John wrote these short letters from the city of Ephesus, he refers to himself as “the elder” he had to be in his 90’s but more than an elder he was the last surviving apostle, part of the inner circle with Peter and James, and he was even the cousin of Jesus. He must have written these three letters right before he was arrested and banished to the Isle of Patmos where he wrote the marvelous book of Revelation. As we study these letters (more like postcards) one of the outstanding themes is the subject of “truth”, just like Peter and Jude, that warned the churches to be watchful for false teachers and false apostles, John also warns us about that ever present problem, and we see it in many so-called churches today.
The first victim of their false theology and doctrine is the truth. The Lord through His prophet Hosea said: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) and this is true in our day either because we don’t read our Bibles or because the Bible is not taught in our churches, some are more interested in filling the chairs than filling feeding the sheep, the church, with the Word of God. I wonder, if Jesus wrote a letter to every church (like he did in Revelation), to our city, state, and country what percentage would receive a commendation or a rebuke, OUCH!
I want to pose a challenge to you (and I) to examine our hearts and honestly think, how would “my church be if everyone were just like me? Would it be a loving church? A giving church? A faithful church? A serving church? A praying church? A Bible-reading church? A forgiving church?
Let me make it more personal (and I include myself); if Jesus wrote a letter about you (and me) considering the above questions, what would He say? What would He write? This is not conjecture, listen: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10).
Blessings,
Pastor Alfredo
“How To Set A Prisoner Free” Letter to Philemon
What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is to open the door and set the prisoner free.
We live in a world where vengeance is rampant, people seeking revenge inside or outside the bounds of the law. That’s why we have nearly a million and a half active lawyers in the USA. Mind you, many cases are justified but the majority is because someone instead of forgiving a wrong wanted to “get even”.
Lack of forgiveness is the leading cause of the breakups in family relationships. Unforgiveness (especially among Christians) should be unthinkable, also it is an act disobedience for us who call ourselves followers of Christ.
We see in this beautiful letter of the Apostle Paul to his friend Philemon; how he intercedes for his new friend and son in the faith, Onesimus, who apparently robbed his master (Philemon) and ran away 1300 miles to lose himself in the big city of Rome, but Onesimus could not run away from the grace and love of God! Philemon is a follower of Christ, and Paul knows that as a Christian, Philemon has the obligation to forgive Onesimus and take him back and Paul encourages him to do so. By doing so, Philemon will be obeying the command of the Lord Jesus, to love our enemies, especially now that Onesimus is his brother.
According to Dr. and Pastor Michael Barry in a survey, 61% of men and 59% of women with difficult to treat cancer have issues with unforgiveness, more than half of those are severe. Our Lord Jesus (the Great Physician) said: “For if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).
At the end of the letter in verse 24, Paul mentions Mark, who had abandoned him and Barnabas in Pamphylia (Acts 15:37-41) but now they are reconciled, Paul forgave Mark setting the example, i.e., we are more like Jesus when we forgive, and more like the devil when we don’t.
Blessings,
Pastor Alfredo
What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is to open the door and set the prisoner free.
We live in a world where vengeance is rampant, people seeking revenge inside or outside the bounds of the law. That’s why we have nearly a million and a half active lawyers in the USA. Mind you, many cases are justified but the majority is because someone instead of forgiving a wrong wanted to “get even”.
Lack of forgiveness is the leading cause of the breakups in family relationships. Unforgiveness (especially among Christians) should be unthinkable, also it is an act disobedience for us who call ourselves followers of Christ.
We see in this beautiful letter of the Apostle Paul to his friend Philemon; how he intercedes for his new friend and son in the faith, Onesimus, who apparently robbed his master (Philemon) and ran away 1300 miles to lose himself in the big city of Rome, but Onesimus could not run away from the grace and love of God! Philemon is a follower of Christ, and Paul knows that as a Christian, Philemon has the obligation to forgive Onesimus and take him back and Paul encourages him to do so. By doing so, Philemon will be obeying the command of the Lord Jesus, to love our enemies, especially now that Onesimus is his brother.
According to Dr. and Pastor Michael Barry in a survey, 61% of men and 59% of women with difficult to treat cancer have issues with unforgiveness, more than half of those are severe. Our Lord Jesus (the Great Physician) said: “For if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).
At the end of the letter in verse 24, Paul mentions Mark, who had abandoned him and Barnabas in Pamphylia (Acts 15:37-41) but now they are reconciled, Paul forgave Mark setting the example, i.e., we are more like Jesus when we forgive, and more like the devil when we don’t.
Blessings,
Pastor Alfredo
“Keep Yourselves in the Love of God” Jude 1:12-25
“But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude 20-21a.
Does that mean we need to keep ourselves in a state of perfection where God will love us? Do we need to make sure we are lovable people? We cannot earn God’s love. The Bible doesn’t say that we must do certain things to merit His love, that would be virtually impossible; the Word of God tells us in Ephesians 1:4 that “He chose us before the foundation of the world” and Jeremiah 31:3a says, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love”. God is the One who keeps us, our part is to live lives of obedience to His word. Jesus said to His disciples: “If you love Me keep My commandments” (Jn.14:15). Again, He says in Jn. 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love. Just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” When we come to Christ His will becomes our will as we surrender our lives to Him. Again, our Lord said in Luke 6:46: “But why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?” God loves us and desires a holy, perfect, and continuous relationship with us, He wants to bless us and guide us, but our sins can damage our communion with Him; listen to Isaiah: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isa.59:2).
But even so, God still loves you… “Who (or what) shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).
Hallelujah, Now that’s security!
“But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude 20-21a.
Does that mean we need to keep ourselves in a state of perfection where God will love us? Do we need to make sure we are lovable people? We cannot earn God’s love. The Bible doesn’t say that we must do certain things to merit His love, that would be virtually impossible; the Word of God tells us in Ephesians 1:4 that “He chose us before the foundation of the world” and Jeremiah 31:3a says, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love”. God is the One who keeps us, our part is to live lives of obedience to His word. Jesus said to His disciples: “If you love Me keep My commandments” (Jn.14:15). Again, He says in Jn. 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love. Just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” When we come to Christ His will becomes our will as we surrender our lives to Him. Again, our Lord said in Luke 6:46: “But why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?” God loves us and desires a holy, perfect, and continuous relationship with us, He wants to bless us and guide us, but our sins can damage our communion with Him; listen to Isaiah: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isa.59:2).
But even so, God still loves you… “Who (or what) shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).
Hallelujah, Now that’s security!
“The Cry of the Martyrs” Revelation 6:9-17
One fourth of all people in the world will have died in the first four seals but God is still giving the world opportunities to repent and be saved. That means that God’s grace, kindness, and patience has not run out yet, there is still time for unbelievers to repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. As devasting as this judgment has been until now, God demonstrates His love in giving people yet another opportunity to turn to Him before He brings final judgment. But we must not presume upon God’s patience, Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah (Mt.24:38-39), people were eating and drinking (going about their daily routines) so also will the coming of Jesus be. They were caught by surprise, wickedness abounded then, as it does now, let’s pray for revival! Revival always begins in the church when people repent, pray, and seek the Lord (2 Chron. 7:14). The church, especially in the west, for the most part is either asleep or compromised. Affluence and peace lead to complacency; the Bride of the Lord has become the mistress of the world but don’t get too comfortable, persecution is coming to a church near you! Maybe even this one.
The true Bride of Christ has been persecuted for 2000 years and the persecution is only increasing, but after the rapture when Jesus takes His bride home the worst persecution the world has ever known will increase exponentially. I believe the world has not seen a revival as great as the one described in the Book of Revelation (7:9). Just listen, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes (ethnicity), peoples and tongues (languages), standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands”. The antichrist and the false prophet will persecute the tribulation saints (not the church, she will be with Jesus in heaven celebrating the marriage supper of the Lamb).
The next great event (prophecy) to happen is the rapture; we could have a revival before that happens but not necessarily, otherwise it negates the imminency of the rapture.
Maranatha!
One fourth of all people in the world will have died in the first four seals but God is still giving the world opportunities to repent and be saved. That means that God’s grace, kindness, and patience has not run out yet, there is still time for unbelievers to repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. As devasting as this judgment has been until now, God demonstrates His love in giving people yet another opportunity to turn to Him before He brings final judgment. But we must not presume upon God’s patience, Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah (Mt.24:38-39), people were eating and drinking (going about their daily routines) so also will the coming of Jesus be. They were caught by surprise, wickedness abounded then, as it does now, let’s pray for revival! Revival always begins in the church when people repent, pray, and seek the Lord (2 Chron. 7:14). The church, especially in the west, for the most part is either asleep or compromised. Affluence and peace lead to complacency; the Bride of the Lord has become the mistress of the world but don’t get too comfortable, persecution is coming to a church near you! Maybe even this one.
The true Bride of Christ has been persecuted for 2000 years and the persecution is only increasing, but after the rapture when Jesus takes His bride home the worst persecution the world has ever known will increase exponentially. I believe the world has not seen a revival as great as the one described in the Book of Revelation (7:9). Just listen, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes (ethnicity), peoples and tongues (languages), standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands”. The antichrist and the false prophet will persecute the tribulation saints (not the church, she will be with Jesus in heaven celebrating the marriage supper of the Lamb).
The next great event (prophecy) to happen is the rapture; we could have a revival before that happens but not necessarily, otherwise it negates the imminency of the rapture.
Maranatha!
“When Patience Runs Out”
There was a day in Noah’s time when God said, “Enough!” Genesis 6:5-6, ” then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. and the Lord was sorry that He made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”
The world of that time was violent, wicked and dark, fallen angels were cohabiting with human women crating a race that was completely opposed to God. In our day we see lawlessness and violence , corruption and injustice, but praise the Lord we also see kindness, goodness, forgiveness and love. Right now, evil is being restrained because of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit in the heart of many believers. At the rapture when all true followers of Christ are removed from this earth, the this world will revert to the evil state that it was in the days of Noah.
There was a day in Noah’s time when God said, “Enough!” Genesis 6:5-6, ” then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. and the Lord was sorry that He made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”
The world of that time was violent, wicked and dark, fallen angels were cohabiting with human women crating a race that was completely opposed to God. In our day we see lawlessness and violence , corruption and injustice, but praise the Lord we also see kindness, goodness, forgiveness and love. Right now, evil is being restrained because of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit in the heart of many believers. At the rapture when all true followers of Christ are removed from this earth, the this world will revert to the evil state that it was in the days of Noah.
Abiding in the Vine
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-5 Ever feel like you’re hanging by a fingernail? Well at least you’re still hanging on! Jesus doesn’t want us to “just barely” be hanging on, He wants us to be firmly attached in Him but in order for this to happen we need to be resting in Him, drawing our sustenance from Him, enjoying the life-giving Spirit that flows through our being so that when we are in the midst of the storm we are not blown off. The Father desires for us to remain in Christ as He prunes off the deadness of pride, unforgiveness, anger, and as He clips away the excess of “time-robbers” to give us the room we need to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and in wisdom and understanding of His word. Just imagine the sweet abundance of fruit that will grow in you and me as we bring glory to the Father. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” v. 8
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-5 Ever feel like you’re hanging by a fingernail? Well at least you’re still hanging on! Jesus doesn’t want us to “just barely” be hanging on, He wants us to be firmly attached in Him but in order for this to happen we need to be resting in Him, drawing our sustenance from Him, enjoying the life-giving Spirit that flows through our being so that when we are in the midst of the storm we are not blown off. The Father desires for us to remain in Christ as He prunes off the deadness of pride, unforgiveness, anger, and as He clips away the excess of “time-robbers” to give us the room we need to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and in wisdom and understanding of His word. Just imagine the sweet abundance of fruit that will grow in you and me as we bring glory to the Father. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” v. 8
The Power of the Resurrection
“The Power of the Resurrection” Matthew 28:1-15
The greatest day in human history was not Christmas or the Day that Christ died on the cross, the most glorious day was the day Jesus rose from the grave, that validated and confirmed everything He ever said and did.
The resurrection is the stamp of approval by the Father that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross paid for all our sins. Jesus took our sins and nailed them to the cross.
The resurrection is the “AMEN” of the Father to the words of Jesus from the cross: “It is finished!”
Matthew 28:6-8 “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you. So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.”
Acts 1:9-11 “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know. Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of GOD.”
“The Power of the Resurrection” Matthew 28:1-15
The greatest day in human history was not Christmas or the Day that Christ died on the cross, the most glorious day was the day Jesus rose from the grave, that validated and confirmed everything He ever said and did.
The resurrection is the stamp of approval by the Father that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross paid for all our sins. Jesus took our sins and nailed them to the cross.
The resurrection is the “AMEN” of the Father to the words of Jesus from the cross: “It is finished!”
Matthew 28:6-8 “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you. So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.”
Acts 1:9-11 “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know. Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of GOD.”