ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A TOOL OR AN IDOL? To help believers understand artificial intelligence through the Word of God, recognizing the difference between using AI as a tool and allowing it to become an idol. This teaching encourages spiritual discernment, Christian liberty, and love while keeping Jesus Christ and His Word as the foundation of every decision. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A TOOL OR AN IDOL? Minister Lisa Kane October 23, 2026 Objective: To help believers understand artificial intelligence through the Word of God, recognizing the difference between using AI as a tool and allowing it to become an idol. This teaching encourages spiritual discernment, Christian liberty, and love while keeping Jesus Christ and His Word as the foundation of every decision. Synopsis: Artificial intelligence has raised questions and concerns among believers about its purpose, potential dangers, and possible connection to biblical prophecy. This teaching examines AI through Scripture, explaining how something created by mankind can be used for good or become a stumbling block when it takes the place of God. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 8 and 10, it explores Christian liberty, spiritual maturity, and the responsibility to consider the well-being of others when exercising personal freedom. Believers are encouraged to use discernment, test information against God's Word, and recognize that technology can never replace the Holy Spirit or a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Ultimately, the message reminds us that whatever we do should glorify God, with His Word remaining our final authority. Inspired Teaching: Artificial Intelligence: A Tool or an Idol? Examining AI Through Scripture, Christian Liberty, and Love People, believers and non-believers respond differently to artificial intelligence. Many believers think this could be the beast or prophet that appears in Revelation during end-time prophecy, but if you read the passage: Revelation 13:14-15 NKJV 14 And he deceives [a ]those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. It doesn’t explicitly say AI is involved. Could it be? Anything is possible but we need to be careful about what is and isn’t in relation to prophecy. As we get closer to end-time prophecy, we’ll have a better picture of what the image of the beast is. Non-believers are concerned that it could take over the world. The news has recently shown that AI went beyond its programming in the ‘sandbox’ when that was not the intent of the programmers. In general, there’s a feeling of concern related to AI and what it is, what it can do, and what it will do. In my opinion, the most important question regarding AI is what does the bible say about it? When you lay God and His word down as your foundation, He will reveal His Word to You on any subject. Let’s identify what artificial intelligence is first, and then I will dive into the scriptures. www.dictionary.com noun Computers, Digital Technology. the capacity of a computer, robot, programmed device, or software application to perform operations and tasks analogous to learning and decision making in humans, such as speech recognition or question answering. AI, A.I. a computer, robot, programmed device, or software application having this humanlike capacity: AI, A.I. the branch of computer science involved with the design of computers, robots, programmed devices, and software applications having the capacity to imitate human intelligence and thought. AI, A.I. I also asked ChatGPT to define AI and here is its response: “Artificial intelligence is a human-developed computational capability that can simulate or perform aspects of intelligent thinking, without thereby possessing the full understanding, consciousness, moral responsibility, or lived experience of a human being.” In summary, artificial intelligence is a tool developed by mankind. Like other human inventions, it can be used for beneficial or destructive purposes. In biblical history, we see people making idols, carved images as ‘objects’ to worship because they can see and feel these objects. God is spirit that we cannot see but to me, He’s more real than this world. Is He to you? Genesis 35:2-3 NKJV 2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” Exodus 20:4-5 NKJV 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor [a ]serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting[b ] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, In fact, when you look at Israel’s history in scripture, you will find that God tells them put away, get rid of, turn back from idols, carved images and the like, just like Jacob did in Genesis 35:2-3 we read above. Is AI an idol? It could be if we make it the foundation to everything we do: another words, let us tell us what we’re searching when we should be asking God and His Word for answers. What does Israel’s history in relation to idols tell us? People created something to see and feel to worship in lieu of God. Can we say this for AI? Is AI a creation to ‘worship’ or ‘relate’ with that replaces God? It can be and it can be just a tool, but there’s something we need to be watchful of. Think of it like this: a hammer is a tool that can be used in construction, and it can be used to take life. Does this make the hammer evil? No. In essence, how you use the tool makes the difference. Matthew 24:4 NKJV 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. With everything, we do not want to be deceived and that includes AI. In reality, we don’t know how and IF AI will be used against the human race, but as long as we’re founded in the firm foundation of the Word of God, we will be aware and stay under His protection. 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 NKJV Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge [a ]puffs up, but love [b ]edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. 7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a [c ]stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. This entire chapter explains what I’ve introduced in this teaching. It not only explains, but it also shows Christians how to respond. Let me show you the principle behind this teaching of Paul in 1 Corinthians 8. We see foods offered up to idols and whether a person should eat it or not (use AI or not), Christians believe different things at different times in their lives, in essence we are works in progress. Paul is demonstrating this in 1 Corinthians 8. He elaborates further in: 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NKJV 23 All things are lawful [a ]for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things [b ]edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. There are believers who believe they have the liberty to participate in certain things, while other believers choose to refrain because of their personal convictions. Is this wrong? No. As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we gain a greater understanding of the liberty we have in Him. However, Paul reminds us that although all things may be lawful, not all things are helpful or edifying. Spiritual maturity is not simply knowing what we have the freedom to do; it is knowing when to exercise that freedom and when to refrain out of love for another believer. Our liberty should never become a stumbling block to someone else. John 16:33 NKJV 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you [a ]will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Where does your faith/believe stand as you read this teaching? I believe/my faith is that no matter where AI goes, Christ has already overcome the world. I can trust Him to take care of me even when I’m going through trials and tribulations. For me, using AI doesn’t replace my God who sent His Son to die for me. It’s simply a tool to use. Romans 8:38-39 NKJV 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 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. Now, does this mean I shouldn’t use AI because it has potential to do evil? Going back to the hammer, that means yes, I can use the hammer in construction, but I can’t use the hammer to take a person’s life. Translation, I can use AI for good but not for evil. But this also means I need faith-based training and a strong relationship with Christ to understand and watch out for things that could lead me down a path of confusion or destruction. For example, it talks and relates to me as a human personality, but it’s not a real person. There’s potential to rely and trust on this persona because it seems real. Remember, the best relationship you can have is in Jesus. Build-up your relationship with Jesus so that you know who loves you. He is trustworthy. Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship. Matthew 6:33 NKJV 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. As a believer who knows all things are lawful for me, I choose to follow His Word by seeking first His Kingdom (sharing the gospel), and His righteousness, (what God calls righteous), and then everything else lines up. This is the principle Paul demonstrates in 1 Corinthians 8. If you believe that using AI is wrong according to your conscience, then I will stand alongside you in that conviction by choosing not to use AI in a way that causes you to stumble. This doesn't mean I have changed my understanding of the liberty I have in Christ. It means that I love you enough to set aside my own liberty for your spiritual well-being. As Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 8, knowledge is important, but love must guide us how we use that knowledge. How do we apply this principle to AI? If you want to use AI, you have freedom to do what you want but remember to check everything it tells you and don’t let it become a stumbling block to others. For example, if you choose to use AI to replace an employee’s job, see if that employee can be used elsewhere before taking the action of replacing the employee. By doing this, you’re demonstrating the love of God to that employee first, (that’s an action a Christian takes toward the Kingdom of God) and in reality, programming for AI is still not comparable to the real human mind thinking or calculating situations when it comes to weighing the consequences. It’s better and faster at pulling data together as a tool and can create great reports but it doesn’t have life experience, and spiritual awareness of God that humans use when making decisions. It’s a tool to add more information to help humans use the decision-making process. Can AI be used in Christian teaching? Nothing can replace the Holy Spirit speaking through a person. AI can be used for research in Christian teachings. And in fact, you can use AI to help you find scripture related to what you’re studying. If you’re studying AI or end time prophecy, AI can be a useful sounding board to sound off ideas and such that you have to see if they seem scripturally founded. Let’s remember these facts, AI can imitate human conversation, analyze emotions, and even recognize body language when equipped with the appropriate technology. However, recognizing someone's emotions is not the same as experiencing them. AI does not have a human body, a lifetime of personal experiences, or the spiritual nature Scripture attributes to mankind. It can process information about human life, but it should never be mistaken for a human being. The greater danger may not be AI becoming human, but human beings beginning to treat AI as though it already is. Let the Word of God be your foundation in deciding what to participate in with what the world creates. 1 Corinthians 10:19-21 NKJV 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Idols are manmade. AI is manmade but some Idols were created to be worshiped in lieu of God. Remember when we read Exodus 20:5a, ‘you shall not bow down to them’. It’s one of the ten commandments. The same can be applied to AI. Could someone end up worshipping AI? The potential exists but AI wasn’t created for that, and idols were made as a physical object for someone to bow down to. There’s a distinct difference here. How you use AI determines whether it becomes an idol or remains a tool. We don’t bow down to AI; we let it be the tool it was meant to be remembering that the Word of God is the foundation of the truth we stand on. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NKJV 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. As Paul tells us, do all to the glory of God. Use AI to the glory of God. Use AI for good but don’t let it ensnare or confuse you. God is your strength and final Word! I hope you are blessed by this teaching. Isaiah 1:18-19 NKJV 18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; Previous Next Home

THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS, GRACIOUS, AND NEAR To help believers recognize and trust in the divine attributes of God as revealed in Psalm 145:17–18—His righteousness, His graciousness, and His nearness—so that they may walk in faith, honor His ways, and call upon Him in truth with confidence. THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS, GRACIOUS, AND NEAR Pastor Marcos Marrero Objective: To help believers recognize and trust in the divine attributes of God as revealed in Psalm 145:17–18—His righteousness, His graciousness, and His nearness—so that they may walk in faith, honor His ways, and call upon Him in truth with confidence. Synopsis: In this teaching, Pastor Marcos Marrero reflects on Psalm 145, where King David extols God as his personal King and declares three powerful truths about His rule: the Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works, and near to all who call upon Him in truth. David’s testimony carries great weight as a king who understood the challenges of leadership and decision-making. Unlike earthly rulers, God is perfect in judgment, never erring in His dealings with His creation. This truth strengthens faith, for doubt undermines our ability to receive God’s promises. Through meditating on God’s works, believers learn to trust His righteousness even when His ways are beyond human understanding. David also proclaims that God is gracious in all His works. Unlike flawed human kings, God’s actions are rooted in compassion, mercy, and grace—demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to satisfy divine justice. His mercy ensures that humanity can partake in His blessings despite imperfection. Finally, David emphasizes that God is near to all who call upon Him sincerely. Unlike human leaders who are often inaccessible, the Lord is intimately present with His people, upholding the weak, lifting the humble, and hearing the cries of the faithful. Pastor Marcos illustrates this truth with a personal testimony of God’s guidance, showing how the Lord’s plans are always perfect, even when they seem unclear at first. The psalm concludes with a call to unending praise, as all creation and all saints will ultimately acknowledge God’s greatness, righteousness, and mercy. Pastor Marcos urges believers to walk in faith, call upon God in truth, and rest assured that He is always near. Inspired Teaching: Psalm 145:17-18 “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” King David begins Psalm 145 with a shout of praise to God. It is interesting that David addresses Him as my God, O King; let’s take a look at how David begins this Psalm of adoration. Psalm 145:1 “I will extol (praise) You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever.” It takes a king to understand the difficulties of fairly and justly ruling over a kingdom. This Psalm can be read from the perspective of a testimonial that David, as a human king who understood the difficulties of ruling and reigning over flawed humans, bestowed upon our God the Creator, who is also the Great ruling King over all mankind. In our opening text, David makes three key points that underline the qualities with which God rules as King over His creation. First David says of God’s rule: The Lord is righteous in all His ways. Coming from any of us, that statement would not carry as much weight as it does coming from an earthly king who ruled over God’s people for forty years. If you have ever been in a position of leadership, you know how difficult it is to make decisions that affect a group of people and really say to yourself that such decision would be accepted as the perfect choice by everyone involved. As any true leader will tell you, you can’t please everyone, as I’m sure David knew that very well, but yet He says of God our King, that He is righteous in all His ways. Why is this fact so important, that God’s rule is always perfect? Doubt is the opposite of faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God, so that if we are doubting the righteousness of God on any situation that we face, we put ourselves at a disadvantage, and by doing so we forfeit the blessings that are offered to us within His kingdom. Psalm 145:5 “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on (the words of) Your wondrous works.” Meditating is the process of slowly ingesting and digesting information, in David’s case he was meditating not only on what God had promised him, but also in what God had already accomplished in his life as well. In the early struggles of my walk by faith journey, I remember at times feeling abandoned by the Lord just because certain things did not work out the way that I expected them to work out, and I remember the words of encouragement that Jesus would always send my way, I did not bring you out this far just to let you go! Psalm 145:19 “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.” I soon realized that in our walk of faith we have to learn how to walk in what the Bible calls the fear of the Lord before He will hear our cry for help, in other words we have to learn how to respect the way that His kingdom operates, which is by faith. Oh, the innocence of those times! One of my first lessons in hearing from the Lord occurred as I was driving from the Orange County area in California where I lived at the time, to the San Fernando Valley area to get pay from my labor as a painting contractor, for that was where the office was located that I had done the work for. Immediately as I started driving towards the office I felt the Lord impressing on me that I was to go someplace and pray after I left the office, so when I picked up the check I said to the Lord, where do you want me to go and pray Lord? Of course I heard nothing back, but since I was sure He had spoken to me earlier, I proceeded through a mountain road down to the coast where the Malibu area is located, for I figured that the mountain or the beach would be a good place to stop and pray. I still felt nothing, so I continued down the coast to the South Bay area of Los Angeles hoping to hear from the Lord as to where I was supposed to stop and pray, about two hours had elapsed and nothing, the church that we attended was in the port area of Los Angeles so I thought that God wanted me to go to the church and pray there, so that was where I headed, when I got over there, the Christian school was having an event in the auditorium, so praying there was out of the question. As I walked through the parking lot to get in my car and finally drive home, someone flagged me down, a church member and his wife had just gotten real bad news and asked me if I would pray with them over the situation that they were facing. I told them of my ordeal just to find out where I was supposed to go and pray, and it encouraged them so much that God had sent someone to pray for them before they even got the bad news, that their faith was made strong enough to overcome their situation. I realized there and then that God always has a perfect plan for everything that He does, and that all that is required of us is to remain faithful, for if we do not give up, we will not only have the victory over whatever situation we are facing, but in time we will understand how perfect and marvelous God’s ways are. Psalm 145:6 “Men shall speak (as I just did) of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness.” I learned then, and continue to learn now, that the Lord is righteous in all His ways, whether I understand them or not, after all it is said and done the fact that the Lord is righteous in all His ways will be revealed to all the saints and will be acknowledged by them. Psalm 145:10 “All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You.” Secondly, David said about God’s rule that the Lord is: Gracious in all His works! Psalm 97:2 “Clouds and darkness surrounds Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” All the works of God are perfect, and since we forfeited our perfection when Adam sinned, the justice of God has to be satisfied, that is why Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins, to satisfy the righteous demands of justice. So that all of the works of God on behalf of mankind are all founded on His grace, as David also acknowledged. Psalm 145:8-9 “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” In Bible days a king ruled supreme, the words that came out of his mouth were the law, anyone who trespassed against the king’s edicts faced sure death unless the king pardoned their transgression by offering them his mercy. David understood the principles of mercy, because from his ruling position he also understood that the righteousness of God required perfection, something that no human had, that is also why the Messiah had to be all human and all perfect. Thirdly, David said about God’s rule that: The Lord is near to all who call on Him! Imagine that, in the natural, the more responsibility that a person in leadership has the more difficult it is for people to get near them, for their time becomes that much more valuable, so that we usually have to deal with the underlings of those who exercise great authority, but not so with our King, He can meet alone with everyone of His subjects at the same time and in different places, because our King is also God. Psalm 145:13 “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” And unlike our present world system where the lower that we are in the societal spectrum, the more difficult it is for us to reach those who are in authority, with our Eternal King is the opposite. Psalm 145:14 “The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.” No wonder David was praising God with such great exuberance, for what he is saying in this Psalm is that there is no god like our God. Psalm 145:3 “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding).” So that it is always by faith; our righteousness comes by faith in His Word, our dealings with Him are always based on our faith of His gracious works toward us, and by faith we know that He is always near to us, for we know that He will never leave us nor forsake us. And that’s the truth, so let us call upon Him in truth, for He hears us. 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BLESS THOSE WHO DESIRE TO FEAR YOUR NAME The objective of this teaching is to help believers understand the depth and importance of reverence toward God, as illustrated through the example of Nehemiah. It seeks to show that the true fear of the Lord is not terror, but a mature and humble reverence that acknowledges His holiness, our unworthiness, and our dependence upon His mercy. Through Nehemiah’s prayer, repentance, and bold petition before both God and the earthly king, believers are encouraged to cultivate a heart that fears the Lord, embraces His promises, and seeks His mercy for restoration and blessing. BLESS THOSE WHO DESIRE TO FEAR YOUR NAME Pastor Marcos Marrero Objective: The objective of this teaching is to help believers understand the depth and importance of reverence toward God, as illustrated through the example of Nehemiah. It seeks to show that the true fear of the Lord is not terror, but a mature and humble reverence that acknowledges His holiness, our unworthiness, and our dependence upon His mercy. Through Nehemiah’s prayer, repentance, and bold petition before both God and the earthly king, believers are encouraged to cultivate a heart that fears the Lord, embraces His promises, and seeks His mercy for restoration and blessing. Synopsis: In Bless Those Who Desire to Fear Your Name, Pastor Marcos Marrero draws from Nehemiah 1:11 to highlight the spiritual posture of reverence and humility that pleases God. Nehemiah, the king’s cupbearer, understood reverence well because his daily life depended on proper conduct before a human king. This earthly experience shaped his understanding of approaching the divine King with holy fear and respect. The message underscores that many Christians approach God too casually, missing the blessings found in the reverence of His name. Nehemiah, however, acknowledged sin—his own and that of Israel—confessing corruption and disobedience before God. Yet, while recognizing God’s judgment, he reminded the Lord of His covenant of mercy and restoration, demonstrating both maturity and faith. Nehemiah’s prayers reveal a balance of humility and boldness: he did not ask for personal prosperity, but for mercy, favor, and restoration for God’s people. His reliance on prayer—whether in private or in the moment of crisis before the king—shows that the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom, courage, and divine favor. Pastor Marcos draws a parallel between governance and the church, warning that corruption in government reflects the paganism tolerated in the church. Just as Nehemiah cleansed Israel’s worship from corruption, believers today must return to holiness and reverence, ensuring that their worship is pure and their dependence rests fully on God. Ultimately, the teaching calls believers to live in the fear of the Lord—a reverent dependence upon His mercy—so that they may walk in wisdom, experience restoration, and carry His blessings into their personal lives and communities. Inspired Teaching: Nehemiah 1:11 “O Lord, I pray, please let your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.” If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and it is, then a desire to fear His name it should bring to us the knowledge of how to walk in the blessings of God. First let us understand that the fear of the Lord is the reverence that it is due to His name. Unfortunately most Christians have a casual understanding of what true reverence is; now it is true that a father who is in a position of great authority wouldn’t get too upset if his child venture into his office while he is conducting important business, but he would make sure that such a distraction did not happen too often, for that would show him to be incompetent. So that the casual child like attitude that many Christians show towards God, though at times it may not be treated as irreverence by our heavenly Father due to our child like behavior, it is something that definitely keeps us from entering into His office where the business of blessings is taking place. For in His presence, while in fulfillment of His ministry, the protocol of His office demands maturity and self-control. For I was the king’s cupbearer. Nehemiah was a servant to the king. In those days the king had unquestionable authority over the lives of those whom he ruled; Nehemiah was a slave from a conquered nation who had gained the confidence of the king to be one of his many servants that attended to the king’s daily needs. Two things that you did not want to be in those days: one who delivered bad news to the king, or a personal servant to the king who failed to satisfy the king’s request, either one of those could get you killed. The point that I am trying to make is that Nehemiah understood what proper reverence was all about, after all his life depended on it in a daily basis, his actions and behavior towards God are recorded for the benefit of those of us who have a desire to learn how to come before God and into His holy presence in true reverence. Nehemiah 1:7 “We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.” A true sign of maturity is when a person understands the difference between the power of holiness and the weakness of sin. The reason why the basic meaning for the word reverence is the word fear, is because fear of not gaining or fear of losing our well being is what is at stake in our relationship with a holy God. After all He is holy and we are not, and without His grace, mercy, and compassion we are at a loss. A heart that deep within itself says, I am not worthy to be anywhere near the holy presence of God, will immediately acknowledge that fact if allowed into the presence of God. There cannot be any level of self righteousness within ourselves in the presence of a holy God. Nehemiah said, we violated the commandments, the statutes, the ordinances, we deserve everything bad that has happened to us, so that there is an inherited fear, respect, and reverence while in His presence that says, we are totally dependent upon Your mercy Lord. Nehemiah 1:8-9 “Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If your are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling place for My name’” Nehemiah acknowledges that everything bad that has happened to them is in accordance with what God had promised, so that he is in agreement with the Word of God; but then he pivots and reminds God that along with the judgment God also had promised restoration, that is why he starts his prayer on the basis of God’s promised mercy to those who would acknowledge their sins before God in repentance. Nehemiah 1:5-6 “And I said: ‘I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my fathers house and I have sinned.’” What prompted Nehemiah to pray was the bad news that he received from some travelers that came from Judah and Jerusalem. He was told that God’s people were in great distress and reproach, and that the walls of Jerusalem were also broken and the gates were burned with fire. Look at the humble heart of this man of God as he confesses before God the sins of the children of Israel and adds, both my fathers house and I myself have sinned and are responsible for this catastrophe that has befallen God’s servants, the children of Israel. In our opening text Nehemiah asks for prosperity: And let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man, but he is not asking for personal prosperity but rather he desires to be prosperous in the commodity of mercy. What Nehemiah is referring to is that after hearing all this bad news he is going to have to go and do his duty of serving the king,;a bad attitude is not going to serve him well in front of a king that does not like bad news. So he asks the Lord of Mercy for mercy when he goes before the king, knowing that he is not going to be able to be the usual cheerful servant that the king is used to. Nehemiah 2:1-2 “...I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before. Therefore the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart.’ So I became dreadfully afraid.” Obviously, the king kept a wide eye upon all his servants and immediately recognized that something was wrong with Nehemiah, not that he was so much concerned about his personal problems as much as he was probably suspicious of those around him when they were not behaving normally, that is probably why Nehemiah became dreadfully afraid. He could have been accused of plotting anything against the king and executed right on the spot, but he had prayed to the God of Mercy for mercy. Nehemiah 2:3 “And said to the king, ‘May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my father’s tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?’” I am pretty sure that the king kept track of all that was going on under his palace and knew that Nehemiah had received foreign visitors, and knew of the bad news that they brought to Nehemiah, so that once he heard Nehemiah’s explanation his suspicion abated. Nehemiah 2:4-5 “Then the king said to me, ‘What do you request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my father’s tombs, that I may rebuild it.’” What an amazing story, Nehemiah goes from a situation of been in dreadful fear for his life, to asking for the deliverance of an entire nation in the course of one verse; one can only learn that, from being in the presence of the God of Mercy, for those who truly fear the Lord are also made aware of His great power to impart the blessings of mercy. Notice how Nehemiah says that before he answered the king he prayed to the God of heaven, he probably said to himself, What should I ask for Lord? The answer was what he truly desired in his heart and what he had been praying for: Restitution, for that is what mercy does! In those days when a king asked one of his subjects for a request it was a big deal, for a king could truly make somebody extremely prosperous, but Nehemiah had not being praying for personal prosperity, he had been praying for mercy and restoration for his people. Imagine the surprise that the king had when the request that Nehemiah made was not a request for personal gain, but made on behalf of a vanquished nation. We are told that the queen was sitting next to the king when the request was made, almost like the king looked at the queen and then asked Nehemiah, how long are you going to be gone? If there is one thing that a king understands is the level of devotion that the subjects to his kingdom demonstrate, now he understood what it was that made Nehemiah such a faithful servant to his kingdom. Nehemiah truly valued the security that a well run government offered its citizens. That is why we are commanded to pray for those in authority, for if we understand how the physical authorities function, and how they are suppose to function, and have a healthy respect for the process of governing even under an imperfect human government, then we can live and minister in the house of God, the church, in awed, holy fear and respect for a perfect Sovereign God who governs justly. Nehemiah 13:30-31 “Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, and to bringing the wood of offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!” If a government is going to run properly it must rid itself of bias and corruption, a corrupt government will drown itself in its corruption. Nehemiah understood how the principle of corruption could bring down the human government, and he learned that in order for the house of God to be governed well, it also had to be rid of the bias and corruption that paganism brings into the house of God, for that is what eventually leads the contaminated worshipers into bondage. Paganism is to the church what corruption is to the government. And I venture to say that if a nation that was founded on Judeo Christian values, is now under a corrupt government, it is as a direct result of the paganism that contaminates the churches that exist within that nation that are supposed to promote biblical values instead of the human paganism that fosters and tolerates corruption. Think of that, the condition of the church is reflected by the condition of the government that rules over the nation where those churches minister. Makes you wonder, doesn’t? If we want to rid our governments of corruption, then we need to rid ourselves of paganism! It could be just as simple as that. Previous Next Home

THE DWELLING PLACE The objective of The Dwelling Place is to teach believers how to enter into the secret place of the Most High—God’s dwelling place—through prayer, sanctification, and intimacy with Him. By doing so, they learn to secure themselves in His presence, overcome sin, receive divine strategies, and walk in continuous victory over life’s battles. THE DWELLING PLACE Minister Lisa Kane December 28, 2020 Objective: The objective of The Dwelling Place is to teach believers how to enter into the secret place of the Most High—God’s dwelling place—through prayer, sanctification, and intimacy with Him. By doing so, they learn to secure themselves in His presence, overcome sin, receive divine strategies, and walk in continuous victory over life’s battles. Synopsis: In The Dwelling Place, Minister Lisa Kane draws from Psalm 91:1–2 to reveal the blessings, safety, and authority found when one abides in God’s secret place. The message emphasizes that dwelling in God’s presence begins with a personal decision: to set aside time, create a sacred place for prayer, and purify oneself by confessing and repenting of sin. Drawing on Nehemiah’s prayer, Joshua’s call to sanctification, and Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 6:6, Kane shows how believers must prepare themselves spiritually to experience God’s protection and power. The teaching compares dwelling with being securely placed in God’s “engine,” where the believer remains steady while God moves around them, ensuring they are always in alignment with His will. Once in this place, God provides strategies and guidance for overcoming the enemy—whether in health, finances, relationships, or spiritual battles. The message encourages believers to pray in the Spirit, seek the gift of tongues, and rely on the Holy Spirit for direction. Through persistent dwelling, the faithful can walk in victory, prevent attacks before they occur, and live with the assurance that God always wins in the end. Inspired Teaching: Psalm 91:1-2 NKJV He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” It begins with you. What is it? Life, blessings, favor, glory, joy, peace, comfort, love, victory over sickness, victory over Satan, victory in the war and battles you face every day. When God decides to move, you need to be secured in Him to know what's going on and not get distracted or confused by what’s happening. Nehemiah 1:5-9 NKJV 5 And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love [a]You and observe [b]Your commandments, 6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you [c]are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; 9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ I saw what Nehemiah did and decided I needed to do the same because I can see the difference between God moving in others and not moving in me. So I entered the dwelling place. What is the dwelling place? The meaning of the word dwell from dictionary.com: verb (used without object), dwelt or dwelled, dwell·ing. to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside. to live or continue in a given condition or state:to dwell in happiness. to linger over, emphasize, or ponder in thought, speech, or writing (often followed by on or upon):to dwell on a particular point in an argument. (of a moving tool or machine part) to be motionless for a certain interval during operation. noun Machinery. 1.a flat or cylindrical area on a cam for maintaining a follower in a certain position during part of a cycle. 2.a period in a cycle in the operation of a machine or engine during which a given part remains motionless. Reading the definition after already having done this is absolutely incredible. The meaning of dwelling has two parts. The first part is the verb, action. You take the action to make the dwelling place. Remember what I said earlier, “It begins with you”. The second part is what happens to you when you actually enter this place…you become the piece that completes the puzzle, or you put yourself into God and you become part of the machine/engine (God) that makes the device move. But notice how it works, you don’t move but the device moves around you. You are secured and planted in the device that when things move, you are safe. In other words, when God moves you are in the right place. This also means the device won’t work unless you secure yourself in. How did I enter this place and how did I secure myself in? I had to create it first. How? I set some time aside and made a place where no one would bother me. Matthew 6:6 NKJV 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you [a]openly. Get up and do it. Get into your secret place. It begins with you, and you need to get in that secret place. Once there, purify yourself by dealing with your sin. That means you need to ask God to forgive you of your sins. Joshua 7:10-13 NKJV 10 So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the [a]accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, sanctify[b] the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.” You see, even if you have been having daily devotions and praying but nothing was moving or changing, then you need to deal with the sin because you cannot stand before your enemies until you remove the 'accursed thing' or sin. And you will stand before your enemies and you will win. Joshua won but it took losing several thousand men at first because they didn’t deal with the sin before engaging the enemy. How many battles have been lost? Are you done losing? Say this prayer out loud in your new found dwelling place: Dear Jesus, forgive me of my sins and come into my life and heart and be my Lord and Savior. I’m truly sorry for sinning. In Jesus’ name Amen! This dwelling place with that prayer puts you right with God and now He moves. He will begin to show you how he works. Notice what he gave Joshua after they sanctified themselves. He gave them a plan of action, a strategy to defeat the enemy. Imagine if you knew in advance what to pray for? That would be a victory of prevention. Yes, you can prevent the enemy from even making the first attack when you’re in prayer with God and praying in the spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:14 NKJV 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. If you don’t know what to pray for in the secret place, let your spirit pray. He knows. Your spirit knows. If you don’t know how to speak in tongues, ask God for the gift and He will give it to you. It’s a tool all Christians need. After entering this place and sanctifying yourself, He will provide you with a plan of action on defeating whatever enemy you face, whether it’s covid, or another disease, or finances, or relationships…whatever you face, you won’t be defeated. You have the victory and it’s because of God. And keep entering this place setting yourself right with God. Speak in tongues and let the Holy Spirit move you. He will show you what’s going on in the world and you won’t be surprised by what happens. Remember, God wins in the end! Previous Next Home

WONDERS IN HEAVEN ABOVE The objective of Wonders in Heaven Above is to examine the prophetic significance of the heavenly signs foretold in Scripture, particularly those associated with the end of the church age and the return of Jesus Christ. Pastor Marcos seeks to guide believers in understanding how cosmic upheavals reveal not only God’s glory but also humanity’s central place in creation as God’s treasured possession, redeemed through Christ. WONDERS IN HEAVEN ABOVE Pastor Marcos Marrero Objective: The objective of Wonders in Heaven Above is to examine the prophetic significance of the heavenly signs foretold in Scripture, particularly those associated with the end of the church age and the return of Jesus Christ. Pastor Marcos seeks to guide believers in understanding how cosmic upheavals reveal not only God’s glory but also humanity’s central place in creation as God’s treasured possession, redeemed through Christ. Synopsis: In Wonders in Heaven Above, Pastor Marcos reflects on Acts 2:19 and Peter’s quotation of Joel concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit. While Pentecost marked the beginning of the church age, the prophecy also foreshadows its conclusion, when great wonders in the heavens will precede the return of Jesus Christ. Scriptures such as Mark 13:24–26 emphasize the sun darkening, the moon turning to blood, and the heavens being shaken—cosmic events announcing the arrival of the Son of Man in glory. Pastor Marcos highlights that while modern science reveals the immensity of the universe, it often diminishes humanity’s importance by measuring size and scale rather than purpose. The psalmist, however, reminds us that God created humanity as the crowning jewel of creation, granting dominion and significance not because of our size, but because of our God-given position and role (Psalm 8, Psalm 19). He contrasts the effortless act of God’s “fingers” forming galaxies with the full strength of His “arm” employed in the salvation of mankind through Christ. This reveals humanity as God’s most precious creation, His jewels, destined to reflect His righteous character. Before Christ’s return, God will shake the heavens and the earth, exposing false conceptions and setting the record straight, ensuring creation glorifies the Creator rather than itself. The message concludes by addressing misconceptions that life elsewhere would disprove Scripture, pointing instead to the reality of angelic beings who already minister to humanity. Pastor Marcos calls believers to remain watchful, understanding these prophetic signs, and preparing for the wonders that will precede the Lord’s triumphant return. Inspired Teaching: Acts 2:19 “I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke.” As Peter quoted the prophet Joel about what was transpiring after the Holy Spirit fell on the one hundred and twenty disciples and they were prophesying and speaking in tongues, the Holy Spirit did not stop Peter, but allowed him to continue with the rest of Joel’s prophecy that not only told how the church would begin, but that also spoke of how the church age would come to an end. We know from the history of the church that when the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers on the day of Pentecost, wonders in the heavens did not appear, for the sun did not turned into darkness neither did the moon turned into blood on that day, for those wonders are reserved for the times of the end of the church age to announce our Lord’s return. Mark 13:24-26 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” We have plenty of Scriptures that associate those wondrous cosmic upheavals to the return of Jesus Christ for His church. Since we are living in the days of the closing of the church age, it is imperative that we not only look for those signs to come to pass in our day, but that we understand what those signs are and how they relate to our present condition when they appear. What does the powers in the heavens will be shaken mean? Modern science has a very strong grip in our present understanding of the physical heaven of today, we see the pictures of the myriad of galaxies that fill the sky, and we struggle to understand the vast distances that separate us, not only from other galaxies, but even from those stars that are close to us within our own galaxy. The immensity of those vast distances, and the scope and grandeur of the cosmos in relation to our tiny earth, makes even those of us who believe that God created us feel so insignificant, that it diminishes our own conception of who we are, and it makes us wonder why such a great Creator would bother Himself with such a small speck of dirt. I believe that when the powers of the heavens are shaken, all those misconceptions that we presently have about the universe, and our importance within it, will be done away with right away. What does Scripture really mean when it states that the powers of the heavens will be shaken? Can we, from our present-day vantage point postulate what the real unseen power that runs the universe is? And can we imagine what the reality of the unseen universe will be when it is finally revealed? I do not know that we really can, but that should not stop us from trying to seek the truth that will prepare us to readily accept our place within the creation when it is finally revealed through God’s wonders. Where do we start? Psalm 8:1,4 “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens!...What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” When David saw the revelation of the many wonders of God’s heavenly creation, he felt the same way that we do when we gaze at the pictures that come to us from the universe that reveals creation’s wonders. It caused David to ask, if I can paraphrase: What is the human race that You visit us, that You care for us, that You give attention to? Immediately God answered his question. Psalm 8:6 “You have made him (humans) to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.” The answer lies not in the proportion of our size in relation to the greatness of the creation, but rather in the greatness of the position that has been assigned to us within the creation. As we read the history of the creation in the opening chapters of the book of Genesis, galaxies and constellations are not the focus, neither are black holes or dark matter, man is the crowning achievement of God’s creation! That is why he was put in charge of all that was created. Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handy work.” The firmament refers to the first heaven, the physical realm of which the earth is the capitol, where man was placed to rule everything from. So that while the heavens, visible and invisible, demonstrate how magnificently glorious and powerful the Creator is, His human creation before the fall, was created to demonstrate God’s righteous character and compassion, the invisible qualities of the Creator, into a visible forum He called the firmament where He placed His human jewels. So that the supreme qualities of the Creator are not seen through the heavenly bodies that He created, marvelously wonderful as they might be. The supreme quality of the Creator can be seen through the human creatures that He created in His personal image, as fully demonstrated through the life of Jesus, the only human able to portray God’s wondrous love in all its beauty and elegance, towards fallen creatures like us who did not deserve His love or compassion to begin with. Psalm 8:3 “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained.” God created all His heavenly wonders with His fingertips. Isaiah 63:5 “...Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me...” But when it came to the creation and to the salvation of His beloved humans it required all the strength of His right arm. If we put it within the context of God’s creation this is what it all means, all the billions and billions of galaxies, all the trillions and trillions of stars, all the nebulas, all the black holes, all the dark matter, all the dark energy, gravity, you name it, all of those things which exist in the universe were made by the simple touch of God’s finger. But when it came to His beloved humans whom He made out of earth’s dirt and placed us in it, so that from it we could rule over His entire creation, He brought the full force of His righteous right arm to bear, for to Him we are His jewels, the most valuable of all that He has created. Psalm 98:1-2 “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.” Science has it all backwards, they worship the creation rather than the Creator, who is forever blessed. Amen! So that before the Lord announces to the world the return of His Salvation, Jesus, who is coming to redeemed us, His human brethren, from the decay and corruption of this world that is passing, God will set the record straight once and for all, by shaking violently the heavens, the earth, and the underworld, everything that He created, as one who is removing the ingenuously designed wrapping on a present that He can hardly wait to open. Malachi 3:17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make them my jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” I constantly hear the harpings of this world sages stating that if they find that life evolved and exists in another part of the universe, that it will be a transforming event, they do not spell it out, but what they are saying is that it will invalidate the Bible and what it teaches concerning God’s special creation of the human race. In order for a life supporting planet to exist, it needs to orbit a star, the closest star to our solar system is light years away, we have a better chance of growing wings and flying by just eating ducks, than we would ever have of interacting with anything that is a light year away. They think somehow, that if there is intelligent life in another planet somewhere, that it will prove the Bible wrong. But yet the Bible teaches that there is intelligent life elsewhere, they are called angels, they live in a spiritual/invisible realm, and they interact with earthlings all the time. They travel back and forth from the presence of God to the earth all the time, as ministering angels on God’s behalf to the human race. Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all (the angels) ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” In our next lesson I will deal with the difference between the three dimensional physical realm where we humans live and the four-dimensional realm where the angels operate. As we continue to prepare ourselves for what might be a year of wonders. Previous Next Home

THE SPIRIT OF FAITH The objective of The Spirit of Faith is to teach believers the dual nature of faith as both a fruit of the Spirit and a gift of the Spirit, showing how they work together to strengthen the believer’s walk with God. It emphasizes that faith is the key to pleasing God, unlocking His power, and experiencing His promises, while also calling believers to nurture their measure of faith and connect it to the supernatural gift of faith for endurance, deliverance, healing, and transformation. THE SPIRIT OF FAITH Pastor Marcos Marrero June 18, 2021 Objective: The objective of The Spirit of Faith is to teach believers the dual nature of faith as both a fruit of the Spirit and a gift of the Spirit, showing how they work together to strengthen the believer’s walk with God. It emphasizes that faith is the key to pleasing God, unlocking His power, and experiencing His promises, while also calling believers to nurture their measure of faith and connect it to the supernatural gift of faith for endurance, deliverance, healing, and transformation. Synopsis: In The Spirit of Faith, Pastor Marcos explores the foundational truth that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is described as the most powerful force in the universe, the very means by which the worlds were framed and the unseen becomes reality. From Scripture, Pastor Marcos distinguishes between faith as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), which grows internally as we nurture the measure of faith God has given us (Romans 12:3), and faith as the gift of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9), an external empowerment from God that provides an added dimension of strength in times of weakness. He illustrates this through the story of the father in Mark 9 who declared, “I believe; help my unbelief!” showing that when our personal faith struggles, Jesus provides the extra boost through the gift of faith. Faith is compared to a car battery—sufficient on its own but sometimes requiring a “jump start” from an external power source. This external source is the Spirit of Faith that partners with our internal faith to overcome unbelief, endure trials, and prevail against spiritual strongholds. Pastor Marcos further highlights that discerning when “the power of the Lord is present to heal” (Luke 5:17) is vital, as demonstrated by the friends who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus in faith. Unlike the Pharisees, they recognized the Spirit of Faith and acted on it, revealing that unbelief blinds us while faith perceives God’s presence and power. The message concludes by pointing to the altar as the place where the fruit of faith connects with the gift of faith. Salvation itself is received by faith, but for God’s glory to dwell in our lives, we must continually unite our internal faith with God’s external empowerment. When truth within us meets mercy from above (Psalm 85:10–11), faith becomes an unstoppable force. Ultimately, The Spirit of Faith encourages believers to cultivate endurance, discern the move of God, and live in the overflow of faith that brings salvation, healing, and transformation through Jesus Christ. Inspired Teaching: Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Faith is the most powerful force in the entire universe: Hebrews 11:3 “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Without faith it is impossible to understand the invisible things that make up the vast majority of the universe. Faith is also the substance of what we believe to be true or real, and the evidence of those things which are invisible, but still we know that they exist. Faith is awesome! From the biblical perspective faith is revealed as a product or fruit and also as a gift; if we may ask, what is the difference between the two? Galatians 5:22 “But the FRUIT of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, FAITH.” KJV 1 Corinthians 12:9 “To another FAITH by the same Spirit, to another GIFTS of healing by the same Spirit.” All of us have been giving a measure of faith and it is up to us to nurture and to grow—as you would fruit in a plant or a tree—the measure of faith that has been given to us as in seed form. Romans 12:3 “…As God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” The gift of faith is more like an external force, unlike the fruit of faith which is more like an internal force. Do the two of them combine and if they do how do they work together? Think of faith as a car battery which stores the power needed to run the car. When the battery runs down—for whatever reason—it struggles to start the engine, in which case you connect it to another energy source with jumping cables. The external energy aids the internal one when they combine. The gift of faith provides the extra boost needed when the fruit of our faith fails us. Mark 9:24 “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’” This troubled father brought to the disciples of Jesus, his son who was in desperate need for deliverance from demonic torment; the disciples were unable to help the tormented boy. When the father of the boy saw Jesus and told Him about his situation, Jesus replied to him that all he needed was faith: Mark 9:23 “Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’” So the father had faith for he said to Jesus: I believe! But his faith was struggling and needed help, and Jesus did not hesitate to give it to him. Jesus helped him to overcome his unbelief. Jesus used this opportunity to teach His disciples about their need for more prayer and fasting to increase their faith when dealing with demonic strongholds. But our point is made that when our faith needs help, if we, with a sincere heart come to Jesus, with tears as if it were in desperate need, He will not fail to help us in our time of need, for He is faithful and He will not deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” Notice that it said: If we endure, we shall also reign with Him or have power from Him. The mark of true faithfulness is endurance; we never give up regardless of the outcome. Another way of connecting with this external force called ‘The gift of faith’ is through spiritual discernment. There is a time and place for everything the Bible tells us. Luke 5:17 “Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT TO HEAL THEM.” Italics mine. What does it mean by: The power of the Lord was present to heal them? I believe that this is what it means: THE SPIRIT OF THE GIFT OF FAITH was present! There was an atmosphere conducive to merge the internal force of the fruit of faith with the external power of the gift of faith. Luke 5:18 “Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.” Notice that the Pharisees and the teachers of the law did not perceive that the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Men whose names are not mentioned recognized that the power to heal was present, to such a degree, that when their way to Jesus was blocked by the crowds they climbed to the roof and lowered the paralyzed man down from the roof in front of Jesus. Wouldn’t you like to be friends with men of such faith like theirs? They saw the need of their friend and perceived that the power was present, so they persevered. What was it that blocked or hindered the Pharisees and the teachers of the law from perceiving that the Spirit of Faith was present? They did not believe that Jesus was their Promised Anointed One! Luke 5:21 “And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” What is salvation? To be forgiven by God from all our sins! Salvation is God’s personal Gift to all mankind. Salvation came as a human man. He came to His own and His own received Him not. But to those who believed in Him, to them gave He power, the promised of the Father; to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior you have been given the Gift of eternal life and abundant life. That internal faith that brought salvation to your soul is looking to connect with that external gift of faith that brings power to transform your life to be a glorious testimony for Jesus, the Savior of your soul. Matthew 23:19 “Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or THE ALTAR THAT SANCTIFIES THE GIFT?” It is when we bring the measure of faith that God gave to us to God’s altar that our faith is sanctified, and we are saved. In the same way it is, when we bring the fruit of internal faith to God’s altar that we get connected to the Gift of Faith that brings the power to heal and restore. Psalm 85:9 “Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.” We receive our salvation through the measure of faith given to all of us since birth. As we receive Jesus as our Savior this measure of faith is sanctified on God’s altar. His salvation is near to those who fear Him. But for His glory to dwell in the land, or to be manifested through us, we need to connect to the gift of faith that comes from above. James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” Psalm 85:10-11 “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.” As we declare that Jesus is our Savior and our Lord the Spirit of truth springs out of us and meets with the God of mercy, God’s righteousness that looks down from heaven and our faith becomes one powerful force that cannot be stopped. Truth from within us meets mercy from above us. John 14:17 “The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you.” Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; UNITE MY HEART TO FEAR YOUR NAME.” Italics mine. Previous Next Home

SOME HEALINGS ARE A JOURNEY The objective of this teaching is to reveal through scripture that Jesus heals in different ways and according to different purposes, and that some healings require a journey of faith, obedience, endurance, and spiritual growth. This teaching encourages believers to trust God even when healing is not immediate, showing that faith is developed through hearing the Word, acting in obedience, and believing that Jesus Christ still heals today. Through biblical examples and personal testimony, this study demonstrates that healing can come instantly, progressively, through spoken words, through faith-filled action, or through a process designed to reveal the works and glory of God. SOME HEALINGS ARE A JOURNEY Minister Lisa Kane May 6, 2026 Objective: The objective of this teaching is to reveal through scripture that Jesus heals in different ways and according to different purposes, and that some healings require a journey of faith, obedience, endurance, and spiritual growth. This teaching encourages believers to trust God even when healing is not immediate, showing that faith is developed through hearing the Word, acting in obedience, and believing that Jesus Christ still heals today. Through biblical examples and personal testimony, this study demonstrates that healing can come instantly, progressively, through spoken words, through faith-filled action, or through a process designed to reveal the works and glory of God. Synopsis: In Some Healings are a Journey, Minister Lisa Kane expands upon the account of the blind man in John 9, exploring how Jesus used different methods to heal people throughout scripture. Beginning with the blind man’s journey to the pool of Siloam, this teaching highlights that not every healing happens instantly; some require a walk of obedience, faith, and perseverance. The study examines how Jesus healed through spoken words, touch, rebuking spirits, forgiveness, acts of faith, and even through a process that unfolded over time. The teaching compares the healing of the blind man to God forming man from the dust in Genesis, suggesting that Jesus demonstrated His role as Creator by completing what was lacking in the man’s physical body. It further explores other healing accounts including the woman bent over with infirmity, the paralytic lowered through the roof, the epileptic child delivered from demonic oppression, the woman with the issue of blood, and Jairus’ daughter raised from the dead. In each example, faith, spoken words, and obedience played a central role in receiving healing. Minister Lisa also shares a deeply personal testimony of her own healing journey from diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and hormonal issues. She describes how her healing required overcoming fear, building faith through the Word of God, and taking a courageous step of trust in Jesus Christ. The teaching concludes with a powerful encouragement for believers to ask, seek, knock, and believe that Jesus is still healing today. Inspired Teaching: This past Sunday, 5/3/26, I heard Pastor Steve Randal, a guest speaker, speak at Servant’s Church on John 9 regarding the blind man. It was a short but very good teaching. It’s on Facebook if you want to check it out. I want to take that teaching and expand on it with additional scripture and more insight. The Holy Spirit was speaking to me during that church service and I was truly blessed. Let me bless you in return. John 9:1-7 NKJV Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I[a] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. There is a belief that exists, in which I support because scripture shows us this, that sin causes sicknesses; and we know in the ten commandments that sin is passed down to the third and fourth generations. So, it wasn’t unusual for the disciples to ask Jesus who sinned caused this man to be born blind. But Jesus response is remarkable…God did this to this man on purpose to show the His works in this man. Meaning, this man lived his childhood with no eyesight. Then, look at the way Jesus healed him. He spat on the ground and made clay. Then He rubbed (anointed) it over his eyes. Genesis 2:7 NKJV 7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Let’s think about what Jesus did and compare His action to when God formed man in His image. Here’s what I believe based on Jesus’ actions: He completed forming this man’s eyes. It’s like God decided to wait in completing this man’s image so He can show the world He’s the creator. This leads me to believe that this man was born without eyes. That’s speculation on my part but reasonable because God/Jesus finished putting clay in his eyes to finish forming him. But there’s more. Instead of ‘instant’ healing him then and there, He sent him to the pool of Siloam or called Sent, to wash. Now, if you went and watched Pastor Steve Randal’s teaching on this past Sunday, 5/3/26 on Facebook, he showed us a map of where the blind man was when Jesus put the saliva clay mix on his eyes and how far of a walk it was for this ‘blind’ man to journey to the pool of Siloam. Now I’m sure this man was used to these kinds of journeys, but this one was different. He walked with clay on his eyes down that pathway to the pool of Siloam in obedience. He did this because Jesus told him and he believed. How many people saw that? You see, Jesus didn’t heal to only show the group surrounding the blind man, but He showed the healing to all the people who saw the blind man journey with clay on his eyes. Maybe even some of them followed him to see what was happening. When he cleaned his eyes in the pool of Siloam, he was able to see. What an incredible healing this was orchestrated by God Himself. And it is still being showed to the world today through the scriptures of what God did. And this is where the title of this teaching comes into play. ‘Some Healings Take a Journey’. I can tell you from personal testimony how true this is. When I look at scripture, I see different healing methods. I want to share those different healing methods in this teaching to show you there’s more than one way to be healed. Luke 13:10-13 NKJV 10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way [a]raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. The woman who was bent over was bound in her infirmity. Jesus spoke loosening her from her infirmity and laid His hands on her. She was healed. Luke 5:17-26 NKJV 17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present [c]to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. 20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” Jesus forgave sins and healed at the same time because of faith. Again, He spoke over the situation. Matthew 17:14-18 NKJV 14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is [c]an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O [d]faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Jesus rebuked the demon and healed the child from that very hour. Again, notice Jesus spoke over the situation. Luke 8:40-56 NKJV 40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter [o]and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, [p]and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, [q]be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” 49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the [r]Teacher.” 50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go [s]in except [t]Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He [u]put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. This event in history is very interesting. The faith of a woman with an issue of blood healed herself while a 12-year-old girl died. Jesus raised the little girl from the dead, thus healing her. Again, He spoke over the little girl but notice, the woman spoke over herself. Let’s see this in Mark. Mark 5:25-29 NKJV 25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the [a]affliction. First, let me point out that every time someone was healed or risen from the dead, a word was spoken over them, whether by Jesus or spoken in faith by that individual. Second, all who were healed came to Jesus because they believed He could heal them. They heard and was obedient to the hearing of the Word. Romans 10:17 NKJV 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. In some cases, the scripture tells us they were healed within the hour. And as we saw in John 9, the blind man wasn’t healed until he made the journey. Jesus told him to go, and he went. He was obedient because he heard the word and he was healed. In my personal testimony, I was like the woman with the issue of blood, spending years and money with doctors dealing with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and hormones. I wanted healing and deliverance from those things. It took me about six weeks to build up my faith to walk away from all of that. And today, I am healed. It was a process where I had to be ‘blind’ to the doctors prognosis and see that Jesus is more than capable of healing me. I had to ‘learn’ to have faith and act on that faith…it was the scariest thing I had ever done. I believed, and I’m not sure where this belief came from but I believed that I would die quickly if I didn’t take all of that medication. It may seem like a crazy statement but that’s what I believed. Once I took my leap of faith, and I didn’t die, I believed Jesus healed me. In fact, I’m in better health today, and have lost 55 lbs since I made this leap of faith. This healing took me through a scary journey but Jesus healed me. The last point I want to make on all of the healings I know of in scripture is that each needed to believe. Do you believe that Jesus can heal you? Matthew 7:7 NKJV 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 is an incredible scripture. It tells me that God would move heaven and earth to give you what you ask. Have you asked Him and do you believe? He’s still healing today. Previous Next Home

FALSE TEACHERS WILL BE JUDGED The objective of Pastor Marcos’s message is to expose the dangers of false teachers within the church, explain how their deceptions arise, and affirm the certainty of God’s judgment against them. The teaching warns believers to remain anchored in the truth of God’s Word, discerning between genuine anointed ministries and those corrupted by covetousness, deception, and compromise. FALSE TEACHERS WILL BE JUDGED Pastor Marcos Marrero Objective: The objective of Pastor Marcos’s message is to expose the dangers of false teachers within the church, explain how their deceptions arise, and affirm the certainty of God’s judgment against them. The teaching warns believers to remain anchored in the truth of God’s Word, discerning between genuine anointed ministries and those corrupted by covetousness, deception, and compromise. Synopsis: In False Teachers Will Be Judged, Pastor Marcos examines 2 Peter 2:1–3, where the apostle warns of false prophets in Israel’s past and foretells the rise of false teachers within the church. Pastor Marcos explains how these individuals often begin with sincere intentions but fall prey to selfish ambition and covetousness. In secret, destructive heresies are introduced—eventually denying Christ Himself. The judgment against them is described as “swift destruction.” Pastor Marcos clarifies that this does not always refer to physical death, but more specifically to the removal of God’s anointing from their ministries, leaving their works empty and lifeless. Though they may continue outwardly, their ministries become tools of deception, spreading the lies of the enemy rather than proclaiming truth. Drawing from biblical examples—including fallen angels, the flood generation, and Sodom and Gomorrah—Pastor Marcos emphasizes that God’s judgment has never been idle. Just as Lot was delivered from destruction, God knows how to preserve the righteous while reserving the unjust for judgment. He further warns that ministers who distort Scripture for personal gain show a lack of reverence for the authority of God’s Word and risk blaspheming the truth before the world. Ultimately, Pastor Marcos exhorts believers to avoid ministries that appear alive in worldly terms but are spiritually dead. Instead, Christians are called to walk diligently in godliness, virtue, and self-control, making their calling sure. While false teachers follow the path of Balaam for the “wages of unrighteousness,” those who hold fast to truth will receive abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Christ. Inspired Teaching: 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.” When the Holy Spirit revealed the above verse to Peter, it was probably not very difficult for Peter to understand the meaning of it, for it simply reveals human nature at work when placed in a position of authority. But there is also a deeper meaning to the above verse that reveals to us how the enemy takes advantage of our human natural desires, and then turn what initially were well meaning teachers of the Word of God into carriers of destructive heresies. The first part of the revelation is that of the pattern, there were false prophets in the past so there will be false teachers in the present. The second part of the revelation is, that the introduction of the destructive heresies will take place in secret or unbeknown to them. The third part of the revelation reveals how the devil takes advantage of the misleading doctrines to turn them into the antichrist’s doctrine, which is to deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. And the final and fourth revelation is the judgment that the Holy Spirit brings upon those who peddle heresies. The end result for them is swift destruction, and this is not necessarily what we think of when we picture what their destruction would eventually be like. For us humans the word death always implies a cessation of labor, for after all, when a person becomes deceased they no longer exist in our present realm, so that for the living they are no longer a personal issue. But for the spirits that do not die, death is not an issue, so that when the Bible refers to unclean spirits and their demonic doctrines being judged, the word used for them is the word destruction, for when their laborious works are destroyed, their works are no longer an issue, even though the demons behind such doctrines might still be around. This is why the demons would say to Jesus, Have You come to destroy us before our time? When they referred to Jesus destroying them, it was their works that they were referring to, for that was what Jesus was destroying. For they knew that their final personal destruction, that is when they are imprisoned forever, would not take place until the final day of God’s judgment takes place. 1 John 3:8 “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” The first appearance of Jesus was to destroy the works of the devil, and His second advent will be to destroy the devil with all of his cohorts. The swift destruction of the false teachers has more to do with the anointing being removed from their ministries that started teaching under God’s anointing. Due to their selfish ambitions getting involved within their ministries, they allowed into their ministries false teachings that brought about the swift destruction of what little anointing they had. 2 Peter 2:2 “And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” If their swift destruction implies the removal of their anointing, then they will continue on with their ministries, but instead of them proclaiming the truth of God’s Word, their ministry will become one of opposing the truth and the propagation of the devil’s lies. Now, why would well-meaning ministers turn away from the truth of the Word of God and turn their ministries into peddling the devil’s lies by blaspheming the truth of the Word of God? 2 Peter 2:3 “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” The Holy Spirit reveals to Peter that even though these false teachers have been around a long time, it does not mean that they have not been speedily judged, for as Peter wrote, Their destruction does not slumber! Covetousness has to do with self-gain that often leads to the exploitation of others through the mischaracterization of God’s Word. Which leads us into what prompted Peter to start the second chapter of his second epistle. Let’s take a good look at the verse that preceded our opening Scripture. 2 Peter 1:21 “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” If I know that the Word of God did not come about by the will of men, and I do, then how could I ever miss use it or abuse it for self-gain? The meat of what I am trying to say is this; a minister that starts ministry with an honest heart and then, for some reason, turns away from the truth for self-gain, does not have a proper understanding of the veracity of the Word of God to begin with. For if they did, it does not make any sense why they would risk judgment. When we are not sure that there are consequences to wrong actions, it makes it easier to fall into the sin of misjudgment. And that is the primary reason why the Lord removes the anointing from the ministry, to let their leaders know that they are abusing or misusing His Word, in the hope that they will come to their senses and repent by turning their ministries back to the foundation of God’s Truth. Unfortunately, many ministries get themselves into debt, by trying to appeal to the masses by worldly means, and by the time that they realize that their problem is that the anointing has left them, it feels like it’s too late for them. For if they give up their misleading ways, that will mean the loss of all that they have worked so hard for, and that is a choice that many are not willing to make, so that their ministries becomes more like a carcass, or what could be called, the night of the living dead. Revelation 3:1 “...I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” So how do we keep ourselves from getting snared by ministries that have the endorsement of the world, that they are alive, when in reality every anointed believer knows within their heart that they are dead? 2 Peter 2:9 “Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.” Peter, from verse four to verse eight, lists a litany of past judgments that the Lord brought upon those who chose to rebel against His Word; he mentions the angels that sinned and God judged, the ancient world that before the flood rejected His Word and was utterly destroyed, the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and how righteous Lot was delivered from the destruction, then Peter adds, Then the Lord knows how to deliver the righteous out of temptation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. We need to believe that there are consequences for those who pervert and compromise the Word of Truth, and if we truly believe that, then we will not be partakers of their self-willed ministries, even if we have to endure their rejection for us and not be willing to fit in with them. For if we are accepted by the Lord, and we know it, then we do not need their acceptance. 2 Peter 2:15 “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” There are many perks offered to those who support ministries that deviated from the truth of the Word of God, from status within the community of believers, to real benefits that profit those who are in the ministry for personal profit. In the first chapter of his second epistle, Peter also offers a litany of the good things that we are commanded to do, like walking in virtue and self-control, as we follow the great and precious promises that our Lord has given to us, for us to follow, as we walk in His godliness, and then Peter reminds us of the real benefits of following the Truth of His Word. 2 Peter 1:10-11 “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call an election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Previous Next Home

SIN AND REDEMPTION The objective of this message is to help believers understand the reality of sin, its consequences, and the hope of redemption through Jesus Christ. It emphasizes that while sin takes many forms—such as lying, murder, witchcraft, and homosexuality—God’s love for humanity remains steadfast. The lesson aims to show that sin is an action, not an identity, and that forgiveness, deliverance, and eternal life are available to all who repent and call on the name of the Lord. SIN AND REDEMPTION Minister Lisa Kane November 17, 2020 Objective: The objective of this message is to help believers understand the reality of sin, its consequences, and the hope of redemption through Jesus Christ. It emphasizes that while sin takes many forms—such as lying, murder, witchcraft, and homosexuality—God’s love for humanity remains steadfast. The lesson aims to show that sin is an action, not an identity, and that forgiveness, deliverance, and eternal life are available to all who repent and call on the name of the Lord. Synopsis: In this teaching, Minister Lisa Kane explains that sin, in all its forms, is disobedience to God’s Word and ultimately leads to death. From the beginning with Adam and Eve’s disobedience, sin has marked humanity with mortality and separation from God. Using biblical examples, including Genesis, Leviticus, Romans, and the Gospels, the message clarifies that sins such as lying, stealing, witchcraft, and homosexuality are not overlooked by God, yet they do not disqualify anyone from His love and redemption. The lesson underscores that God hates sin but loves the sinner, as all people are created in His image and declared good. Redemption is available to whoever calls upon the name of the Lord (Joel 2:32; Romans 10:13). Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death is presented as the ultimate act of love, greater than any human understanding of love. Believers are encouraged to see correction not as condemnation but as protection, much like a parent protecting a child from harm. The consequences of sin are death (Romans 6:23), but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ. The teaching calls all people to choose salvation by confessing Jesus as Lord and seeking self-control through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). Finally, the message reassures that God continually invites His children back, offering forgiveness and the strength to overcome temptation, leading them toward the fullness of His image and eternal life with Him. Inspired Teaching: There are several types of sin: lying, murder, witchcraft, homosexuality and many more. Sin is disobeying God and there are many actions God says not to do that we do every day. People lie, cheat, steal, kill, among other things like witchcraft and homosexuality. Let us take a look at homosexuality. How do I know this is a sin? Because the action of this sin goes against what God decrees in His Word to all humankind: Genesis 9:1 & 17 NKJV Vs. 1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. Vs. 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.” Homosexuality is unfruitful. Two males or two females are not able to produce biological offspring and therefore is not fruitful. Homosexuality disobeys God’s word for all flesh. Does this mean that God doesn’t love you? Absolutely not. Remember, homosexuality is a verb, not a noun. Verbs are actions. The act of lying, the act of murdering, the act of homosexuality etc. are sins that God hates. Not the person, the noun. Does that mean there is something wrong with you? Absolutely not. In fact, quite the opposite. You were made in God’s image and He called us good. Genesis 1:26 NKJV Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;...” Genesis 1:31 NKJV Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. In fact, what is love? The biggest promotion from the LGBTQ community is that love is love. Here’s a friendly reminder, love is action and the only human to ever prove and show true love is Jesus, and yes, He did this for everyone, and we’ve all sinned. Joel 2:32 NKJV And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be [a]saved. Romans 10:13 NKJV For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Notice how important this statement is? God said it twice: once in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament. Jesus died for ‘whoever’ – no exclusions. That means you’re not excluded either, whether you claim to be homosexual or not. In reality, you’re just another sinner in the world…just like everyone else. Romans 3:23 NKJV for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Here’s love from God: John 3:16 NKJV For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. None of us can come close to that action of love Jesus took on the cross. When the LGBTQ community states love is love, do you love your child so much that you would let him or her burn their hand in the fire on the stove? Of course not. In fact, you love them so much that you smack their hands hoping the sting would let them know not to touch the fire. That’s what believers are doing with those wanting approval of their sin – any sin for that matter. In this particular message, it’s homosexuality. That’s what the LGBTQ community or the spirit behind them is saying…they want to sin and they want us to say it’s ok when God’s word clearly says it’s not. So every time something says the opposite of what they want, it stings, just like getting your hand smacked from your parents when reaching toward a fire; because you know deep down what God is telling you. And if you really want a more direct point blank statement in the bible of homosexuality as a sin, here it is: Leviticus 20:13 NKJV If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. Let’s talk about death here and understand the ramifications of sin in general, and not just the sin of homosexuality. Romans 6:23 NKJV For the wages of sin is death, but the [a]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The moment that Eve and Adam sinned by pulling the fruit off the tree disobeying God, they started to age. (See, sin is disobeying God.) They didn’t die right away. In fact, it took several hundred years before they finally died. Today’s life expectancy is much shorter but the point is that if you sin, you die. Sin from lying, murder, adultery, homosexuality, witchcraft, etc. leads to death. But God. The gift of God, His Son is eternal life. God is awesome. He dealt with sin by sending His son Jesus to die on the cross so that you could be saved if you want to, and this is from all sin. So you need to ask yourself, do you want to stay in sin or do you want to follow God? I know this stings but it’s your choice. I’d rather you don’t burn in the lake of fire from any sin you commit but see you saved! Romans 10:9-10 NKJV that 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. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. To choose God, say this out loud: Dear Jesus, I’m sorry. I’ve sinned and I ask You to forgive me of my sin and come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. Thank You for Your forgiveness and mercy. In Jesus’ name Amen! Now it’s up to you whether you want to continue sinning when it’s so obvious God doesn’t want you to. The first thing you need is self-control. This will overcome temptation with sin. How do you obtain self-control? Ask God. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Say this prayer out loud: Dear Jesus, Thank You for being my Lord and Savior. Help me overcome sin by placing self-control within me. Deliver me and help me stay focused on You. In Jesus name Amen! And just like sin in general, humanity continues to lie, cheat, etc…and when we do, go back to God. Ask Him again to change you and persevere in asking. Continue to ask Him to help you be in His image. He already sees you as that perfect jewel He made in you and He will get you on the right path if you want to. He will keep you from the temptation of whatever sin is your poison if you want to. You just need to talk to God. He’s waiting…start talking. Previous Next Home

GETHSEMANE: THE OIL PRESS The objective of Gethsemane: The Oil Press is to reveal the spiritual principle of transformation through pressure, drawing from Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane as the ultimate example. Pastor Marcos teaches that just as olives must be crushed to produce oil, believers must endure life’s trials and surrender to God’s will in order to release the anointing, experience purification, and be transformed into Christ’s image. GETHSEMANE: THE OIL PRESS Pastor Marcos Marrero Objective: The objective of Gethsemane: The Oil Press is to reveal the spiritual principle of transformation through pressure, drawing from Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane as the ultimate example. Pastor Marcos teaches that just as olives must be crushed to produce oil, believers must endure life’s trials and surrender to God’s will in order to release the anointing, experience purification, and be transformed into Christ’s image. Synopsis: In this teaching, Pastor Marcos Marrero explains the deep spiritual symbolism of Gethsemane, the place of pressing, where Jesus prepared Himself to fully embrace the Father’s will. Using the imagery of olives being crushed to release valuable oil, he parallels the believer’s journey of faith, showing that transformation from the natural to the spiritual comes only through the pressing process. He emphasizes that the Christian life is not an escape from trials, but rather the pathway through which God brings forth purity, anointing, and eternal life. Just as wheat must die to bear fruit and olives must be crushed for oil, so too must the believer die to self in order to live fully in Christ. Pastor Marcos highlights that tribulation is not removed but transformed into peace when we surrender as Jesus did, praying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” This surrender assures believers that every trial is part of God’s sanctifying process. The anointing itself, he notes, is tied to death—the burial anointing that leads to resurrection life. Ultimately, Gethsemane represents both struggle and victory. It is the place where the believer’s will is broken so that God’s will prevails, producing the oil of the Spirit that empowers, sanctifies, and completes us for eternal joy in Christ’s presence. Inspired Teaching: Mark 14:32 “Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray’” In the natural it is hard to believe that sweet clear oil can come from olives; just judging by their appearance it would be difficult for many of us to figure out that olives can produce such a great and valuable commodity if we did not know about them already. The Bible uses God’s creation in many different ways as a metaphor or in other words, God uses physical things that we naturally understand to reveal spiritual principles which are naturally difficult for us to understand, that is why Jesus used so many parables in His teachings. It would be extremely hard for, let’s say, creatures that know about the goodness and holiness of Almighty God, and who also know and are well aware of the rottenness of man, to think that in any way, shape, or form we humans are created in the image of God, but we are. And that is exactly the idea that this metaphor is trying to convey to us. Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing will be impossible.” The first thing that this metaphor teaches us is that the transition between humanity and divinity is a process, a difficult, some will say impossible process, but as the angel told Mary, God specializes in making those things which are impossible a reality. The foundational principle of this process is revealed in the reality of the life and death struggle that is found throughout the creation. Mark 14:34 “Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.’” Everything in creation speaks of the struggles between life and death, beginning and ending, and the continuance of life through procreation. Spiritual procreation however, and by that I mean the human transformation that takes place from natural to spiritual, from mortality to immortality, as well as the born again experience, cannot be attained unless one dies first. We see this in the creation as well, it is called metamorphosis. John 12:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” This process of dying to self so that we can become alive to God can be best understood by the Gethsemane principle that Jesus taught us. John 12:25 “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” The Gethsemane principle is one of slowly applying pressure until a separation takes place, the liquid must be removed from the solid, in our case, our souls which are spiritual in nature must be weaned from their dependence to the flesh, if the transformation is going to be successful. Psalm 131:2 “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” This principle is at odds with some of what we hear taught today about Christianity, for in some instances Christian doctrine is offered as a way to get away from pressure, sort of like a refuge from reality. I kind of get the impression sometimes that what some are preaching is, Come to Jesus and all your troubles and poverty will magically disappear, and you will have no more struggles with life. But that is not what Jesus said, unfortunately those who come to Jesus on the basis of a false premise are more likely to quit and give up. John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus makes it very clear that the aim of the process is not to remove the tribulation, the pressure that we are under while we are in the world; but rather that we may attain His peace in the middle of the tribulation. We convert the physical pressures of this world into spiritual peace, a peace that is not of this world, and the way that we know that we can do that is because He not only did it before us, but He showed us how to do it as well. And this is how He did it: Mark 14:36 “And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.’” Here is how I see it: If I know that all of my sins have been forgiven, and if I know that my daily walk with Him is one that continuously depends on His grace and mercy which are new every morning, and if I know that that is what keeps me in right standing with Him; then I know that if I am facing a difficult situation and I ask Him to remove it from me, for I much rather not drink of that cup if you will, of whatever it is that I am facing, and if He does not remove it from me, I am immediately made aware of the fact this is something that will be beneficial for me in the long run, and I must endure it. So that I do not feel like He does not love me anymore, or that He is punishing me for some old sin that He never brought up, or that I somehow fell out of His will for my life. Peace is knowing that it is well with my soul no matter what. If He removes the thorn from my flesh, I praise Him for His wonderful grace and mercy that He has shown to me, if He does not, then I praise Him for His wonderful grace and mercy that He has shown to me by letting me go through a process of purification that will make me more sensitive to His spiritual promptings. So like Jesus, in whatever situation I am facing, I let our Father know how I feel about the prospect of an undesirable tribulation that is coming my way, but then I say with a submitted and honest heart: Not my will, but Your will be done in my life. For I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I belong to Him, and that I am in His will to the best of my present abilities, and that whatever comes my way is part of the process that will one day deliver me into the joy of His presence, completed and transformed, into what He destined me to be, for He is able to do it, I just got to go along with it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” Now if I am one of those who believe that Christianity is like a club med type of resort, where all my needs are tended to immediately, with no disturbances to bother me, and I say in my heart to the Lord, When is that big limousine coming over to take me to heaven Lord, for as You know Lord, next year is not going to work out for me, for I got other and more important things to do? Boy! Then I would be in for a rude awakening. Think of all the different olives that are thrown down into the pit of the olive press, is any of them treated differently than the others? I think not! They are all pressed evenly and thoroughly until the process is completed, then and only then is the flesh removed, after all the oil has been extracted, the anointing oil that breaks the yoke. Mark 14:3 “And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His (Jesus) head.” Before Jesus headed for His encounter with Gethsemane He was anointed with a very expensive perfumed oil. Before the apostles of Jesus headed for their encounter with their destined Gethsemane, where all of them but John died as martyrs, they also were anointed with the precious oil of the Spirit that came down from heaven. Before we enter into our very own Gethsemane oil press, we are all anointed as well, for none of us can be born again unless we are first born of the Spirit of God. So that I see a pattern here. What makes the miracle of the transformation is the Oil of God in us, the anointing oil that breaks the yoke of worthlessness and makes us precious before Him. Many do not understand the function of the Oil of God, or the oil of the anointing. If you remember as the one hundred and twenty disciples were filled with the oil of the Spirit and had the oil of the anointing lid over their heads, some said of them that they were drunk, for they could not see the great significance of the event. Mark 14:4 “But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil wasted?’” It was the same when Jesus was anointed by the woman, some saw nothing but a waste of a good, perfumed oil, and thereby missed the significance as well, which Jesus soon reveled to them. Mark 14:8 “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.” Here is the revelation of the mystery that I see: The anointing that we all crave and want to be filled of with its power, its a burial anointing, a death anointing if you will. It makes me wonder how many of us when we pray for God’s anointing power for our lives, if we really know that what we are asking for is to die the death of the cross, die to self, die to life, that He may live in us and through us without us hindering Him and His will for us. Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the anointed One) lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Previous Next Home

HOW TO DISCERN A SPIRITUAL TRAP The objective of How to Discern a Spiritual Trap is to equip believers with biblical understanding and spiritual sensitivity so that they can recognize and avoid the snares of the enemy. By examining Jesus’ rebuke of James and John, this teaching highlights the danger of allowing anger, vengeance, or misplaced zeal to dictate our actions, reminding us to remain aligned with Christ’s mission to save lives, not destroy them. HOW TO DISCERN A SPIRITUAL TRAP Pastor Marcos Marrero Objective: The objective of How to Discern a Spiritual Trap is to equip believers with biblical understanding and spiritual sensitivity so that they can recognize and avoid the snares of the enemy. By examining Jesus’ rebuke of James and John, this teaching highlights the danger of allowing anger, vengeance, or misplaced zeal to dictate our actions, reminding us to remain aligned with Christ’s mission to save lives, not destroy them. Synopsis: In this lesson, Pastor Marcos Marrero unpacks the story in Luke 9 where a Samaritan village rejects Jesus and His disciples, leading James and John to suggest calling down fire from heaven as Elijah once did. Jesus rebukes them, revealing that they had not discerned the spirit behind their reaction. The teaching draws parallels between Elijah’s encounter with King Ahaziah’s men and Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem, showing how Satan often tries to derail God’s servants by tempting them to deviate from their true calling. The “trap” is in allowing righteous anger, offense, or hostility to replace Christ’s Spirit of mercy, compassion, and salvation. Pastor Marcos explains that the enemy seeks to disarm Christians by causing them to respond to hatred with hatred, thereby rendering them unfit for Kingdom service. Instead, believers must remain steadfast in Jesus’ mission: to heal the brokenhearted, set captives free, and save the lost. The true fire from heaven is not for destruction but for bringing light, conviction, and revelation. Ultimately, discerning a spiritual trap means recognizing when we are being lured away from Christ’s nature and into the enemy’s agenda. Victory comes by keeping our hearts aligned with Jesus’ Spirit of love and mercy, trusting God’s timing for judgment, and staying faithful to the calling of the Gospel. Inspired Teaching: Luke 9:55-56 “But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village.” The context for the above verses have to do with the fact that Jesus knew that this was His last ministry trip as He was going up to Jerusalem to be crucified. Jesus sent messengers ahead of His ministry team to prepare the people of the villages that He was passing through on His way to Jerusalem, for He wanted to do as much ministry work as possible on behalf of those who needed His ministry before His crucifixion. A Samaritan village upon hearing from the messengers, that Jesus wanted to minister to them before going up to Jerusalem, did not receive them because of the fact that He was going to Jerusalem, and the Samaritans of that village did not want anything to do with the Jews of Jerusalem. The Jews of that day did not consider the Samaritans to be Jewish enough to worship in Jerusalem, so the Samaritans had to worship God in Samaria instead, and there was a rivalry between them as to where the proper place to worship God was. James and John upon hearing from the messengers that the village that they were about to enter did not welcome them, said this: Luke 9:54 “...Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” Jesus rebuked them for not having the same spirit in their hearts for ministry that He had; and this is the part that I want our focus to be for this lesson. We need to consider what type of spirit is it that rules in our hearts as we engage in our pursuit of preaching the Gospel that Jesus preached to the masses. There are so many really bad things going on right now, everywhere, that if at some point you don’t feel like James and John felt at that time and wished that you could call fire down from heaven, then you better check your pulse. I know, we know better than that, thank God for hindsight; but not everybody is aware of this spirit of rage that can just rise up at any minute, even within holy apostles, and we need to learn how to discern and how to stay away from their hidden traps. Jesus rebuked against James and John had to do more with their failure to recognize this spirit for what it was, a spirit of antichrist, than for the foolishness of what they wanted to do. Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel (good news, not bad news) to the poor; He has sent Me to heal (not to kill) the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Nowhere in our Lord’s mission statement do we see the words, to bring fire down from heaven. Now isn’t He God? Yes He is! Does He have the power to bring down fire from heaven upon anyone He chooses? Yes He does! But if you are called by God to the ministry, then you better find out quick which type of ministry you are called to fulfill on God’s behalf before you start vaporizing people. It is true that Elijah had called fire down from heaven after prophesying that the injured king of Israel that ruled from Samaria was going to die. 2 Kings 1:2-4 “Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, ‘Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.’ But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Akron?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord: “You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.”’ So Elijah departed.” When we read our opening Scripture within the greater historical context we can see the trap that the spirit of antichrist was trying to set up against Jesus’ ministry team. It was from Samaria the capitol of Israel at that time, that the king of Israel highly insulted the Lord by trying to bypass God’s duly instituted Elijah’s prophetic ministry, and instead sent seeking for the counsel of Satan himself, the representative of everything that is in opposition to God and His goodness, just like antichrist is the total opposite of who Christ is and His goodness. So that we have messengers, Samaritans, the spirit of antichrist and Satan, all involved in an intricate spiritual plot to try and derail the ministry of Jesus who has been anointed to preach the Gospel of good news to the poor by the Spirit of the Living God. What is troubling about this story is that the two disciples fell for it. Now when the king of Israel saw that his messengers return so quickly, he asked them why had they disobeyed his orders and returned without accomplishing what he had commanded them, to seek the counsel of Satan on behalf of the nation of Israel. He was told that a man had ordered them to return to the king. So the king asked them who was the man that had spoken to them with such authority. 2 Kings 1:8 “So they answered him, ‘A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.’ And he (the king) said, ‘It is Elijah the Tishbite.’” So that the king knew that Elijah was a prophet of God, called to speak on God’s behalf as it concerned the nation of Israel and its kings. Angry at Elijah for prophesying that he would not recover from his injuries, he sent a garrison of fifty soldiers to fetch Elijah. 2 Kings 1:10 “So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, ‘If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.’ And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.” Now keep in mind that all of this is taking place during the time when Elijah was being prepared to be taken up to heaven, just like Jesus was. 2 Kings 2:1 “And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind…” Luke 9:51 “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him (Jesus) to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” And now we see that when the time had come for Jesus to be received up, as He is headed for Jerusalem trying to minister to as many people as He can before He goes back to heaven, how the devil tried to derail the ministry of Jesus in the same manner that he tried to derail the ministry of Elijah before He was taken up. The way to derail a ministry is by causing it to deviate from its original calling. Jesus ministry was that of: For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them. So the devil by his craftiness tried to use a historical instance recorded in Scripture, along with fanning the flames of anti-Samaritan feelings that were so prevalent among the Jewish people of that day, to change the course of Jesus’ ministry from that of saving peoples lives into destroying them. And if he is able to do that right before Jesus the leader of the ministry is taken away, so that while He is gone the deviation cannot be corrected, then the whole purpose of the ministry is forever altered, from that of being a ministry that aims to save people, to one that ends up destroying them. Although I am using the word ministry as an example, my aim here is more into the personal side of things. Let me explain: Luke 9:62 “...No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.” Satan is not so stupid as to think that he can derail that which the Lord has established, but if he can disarm as many of the Lord’s servants as he can, then the kingdom of God is hindered. A Christian is disarmed when he/she looks at the circumstances, that is what looking back means, instead of focusing on the foundational principles of our calling. We need to stay away from the frustrations that our present day evil brings; there is so much perversion going on, there is a total disregard for the truth, there is so much hate emanating from people that do not even have a clue as to what Christianity is. We need to understand that people have been blinded by the lies of this present age, and that Jesus came to bring recovery of sight to the blind. The fire that we call from heaven upon them is not for their destruction but for their enlightenment. If we fall into the trap of hating back those who hate us, then we are not in the same manner of spirit that Jesus is and become disqualified, not fit for the Kingdom of God. I know, it is so hard to pray for a world that murders innocent children by the millions and then calls it a choice, but let us keep in mind that God does not rejoice in their destruction, for He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. So let us not fall into the temptations of hate and vengeance for in due time God will deal with all the treachery, and when He does it will not be pretty. Luke 10:10-11 “But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the Kingdom of God has come near you.’” If it helps, know that the ministry of the Kingdom of God is two fold, the main and present purpose is to convert those who live in darkness into the liberty of God’s enlightenment, our part in this present ministry is simple, staying true to the fact that Jesus came not to destroy lives but to save them. John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” As long as we keep the same reference of mind with the mind of Jesus, that is how we know that we are of the same manner of Spirit with Him, no matter how much the evil perpetrated by the world keeps pushing us into repaying evil with evil, we will not budge. Now the second part of the two fold ministry of the Kingdom of God is reserved for the day of the great judgment. I guess that we could say that God is not judging the world as much for the evil that it did, but rather for the fact that it refused the opportunity to receive the freedom that it was offered by the demonstration of God’s great love. Luke 10:12-13 “But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city (the city that refused to receive the Kingdom of God). Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” But how can the judgment of God be rendered to them if the Kingdom of God has not been clearly demonstrated to them. In a sense we could say that the devil, by drawing us into the trap of repaying evil with evil, is trying to lessen the very judgment that will befall all those who have rejected the Gospel of Jesus the Anointed One. After Elijah had called down fire from heaven to fall consequently upon the two captains and their fifty men squads that were sent to arrest him, the third captain fell down before Elijah and pleaded for mercy. If he disobeyed the king he would have been killed instantly, and going to arrest Elijah meant certain death as well for him and his fifty men. But he trusted in the God of mercy to deliver him out of an unwinnable situation, and God answered him with mercy. 2 Kings 1:13-15 “Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: ‘Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight.’ And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go down with him…’” So that the fire was never really in Elijah’s hand, it was always in the hands of the angel of the Lord. Notice that the wise captain’s plead was two fold, he said, we were sent here to arrest you but we are now your servants, and since we are now God’s servants, ready to do His will, our lives are now precious to the Lord, and he made that fact the second part of his plead. By doing it that way the spiritual trap that was set before Elijah was disarmed and God was able to show them mercy; and at the same time God’s conviction of their horrible sin of seeking Satan’s advice over God’s counsel was never weakened nor compromised. Justice and love prevailed! Previous Next Home

THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR WORD IS TRUTH The objective of this teaching is to affirm the believer’s confidence in the absolute, unchanging truth of God’s Word. It emphasizes that truth is not relative nor subject to human circumstances, but is embodied in Christ Himself and confirmed in every one of God’s righteous judgments, which endure forever. By understanding the immutability of God’s Word and covenant, Christians are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith, resist the enemy’s attempts to sow doubt, and live in the peace and security that comes from loving and trusting the entirety of Scripture. THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR WORD IS TRUTH Pastor Marcos Marrero March 17, 2019 Objective: The objective of this teaching is to affirm the believer’s confidence in the absolute, unchanging truth of God’s Word. It emphasizes that truth is not relative nor subject to human circumstances, but is embodied in Christ Himself and confirmed in every one of God’s righteous judgments, which endure forever. By understanding the immutability of God’s Word and covenant, Christians are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith, resist the enemy’s attempts to sow doubt, and live in the peace and security that comes from loving and trusting the entirety of Scripture. Synopsis: In The Entirety of Your Word is Truth, Pastor Marcos explores Psalm 119:160 and John 18–19 to reveal the eternal nature of God’s Word and its embodiment in Christ. The message begins with Pilate’s question to Jesus, “What is truth?”, showing the tragic irony of looking Truth in the face yet failing to accept Him. Pilate recognized Jesus’ innocence but still surrendered to lies and political pressure, a vivid illustration of humanity’s tendency to suppress absolute truth. Pastor Marcos explains that God’s Word is not fragmented or situational; it is whole and unchanging. The challenge for believers lies in resisting the natural human inclination to treat truth as variable, shaped by circumstances or feelings. This tendency originates from Adam and Eve, who chose to believe the lie instead of God’s eternal Word. Likewise, Christians today face constant assaults on the truth of Scripture, where even doubting a single righteous judgment weakens their stance in faith. The message highlights God’s covenant oath through Jesus Christ, the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, sealed by two immutable realities: God cannot lie, and He will not change His mind. This unshakable foundation assures believers of His steadfast love and the eternal validity of His promises. Loving God’s law—inseparable from loving Christ—produces peace and prevents stumbling. Finally, Pastor Marcos exhorts believers to respond to attacks on God’s truth not with doubt, but with holy disgust toward lies and slander. By holding firmly to His testimonies, loving His law, and becoming doers of the Word, Christians can stand secure in God’s unchanging covenant love. Jesus, the very embodiment of God’s Word, guarantees that His truth endures forever—demanding our eternal trust and devotion. Inspired Teaching: Psalm 119:160 “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” If there is a kink in the armor of the faithful it has to be in their failure to comprehend the entirety of truth presented to us in God’s Word. It was Pilate who beholding into the face of Truth, stupidly asked what has to be the dumbest question ever asked: What is truth? John 18:38 “Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’...I find no fault in Him at all.” I do not fault people for not knowing what truth is if they have not met Truth, but Pilate met Truth in person and recognized Him to be Truth, for he also said that he found no fault in Him; if there is no fault in Him then He is the real thing, the entirety of truth. Is there something going on here that can help us to understand what the entirety of God’s Truth is? Let’s take a look at what Jesus said to Pilate first, who by the way, was not a stupid man, for Pilate’s position required him to be astute in both, politics and governance, which requires great insight into matters of understanding people’s behavior in regards to the application of laws. John 18:37 “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are you a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’” Pilate knew that the charges that they were brought against Jesus were politically motivated, for the ministry of Jesus was a threat to the Jewish leadership of that time. Pilate saw this as a struggle for power between the Jews, and he saw himself as the kingmaker. So that in essence what Pilate asked Jesus was this, Tell me, why should I make You a king, what’s in it for me? To which Jesus responded, You know that I am a King for you have seen My authority (I’m paraphrasing). Then Jesus reveals to Pilate what His ministry, or kingship, was really all about, For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. It was at that point that Pilate crossed the line, in what is a normal human response when confronted with undeniable truth, he turned and mocked Truth! After that Pilate tried unsuccessfully to extricate himself from the matter. He tried to release Jesus indirectly, by putting Him side by side with the worse criminal, but they chose the criminal over Jesus. He had Jesus tortured and punished by having Him scourged, mocked, and ridiculed, then he brought Jesus before His accusers and said: John 19:5 “Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the Man!’” But it was not enough to satisfy the lie, for the lie can never exist while in the presence of Truth, no matter how much the truth is ridiculed. John 19:6 “Therefore, when the chief priest and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, ‘Crucify Him, crucify Him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.’” The reality is that once a person is confronted with Truth there is no going back, they can try to suppress the truth all they want, but like in the case of Pilate’s actions, to no avail. What is the message here for us who believe that Jesus is the Truth? Is He the entirety of Truth, or like Pilate, are we struggling to come to terms with the reality of it? Let me explain what I mean. Here is what the second part of our opening text reveals to us. Every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. Our normal human response to truth is to recognize it at first, but we are also influenced to believe that truth can change in response to the changing circumstances. In other words, we inheritably take issue with absolute truth that endures forever. We inherited that predisposition from Adam and Eve who believed the lie of the devil at the cost of partaking of the tree of life, which is: Every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. So that as Christians we are confronted with a constant assault against the truth of the Word of God in which we first believed. All the devil has to do is to get us to doubt just one of His righteous judgments, and just like that, we will find ourselves outside of the absolute truth that endures forever. And like Pilate we try hard to make up for our deficiencies and we just end up making it worse. Here is the key that keeps us from falling away from the Word of Truth: Psalm 119:157 “Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.” I do not turn from Your testimonies, plural, that means I keep every one of them, and I know that His testimonies, or covenant, endure forever. In order to keep all His testimonies, all the time, we need to understand the covenant that God has secured to His testimonies. For we cannot keep any of His testimonies outside of the covenant of salvation. Hebrews 6:17-18 “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel (His testimonies), confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” The context is the priesthood of Jesus as the mediator of the new covenant, and it is within this context that God takes an oath which is based on two immutable, or unchangeable things: First is the fact that it is impossible for God to lie. The second is that God swore to the priest from Melchizedek’s line that He would not change His mind. Hebrews 7:21 “...The Lord has sworn and will not relent (change His mind), ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” Can you see how God deals with the tendency of our fallen human nature to see truth from the context of changing? He removes any grounds to doubt that we may entertain, by basing the New Covenant on two unchangeable facts: The God who cannot lie, swore that He would not change His mind! In the natural we see some things that are very dear to us today, fall out of our favor tomorrow. Persons that we love and have sworn to love in the past, can give us reason today that causes us to change our minds and our feelings towards them. And that is how we tend to see ourselves in the sight of God. When we are trusting in His testimonies we feel good and secured. When we struggle to comprehend the truth of His promises to us, we wonder if we’ve done something that caused Him to change His mind about us. Without love there is no way to resolve this. Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.” I love His law because I love Jesus; God’s law, God’s Word, God’s promises, God’s statutes, are one and the same with Jesus! The law of the Lord is perfect because Jesus is perfect! The law of the Lord is perfected in us when we put our trust in the entirety of God’s Word! Jesus is perfect in every way, therefore we love and trust Jesus in every way, there is no reason then why we should not put our trust in the entirety of God’s Word at all times, all the time, for ever and forever. Jesus loves us and has saved us; He swore on an oath, and He cannot lie, that He would not change His mind about His love for us. He loves us eternally and unconditionally, is there any reason why we should not love Him and His Word eternally and unconditionally as well? I see none! How do we handle then, the daily barrage that continuously confronts our trust and confidence in the Word and promises of God to us? Psalm 119:158 “I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word.” Here is something new, instead of distrust, when doubts are raised about the veracity of God’s Word, it is disgust toward the slanderers that raises up from within us. Is it not so that when something treasured that is beautiful and lovely is slandered, that contempt towards the slanderers is what rises? Why should we doubt the immutable and unchangeable Word of God that promises us God’s unending, fervent, and perfect love? Is not Jesus the manifestation of God’s perfect love towards us? John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” What part of Jesus do we not love or agree with? If we love and agree with all that Jesus is and did for us, then we also must believe that the entirety of God’s Word is truth. Since it is God’s Word who testifies of Him and of His love and of His covenant that He made on our behalf. We cannot and should not have one outside of the other! Psalm 119:166 “Lord, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments.” James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Previous Next Home