Month: May 2023

Acts 2:1 – On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. ² Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. ³ Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. ⁴ And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

⁵ At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.  ⁷ They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, ⁸ and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! ⁹ Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”  (NLT)

In the Christian year, yesterday was Pentecost.  Pentecost is a day that many call the birthday of the church.  Pentecost is the day when the Holy Spirit first came down upon the disciples, and changed their lives, and the world, forever.  

Some people read passages of Scripture like the one for today and are filled with questions.  Is this what the gift of tongues is all about?  Were they speaking in other languages, or did the people just hear them in their language?  What was really going on?  When I read the Bible, I have many questions, as well.  However, what I try to do is take what I can from the reading and apply to life here and now.  How can we apply this passage to our daily lives?  

I think one of the best ways is to simply look at the big picture.  The disciples were all together.  That’s great, but then they went out and did what the Spirit led them to do.  Gathering as a church community is great, important, vital to our survival – but so is going out and doing what the Spirit leads us to do!  It is interesting to note that the nations listed in this passage were the known nations of that day.  In other words, the people of the church were making God’s presence known to all of the world.  We, too, are called to make God’s presence known to all of the world.  Let’s start today by making God’s presence known in our own little corner of the world! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

1 John 4:1-6 – Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. ² This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. ³ But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

⁴ But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. ⁵ Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. ⁶ But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception. (NLT)

In this passage, the Apostle John gives us a warning concerning false prophets.  Interestingly, the word translated here as prophet literally means inspired speaker.  There are many inspired speakers in the world who draw people to their messages.  I wonder, however, just where it is that some of them are receiving their inspiration!  It would be easier for us to discern who the false prophets were if they would just be so strange that they would be easily recognized.  Sadly, this is not always the case.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:15 that many false prophets will be disguised as harmless sheep, but are really vicious wolves. 

Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:13 – “These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness”.

So, how do we discern who is and who is not a false prophet?  First, prove to yourself what you hear.  Preachers of the Word of God will not be offended if you question them about what they say.  Speaking for myself, I encourage it!  Ask questions.  God wants us to ask questions.  God’s Word is not complicated.  False prophets have made it complicated, but it is called Good News because it is so radically simple!  If a preacher cannot readily answer you in plain language, ask a trusted and mature Christian friend.  If you are still unsure, then perhaps that preacher is not the one to whom you should be listening.

Secondly, beware of miracles.  I believe in miracles, and I believe that miracles happen every day.  However, the Book of Revelation warns us about false prophets who perform miracles. 

Revelation 13:13 – “He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. ¹⁴ And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world.”

I am not saying that God cannot work miracles through someone, but be cautious of miracles.  If someone is living a lavish lifestyle because of their ‘miracles’, beware!  This leads me to my next point …

Remember that prophet does not mean profit!  Of course, preachers need to make a living just like anyone else, but the accumulation of great wealth in this business is questionable, at best.  Lastly, and above all else, know your Bible!  Learn and study under a trusted pastor, or a trusted church.  For sound biblical resources, ask your pastor for advice.  Knowing God’s Word will prevent you from being deceived by a false prophet, and will empower you for abundant living!

Posted by Ramón Torres

Luke 17:1 – One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! ² It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. ³ So watch yourselves!

“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. ⁴ Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.” (NLT)

While we may have times when we find it difficult to understanding the Bible, this is not one of them!  Jesus is clear – when one asks for our forgiveness, forgiveness must be given.  We should, however, look at this passage carefully.  Jesus does not tell us to simply walk away when someone has done us wrong, and pretend that it never happened.  Verse three tells us to rebuke that person. Jesus gives us further direction about this in Matthew 18:15 – “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. ¹⁶ But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.”

Forgiveness, even forgiving over and over again, does not mean we roll over and let people walk over us.  However, I’ve found that even when the offender admits their mistake and asks for forgiveness, offering forgiveness can be difficult!  Difficult or not, the words of Jesus are clear on this subject – when asked for forgiveness, we must forgive!  I look for the strength to forgive by remembering what Jesus has done so that I may be forgiven.  The Apostle Paul speaks of this Ephesians 4:32 – “be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you”.

Forgiveness should be a defining characteristic of a Christian.  God is love, and God forgives those who ask for forgiveness.  The Word of God tells us to imitate God!  Ephesians 5:1 – “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children”.  

Today, and every day, let us not hold back our forgiveness to anyone who seeks it from us. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Psalm 13:1 (NLT) – O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
² How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

³ Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
⁴ Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me. 

How blessed we are to have Psalms such as Psalm 13!  I believe that everyone can connect with this passage from time to time.  Even though biblical scholars may give us some background as to what David was experiencing, I believe that we have all found ourselves in circumstances of life where we have asked, “Have you forgotten me, God?”  We have all been in situations where we cry out to God, “How long?”

We should note, however, that even a prayer asking God how long we must wait is a prayer!  Prayer is communicating with God.  Far worse than asking God how long we must wait is not praying to God at all.  God answers prayer.  Yet, God does not always answer on the timetable we desire, or with the answer we seek, but God answers prayer.

Verses five and six show us that because David prayed, he was able to come to the realization that he would trust God, even if the answer he sought wasn’t felt that day.  David even found it within himself to sing to God.  This reminds me of the story of Paul and Silas in prison.  As bleak as their situation seemed, they prayed and sang hymns to God.  It was during their time of praising God that God answered their prayers (Acts 16).

When we find ourselves asking God how long we must suffer, we need to find the strength to praise God.  Like Paul & Silas, we might experience something of God while we praise God!

Today, let’s praise God, even during the difficult times. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Galatians 5:2 (NLT) – Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. 

There are a number of passages in the Bible that people just seem to ignore, or gloss over.  This doesn’t happen because they don’t understand the passage, but because they don’t think it applies to them.  Today’s reading is one such example.  At first glance this passage seems to be all about circumcision.  Not at all!  In this passage Paul is writing to a church that was putting an emphasis on circumcision, and other Jewish laws, as well.  They were doing this in an effort to earn God’s favor.  The spiritual application, however, is very pertinent to our lives. 

Basically, this passage boils down to the question: Are we trying to earn God’s grace?  The Galatians believed that they could make God happy by adhering to the Jewish law.  Paul makes it clear that Jesus is the one who makes us right with God, and nothing else!  We can certainly apply this to our own lives.  Do we seek to make God happy by going to church, by helping out at church, by going on a mission trip?  These things, and anything else, are not what makes us right with God.  It’s only Jesus.

Then why do those things?  Paul tells us in verse six – The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.  We worship because we love God.  We serve others because we love God.  Our faith in Jesus is expressed through loving action.  Paul and James really aren’t so different!  James says: “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” (James 2:26).  Paul says that faith should express itself in love.  I do not see how either contradicts the other.  Faith produces an action.  Each of us may express our faith in different ways, but faith should be expressed! 

Let’s express our faith in Jesus Christ today in loving ways! 

Posted by Ramón Torres