The story told in the text above, brings us an account of how Levi, a tax collector, became a follower of Jesus. (People hated tax collectors for taking their money; they considered this profession a very sinful one). The story then tells us that Jesus took part in a meal at the house of His new disciple, Levi. For Levi, this was a very important visit. It was so important that he called his friends over to share this special opportunity with them.

However, even though this was a joyful moment for Levi and his guests, the scribes and Pharisees were also there, taking advantage of the occasion to criticize Jesus for eating and drinking with tax collectors and “sinners”; which, according to them, this was something Jesus should not do (v 16). They said this to Jesus’ disciples; note that they had no courage to say such a thing to Jesus directly. But Jesus heard it, and when He heard this being said to His disciples, He said to the scribes and Pharisees: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (v 17).

The scribes and Pharisees considered themselves to be closer to God than everyone else; they believed that they were more righteous and dissatisfied God on a lesser scale, and therefore, in their minds, they were the “best” class of people. However, they measured themselves with the wrong criteria.

The Bible is clear to us when it says that there is no one just on this earth. The Apostle Paul emphasized this reality when he wrote to the Rome community (Romans 3:10). We are not good at God’s site: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We only seem to be “just” because we make our own measuring stick and we measure ourselves with it. Yet, we need to measure ourselves to God’s standards; we will then understand how far away we have deviated from Him.

But thankfully, because of His grace and mercy, there is good news and hope: Jesus came into this world to give eternal life to people who dissatisfy and offend God. We need to do as Levi did: get up and follow Jesus! This way, we will have a life according to God’s criteria, not our own.

In living a life with God, the criteria that counts is His!

• Accept Jesus Christ into your life and let us know you have made this decision.
• We will help you get plugged into a church. Understanding we are going through different times and that churches have their doors temporarily closed, we can still point you to faithful online videos and ministries that will help you through this journey and your newfound faith in Christ.
• If you need a Bible, get a free Bible from us.

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Punishment of Israel’s Sins

⁹ “Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: ‘Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; see great tumults in her midst, and the oppressed within her.
¹⁰ For they do not know to do right,’ says the Lord, ‘who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.’ ”
¹¹ Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, and your palaces shall be plundered.”
¹² Thus says the Lord: “As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion
Two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be taken out who dwell in Samaria – in the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch!”

Amos 3:11 announces a calamity. This reminds us of the news we see on TV or online in our lifetime. Sometimes it is necessary to turn off the TV or put the phone aside to prevent depression or feeling low because of so much tragedy, one right after another.

Samaria was the capital of the Israeli reign, in which the prophet, under God’s command, would proclaim national calamities as punishment. What faults did that nation have? They didn’t know right from wrong anymore. Justice was perverted. They committed shameful fraud. Maybe this comes to you as no surprise at all, besides, perversion has become a very common thing, which has caused many to not know right from wrong anymore. Yes, dear reader, our times have been lived by Israel before. Imagine the great tumults you have seen, heard of, or maybe even taken place in… Revolted youths, violent protest riots, concerts accompanied by orgies, millions of miserable people in the midst of others’ wealth; a generalized disorder.

In spite of all of this, by delegating this message to prophet Amos, God was giving Israel an opportunity to repent before their judgment came. This also repeats in our days. It is wonderful to know that God is always available to hear our confessions with a repentant heart and to forgive us, thanks to the purifying power of the blood of Christ. We still have time to be saved from the calamity that is approaching. We should never wait for the day of judgment to come so that we settle our debt with God. He desires to grant us forgiveness even more than we seek to receive it! If tomorrow is judgment day, today is still time for forgiveness.

Invite God to start in your life the change that is so necessary for the whole world. Make sure you forgive others so that God will forgive you: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:14,15).”

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All the verses above show us the Lord Jesus saying “I know” to various churches and the situation of each of them.

“I know” means to be certain about something. When “I know” is said by the Lord, it becomes comforting because it comes from someone who knows of all things and is above all things.

When God tells us, “I know”, this also means that He knows everything about us. It means that He can rescue us from anything and guide us into what we need to do, and the best part is that we can give ourselves to Him and trust in Him without hesitation.

There are moments in life where it seems like God doesn’t worry about us, or doesn’t care about what’s happening, as if He is very far away. However, if we are going through a difficult moment, one in which we don’t understand and we think it is unbearable, we need to remember that God’s word guarantees us that He remains by our side. God is always there! Therefore, it makes sense for us to give Him our life, completely trusting that He will help us through any situation, whether it be delivering us from the evil that is over us, or comforting and strengthening us in the tough situations we are going through.

Depending on the situation, it is necessary to ask for, to cry out for, or to beg for help, but once that is done, we need to follow His guidance, obeying His will. We need to always follow His guidance. How do we do that? By living in close relationship with Him, nurturing the reading of the Bible and with daily time in prayer. By reading the Bible, we learn of things that God likes and things that He dislikes. This way, we can go through life knowing what pleases or displeases Him and we can strive to do what is right in His sight, knowing that we reach Him through Jesus Christ, who has paid the ultimate price for our sins.

By our close relationship with the Lord is how we will get to know Him better and understand Him more each day. Sometimes we are quick to judge God’s ways or doubt that He is in the midst of a difficult situation; this is understandable if one is not in a close relationship with the Lord. But remember, even when it doesn’t seem like it, God is always in control!

Intimacy grows as a relationship develops. It is just like when it happens when two people are in a daily relationship: the more they are together, the more they will get to know each other, to the point where with a small gesture or look, the other can understand what he or she wants or is thinking. One of the main differences between our relationship with the Lord Jesus and another human being is that He already knows all about us, more than we know about ourselves, and more than our best friend will ever know about us. He is so sovereign and yet, He wants to have a close relationship with each one of us.

A close relationship with the Lord gives us the certainty that He is with us and that He takes care of us in every detail. The closer your relationship with the Lord is, the more intense will be His presence and peace in your life.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him” (Psalm 28:7).

“Trust in him at all times, oh people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8).

It’s easy to trust God when things are going well, but we must believe and trust in Him at all times — good or bad. He will be there for us through it all.

The post I Know… appeared first on UpFaith.

In the times we live in, a lot is said above global warming. The governments of nations gather together to study and discuss how to block this global warming, but they have not yet come to a common denominator that can put a brake on the warming process. Scientists predict that, at the current rate, life on our planet could disappear within a timeframe that is not too far out. With this, we would arrive at the end of days of our world, in accordance with Apostle Paul’s prophecy, “…the heavens will be destroyed by fire. And the sun and moon and stars will melt away with much heat.” What seemed absurd and impossible for many, not too long ago, has become a matter to be studied and imagined.

Now, if this can be the end of the world, let’s raise the question: when did this disaster begin? The degradation began on a certain day and in a certain pleasant place called The Garden of Eden. God had concluded His creation, including that wonderful garden, where He placed His creation’s crown: man and woman, Adam and Eve. God formed human beings with the capability and freedom to make choices and decisions.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve, the original parents of the human race, were tricked by the devil. They forgot that with freedom comes responsibility and it always has its consequences. This is very true and still applies to this day. Due to the disobedience, sin was instilled in the life of human beings, and this was when the beginning of the end started.

To rid us of this hellish terror, God provided us with an escape: Jesus Christ. This is the door we must enter through to be cleansed and made well with God; only through Jesus Christ. So now, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Jesus came to give us eternal life, not to “finish” us along with the world.

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This dreadful and frightful feeling is normal; who under these circumstances would have no fear of dying?

When we are insecure and desperate in dreadful and frightening circumstances, we do not know how to ask. God hears our prayers, but He answers them in His own manner. Elijah asked God to die but God gave him rest in order to cheer him up. Elijah was not alone; the Lord was with him and on two occasions had ordered an angel to feed him because he was upset and weak, so much so that he needed to sleep again.

We do not have to be heroes (Elijah was also not a hero – he gave up on everything), but, whether the cause for the fear be real, as in Elijah’s case, or imaginary, as it can happen many times, it is important for us to take our worries to God and ask Him to take care of them. The Lord himself will give the strength and courage we need when we give ourselves into His hands. Do not lose hope in the Lord, trust in Him “…those who hope in the Lord, will renew their strength…” (Isaiah 40:31).

For as long as we have breath in our lungs, there is hope. And even if we pass from this earth into eternity, life will go on, but at a level much more intense and real than we can perceive and experience with our mortal body. With an understanding of what Hell is, according to the Bible, no one would want to go there. So, let’s live life in this world as God directs us through the Bible so that we can be with our Lord and Savior when our number of days on this earth comes to an end: “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to You; at best, each of us is but a breath. We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You” (Psalm 39:4-7).

Corona Fear? What to do? As we soak in what has been happening around the world in regards to the Coronavirus pandemic, how things are playing out, and brace ourselves for what can still happen in the coming weeks or months, we are to stay positive amidst difficult situations. If others are facing quarantine or being prohibited from traveling overseas, be mindful that it may happen to you. So, do your part, prepare yourself and your family physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Stock up on non-perishable food, water, pain killer, and any RX medications for your basic survival for the next few months if drastic measures need to be taken. As we are informed that the Corona Virus can infect up to 150 million people worldwide and that there is no vaccine in place against this virus, let’s not take this information lightly.

Even though times are difficult, the Bible tells us that events such as these would come and it is necessary for it to happen. God is love, but He is also a just God (more on this at a later post). We need to be praying to God to have mercy and spare this generation from worse things to come. Let’s also not forget to ask God to allow researchers to discover the correct vaccine against this virus very soon and give wisdom to the country leaders to guide their citizens in an appropriate way.

As the Bible makes it clear for us in Job 14:5, a person’s days are numbered. God knows your number of months. A person cannot live longer than the time God has set for him or her. We want to start eternity in the right way, so, let’s be humble before God, ask Him to keep us safe in times of trouble but also seek to do His will, no matter how difficult it may seem. At the end of the day, when we close our eyes on this earth, we will open them in eternity, and that [eternity] is a place we will not be able to leave. So, let’s make sure we strive to go to the side we won’t want to run from.

When you’re at “the end of the line,” remember: God’s line is eternal.

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“For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2b).

There are various military quarters spread throughout the United States, where those who are chosen by the military go. With rigid discipline and lots of exercises, they are trained for the defense of a cause: the security of our nation. In II Timothy 2, the idea used by Paul states that followers of Jesus should act as soldiers; those who are not distracted with day-to-day things because they are completely dedicated to their main objective. The comparison is a good one because a Christian faces a real war: on one hand, he or she wants to please God, while on the other, Satan tries everything to knock them down and destroy them.

A soldier needs to leave aside his or her own interests and learn to work in a team, helping and being helped. A soldier will not conquer anything by him or herself. In the same manner, a follower of Jesus Christ will need fellow companions who share the same objective. In this “battalion”, one gives cover to the other, and all of them together, each one in his or her particular function, collaborate to achieve the same objective.

Also, a soldier needs to face harsh trials to become stronger for combat.

In the same manner, a Christian does not go through hardships and trials to be injured, but to strengthen the spiritual “muscles” and always keep themselves alert while being prepared. It is important to remember that our suffering does not come close to the full extent to what Jesus, being innocent, suffered for us.

The main objective of a soldier is different than of a common citizen, who has “only” civil life obligations in community. “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer” (II Timothy 2:4). The soldier defends a bigger cause. His or her will is to fulfill their mission well and make their commander pleased, the one who directs, trains, and enables them. God desires to be our Commander. We need to present ourselves to Him as voluntaries. He will then take on the command and our main objective will be to please Him.

In our day-to-day life, only those who choose God as Commander will be certain of the victory. Remember: “Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). Be a faithful soldier of Christ and do all you can to be joyful amidst the temporary trials because “…our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Life does not stop on this Earth; we still have Eternity to go through.

“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in the flesh,” (Romans 8:3). Jesus was the crucial soldier for the salvation of human souls: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17).

Jesus, innocently, endured the spitting, the slaps in the face, the swiping, the crown of thorns, the pain, the agony, the shame and solitude at the cross, all for us, while focusing on the promises of God the Father. “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). “He did not give up when He had to suffer shame and die on a cross. He knew of the joy that would be His later” (Romans 12:12).

A true Christian soldier endures until the end whatever he or she needs to face in order to please God, the ultimate Commander-in-Chief.

Read the full chapter: Romans 8

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Multiple natural disasters or catastrophes happen throughout each year and at various places around the world. Each time we hear about something horrific, we feel bad for the people affected and wish it had not happened. Unless given an ultimatum for the danger zones, before the catastrophe hits, many people still reject the idea of leaving their house and belongings behind; they wait until the last minute to decide what to do. But, there are always those whom, because of previous experiences in life or having learned from the mistakes of others, they will leave before disaster strikes; they have seen from previous dangerous situations, what could happen to them if they are stubborn and stay. In other words, there are those who prepare themselves.

After the tragedy occurs, some will ask: “Why was my house reached if it was never reached before?” or “Why did God allow this to happen?” As humans, we look for someone to blame, or, at least an explanation for such catastrophes. We don’t need to elaborate great theories, after all, we build houses on the waterside, we pour concrete and make embankments in places where they once were marshlands and swamps, and then we want to question the reasons for houses being reached by flooding, for example. In addition, waste being dumped into rivers is still an issue, (3rd world countries, I know) – places where the majority of the human population lives, not to mention the destruction of forests. We plan, we construct, we choose, we buy, we choose to go, we choose to stay, etc… Life is made of choices, granted we never had the choice to choose the biological parents we would have, or choose the house we would grow up in, the country where to be born in, etc… But, as we wake up each day, we are given 24 hours. What are we doing with the 24 hours given to us each day? Even if you must work 8hrs a day and sleep 8hrs a day, what do you do with the other 8hrs? Many people are sure more productive than others; while many others can no longer be productive. Yet, others never had a chance to be productive (e.g.: a young baby that passed away).

In the text today, we see that Jesus was questioned in regards to a few men that had been murdered in a brutal manner by Pilate. Jesus brought to their memory another tragic episode that had happened – a tower fell and killed 18 people. Those that died, were they more guilty than the ones who escaped? So, the ones reached by catastrophes, were they worse sinners than those who were not reached by nature’s fury? The answer is simple: Of course not! However, we need to prepare for the day when God will judge each one of us. As Jesus said in the text we read, “…unless you repent, you too will all perish” (v. 3 & 5) – this had a spiritual meaning just like everything else Jesus referred to.

Only through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and confession of our sins and disobedience to God can we prepare in an acceptable way for the day in which we will be accountable to God for all we have said and done (Romans 14:12, Matthew 12:47).

Will you prepare now or will you leave it for later when it’s too late?

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Did you ever wake up scared because someone was calling out your name? A man told his story: One day, in the middle of the night, he woke up frightened with his wife calling out his name. He ran to the living room and said: “What is it?” It turned out his wife was just standing on the sofa scared of the little mouse that had suddenly gone into the living room and passed by her.

In reality, both of them scared each other. She took refuge on the sofa and the little mouse hid somewhere. Since the husband could not catch the mouse, at 3 am, there he was, setting up a mouse trap. The mouse was cute, but also still a pest and nuisance that could bring about a lot of damage.

This is a metaphor for sin (the things that displease God, that go against His will, as revealed in the Bible). Those who love God, try to always do His will. But our own will sometimes take us over with bad thoughts, feelings of envy and wrath, bad habits, etc… In the case of Cain, the problem was envy, which dominated him. Apparently, God liked Abel more than Cain. However, Cain did not notice that God accepted Abel (Cain’s brother) because Abel did what was good in the sight of God, as opposed to Cain. God warned him making it clear to him that sin will always threaten us and that we need to pay attention so that it does not control us (verse 7). Had Cain also done what was right before God, God would have accepted him/his offering as well.

The warning that God gave to Cain is the same warning that Jesus gave to the disciples in Matthew 26:41 – “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Spiritually speaking, we can be relaxed, calm, and then, suddenly, we commit a sin. At first, sin may even seem cute, but in the end, it causes great damage and withdraws us from God. Since sin is many times “cute” and provides [temporary] pleasure, it can be difficult wanting to withdraw from it. When we find ourselves weak before sin, we need to seek for strength in God so we can resist sin and not allow it to dominate over us.

If you have sinned but repented of it, confess it to the Lord, ask for forgiveness, and receive your forgiveness from Him.

Fight consciously against sin. God will give you the strength to overcome it.
Do your part and God will do His.

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Which is more difficult: to forgive or to ask for forgiveness? The Bible tells us that one of Jesus Christ’s disciples, Peter, had questions about forgiveness. One day, he asked the son of God: “How many times must we forgive the same person who sins against me?” Peter was quick in his thinking – he himself gave a suggestion: “7 times?”

The tradition of the rabbis taught that one should forgive the same person up to 3 times. Could it be that Peter wanted to impress Jesus by suggesting that one should forgive more than double the required number of times?

Whatever Peter’s intention, Christ went beyond when He answered: “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven” (v. 22). The first interpretation we might have when reading this verse is to multiply 70 x 7 = 490 times. Did Jesus reveal to us the perfect formula to arrive at the exact quantity of forgiveness? I believe it is impossible with our heart to count that we have forgiven the same person 490 times. Are you keeping track on a tic sheet? I mean, if someone comes up to you and asks for forgiveness, do you take out your tic sheet to see how many times you have already forgiven them? Imagine if God did that to us?! Just as an example, let’s say I am 35 years old and that I started asking God to forgive me every day since I was 10 years old. As of the date of this post, this would mean that I have asked Him to forgive me at least 9,125 times, which is way more than 490 times. I have exhausted my “quota” a long time ago!

While we seek to find logical ways for our limited reasoning to find a calculation to limit forgiveness, Christ teaches us our forgiveness has to go beyond: it needs to be unlimited, because that is what God does for us. Are we able to count how many times God has already forgiven our trespasses? We need to remember that Jesus teaches us to ask the Father to “forgive our trespasses as we have forgiven those that trespassed against us” (Matthew 6:12). If we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we confess that we want God to forgive our mistakes just like we have forgiven those who offended us.

How have you been practicing forgiveness in your life?

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).

 “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

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This text above tells us about the preparation that preceded the encounter between David and the giant Goliath. To know the story fully, read the chapter from the beginning. The virtues and values demonstrated by David can only have a divine origin. For David, matters of life were addressed in connection with the glory of God: this is the secret that David transmits to us.

King Saul needed to speak with someone. His horror was visible and his army was terrorized. What would be the outcome of that situation? David goes straight to the subject by demonstrating the certainty that God would be with him. The Bible tells us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God,” Hebrews 11:6, and David did not lack faith. Another virtue demonstrated by him is that he knew appearances meant nothing. The stature of the soldier, his armor, and weapons, would have no worth without divine help. Conviction needs to be confirmed by experience. Looking to have Saul calm down, David gives an account of his experiences with God. They were experiences that maybe not even his father or brothers knew he had. Imagine David telling them what he could do with his sling; would they believe in his aim? Would they believe him that after hitting a lion’s head and a bear’s head he would grab them with his hands and kill them?

The most precious virtue was David’s dependence on God. He affirmed: “The Lord who delivered me from the lion’s claws and the bear’s claws will certainly deliver me from the hands of this Philistine.” Our human resources will have no worth if we do not place them in God’s hands. For those who experience such virtues, it is a wonderful life adventure!

Walk with God, do everything for His glory, and He will take care of the rest.

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

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