Month: March 2023

Hebrews 6:13 – For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

¹⁴ “I will certainly bless you,
and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”

¹⁵ Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

¹⁶ Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. ¹⁷ God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. ¹⁸ So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. ¹⁹ This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. ²⁰ Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (NLT)

This passage speaks of God’s promises which are assured to us through Jesus, our High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.  In order to properly understand this passage, we need to understand Melchizedek.

Much speculation has been given as to the exact identity of Melchizedek.  In Genesis 14, Abraham encounters Melchizedek, who serves Abraham bread and wine.  What we do know of Melchizedek is that he was the king of Salem (which means peace), and God’s high priest.  In the Old Testament, the high priest would intercede between the people and God.  The order of Melchizedek (also mentioned in Psalm 110) refers to the Messiah who would become the ultimate intercessor between humanity and God.  Keeping this in mind, let’s consider the rest of this passage.  

The writer of the Book of Hebrews was encouraging the people not to give up the hope that they had found in Jesus.  We should note that this was the hope to come beyond this life.  Consider verses 18 & 19:  “Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. ¹⁹ This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” The writer speaks of going through a curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.  In the ancient Jewish Temple, only the high priest would be able to pass through the curtain into the presence of God.  While we know that spiritually God is present with us, we can trust in Jesus that one day we will be in the very presence of the fullness of God – into the inner sanctuary.

Verse twenty states that Jesus has already gone through this curtain and entered into the inner sanctuary.  Consider the words of Jesus in John 14:2 – “I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (NIV) Writing for a Jewish/Christian audience, the writer of Hebrews shares a similar message – Jesus has passed through the curtain into the presence of God, and he will lead us through, as well.

Jesus, our High Priest, has prepared a place for us in the presence of God!  That’s Good Stuff!  Today, let’s rejoice for our High Priest!   

Posted by Ramón Torres

Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
¹⁰⁶ I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
I will obey your righteous regulations.
¹⁰⁷ I have suffered much, O Lord;
restore my life again as you promised.
¹⁰⁸ Lord, accept my offering of praise,
and teach me your regulations.
¹⁰⁹ My life constantly hangs in the balance,
but I will not stop obeying your instructions.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have set their traps for me,
but I will not turn from your commandments.
¹¹¹ Your laws are my treasure;
they are my heart’s delight.
 ¹¹² I am determined to keep your decrees
to the very end. (NLT)

Psalm 119 is the longest psalm, and the longest chapter in the Bible, as well.  This psalm is an Acrostic.  There are twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and in this psalm there are twenty-two stanzas, one for each letter.  Besides all of this, Psalm 119 is a great psalm that speaks to the power of God’s Word!

This passage begins with what is probably a familiar verse for many: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”  This is a verse that has been lifted up in song since it was written.  God’s Word may have been written ages ago, but the message is timeless.  Verse 105 is not only timeless, it’s priceless!  When I walk into a book store, I can’t help but notice all of the self help books – How to be a better parent, or a better spouse, etc.  Verse 105 tells us that if we want to be a better person, we need to first seek direction from God’s Word.

I like the New Living Translation for verse 106: “I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.”  We’ve promised it before, haven’t we?  We need to promise it again, and again!  We know that we are all sinners, and that we all fall short (Romans 3:23).  When we fall short, we need to look again at God’s Word, and promise again to obey God’s Word.

Consider verse 111: “Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.”  As a pastor, and as a Christian, I am burdened by the dysfunction and breakup of many families.  It is my observation that many marriages and families are torn apart because what they treasure is not God’s Word, but the things of this world.  Many families treasure their possessions more than the members of their own family.  They may say that they don’t, but the time they give to their ‘stuff’, in relation to the time they give to the members of their family tells a different story.  When we make God’s Word our treasure and our heart’s delight, all of the other things in life are seen in a better light.  Some things become less important, while other things become more important.

Today, let us learn from this ancient psalm.  Let us make God’s Word our guide for this day, and every day!   

Posted by Ramón Torres

Matthew 13:10 – His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

¹¹ He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. ¹² To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. ¹³ That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

¹⁴ This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
¹⁵ For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’

¹⁶ “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it. (NLT)

We all know that Jesus often taught in parables.  The word parable comes from a Greek word that means a comparison or analogy.  Using parables, Jesus would often make an analogy by saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like …”  To understand a parable, one has to – think!  One has to dig deeper to find the spiritual application of the parable.

When asked why he used parables, Jesus said that many people look but don’t really see, or they hear but don’t really listen or understand (verse 13).  To understand Jesus’ parables, or any of the Bible for that matter, we must dig into the text, for there is often more than meets the eye.  Unfortunately, many still do not really see or understand.  Many never dig deeper themselves, and churches exist that discourage people from digging deeper.   

For example, many Christians have been led to believe that any tattoo is ungodly and sinful, for the Bible clearly says: “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves.” (Leviticus 19:28).  Many Christians judge those who have tattoo’s because of this verse.  However, that very same chapter of the Bible says the following: “‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.” (Leviticus 19:19).  So, if we are to judge anyone with a tattoo as sinful, then we must also judge as sinful anyone who wears clothing with two types of material (almost everyone), and anyone who has a garden with more than one type of vegetable!  

IF we were to dig deeper, we would understand why those laws were given to the Jews at that time and place.  They were given because that was the behavior of the pagans.  Now, having dug deeper, we can make the spiritual application that we ought not to be doing what the pagans do.  To judge by taking a verse out of context, however, is not seeing or understanding!

Dig deeper when you read the Bible.  Don’t take any one preacher or teacher’s word for it (including mine), but dig deeper so that you can truly see and understand. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Matthew 7:15 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (NLT)

I once had a District Superintendent who said that he was not really a good judge of pastors, but that he was a pretty good fruit inspector!  We all knew what he meant.  In this passage, Jesus is speaking specifically about false prophets.  I do not believe that it is a stretch, however, to apply this passage to anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to live a holy life (Romans 12:1; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 12:14; 2 Peter 2:21).  If our very lives are called to be holy, then it goes without saying that our very lives should be a witness. We must live carefully for the sake of the Gospel!  We must carefully examine ourselves to see what kind of fruit we are producing.  If we truly want others to believe that Jesus can do anything for them, they must first see that Jesus has done something for us.

In John 15, Jesus calls himself the true vine, and tells us that we are the branches of the true vine.  He encourages us to stay connected to him, so that we can produce ‘much fruit’ (John 15:5).  Indeed, Jesus says: “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples”. (John 15:8).  According to Jesus, we are only true disciples of Jesus when we produce much fruit! 

Is the fruit that we are producing in our own lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? (Galatians 5:22).  Today, let each of us be a fruit inspector.  Today, let each of us look carefully at the fruit that we are producing.  Let us ensure that our lives are truly a witness to the life changing power of Jesus Christ!   

Posted by Ramón Torres