Category: Uncategorized (Page 15 of 26)

Galatians 4:21 – Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? ²² The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. ²³ The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.

²⁴ These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. ²⁵ And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. ²⁶ But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. ²⁷ As Isaiah said,

“Rejoice, O childless woman,
you who have never given birth!
Break into a joyful shout,
you who have never been in labor!
For the desolate woman now has more children
than the woman who lives with her husband!”²⁸ And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. ²⁹ But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.³⁰ But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” ³¹ So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman. (NLT)   

When I read this passage recently, I was reminded of an event that happened many years ago.  I had to appear in court with my seventeen year old son for a traffic violation.  What an interesting morning!  As we sat in the courtroom we had to wait through about 20 cases before my son’s case was heard.  It was a sad experience to watch families in crisis, some of which were feuding amongst themselves.  Even though the court was there to provide justice under the law, the atmosphere was heavy.  The law is the law, and a violation of the law must be dealt with according to the law.

Paul asks in verse 21: “Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says?”  It’s apparent that in our land, many don’t know what the law actually says!  Just as we are judged under the law of our land, if we choose to live under God’s law then we will be judged under God’s law.  God’s law was given so that the people could be right with God.  By the time that Jesus walked the earth, it should have been clear to those who were trying to live under God’s law that it just wasn’t working for them.  Yet, here we are two thousand years later, and many Christians are still trying to be made right with God by obeying religious laws!

By paying for our sins (which is breaking God’s law), Jesus has set us free.  In court, my son and I experienced a heavy atmosphere.  With God, we can experience joy instead!  Our violation of God’s law has been dealt with through the cross.  We are set free from any heaviness with God.  Paul says it best as he sums up this passage in Galatians 5:1 – “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law”. 

Let there be no heaviness of heart in our relationship with God this day.  Let us approach God joyfully, knowing that we have been set free!   

Posted by Ramón Torres

Luke 10:21 – At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
22 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings 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)

Today’s passage follows the story of Jesus sending out seventy-two disciples to share the message that the kingdom of God was near. When they returned, they shared with Jesus that even the demons obeyed them when they used the name of Jesus (Luke 10:17). People were hearing and seeing evidence that God was doing a new thing. As a result, Jesus is filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Jesus then thanks the Father that this new thing has been revealed to the childlike. This tells us something of faith, and Jesus spoke of this in Mark 10:14-15 – “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Contrast this childlike faith with that of the wise and clever that Jesus spoke of in verse twenty-one of today’s reading. Jesus is thankful that the kingdom was being experienced by the childlike, but the wise and clever could not experience the kingdom. Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 1:24-25 – “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength”.

God’s plan of salvation seems to be foolish by the ‘wise’ of the world. God’s foolishness, however, is wiser than the wisest of human plans. This passage always makes me think of my faith – and how it is that I come to God. For all my understanding, and even for my education (for which I am thankful), none of those things gets me any closer to God. It is only when I seek God like a child that I can approach the kingdom.

Recently, I was able to spend Father’s Day weekend with my grandchildren. One of my youngest, three years old, still has a childlike approach to the world. He see’s the world  with wide wonder. His honesty and approach to life are lessons for me, and for all of us!   

Today, let us approach the things of God like a child, and experience the wonder of God’s kingdom!

Posted by Ramón Torres

Romans 8:26 – In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (NIV)

Have you ever encountered a circumstance or situation in your life that was so difficult that you just didn’t know how to pray about it?  I suppose that is truly a rhetorical question, for we all have had such times.  During those difficult times, have you ever asked the Holy Spirit to pray for you?  The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit, and it might seem strange to be asking God to pray for us, but that is what this passage suggests that we do.

Imagine the very Spirit of God interceding for us when find ourselves in troubling times.  We must, however, stay connected to God through God’s Spirit. An awareness of God’s Spirit not only guides us through each day, but helps us when we can’t find the words we need to pray. 

Thank God for God’s Spirit here with us!

Posted by Ramón Torres

Romans 7:7 – Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” ⁸ But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. ⁹ At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, ¹⁰ and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. ¹¹ Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. ¹² But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.

¹³ But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.

¹⁴ So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. ¹⁶ But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

¹⁸ And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. ¹⁹ I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. ²⁰ But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

This passage continues where we left off last week.  Paul now explores what he has hinted at previously in this letter, that the law actually serves as a means of bringing more sin into our lives.  Because we have this natural desire in us to deviate from what is right, our sinful nature sees the law and says “Hey that sounds good!”  To sin, the law is like wood to a termite.  What good, then, is the law?  It helps us to recognize sin.  We are all sinful, and our nature is fallen.  The law allows us to see this more clearly.

In verses 9 and 10, Paul states that learning the law stimulated the power of sin, and he died.  He is speaking in spiritual terms.  The law promises life – if we can obey the law.  However, who can keep the law at all times?  Yet, the law is holy (verse 12).  The law, which is holy, does not cause us to be separated from God.  It is our sin that separates us from God, not the law.

Verse 14 is critical to understanding this passage: “So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.”  In chapter 6 of Romans Paul writes that we are all slaves to something.  All too often, humans are slaves to sin.  In the remaining verses here in chapter 7, Paul writes about wanting to do what is right, but his sinful nature takes over.

Let’s consider verse 16: “But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.” The law offers to us a paradox – if we continually hold the law before us, even though we know the law is good, it stimulates our sinful nature.  If not the law, what then should a Christian look to as a guide to live by?  We should look to Jesus.  The law holds before us what we should not be doing.  Instead of looking at what we should not be doing, we should look at how we should be living, and Jesus is the model for how we should be living.   

Posted by Ramón Torres

Romans 7:1 – Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? ² For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. ³ So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.

⁴ So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. ⁵ When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. ⁶ But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. (NLT)

The people of ancient Rome had a saying that the laws of Rome would apply to them only until they died!  The Apostle Paul, having been familiar with the saying, uses it in this passage as sort of a tongue in cheek remark.  His point is that we were formerly married to the power of the law. We have now died to the power of the law, and consequently, we are now free to belong to another.  That other – Jesus.

It wasn’t just the Jews who clung to religious laws in ancient times.  Many pagan cultures had various laws to follow.  Following these laws was their attempt to make things right with their gods.  As Christians, we don’t cling to any law, we cling to Christ.

We should note from verse four that the result of dying to the law is a harvest of good deeds!  (Other translations have bearing fruit for God).  Paul often mentions good deeds.  These good deeds are not our attempt to please God, but as Paul notes in verse 6, the result (or harvest) of a ‘new way of living in the Spirit.’  As Paul tells us in chapter five of Galatians, living in the Spirit produces a change in our lives (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).  These changes are not seen just by ourselves, but by others through the harvest of our good deeds.

Are you living a new way in the Spirit of God?  A great way to measure our spiritual health is to take a look at ourselves.  Are we producing a harvest of good deeds? Today, let’s strive to live in the Spirit! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

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