_of_the_gospel_1_14_16.mp3

The Blended Bunch

Blended families can feel complicated—emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. But does that mean they’re outside of God’s plan?

In this video, we explore how Scripture speaks into the reality of blended families—not with shame, but with grace. From Jacob’s sons and David’s household to Ruth and Naomi, and even Joseph raising Jesus, the Bible is full of families formed through dysfunction, loss, loyalty, and redemption.

We also dive into the powerful metaphor of adoption in Ephesians and Romans where Paul describes our place in God’s family: secure and irrevocable.

Questions to Reflect On:
- What does spiritual adoption say about our identity and worth?
- Can a blended family reflect the unity of the body of Christ?

Watch, reflect, and share with someone who needs encouragement today.

Resources:
Adoption as sons
livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/ephesians_011_1_5_adoption_as_sons.mp3 https://share.google/8eq5gnHzmgUjhAWyk

Colossians 1:13-14 The Rescuer

Colossians 1:13-14

"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." What does it mean to be rescued from the darkness? Can you describe the kingdom of the Son? Resources: Jesus, Prophet, Priest and King https://share.google/MkVLAAD9hh4RV4ZFl

The Christian's Hope

 1 John 3:1-3

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." What is our hope as Christians dependent on? If the things we can see are only temporary, why do we spend so much time focusing on them? Resources:

The Person is the Way livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/gospel_of_john_075_14_1_6_the_person_is_the_way_ext.mp3

Ephesians 1:11-14 What is the Message of Truth?

 

Ephesians 1:11-14

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Why is the Gospel called the message of truth?

What is the inheritance that the Holy Spirit guarantees?

Resources:

Sealed by the Spirit

livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/ephesians_019_1_11_14_sealed_by_the_holy_spirit.mp3

Exodus 19:16-25 A Personal Relationship with God

 

Exodus 19:16-25 16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. 20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.” 23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’” 24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them. Were the Israelites able to enjoy a personal relationship with God? Does your relationship with God look more like that of the Israelites? Resources: Having a Relationship with God https://www.livinggodministries.net/living god ministries/radio_archive/relationship_with_god.htm

The Acceptance of God

 

Ephesians 1:6

"... to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the beloved."

Is God's acceptance of Christians conditional or unconditional?

What does God's assurance have to do with the eternal security of the believer?

Resources:

Blessing of Acceptance

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living.god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/ephesians_012_1_6_blessing_of_acceptance.mp3

John 9:13-16 A Man Born Blind

 John 9:13-16

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not [a]keep the Sabbath" Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.

What were the Pharisees concerned about when the healed blind man was brought to them?

Were the Pharisees more concerned about who Jesus was or when Jesus healed the blind man?

Resources:

The Healing of the Man Born Blind 2 of 6

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/gospel_of_john_043_9_8_17_blind_man_2_ext.mp3

How Do I Know If I Am Saved?

The answer to the question, "How do I know that I am saved?" can take many forms depending on who you ask. Unfortunately, the most common answers are thinly veiled attempts to put the person under some form of law. An analysis of one Christian's response to this question illustrates what I mean.

What is the truth about sanctification?

Is holiness a lifelong pursuit?

Are Christians perfect?

Does God discipline us when we sin?

Resources:

Sanctification 

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/sanctification_ext.mp3

Why Forgiveness Is Important 

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/hebrews_40_ch10_11_27_why_forgiveness_is_important.mp3

 

Be Reconciled to God

 

Colossians 1:19-22 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the crass. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation- 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. What does it mean to be reconciled? How does this change your Christian walk and relationship with God? Resources: Believe God https://www.livinggodministries.net/living god ministries/radio_archive/audio_hles/romans 36 believe god_5_11.21.mp3 Reconciled https://96tolife.blogspot.com/search?q=reconciled Faith Alone Shirt (online store) https://www.teepublic.com/long-sleeve t-shirt/64576664-faith-alone

Are There Different Races?

 

What are the true differences between each of us? Where did the idea of there being different races come from? Does mankind and apes have a common ancestor? Has death always been here? Why do people "hyphenated identities" when describing themselves? Were the first humans from Africa? How did mankind spread out over the earth? In what way does all this affect the Gospel message? Key verses: Genesis 1:24-27, Genesis 1:31, Genesis 2:8, Genesis 3:20, Genesis 11:7-8, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, and Galatians 3:28 Resources: Racism https://answersingenesis.org/racism/ From One Man https://96tolife.blogspot.com/2018/09/from-one-man.html

Adding to the Gospel

In Revelation 22:18, it says, "I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book." It reminds me of a quote I heard. It went, "Whatever somebody adds to the Gospel is what they emphasize." This has always stayed with me in my experiences talking with Christians about the Bible. I believe that many Christians do not understand the fullness of the Gospel. In my opinion, this leads to many of the beliefs that divide Christians. 

Water Baptism

Water baptism is generally accepted by most Christians as an "outward expression of an inward reality." However, some say the "Bible teaches that the person who has believed in Christ, repented of one’s sins, and confessed one’s faith in Christ must then be baptized by the authority of Christ to obtain the remission of sins. There is no other way but Christ’s way." If you want to believe that, fine. I am not attempting to persuade anybody. But, I do not believe that water baptism is required at any level of a Christian's walk with the Lord. Most Christians do not realize that water baptism didn't begin with John the Baptist, but about 100 years beforehand during the aftermath of the Maccabean War. Therefore, Jesus Christ used it as an example of the baptism that does save; that being the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel is sin, death, forgiveness, and the restoration of the life of God. Adam sinned (Genesis 3:5) and lost the life of God (Genesis 2:17) breathed into him at creation (Genesis 2:7). All humanity is born in the image of Adam (Genesis 5:3); spiritually dead to God in our sins and in need of His life. Before God could restore His life to us, He had to deal with the sin that caused Him to remove His life. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, died for the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Therefore, when He was raised from the dead, He could offer the life of God as a gift to anybody who would believe in Him (Romans 5:10). In John 3:5-6, Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." Born of water refers to our physical birth (flesh gives birth to flesh) and born of Spirit refers to the restoration of the Holy Spirit which occurs as a result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Spirit gives birth to spirit). When you understand what the problem is between man and God, spiritual death, and what God's provision is for that problem, spiritual life through the giving of the Holy Spirit, you realize that water baptism is not a part of the Gospel. When you don't understand the Gospel then you add things like water baptism. This is understandable when you see many in the early church not having a grasp of the full Gospel; going to the synagogue, believing Gentiles had to become Jews before being saved, living in subjection to the Mosaic Law, selling all their possessions, etc.

Free Will

Similar to the subject of water baptism is the topic of the free will of humanity. Do we have free will to choose or not? This is a complicated subject. But, as one pastor said, "It is only complicated because we make it complicated." The idea that free will does not exist is summed up in the belief that "a future eternity will be spent either in heaven or hell by every human being and that if someone is brought to heaven (or hell) that is entirely God's doing." In other words, God decides which individuals go to heaven and which go to hell. Again, this comes from a misunderstanding of the Gospel. For example, many Christians believe the Gospel to be, "Jesus died for my sins so that I can go to heaven when I die." This is not wrong, but it is not complete. When you believe forgiveness is salvation you end up having to confront heretical beliefs like universal salvation that teach everyone will be saved. Since the Bible doesn't teach universal salvation and if you believe that salvation is the forgiveness, of sins, you have to get around verses like 1 Timothy 2:3-4. There it says, "This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 

Uh oh. If you believe people do not have the free will to choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ, then how do you explain God's desire for "everyone" to be saved when not everyone is saved? You cannot. The only option is to accept the truth that we do have free will. When I confessed my belief in free will to a Christian who does not believe in it, their response to me was, "You believe you are greater than God!" They have to say that because if I have free will and God doesn't allow me to have it, then I must have divine abilities to be "greater" than Him. If I, specifically, and humanity, in general, do not have the free will to choose then why does John 3:16 say we do? "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Jesus Christ said, "whoever believes." This means whoever accepts as true what God is offering them will be saved. You cannot accept something unless you have the choice not to accept it. When you don't understand that the Gospel is offered to everybody then you must add something like the lack of free will to it to make it work. And in doing so you destroy the Gospel and the love of God in the process. 

What have you added to the Gospel? It may not be water baptism or the lack of free will. But, is it speaking in tongues. Perhaps, you believe a Christian can lose their salvation, therefore, you have added works. You might not believe in the complete forgiveness of sins, so you have added "sacrifices" for sin like altar calls, confession booths, or short accounts. Have you added to the Gospel by saying your denomination is the "true" Church? The list is endless. Everybody believes they understand the Gospel, including me. But, we can't all be correct. That is why I say to go to God in prayer and ask, "Lord, do I understand the Gospel? Have I added to it or taken away from it?" Then allow Him to add to your understanding. Grace and Peace.

Walking Away

According to a Christian apologetics website, "The statistics still indicate that approximately 70% of children raised in Christian homes WILL WALK AWAY from Christ when they start college with less than half that returning later in their adult lives. Why? The reasons vary, but the most common one we come across is easily avoidable. They were not prepared for common secular objections against the existence of God and the truth of Christianity." What are we to make of this? One of the best pieces of advice I was given was to never accept the premise of an argument. When it comes to children "walking away" from Christ when they start college, the question should be, "What is their understanding of the Gospel?" The Bible talks about different gospels, half gospels, and false gospels. If you understand the true Gospel you know that you cannot "walk away" from Christ. He goes with you. What people are walking away from is the error they believe. 

Shrugged their Shoulders

Years ago, a self-proclaimed Christian friend and I were having a conversion. Along the way, I asked them a question. "What is your understanding of the Gospel," I said.  They looked at me sheepishly and did not say a word. They shrugged their shoulder to symbolize, "I don't know." I followed up with two questions. "What is it that you accepted that allows you to call yourself a Christian?" Then I asked, "What do you tell others about Jesus Christ?" I don't remember their reply. It may not sound like it, but this was a conversation between friends. I was not trying to put them on the spot or trying to make them feel as if they weren't Christians or that I was the authority in their life. It was my curiosity. Unfortunately, the response of my friend is not uncommon. Could these college students be like my friend? Not knowing the basics of the faith, yet calling themselves Christians? It is a lot easier to be led astray when you don't know the foundation of what you claim to believe. The Bible says, "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16)." If you are shrugging your shoulders about the Gospel, it is time to ask God if He is within you at all and if He will explain the Gospel to you. 

Set up for Failure

"One of the main reasons is that most Sunday school curricula only teaches disconnected Bible stories. They don't teach how we know the Bible is true, how to defend the faith, and how to answer the skeptical questions of today." This is a quote by Christian author and speaker, Ken Ham. This may give us insight as to why college kids "walk away" from Christ. Before a person becomes a college student, they are a high school student. Before they are high school students, they are middle school students. Before they become middle school students, they are elementary school students. Before they are elementary school students, they are in kindergarten. But, one thing that is common between these levels of education is that they have parents they come home to each night. Ephesians 6:4 says, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." How can you train and instruct your children in the things of the Lord if you are not doing it at home? Secondly, are the parents trained and instructed in the things of the Lord? If they are not, we cannot expect them to teach their children. This leads to them being trained in the things of the world (evolution, moral relativism, secular humanism, all religious beliefs are equal, etc) from godless public schools, universities, and even many Sunday School classes at churches all over the world. And we can't forget the influence of pop culture as well. Kids are being set up for failure from the beginning; left to face the world with no fuel in their spiritual gas tank. Is it surprising the percentage of college kids who "walk away" from Christ isn't higher than 70%?

The Wrong "god"

How many of us are familiar with verses like Jeremiah 29:11, Malachi 3:10, Matthew 7:7, 1 Peter 2:24, and similar verses? These verses have been twisted, misused, and used as proof texts so often that it leads to Christians believing God for things He has not promised and not believing in those things He has given to them as an inheritance of their faith in Jesus Christ. They end up thinking God wants them rich, healthy, in happy marriages, with perfect children, having great careers, etc. Often, these rewards are tied to the individual's behavior as measured by personal or church standards, but rarely by God's. When their lives are the opposite of what they believe God has planned for them, they "walk away" from Christ. Who wants a God that doesn't live up to His promises or makes the requirement to receive them impossible to achieve? The question to ask people who have "walked away" for these types of reasons is, "Do you feel you have the wrong god?" If they answer, "Yes, I do," then they are in a good place. God didn't promise us physical blessings. He promised us Himself. Knowing the difference will change your life. The Bible teaches us that we will "always have the poor (John 12:8), that "in this world, you will have trouble (John 16:33)," and not to think "something strange were happening to you if you suffer for being a Christian (1 Peter 4:12)." This is not to say that things like health, wealth, and happy lives are anti-Christian. It is to say that they are not promised to us. 

Walk with the Lord

What is a Christian home? Most estimates say that there are about 2.4 billion people in the world identifying as Christians. According to Live Science, "There are more than 45,000 denominations globally." Regardless of whether these numbers are accurate, the point is easy to see. If there are 2.4 billion Christians in the world, there are probably the same amount of definitions for what is a Christian. Therefore, you probably have just as many answers to what is a Christian home. If the percentage of college kids purported to have "walked away" from Christ is accurate, how many of those 2.4 billion Christians are ready to leave or have left their faith? Thankfully, the Bible tells us "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:33)." Since God is not behind the confusion that means we can leave it up to Him to discern what is true and whose hearts are truly His. God knows His children regardless of what categories we put ourselves and others in. This doesn't mean that all these different beliefs and denominations are true. There is only one truth on every subject and God knows it. The Church is not made up of denominational affiliations nor is God hindered by all our poor teaching and discipleship that permeates the body of Christ. If a person is truly born-again of the Spirit of God, it may be a good thing that they "walked away" because God can now work on them at His pace apart from the noise that pushed them away. God said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)." What we define as someone "walking away" from Christ, could be the first time in that person's life that they can begin to "walk with" the Lord. Be encouraged. 

Where Does It Stop?

The Apostle Paul wrote, "There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:22-24)." When you believe something that the Bible does not support, you are forced to suggest that the clear reading of scripture is unclear. There are those who believe when Paul said, "all have sinned" in verse 23, that the word "all" doesn't mean everybody. Now, there are those who have taken the time to try and define the meaning of the word using greek definitions, concordances, etc. However, the simple answer is that if God wanted to use a different word, He would have instructed Paul to use it. However, the reason people suggest that the word "all" doesn't mean all is so they can protect their beliefs that may not be supported by the Bible. In this case, an individual was trying to defend the "sinlessness of The Blessed Virgin Mary." If all have sinned then so has Mary and their belief falls apart. If that falls apart, then what else starts to collapse? The truth is that people don't want to admit that what they believe is wrong. The cost of admitting they have put their faith in error is too high. No pastor, church leader, or layman wants to go back and tell their congregations, "I have been teaching or believing an error." They would get replaced or kicked out and their lives may fall apart. Do they want to lose their jobs, income, reputations, and families over it? Many will not. Therefore, they create entire theologies to defend their error. But, the question must be asked, "Where does it stop?"

Other Books

In the book of John, it says, "There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written (John 21:25)." How many religions have their sacred writings? You have the Quran, the religious text of Islam. There are the Vedas of Hinduism. The Latter-Day Saints have the Book of Mormon. Catholics have their Catechism. The list goes on and on. Most, if not all, of these religions, claim their texts are divinely inspired. They could, and some do, point to the verse from John as justification for their beliefs. This leads to everybody claiming that their beliefs are of God. Why believe Jesus is the only means of salvation when any religious text outside of the Bible can make its own claims without objection? However, the verse itself says, "If all of them were written down ..." It doesn't say that the books were written, but if they were written. Secondly, John is writing about all the things that Jesus did during His life and ministry that could have been written down. He is not talking about the creation of all of the writings that inspire other religions. 

The Nephilim

Prior to the Flood, we read about the Nephilim. "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown (Genesis 6:4)." There is not enough information given in the Bible as to who the Nephilim were exactly. The theories are endless. The most common belief is that they were fallen angels. If they are fallen angels, then we have to be careful that we have not opened the door to undermining the integrity of the Bible and destroying the Gospel. The verse says that the Nephilim had children with the "daughters of humans." If angels are having children, then is it farfetched to believe that someone could say the angel that announced to Mary that she was pregnant with Jesus was His father? Furthermore, how many other angel and human "hybrids" are running around? Do you see where this can lead? Besides, as is often the case, the Bible tells us that the Nephilim were "men of renown." They were men, not angels. Unfortunately, believing that they are men is not profound enough. We need to keep the "mystery" alive to justify our endless pursuit of solving it, no matter what the cost is to God's word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Days of Creation

When it comes to the debate between creation and evolution, the days of creation are at the root of the disagreement. How long were the days of Creation? Were they six 24-hour periods or longer spans of time like thousands or millions of years? In Genesis 1, after each day of creation was over the Bible uses the phrase, "So the evening and the morning..." After the phrase it says, the first day, the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, and the sixth day (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, and 31). If the days of creation were other than 24-hour periods why would it say evening and morning? Did God not know how to write the words thousand and millions? The seven-day week we have comes from verses like Leviticus 23:3 where God said, "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings." This is a direct reflection of the six days of creation. If God didn't use six, regular days during creation, His command in Leviticus doesn't make sense. Could you imagine if the workweek were thousands or millions of years long? But, again, in order for people to fit their beliefs into the Bible, they destroy the Bible in the process. Not only does Leviticus 23:3 make no sense, but the Gospel is also destroyed, Adam should have lived longer than 930 years, Jesus wouldn't have asked the disciples "Haven't you read" when referring to the creation of mankind, and so on. 

The conclusion to all of this is that people don't want to believe the Bible. You can't believe both your religion and the Bible if they don't agree. If they disagree, the problem is with your religious beliefs, not with the Bible. Their beliefs are more important than the truth. Religious pride becomes an issue as it makes it next to impossible for a person to see their error. They would rather fall on the sword than take up "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17)." It is telling that people would rather believe their religions when what they teach is in disagreement with the clear reading of scripture. Rather than asking God to explain the conflict or testing the spirits to see if what they are being taught is from God, they will change what God has said. That is a recipe for disaster and gives the devil a foothold to undermine God's truth and will ultimately shipwreck the faith of some. 

When did we see you?

Jesus Christ was delivering a message on the Sheep and the Goats when He said:

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you (Matthew 25:35-39)?’

It is interesting how the Lord describes the response of the righteous in attendance. They said, "When did we see you ..?" As Christians, what relevance does this have to us?

When did we see you hungry and feed you?

Just after a crowd of people located Jesus Christ on Capernaum, He said, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval (John 6:27).” Jesus described Himself as the Bread of Life. The food that endures to eternal life is Him. When we accept Jesus as our savior, the Holy Spirit of God comes to indwell us for eternity. Jesus, the bread, is the food that we receive as well as the food that we share with those who are hungry. The hungry are the lost who have not yet come to faith in Jesus Christ. It is them who hunger to have the deepest needs of their heart met in Christ. Perhaps that is why Revelation 7:16 says, "Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat."

When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink?

During the conversation between Jesus Christ and the woman at the well, the Samaritan woman said to Him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water (John 4:9-10).” The living water reference by Jesus is the Holy Spirit. Salvation is the restoration of the life of God which was lost when Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden. God removed His life, the Holy Spirit, but through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is restored to all who believe in Jesus as their savior. The thirst that all mankind longs to quench is the absence of the Holy Spirit. When He is restored to us, we will never thirst again because there is no sin that will cause God to remove Himself again thanks to once for all sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. 

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in?

In Galatians 4:9, Paul tells the church, "But now that you know God—or rather are known by God ..." Christians, because of our faith in Jesus Christ are now "known by God." Prior to our salvation, the Bible describes those who are lost as being in "darkness" and that we were "God's enemies." You can't see people who are in the dark and you do not know your enemies even if you might know of them. This is another way of describing a stranger. However, just like the love of God in Christ drew us to faith in Him, so will the love of Christ we bear to others draw strangers to Him through us. And when a person is born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ, they are no longer strangers. That is why the scriptures say, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household ... (Ephesians 2:19)." We are no longer strangers to God because we have accepted His invitation through our faith in Christ. 

When did we see you needing clothes and clothe you?

The moment that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened and they hid from God. When God called out to Adam, he answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid (Genesis 3:10).” The nakedness of Adam and Eve was symbolic of their sin. To this day, the majority of the world views the public display of the naked body as sinful. One of God's initial acts of love was to make "garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them (Genesis 3:21)." This was a foreshadow of what God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ would do for mankind. Apart from faith in Jesus Christ, mankind is spiritually naked. Upon accepting Jesus Christ as your savior the Bible says "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27)." The receiving of the Holy Spirit described as being baptized in Christ, is akin to putting on Jesus Christ as your clothing. The garments the Lord made for Adam and Eve covered their sin. The death of Jesus Christ took away the sins of the world so God could cover our nakedness with Himself through the restoration of the Holy Spirit. 

When did we see you sick or in prison?

Two of the ways Jesus Christ described His mission here on earth was to use illness and captivity. Referring to Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees asked, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"  "On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17).” Unbelief in Jesus Christ is described as being sick. From the point of view of salvation, Jesus is the only "doctor" who has the cure for what ails mankind. When Jesus entered the synagogue in Nazareth, He was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He read from it saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free ... (Luke 4:18)" What is it that prisoners desire? It is freedom. Jesus came to set us free from our sins and the love of the world which has made all of us prisoners to them. When we share the Gospel we are offering freedom to all the unbelievers still imprisoned by their unbelief in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Christ would go on to say, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40)." Whenever we share the Gospel with someone it is as if we are feeding Jesus, giving Him something to drink, inviting Him in and getting to know Him, clothing His naked body, nursing Him to health, and setting Him free from prison. In this day and age, it is easy to see the lost as our enemies who are worthy of our scorn. Unfortunately, they often act in ways that are worthy of such treatment. But, if we look at them through the eyes of God, we will see that they are the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and imprisoned stranger that Jesus Christ came to save. 

I have lost my faith

The following is a conversation with an individual struggling with how to reconcile Jesus Christ and the Bible with their rough upbringing:

I find it harder and harder to relate to Christ and the Bible. It didn't help that I was abused growing up and that those I turned to did nothing. When a Christian says "I'll pray for you," I think, "Why don't you DO something to help." Praying is fine, but if no one does anything, nothing happens.

• I am sorry to hear about your suffering. Usually, when somebody says, "I'll pray for you," it is because someone asked, "Will you pray for me?" If you desire or need help, ask and maybe they can assist you.

Why did there HAVE to be a tree with forbidden fruit? And why did we name our phones and computers after them (Macintosh, Apple, Blackberry...lol).

• God gave the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because He wants people to come to Him through free will and not by force. Love is best defined when someone wants to be with you, not because they are forced. That is not loving. You'll have to ask the phone manufacturers about those names. 😂

If this is the fallen world, well then, this is hell. Obviously.

• This world is fallen. And it is not heaven. But, it is not hell, either. Hell is eternal. You will be forgotten in hell. It is a form of a blessing to die and find an exit out of here. But, only if you come to faith in Jesus Christ will it be worth it.

Why so many parables? Why not just tell us. Make it clear.

• Jesus did speak clearly and people didn't believe Him. He only spoke in parables afterward because people had hardened their hearts toward Him.

Why must some be damned? Why don't the elect know who they are? More anxiety.

• God does not want anyone to perish. However, if you don't accept His only provision through faith in Jesus Christ, He hasn't provided anyplace else for the "damned" to go except to be with the devil and his angels in hell. The elect do know who we are (see 1 John 5:11-13). Anxiety is a companion of fear. Fear is alleviated by the truth.

Why do we eat the blood and the body? Does this sound right? Feels vampire-ish?

• It is symbolic of the sacrifice for sins obtained when Jesus shed His blood on the cross to forgive the sins of the world and the consumption of the bread symbolizes the indwelling Holy Spirit. Believers become the "body of Christ" because our physical bodies are now the "temple of God."

Why were books left out of the bible?

• Books were left out of the Bible because they are not the inspired word of God. In the interest of time, here is a link to go more in-depth if you want.

I lost my faith, and the Bible tells me I wasn't chosen, so I fell away. Not fair.

• Maybe it is a good thing you have lost your faith. It is not about your faith, it is about the object of your faith. If you are believing things that are not true, then losing your faith is a way for you to test what you believe. Maybe you have the wrong Jesus. The Bible does talk about different Gospels and false Christ's. Now is the time to find the truth and be set free.

Why is there possession, but also the Holy Spirit?

• God designed mankind in such a way that only He, through His indwelling Holy Spirit, can occupy that emptiness inside of us. We were designed to receive perfect love, acceptance, meaning, and purpose to life. God is the only one that can meet that need through Jesus Christ. The devil, whose desire is to his "throne on high (Isaiah 14:13)" cannot indwell mankind. He can only possess us and influence our behavior, but he cannot occupy the space in our spirit meant for God alone.

Why are there few miracles, but also magic?

• If something is common and natural, it cannot be a miracle by definition. Hence, why there may seem to be so few. But, also, just because you may not have experienced a miracle or many of them does not mean they are not taking place. God is active in this world despite the rest of us not always being informed of His activity to our liking. The difference between magic and miracles is the source. Magic is from the god of this world and miracles are from God. For more information click this link.

If you could move a mountain, wouldn't that be weird for others?

• If I could move mountains then I would be tempted with arrogance and it would probably make me struggle with humility. The focus would be on me and my abilities and not on God. People would come to me to perform for them and not go to God. It would be just like you read in the Bible. People only came to Jesus for His miracles and not what He came to offer them; Himself. I would be entertainment just like the Lord was to so many people. Is that weird? Perhaps.

I could go on....but none of this makes sense to me now.

Pre-Corona world was a better one. Maybe we were sent here because we failed in life, and the Bible was given to us to believe and go quietly.

• The world is the same now as it was "Pre-Corona." Since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, thousands of years ago in the Garden, the world has been in a fallen state full of sin and death. We were not sent here as if we are reincarnated or there was some previous world we failed in. If anything, we have been given a second chance by God. Prior to God flooding the earth He said, "The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5)." Mankind is wicked from the moment we are born and our hearts are only focused on evil all the time. While people may disagree with this, the opinion of God is the only one that matters. This is why we suffer from things like abuse all the way to having to battle deadly diseases. None of it would be in the world if we had just believed God from the start. The Bible was given to us as a testimony of Jesus Christ and God's plan of redemption through faith in Him. 

I could go on...I am so lost and numb.

• This is a good thing to be "lost and numb." Jesus Christ said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).” Jesus came for people like you. All you have to do is let Him find you by accepting His offer of salvation. 

Grace and Peace 

Blessed are the Peacemakers

 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9

The words of Jesus Christ are often taken as instructions on how to live your life. Doing this may have some benefit, but often leads to misinterpreting what the Lord was trying to say. When it comes to the Sermon on the Mount, the words of Jesus are said to be, "How to live a life that is dedicated to and pleasing to God, free from hypocrisy, full of love and grace, full of wisdom and discernment." While this statement sounds good it is not the intent of the message Jesus delivered. There is the assumption that it is possible to perform all that He mentioned. Furthermore, as it pertains to Christians, we are not under the law. Yet, we put ourselves under the law by attempting to incorporate the teaching of Jesus into our lives as if we are commanded to live as He directed. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than when it comes to verses like Matthew 5:9. 

We all desire to be blessed by God. Therefore, when passages that promise us blessings if we behave a certain way appear, we are motivated to live up to their requirements. A peacemaker is "one who makes peace, as by reconciling parties that are at variance." What people tend to believe is that if we reconcile two parties at odds with each other and bring peace between them, then we are children of God. There is nothing wrong with establishing peace between two parties. However, that is not what makes a person a child of God. When a person is born into this world they are spiritually dead to God in their sins. Being spiritually dead to God means that you are His enemy. Romans 5:10 says, "For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" What is it that you need when you are enemies? You need peace. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, He became our peacemaker between mankind and God.

Upon a person believing God and accepting Jesus Christ as their savior, they become a child of God. Jesus said, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God ... (John 1:12)" You don't become a child of God because Jesus said peacemakers are children of God. This implies that there is no stipulation attached. You become a child of God by believing Jesus Christ and receiving Him as your savior. Once that happens you are reconciled to God because you have received the forgiveness that He provided for you and had the Holy Spirit of God restored to you. There is no longer any debt owed to God you cannot pay. Any hostility between you and God is over. The war between you and Him has ended. There is peace. Now that there is peace between you and God, as His child, you have become a peacemaker. You are charged with sharing that blessing with the rest of the world.

In 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, it reads, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God." The blessing that children of God have received through faith in Jesus Christ, is that we are now ministers of reconciliation. We are blessed to be at peace with God and now we take that message to the world as His ambassadors. The message of complete forgiveness of sins and being spiritually alive to God through the restoration of the Holy Spirit is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord was leading people to Himself, so that through faith in Him we could say, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)." Grace and Peace.

A Poor Excuse

Mahatma Gandhi, known for his nonviolent resistance, is quoted as saying, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians." His sentiment is echoed by countless unbelievers and "former" Christians who have either abandoned the faith altogether or never gave Jesus Christ a chance because of poor representation by His so-called followers. One Christian apologist was asked by a friend of his, "If this conversion you speak about is truly supernatural, then why is it not more evident in the lives of so many Christians that I know?” This is related to the idea that if God transforms the lives of people how come you don't see more people with transformed lives? According to the Barna Group, "only 30% of adults in the United States have a “positive” perception of evangelicals." These numbers are not surprising. We all can point towards a Christian, some Christians, a church, or whatever it is related to Christianity, and detail a poor experience that turned us off. 

One article says it this way. "What puts a bad taste in people’s mouths is the individualistic actions of people like the televangelist whose public tears for the poor dries up when allegations of corruption and theft are proven, the professing Christian at the office who maligns and stabs their co-workers in the back, the clergyman who is indicted for child pornography and sex abuse, the business that advertises itself as “Christian owned and operated” but routinely puts out shoddy work, and the church deacon who bullies, cheats on and verbally mistreats his wife." Does that sound like something you or somebody you know has experienced? Now, I could sit here and offer many explanations for the types of behavior that has given Christians a bad name. The people that are responsible for such bad examples may be legalists, immature Christians, false Christians, or not Christians at all. They probably deserve the criticism. 

However, what did those opposed to Jesus Christ say about Him? When Pilate told the assembly that he had found no basis for a charge against Jesus, the crowd responded, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here (Luke 23:5).” A short time later, Jesus was sent to Herod. But, "Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate (Luke 23:11)." After Jesus was arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin, He spoke of His coming glory. What was the response He received? "He deserves to die," they answered. Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You (Matthew 26:66-68)?" When Jesus was dining at the home of Matthew, the Pharisees asked His disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:11)?" What you see is that the Jesus Christ that Gandhi likes was physically attacked, the victim of false accusations, verbally assaulted, and subjected to an illegal trial. And we all know that this led to His eventual death on the cross.

Therefore, while I understand that Christians may not always represent the best that Jesus has to offer, these attacks on Christians don't diminish Jesus Christ, the Gospel message, or God's church. They only serve to validate the words of Jesus Himself when He said, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first (John 15:18)." Remember, the criticism of unbelievers doesn't mean that they understand that which they are criticizing or that their criticism is valid. Do not allow unbelievers to establish the criteria by which Christians are judged. Remember, "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18)." When an individual doesn't recognize their need for a Savior, why should we be surprised by their criticism of those delivering that message? Even if the behavior of a Christian leads to an unbelievers contempt, it is only evidence of our need for Jesus Christ, not a valid excuse for their rejection of Him.