<![CDATA[Center - Asking for a Friend]]>Fri, 15 May 2026 04:58:29 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Who are the Watchers?]]>Thu, 14 May 2026 16:33:31 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/who-are-the-watchersWatchers/Watcher Angels are mentioned 3 times, all in Daniel.

Daniel 4:13 — 13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.

Daniel 4:17 — 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

Daniel 4:23 — 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’

The context of these verses is that King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream. In it, he sees a tree, it grows to become strong, reaching to heaven with abundant fruit, food for all. Beasts came and found shade, birds lived in the branches, and everything ate from it. A watcher, a holy one, comes and proclaims: chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves, and scatter its fruit…. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze…. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will and sets over it the lowliest of men. Daniel interprets the dream that Nebuchadnezzar is going to lose his power, and his mind, and will wander around like the beasts of the field. Because it is from the watchers, it is a decree of the Most High.

According to this passage, a watcher is a holy one, supernatural celestial beings with the authority to speak for God.

A greater bit of information is given in the non-canonical Book of Enoch. This is a book that is not believed to be inspired by God (as the Jews did not consider it a part of Canon, God’s Word), yet they highly respected it. It gives insight into what the Jews believed about the spiritual realm. We must be careful when reading non-canonical books though, for they are not the inspired words of God, and are not held as firm Truth. 

According to the Book of Enoch, they are either fallen angels or holy angels. They are called watchers because they take interest in human affairs, “watching” them. Sometimes they even interfere with or even control situations that people are involved in. Enoch says that the watchers are the angels in Genesis 6, the sons of God (ESV) that took the daughters of men, who then gave birth to the Nephilim, half angel, half human, who were the giants of old. After the giants died out, their evil spirits (because they were half angel) went out and are the evil spiritual forces that are now at work in the world. In Enoch 8, we are told that there were 200 in all that took part in this act of rebellion and defilement. The Book of Enoch is a pronouncement of judgement against the fallen angels. In part 2 of the Book of Enoch, these fallen angels are given a specific name, Grigori, a name/term never used in the Bible. This term came as a transliteration of the Greek word for watcher that was used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament).

Genesis 6 has caused a lot of questions from people, because the Bible glosses over the statement about the sons of God and the daughters of men. There are differing views as to what this means, and a lot of speculation. That’s the important thing, this is speculation. The Bible is not clear on this topic, and therefore we do not allow it to take our focus away from the Truth that we do know, as well as divide us over non-essential things. What we know from Genesis 6 is that mankind became so corrupt that God sent a flood to wipe out everything, but there was grace as Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. As we see the world continually be corrupt, we can know that for those who are in Christ Jesus, we have found favor in the eyes of the Lord, because He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

]]><![CDATA[Why does God let the young pass so early without intervening? Why does He take someone so good on this earth so young?]]>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:05:48 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/why-does-god-let-the-young-pass-so-early-without-intervening-why-does-he-take-someone-so-good-on-this-earth-so-youngThis is one of the hardest questions in the Christian faith, and it runs parallel to the question, if God is good, why is there suffering in the world? Before we begin, I want to make sure that it is known that if you are suffering from the pain of this question, I am praying for you. This is a question that I myself have wrestled with, and there are times that I still ask God why when it comes to situations that I see people I love so deeply for go through difficulty.

Yet, even more than I can feel the pain of those who are hurting, God feels that pain as well. This is the same God who watched His only begotten Son be brutally tortured, be mocked, be humiliated, and then on top of all that, had to forsake His only Son because Jesus took on the sin of the world. When Jesus heard that His friend, Lazarus, had died, we have one of the shortest verses in the Bible, Jesus wept (John 11:35). Jesus saw what sin has done, and it breaks His heart. Even knowing He was going to raise Lazarus back to life, Jesus still was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled…. and wept (John 11:33, 35). So if you are going through difficulty, if you are heart broken, if you are mourning, know that God sees you, He hears you, and He is present in the pain.

The difficulty in this question is that we may not ever know the why, specifically. We know that God created all things good. There was paradise on earth, Eden. Man walked with God. Man was in perfect relationship with God. And then man rebelled against God. In that moment, the curse fell upon man, but also upon creation. Death entered the world. Paul tells us in Romans 5:12, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin so death spread to all men because all sinned. Now you may be thinking that a baby hasn’t sinned, which is true, but the effects of sin remain on the earth, and through Adam’s sin, physical death comes upon every single person. Some live longer lives, others are taken too early. Paul tells us later on in Romans 8:19-20, For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility…. Even creation experiences the effects of the rebellion of man against the Almighty God. Sometimes, we are just left in the mystery of the why.

So I want to look at one question and one truth as we wrap up.

The first question is if we knew the answer to the why, would it make any difference? Even if we knew that it was an extremely noble cause, that great things were going to happen, would knowing why help us accept it? Sometimes, when we are in the midst of the pain, no answer is going to ease the pain. And sometimes we have to find peace in the truth, God is the One who knows, and He is the One we can trust.

We may never know, but we can know that He is good, even in the midst of heartache. This is where the faith of so many shines forth, when they are walking through the fire of life, and they are holding so firmly to the hand of God. I want to share an example of the faith I want to have, that has encouraged me greatly.

Every year, I get to attend a Church Leaders Conference in Dallas, Texas. In so many conferences, I always hear the motivational stories of my life was a mess, I found Jesus, and now everything is going up and to the right. Now, I very much agree that coming to Jesus brings healing, restoration, and purpose in life. But often I feel that these testimonies can point to if I just come to Jesus, I’ll receive the healing, I’ll get the job, I’ll find the success, so on and so forth. Last year, while in Dallas, Dave Bruskas, a leader at Watermark Community Church, was speaking about the characteristics of a disciple. He made the point that a disciple loves Jesus more…. more than anything. Then he shared his story, and it still rocks me to this day.

Dave always wanted to be a father. He started praying at an early age even, God, give me a son that will change the world. Dave ended up getting married, and he and his wife were able to conceive, and they had a girl. So Dave kept on praying, God, give me a son that will change the world. A couple of years later, God answered Dave’s prayer, and they were able to have a son. The problem revealed itself pretty quickly, their son had a bad heart. Surgery after surgery, their baby boy continued to not get better. Dave continually prayed for healing for their son. They kept having faith, God, this is the boy that we prayed for, a son to change the world. Finally, their surgeon came to them, telling them that there is one more surgery they can do. Dave and his wife asked the surgeon what they should do, in which he replied, if you don’t do the surgery, your boy will die. If you do the surgery, your boy will die. So Dave and his wife called their families, and they held their two-and-a-half-month old boy, praying for God to work a miracle, until finally his heart stopped beating. And so they continued to hold their little boy, until they finally started to walk out of the room. As they got to the door way, Dave continued to pray, God, I know that you are able, you can raise my boy, maybe this is the way that he changes the world, you will raise him from the dead! Yet, their boy remained lifeless. And it was at this moment, Dave turned to his wife, and told her, I think we need to tell Jesus that we love Him most.

Even in the midst of the pain, even with the heartache, they saw the goodness of God. They had questions, they didn’t understand why, but they knew that they loved God, most of all.

And even though there is death and pain in this world, Christ Jesus came to redeem this world, to take away the pain, and to bring us into eternity. So even when we don’t know the why, we are invited to the know Who, the One who conquered sin, defeated the grave, and promises us a future of no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more death.Even when we don’t know why, these are promises from God, that we can find hope in.

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 Corinthians 15:54-56

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. — Romans 8:19-24

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And He who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. Also He said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. And He said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. — Revelation 21:3-6
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God sees your pain, He is present in your pain, and He has given us a hope beyond our pain. Even when we don’t know the why, hold firmly to the One who gives us hope beyond the pain.]]><![CDATA[What happens to our souls after we die?]]>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:46:58 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/what-happens-to-our-souls-after-we-die
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What happens to our soul when we die? If God loves us as much as I know He does, would He just shut it down until His return or does He take it up to heaven to be with Him until He returns? ​

This past Sunday, we looked at 3 truths that every believer can focus on, regardless of their view of the “End Times”. Those truths are Christ rose from the dead (and we will too), Christ reigns at this present moment, and Christ will returnto bring us into eternity with God. Yet this posed a question, what happens when we die, and the world is still waiting for the return of Jesus?

We are told in Scripture what happens when Christ returns, those who belong to the Lord will receive new resurrected bodies, and He will usher in a new heaven and a new earth.
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51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 52 For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. — 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word form the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. — 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16
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Here, Paul uses a word for death, sleep. He is not speaking of soul sleep, which is a view that some hold, where the body and the soul cease to be conscious until the return of Jesus, but rather about the body being asleep. For there will be a resurrected body on the Day of the Lord. And notice what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:14, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. If their souls are still at rest with their bodies, then why would Jesus bring them back with Him? Even Jesus, when His body was in the tomb, was not in a “soul sleep” state, yet His body remained there for three days until it was raised from the dead. We are told in 1 Peter 3:19-20, 19 He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey…. Then, when Jesus rose from the dead, He received a new glorified body, not some floating orb, but real flesh. When Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples after His resurrection, He asked them “have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate before them. — Luke 24:41-43 (revealing He was not a ghost), and then He told Thomas “put your finger here, and see My hands; and put your hand, and place it in My side….” (John 20:27). This reveals to us that we will have resurrected bodies. This still leaves the question of what happens between the moment that we die until Jesus returns and we receive our resurrected bodies?

There are three predominant views on this, which we will look at briefly.

The first view is the Soul Sleep view, in which they read into 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as meaning that both the body and the soul are unconscious, waiting for the return of Jesus. This is different than the view of purgatory, in which the soul is conscious and in a state of being cleansed before being able to enter into the presence of God. Those who believe in soul sleep hold that everyone who has passed away and will pass away enter into a state of unconsciousness until Jesus returns, in which they will all be raised again.

The second view is that the body is at rest, but the soul is in the presence of the Lord in an intermediate body, not our physical earthly bodies, but also not our eternal resurrected bodies. There are two forms that this view can take:

  1. believers (with conscious souls) are without a body while awaiting their resurrection bodies (more like floating orbs in the presence of God)
  2. believers (with conscious souls) receive an intermediate body that somehow differs from their upcoming resurrection bodies

This view receives its support through the interpretation of 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, which states:
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For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened — not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

The intermediate body view reads into this passage that to not be found naked would mean that we are not just floating spirits, but that we also don’t have the resurrected bodies, so therefore there must be an intermediate body. They also hold to Revelation 6:9-11 as well as 1 Thessalonians 4:16 to support the intermediate body view.

Revelation 6:9-11 — 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 — 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
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The third view is that upon our final breath on this earth, we immediately receive our eternal bodies because of the nature of eternity, they are currently in their resurrected bodies because they are living in eternity “now”. God is not bound by time, He transcends time, and therefore when a person dies, they immediately are entering into eternity with everyone else. For us it may appear to be time, but for them it is immediate. There is no unconsciousness, there is no lull, it is just immediately in the presence of Christ with their new resurrected bodies.

Those views are all based on interpretation of the Scripture, and some of them leave us with reading into God’s Word what God never put there. What is the condition of our souls between the moment we die and the return of Christ? We don’t know. Charles Spurgeon once said,

If after that you desire to know more concerning this house, I can but give you the advice which was given by John Bunyan in a similar case. One asked of honest John a question which he could not answer, for the matter was not opened up in God’s Word; therefore honest John bade his friend live a godly life, and go to heaven, and see for himself.

But Scripture doesn’t leave us without answers still. Back to the original question, what happens to our souls after we die? Paul answers this question for us in his second letter to the Corinthians. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body (on this earth) we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Paul leaves us with only two options, here on this earth and away from the presence of the Lord, or away from this earth and in the presence of the Lord. He doesn’t leave room for a third option. In Philippians 1:21-23, Paul says 21 for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Again, Paul sees that to be away from the body is to be in the presence of Christ. And in 1 Thessalonians 5:10, Paul says 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Paul says that even if we are asleep (dead), we are with Him. Based on these passages, we can have confidence that those who have gone before us are in the presence of God, and we will be too after our final breath in this life, immediately before the One who loves us so much that He gave His life so that we can be with God for eternity.

Two last points that we can find confidence in this view that we are immediately with God. In Luke 16, Jesus shares about what happened to a rich man when he died, and Lazarus (not Mary & Martha’s brother) when he died. We are told that when the rich man died, he was buried and was in Hades (Hebrew is Sheol, the place of the dead), and was in torment. Lazarus also died, and was taken to Abraham’s side (aka Paradise). The Old Testament Jews viewed Sheol as a place where all the dead went, for the perfect sacrifice had not been paid yet. In Sheol, the place where all the dead went (for even David mentions Sheol in his psalms), there were two “locations”, Hades (Greek, but what many people consider hell to be at this moment, where the unrighteous went) and Paradise (by Abraham’s side, where the righteous went, those who had faith in the promises of God). When Jesus was on the cross, He turned to the thief who asked Him to remember him when Jesus entered His kingdom, and Jesus replies today you will be with Me in Paradise (Luke 23:43). When Jesus died, He went and proclaimed His victory to all the saints who had died before His sacrifice, the patriarchs, the remnant that held to the promises of God, all those who were in Paradise. He proclaimed His victory, and then opened the access for them to be in the presence of God forever, because their sins were perfectly covered by the perfect blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The thief on the cross was immediately in the presence of the Lord after his death. It is my confidence and belief that since the thief was with Him, why would I have to wait to be with Him after my death?
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Last point, look at the history and character of God. What has God desired throughout all time? He has desired to be with His people. He created Adam and Eve and walked with them. When man rebelled, He picked Abraham to create a covenant with, saying He will be his God. God then told man to build the tabernacle system, so that He could dwell among them. The Temple was built as a permanent (although insufficient) dwelling place for God to be with His people. God sent His Son to live among us, and ultimately die for us, so that we can have a hope to be with God for eternity. Upon the ascension of Jesus, God sent His Spirit to dwell in us, being a guarantee of the eternity we have where we will one day get to look upon the face of God with unveiled eyes, seeing Him in His glory! God’s desire has always been to be with His people. It is my belief and confidence that based on the character of God, and His desire to be with us, that upon my final breath on this earth, I will look upon the face of my Savior, and dwell with Him forever. What form I will be in until my resurrected body, I honestly don’t think I’ll care, my focus will be on Him.
]]><![CDATA[How can I know the Bible is true?]]>Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:00:22 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/how-can-i-know-the-bible-is-trueJesus tells us in John 17:17 "sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth." But there are so many different versions of the Bible out there, with so many times of it being translated, ​how can we know the Bible is true? 

Ultimately it comes down to faith, that we believe in God and believe that He has given us His perfect Word and preserved it throughout the generations, and that it is His Word for us. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 -- 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 → 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God has preserved His Word though, and given us evidences throughout His Word that help reassure us that we can trust what it says. 

THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
There are over 57 direct prophecies about Jesus specifically from the Old Testament that He fulfilled in His life on the earth. There are countless references to Jesus coming and time on the earth throughout the Old Testament as well, all of which were written 400+ years before Jesus came to the earth. 

*** The Birth of Jesus Prophesied***
His lineage 
  • Seed of a Woman (Virgin Birth) -- Genesis 3:15, Luke 1:26-36, Matthew 1:18
  • Promised Descendent of Abraham -- Genesis 12:3, Matthew 1:2
    • Isaac (Genesis 21:12), Jacob (Genesis 28:14), Judah (49:10), David (2 Samuel 7:12) --  Matthew 1:1-17
His Birthplace
  • Born in Bethlehem -- Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-6
  • Escape to Egypt -- Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:15


***The Crucifixion of Jesus Prophesied*** 
  • Jesus is the Passover Lamb -- Exodus 12:21-27, 1 Corinthians 5:7 
  • No Bones would be broken -- Exodus 12:26, John 19:31-36
  • Jesus would be lifted up -- Numbers 21:9, John 3:14-18
  • The process of His crucifixion -- Psalm 22, John 19:16-37

Click here for a complete list of the prophecies of Jesus that were fulfilled. 

THE EFFECT JESUS HAS HAD ON THE WORLD 
Think about it this way, Jesus was a carpenter from a town of less than 1,000 people, and He never went more than 200 miles from His home, yet people all over the world know about Him. 

We know about Bethlehem, a town of less than 1,000 people in another country. We know about a carpenter from another country. We know have holidays that celebrate His birth and death and resurrection. Not only do we celebrate aspects of His life throughout the year, but His life has effected how count time. 2000+ years ago, there was something that happened that changed our counting of time from BC (commonly Before Christ) to AD (​anno domini, in the year of our Lord). Even attempts to remove Jesus from time and go BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) still fail to explain what happened 2,000 years ago that would make the shift from BCE to CE. 

THE ACCURACY OF THE TEXT THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES 
In recent history, there have been discoveries that prove the accuracy of the Scriptures from the original writings. God promised this in His Word even, John 10:35, "Scripture cannot be broken", Matthew 5:18, "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." 

In 1947, a set of scrolls was found called The Dead Sea Scrolls. They were hidden in caves by some Jews, and contain manuscripts of every Old Testament book except Esther, and they were 1,000 years older than any existing Old Testament manuscript. So here we have discovered a source of the Bible that was 1,000 years older than any current source we had currently seen, and it proved the accuracy of the current translations that we had. Throughout the centuries of copying the Bible, the text had stayed the same. The only "differences" were minor spelling variations or the transposing of certain words in a few places. 

THE OVERARCHING THEME OF THE BIBLE 
The Bible was written by 35 different authors, spanning thousands of years, but yet their consistency and accuracy throughout that time stayed true. There is a harmony of the Bible, with everything pointing to Jesus. Jesus said this about the Old Testament even, John 5:46, "46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me." Everything in the Bible points to Jesus in some way or another, and the Bible never contradicts itself. It gives different views of what happened, but the overarching theme remains the same. 

There are many other proofs of the accuracy of the Bible, that God has preserved through time. Some other resources that you can look into are GotQuestions and CARM.  
​]]><![CDATA[Why do bad things happen to good people?]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 19:26:34 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people
  • Genesis 1:1 -- “1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

At this moment, everything is perfect, and through the course of Creation, the Bible continues to tell us that it was good. God continues to create, and He finally hits the high point, creating man in His own image. 
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  • Genesis 1:27 -- “27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” ,
  • Genesis 2:18 -- “18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”” ,
  • Genesis 2:25 -- “25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”
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Through this creation, and everything being good, Adam and Eve were able to stand before God and before each other naked and unashamed. But just like that, one decision sets the world on a chaotic path, heading towards destruction. 
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  • Genesis 3:1-7 -- “1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”
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From this point, pain, sweat, toil, ache, and death enter into the world. But there is something interesting in this passage:
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  • Genesis 3:1 -- “1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?””
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So the question arises here, why did God do this? Why do bad thing happen to good people? Why did God allow evil to enter into the world? 
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Before answering the question, I want to make sure we understand the heart behind the question, in case you are ever asked this question. ‌People usually ask this predominately in association with a devastating event. It comes in connection with the recipient being someone that we feel didn’t deserve what happened to them. We see that in the very fabric of the question, why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?
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We see "bad" as being whatever happened to them that we didn't feel that they deserved (abuse, neglect, death, disease, trauma, etc). We call them "good" because we see them as someone who is nice, kind, caring, compassionate, and maybe even innocent.

The reality is, whenever faced with this question, there is probably not an answer at the moment that would bring relief. Even if God gave you the why behind what is happening, would it really make any difference?
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If God said that the reason you lost a loved one, you went through that trauma, you were abused, you were neglected, whatever happened to you, was because some time down the road it would work out for good, would that make it any better? Maybe, but I’m doubting it actually would. So we have to realize that there is a time to just be present if asked this question, and that there is no answer that will help, but rather we give them someone to hear them out, to just be there for them. 
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But, there is still the question that is asked and people wonder why bad things happen. The simple answer, that is yet complex, is because sin is present in this world. 

  • Genesis 3:16-19 -- “16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.””

The result of sin is that bad things happen. From that moment in time, the earth has been trending toward destruction, awaiting that time to come.
  • Romans 8:22 -- “22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”

Paul tells us that there is suffering in this life, but he also tells us that it isn't worth comparing to the eternal glory that is to be revealed, and that is what the earth groans for.
  • Romans 8:18-22 -- “18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”

Not only does creation long for this time, but we ourselves long for it to happen to. 
  • Rom 8:23-24 -- “23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?”

As a result of sin in the world, we live in a broken world, in which nature itself heads towards destruction. This is why there are tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, floods, and earthquakes. 
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Not only do we live in a broken world, we live among broken people, who make bad decisions that sometimes harm other people. Not only are other people broken, we ourselves are broken as well. This is something we need to realize, there are no “good” people in the world, we’re ALL sinners.
  • Mark 10:17-18 -- “17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
  • Romans 3:10-18 -- “10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.””

The question may pop in your head, why doesn't God just wipe out all the evil in the world? That day is coming, but think about it a bit deeper. ‌If God wiped out all the evil in the world, that would include US as well. To wipe out evil would be to send people to hell, so if He wiped us out, we go hell, But God in His mercy and grace hasn’t done so, that more may come to repentance and find salvation in Jesus. Because in that, God is glorified, and that’s His goal.

  • Isaiah 43:7 -- “7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.””
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Here's my view on this, in order for God to be glorified, He has to be chosen. ​A robot cannot bring glory because there is not choice, it is forced to do what it is told. In the same way, love creates a choice, and God gave us the choice to choose Him. In order for there to be a choice though, there have to be two things to choose between. Therefore, we are allowed to choose between God and the world, which is sin. And that's the answer to the question, we choose sin, and our choices have consequences. 

But we can find hope beyond the bad things that happen, because God has given us hope.
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Hope that God can use bad things for good results
  • ‌Genesis 50:20 -- “20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
  • Romans 8:28 -- “28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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Hope that God’s always good, faithful, praiseworthy
  • ‌Job 13:15 -- “15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”
  • 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 -- “8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
‌When we have an eternal perspective, it draws our focus to the God who is above, in which we find peace that no matter what we go through, He’s with us
  • Hebrews 13:5 -- “5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”” ​

Hope that through struggles, it strengthens our ministry‌
  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 -- “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
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The events of our lives build our testimony, in which we are then able to help those who go through what we have.

Hope in knowing that Jesus knows what we go through‌
  • Hebrews 4:15 -- “15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
  • 1 Peter 2:20-23 -- “20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”
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We don’t have a God who is far off, but one who in Jesus knows what we are going through, and sends help

Hope that we are not alone
  • Romans 8:26-27 -- “26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
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Hope that this earth is not our home, we have an eternal dwelling
  • 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -- “16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  
  • John 14:1-3 -- “1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
  • Revelation 22:20 -- “20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
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Jesus has gone to prepare our eternal dwelling,
  • Revelation 21:1-4 -- “1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

Jesus will return to take us home, and there is ONE way to get there
  • John 14:4-6 -- “4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The reality of the answer to the question is this: There was only one good person, Jesus Christ, and the worst suffering ever happened to Him, so that through that bad thing, we might experience the greatest thing, eternal life
  • John 3:16 -- “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” ,
  • 1 Peter 2:24 -- “24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” ,
  • Romans 8:31-39 -- “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." 
‌]]><![CDATA[What is hell? And why does it exist?]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 19:03:03 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/what-is-hell-and-why-does-it-exist
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]]><![CDATA[How can I know a false prophet from a man of God?]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 18:46:36 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/how-can-i-know-a-false-prophet-from-a-man-of-godThis is an important question, because there are many people who distort the Gospel of Jesus. This has been the tactic of Satan since the beginning of time, where he was able to take something God said and twist it, thereby deceiving mankind. 
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Jesus promises that the gates of Hades will not be able to overcome the church, so if Satan can’t defeat the church, he will try to become a part of the church, to divide and weaken the church. 
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  • Matthew 7:15 -- “15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
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So the question is, how can we tell the difference between a false prophet and a man of God?
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Jesus gives us a warning as to how we can identify a false prophet in the Sermon on the Mount:

  • Matthew 7:16-20 -- “16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
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Peter even warns us that they weren’t just during that time, but that they are still going to come: 
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  • 2 Peter 2:1-2 -- “1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
  • 1 Peter 2:12-13 -- “12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,”
  • ​‌1 Peter 2:18 -- “18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
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During the Tribulation, there is going to be the second beast that will be a deceiver, causing people to make an image to it. 
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  • Revelation 13:13-4 -- “13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”
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So we know they are coming, and we know that we will know them by their fruit, but what kind of fruit is it that we will be able to recognize them by?
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  • 2 Timothy 3:13-16 -- “13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”
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Paul tells Timothy that they are going to come, and the way to know them by their fruit is to hold firm to what he was taught. What is it that he was taught?
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  • 2 Timothy 3:16 -- “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”
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God’s Word is the litmus test as to whether a teaching is true or false. Therefore, we hold firm to God's Word.
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There is a time where people will give up on the Bible, seeking higher enlightenment. But what John and the writer of Hebrews tells us, is that it is all about Jesus. He will never change, and He will always be the source of truth. 
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  • 1 John 1:1-4 -- “1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” ‌
  • Hebrews 13:8-9 -- “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.”
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We are to follow the Word of God over anything that man says, and Paul warns that we are to not follow manmade traditions. 

  • ‌Ephesians 5:6 -- “6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
  • Colossians 2:8 -- “8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
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So how do we do this? We test what we hear, and make sure it lines up with God’s Word
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  • 1 John 4:1-2 -- “1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,”
  • 1 Timothy 6:3 -- “3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,”
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Paul & John both tell us that even if an angel preaches something different, it is to be accursed
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  • Galatians 1:8 -- “8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
  • 2 John 1:7-11 -- “7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
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If you want to be able to tell a false prophet, study your Bible and know what it says. 

In the FBI, they are trained to be able to recognize a counterfeit bill. The problem is, there are hundreds of different counterfeits out there. Instead of studying each different counterfeit bill, they simply study the real bill so well that they know everything about it, so that when they see something that isn't right, they are able to know that it is a fake. ‌
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Are you studying your Bible well enough to be able to tell truth from a lie?
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When Jesus was tempted, He quoted Scripture, and knew Scripture even when the devil tried to manipulate it. This is why it is important to find a Bible believing and preaching church, in which you will be guided in the Word of God. This is why it is important to be a part of Biblical Community, so that you are able to receive Biblical guidance. And this is why it is important to daily be in God's Word, meditating on it daily so that you know what it has to say. 
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God's Word is what will direct you in the path that you are supposed to go, and anything that goes against God's Word should be thrown out as an imposter. ‌
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  • Titus 1:9 -- “9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”
  • ‌2 Peter 1:19 -- “19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,”
  • 1 Timothy 1:3-7 -- “3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” ‌
  • 2 John 1:9 -- “9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”
]]><![CDATA[If we believe in heaven, why do we hold to this earth so tight?]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 18:31:18 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/if-we-believe-in-heaven-why-do-we-hold-to-this-earth-so-tightToo often we make America heaven, and we don’t live with an eternal perspective, but an earthly one
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We see throughout the Scriptures that we are to lift our eyes to heaven, taking on an eternal perspective, not an earthly one
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  • Hebrews 12:1-2 -- “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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List 10 things in your life that you love
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We will come back to those later
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One thing that keeps us from wanting to leave, we hold on too tightly to this world
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Especially in America, where life is actually not too bad
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Jesus tells us multiple times that we are to let go of everything in this life
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  • Hebrews 12:1 -- “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
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— throw off the sin that entangles
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  • Matthew 10:37-39 -- “37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
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— love wife > Jesus ≠ worthy
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  • Mark 10:29-30 -- “29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”
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— leave all for Jesus, Jesus blesses
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  • Luke 9:25 -- “25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”
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— gain whole world = forfeit soul
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So much of our lives are spent seeking after perishable things, where Jesus tells us to work for the eternal
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  • John 6:27 -- “27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.””
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— work for eternal life Break down your week of the amount of time that is spent on things that don’t matter
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Some of it is important (hygiene, eating, sleeping, working)
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How much is taken so far to the extreme, that it is not important?
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Trophies ‌
Promotions
Social Status
Social Networking
Television/Internet
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How much is spent on eternal things?
Prayer
Bible reading
Discipling others
Gathering of God’s People
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Have we fallen in love with this world?
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  • 1 John 2:15-17 -- “15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
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— do not love the world
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We are called to throw it off, and then Hebrews goes on
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  • Hebrews 12:2 -- “2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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— fix our eyes on Jesus
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Too often, we aren’t looking to Jesus, but to our own desires/life
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Jesus tells us that we are to hate our lives compared to Him, and that in doing so, we will find it
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  • John 12:24-25 -- “24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
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Crazy thing: in order to find true freedom, we must become a slave to Christ
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Too many people claim that they believe in Jesus, but they don’t see the abundant life that He promises
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People will say what they think, but they will do what they believe
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Abundant life is found in Jesus, eternal life is found in Jesus, LIFE is found in Jesus
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  • John 17:3 -- “3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
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— this is eternal life
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  • John 6:68-69 -- “68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.””
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— You have the words of eternal life
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Is there anything on that list of 10 things that you would not give up for Jesus?
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  • Matthew 16:19-22 -- “19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.””
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— Rich young ruler
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He had the key to eternal life right in front of him, but yet he missed it completely
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He allowed for his things to become a god to him
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There is a part of us that desires to be home, with Jesus
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Even creation is groaning for that time to come
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  • Romans 8:23 -- “23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
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— creation groans
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  • 2 Corinthians 5:4-11 -- “4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.”
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— we desire to be home
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  • Philippians 1:20-28 -- “20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anyth…”
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— for me to live is Christ
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This is all easier said than done though
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Observations as to why we don’t want to go
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We are holding too tightly to this life
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We don’t truly trust Jesus that there is a better life waiting for us in the next
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We don’t truly trust Jesus that there is even a life after the next
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We don’t truly trust Jesus that living for Him is best
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We make ourselves our gods, instead of making Jesus our LORD
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  • Matthew 6:19-21 -- “19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
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— treasures in heaven
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  • Hebrews 11:36-40 -- “36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
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— those who died in faith
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  • Romans 5:3-5 -- “3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
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— rejoice in our sufferings
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  • Hebrews 12:1-2 -- “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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— throw off, fix eyes on Jesus
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  • Revelation 22:20 -- “20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
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— come Lord Jesus]]><![CDATA[How does being unequally yoked apply to outside of marriage?]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:09:54 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/how-does-being-unequally-yoked-apply-to-outside-of-marriage]]><![CDATA[What is my responsibility in dealing with a believer in sin?]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:27:22 GMThttp://www.centerchristian.org/asking-for-a-friend/what-is-my-responsibility-in-dealing-with-a-believer-in-sinHave you ever heard someone say, or even been told yourself, don't judge me? the Bible says not to judge others. As much as they are correct that the Bible does say not to judge others, it is not the correct context. The world is beginning to yell louder and louder that we are not to judge, but what is it that the Bible actually says?  What is the Christian's responsibility to seek out a believer living in sin?
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First off, Paul tells us that we are not to cast judgement on those outside the church, but that ​it is actually the responsibility of the believers to judge those inside the church. 

  • 1 Corinthians 5:12 -- 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?

Why are we to judge those inside the church? Because the end goal of believers is sanctification, becoming more and more like Christ. ‌This is difficult on our own, and so we need fellow believers to help us out and push us towards living like Christ. 
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  • Proverbs 14:12 -- “12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Humans are able to justify our actions, and we can make a lot of things that are wrong seem right. But in the end, those actions lead to death, and so we need fellow believers to step in and point out our folly, pointing us back to Jesus. 
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So, what is my responsibility to seek out a believer living in sin?
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The first thing that we have to do is check our own hearts. That was the point of Jesus in Matthew 7. 

  • Matthew 7:3-5 -- 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Before we go and we point out what the other person is doing wrong, we need to inspect our own lives and hearts and make sure that we are living according to God's Word.

​We also check our hearts to make sure that we are seeking the person's best. The goal is restoration and sanctification, not us proving ourselves wrong or molding them into living according to our standard. ​
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During Jesus walk on earth, disagreements with Pharisees, who were the religious elite that put laws on other people that they themselves were not willing to live up to. In Matthew 23, Jesus gives the Pharisees 7 woes, and one of them was that they don't do the very thing they tell others to do. 
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  • Matthew 23:3-4 -- “3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.”
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Jesus calls them hypocrites, following manmade traditions (and holding others to that standard) rather than following God. 
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So the first step to always start with is to pray that God reveal your heart and work in your own heart first. 
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We are told to make sure that everything we do be guided by love. 
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  • Ephesians 4:15 -- “15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” — must speak truth in love
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After you have prayed about your heart and the situation, it might be worth looking to see if you are able to overlook the situation. This is more in the sense of an offense, not in sin. We are called to point out sin, but often we are offended and it may not actually be sin, we took offense to something. 

  • Proverbs 19:11 -- and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

If you are not able to overlook the situation, or if it is sin that needs to be addressed, you are commanded to go to that person. Too often, we want to go to someone else and talk with them about it. Often we can do this under the disguise of seeking guidance or venting, but God's Word doesn't give us room to do this. Instead, God gives warnings against taking part in this type of discussion. 
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  • Proverbs 18:8 -- “8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.”
  • Proverbs 26:17 -- 17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. 
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Jesus gives us instructions on how we are to handle these situations in Matthew 18. 
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  • Matthew 18:15 -- “15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”
  • Galatians 6:1-5 -- “1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.”
  • James 5:19-20 -- “19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” 
  • Luke 17:3 -- “3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,” 
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Paul modeled this for us when Peter [Cephas] was behaving differently around the Greeks as he was around the Jews. 
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  • Galatians 2:11-14 -- “11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?””
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We are called as believers to help hold each other accountable and walk according to God's Word. This is why it is important to be involved in Biblical community. We all desire to be fully known, and the best way to do that is to live in Biblical Community, doing life together. 
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  • James 5:16 -- “16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
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Through all of this, we need to see the common goal, which is not having other people become more like we are, but having other people becoming more like Christ (sanctification). Too often we want people to measure up to our standards, but it is God who sets the standard for us. 
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Jesus went on in Matthew 18 to tell us that after we have gone to them, if they refuse to listen to us, then we are to go and bring someone else with us to them. 

  • Matthew 18:16 -- 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

If they still refuse to listen, then you are to bring it before the church, and then if they refuse to listen to the entire church, then it is time to cut off ties with them and treat them as if they were unbelievers. 

  • Matthew 18:17 -- 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.‌
  • 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 -- “9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.””
  • Titus 3:10 -- “10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,” 
  • 1 Timothy 5:20 -- “20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.” 
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A lot of times, the initial instincts are to go to someone else or to write the person off completely. This is the easy thing to do, not the right thing. God's Word tells us that we are to go directly to the person, and the final step ​after everything else is that we cut the person off, for their benefit. ‌The goal of all of this is sanctification
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  • Hebrews 12:11 -- “11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
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The last thing that we must do through all of this is we must walk in grace, just as God gives us grace. 
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  • 2 Corinthians 5:19 -- “19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
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We do not cast stones, we seek the persons best relationship with God. We do everything possible to help them in this. But, in order for this to happen, we must REPENT, turn from our sin and turn to Jesus.
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  • Hebrews 10:26 -- “26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,”
  • 1 John 1:9 -- “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ​
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