Month: July 2025

Matthew 12:33 – “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. ³⁴ You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. ³⁵ A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. ³⁶ And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. ³⁷ The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” (NLT)

In the verses that come before this passage, Jesus has just told us that if we are not actively working with Jesus, then we are actually working against Jesus (verse 30).  How can we know if we are working with Jesus, or not?  We know by the fruit we produce.  Years before the Apostle Paul would write of the fruit of the Spirit, Jesus spoke of the fruit we produce.  Good trees – which represent the people who are working with Jesus – produce good fruit.  In this passage, the fruit of which Jesus spoke were the words that we say.

Jesus said in verse thirty-four: “For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.”  The words that we speak reveal what is truly in our hearts.  If Jesus controls our hearts, our words will reflect Jesus.  We must daily consider our words, and we must do so in every circumstance.  Writing about the words we use, James wrote: “And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” (James 3:10)

Does this ever describe us?  Do we sing praises to God when we worship with our Church, but later in the week we curse others?  Are there times when the words we use destroy instead of build up?  We must remember that what is in our hearts determines what we say.  Sometimes, we need to do a little work on our hearts!

Verse thirty-seven from today’s passage is powerful: “The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”  James, the brother of Jesus, also wrote: “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?” (James 2:19-20) The words of both Jesus and James tell us that a true relationship with Jesus will change things about us.  Our words will be different.  Our actions will be different. These changes may not radically transform us overnight, but we can measure our walk with the Lord by the changes in our lives.

Today, let us measure our Christian walk.  Let us be mindful of the words we use at all times, and our actions, as well.

Posted by Ramón Torres

Matthew 12:22 – Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. ²³ The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”

²⁵ Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. ²⁶ And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. ²⁷ And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. ²⁸ But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. ²⁹ For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

 ³⁰ “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. (NLT)

In this passage Jesus heals a man who could not see or speak.  Truly a miraculous event, one for which we should praise God!  The depth of the healing that Jesus offers to each and every one of us, however, goes much deeper than the physical.  Jesus speaks of this healing at the end of his response to those who questioned where it was that he received his power.

Using an analogy of a strong man, Jesus tells us that his authority is to heal that which Satan seeks to destroy.  Jesus says in verse twenty-nine: “For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.” We must recognize that we are the goods that Satan has plundered, and Jesus has come to our rescue!  In this fallen world in which we live, we are often easy pickings for Satan.  A difficult day, an unkind word, some bad news – all of these and more weaken our spirit, allowing Satan an open door to control our hearts and minds.  When this happens, we become Satan’s plundered goods.

We live out each day on the front of a great spiritual war.  Left on our own, our defenses are not strong enough to win the war.  We need someone stronger than Satan, and Jesus is that strong man!  Jesus healed the demon possessed man to show us that he is stronger than the powers of darkness.  While we know that Jesus’ death for our sins has opened to door to eternal salvation, Jesus makes it clear that the door is open for us to win the battle against evil right here and right now.

To win our current battles, we cannot retreat.  Jesus makes this clear in verse thirty: “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.”  If we remain neutral in our spiritual warfare, we have retreated.  We must not only be with Jesus spiritually, we must be working with Jesus spiritually.  If we do not actively work with Jesus in our spiritual battles, as Jesus says, we are actually working against Jesus.

Today, let us not merely walk with Jesus in spirit, let us work with Jesus.  Let us work with Jesus through prayer, through staying in God’s Word, through praise and worship, through Christian fellowship.  There is nothing in our lives that must stay under Satan’s control! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

1 Corinthians 16:1 – Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. ² On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. ³ When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me.

⁵ I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia, for I am planning to travel through Macedonia. ⁶ Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination. ⁷ This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. ⁸ In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost. ⁹ There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me. (NLT)

History records that during the years 53-56 there was a great famine in Israel.  Crops failed each year, and starvation was rampant.  Paul urged the churches to collect funds that would be used to buy food for the people.  Paul mentions this collection in this passage, and in Galatians.  He also mentions churches collectively giving to the poor in 2 Corinthians, and in Romans.  It is important for churches to look beyond themselves, and to do what they can to help those less fortunate.

However, this is not the only lesson from this passage.  In verse eight, Paul says that he will be in Ephesus for a while, and then in verse nine he writes something we often overlook: “There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.” Paul had an open door for great work, yet there were many who opposed him.  Friends, these two go together.  The devil does not want us to go through the open doors of Christian opportunity!  If you always find your work for the Lord to be smooth sailing – try a little harder! 

Jesus told us in Luke 10:2 – “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”  For the Church in the world today, the doors are open for a great harvest.  The fields are ripe for the harvest, but harvesters who are willing to face opposition are few.

The Holy Spirit can supply the strength we need to face opposition.  Our task is not to make all of those who oppose us happy.  Our task is to share the message of Jesus Christ with the world.  Today, let us boldly work in the fields, trusting God for the harvest.   

Posted by Ramón Torres

Matthew 12:1 – At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. ² But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”

³ Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ⁴ He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. ⁵ And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? ⁶ I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! ⁷ But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

⁹ Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, ¹⁰ where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)  ¹¹ And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. ¹² And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! ¹⁴ Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. (NLT)

Opinions about ‘proper’ observance of the Sabbath have been dividing God’s people for thousands of years.  These divisions continues today.  In this passage, Jesus is specifically ‘doing good’, but just what is and is not good to do on the Sabbath?  My wife, Lisa, and I enjoy working in our yard.  Lisa has a wonderful knack for arranging flower gardens.  I enjoy helping her.  It is something that we enjoy together, and it brings us closer to God as we work with God’s beauty in nature.  However, I have been questioned by good church people as to why we would work in our gardens on a Sunday!  No one seems to question good church people who sit in front of the television watching football and drinking beer on a Sunday, but oh the horror of working in the flower gardens!

To answer the age-old question of what is and is not good to do on a Sabbath, let us consider what Jesus said in Mark 2:27 – “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (NIV)  The Sabbath is God’s gift to us.  It is a day to draw closer to God.  It is a day to honor God.  However, as a Christian, is not everyday a day to draw closer to God? Is not everyday a day to honor God?  Of course!  As Christians, we must not seek to compartmentalize our relationship with God.  We are not to live in any way that we desire for six days a week and then remember God on the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is a gift from God.  We should take full advantage of this gift.  We live in a busy society, and we need a Sabbath to slow down.  We need a Sabbath not only to honor God, but to rest.  Rest is different for different people.  For my wife and I, working in our flower gardens is restful.  It renews our spirits.  For others, rest comes from a hike in the woods, and for some it may come from sitting on the back porch while enjoying the beauty of the day.  I know some good folks who enjoy going to the homes of the elderly and helping them with household chores on their Sabbath.  It renews their spirit!

When is your Sabbath?  Personally, I work fairly hard on a Sunday!  I’m at church by 7 am, and there are some Sunday’s in which I don’t get home until late in the evening.  Those days are not very restful, and my spirit can be drained after a fourteen-hour day, but I do make sure that I take a Sabbath.  Whenever your Sabbath is, it is important to take a Sabbath for it is God’s gift to us.

Today, honor God in all you do.  You may be working hard today but look forward to the Sabbath that God has in store for you!

Posted by Ramón Torres