Did God or Satan Take the Life of My Son?

Did God or Satan take the life of my son. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi Bill Meyer, along with pastor Pedro Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question.

At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com hey Bill, so you usually begin the program with a good news story and I thought you know it's about time I shared a good knee story.

I have a couple to so here's a message that I got from a listener and someone who's a fan of core Christianity. I just doubt that this is so encouraging good morning from sunny Western Pennsylvania. Have a blessed day.

I am making plans to resume the Friday men's Bible study that I played for four years now with distancing things will be a little bit different, but will manage going to study Colossians and Philemon in a 12 week course. I'll be 75 this summer, but I can still recite most of the third chapter of Colossians because I learned it when I was 15 to get my way paid to summer church camp. All we had been with the King James version, and although the wording is different, the truth remains unchanged. Hope you and yours are well isn't that sauce about all that is so cool and what you writing Scripture on your heart. At the age of 15 in these later years later remembers that all yeah well that's what struck me the most is how Scripture memorization being in the word and as you said, hiding it in your heart and and it sticks very minute so cool to see here is that here's a brother who is 75 years old is teaching this Bible study is that the word written on his heart.

What an encouragement for all of us.

That is great.

I was encouraged.

I hope you're encouraged by that too is beautiful and I hope when I'm 75 years old I'm leading a Bible study and teach. That's right. A lot of people are focusing on fishing and golfing and he's focusing on God's word is really beautiful. Later let's get to our very first question of the day. This is a call that came in from José in Aurora, Illinois. My question is, I've been darting my salvation.

I started reading the Bible back in the early 90s. Back in those days I was addicted to cocaine and marijuana smoking and drinking about 15 years a boy quit about two years ago I quit smoking and I'm only about 560 days sober.

My question is, in my saved my life changed, but I doubt my salvation so anything you say much. This is a thank you for your question. Initially, my thought is, what does the Scripture say John says I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you might know that you have eternal life in Scripture. I think we were told that we got to be assured, confident in the fact that we are saved that we do have eternal life. On what basis on the basis of the fact that we believe in Jesus Christ that we have faith in Jesus that I used to struggle a lot with the same thing that you struggle with José when I was it when I was a newer believer and you know what the big shift for me was it was letting go of the sense that I need to keep myself saved by my performance and embracing the truth that God is the one who keeps us that God is the one who guards us get it. Salvation is a work of the Lord, and if it's his work. While I can't mess that up and neither can you. It sounds like the Lord has been a mighty work in your life. José but our confidence in God. Salvation should not come from how perfect we are.

How many days of sobriety that we have, but in God's word and his promise that there's nothing wrong with being able to say man look at how Jesus is working me over the years. I think that this is a clear evidence of his hand on my life, but there's also the danger that were putting our confidence in what we do instead of what he's done and if you're looking for assurance on the basis of how you're performing but it's good to be up and down that I can totally understand why you might question you might doubt your salvation because any of us and we look inside still see sin, we still see all of our weaknesses, our insecurities is easy to question we have to look outside of ourselves. You have to look outside of yourself, José DeJesus to his word to the promise of the gospel that he washes away all of your sins because you believe in him.

I think in Scripture assurance comes from from three places. According to the Bible one. There is no this this call to examine ourselves so we can look at our lives and say seems like the Lord has done working out at look at this this fruit that he's bearing in me by the grace of the Holy Spirit you think of passages of Scripture like John chapter 15 talking about hiding in the fine bearing fruit through Jesus.

But that's not the only place to look, and frankly I don't think it's the best place to look.

Because it takes time to grow in the Christian faith. And sometimes we look inside a site.

As I said we can be discouraged another place we get assurance from according to the Bible is the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 8 he says that the spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. In other words, this there's this sense that we are given by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives that God is our father that we can approach and that we belong to him. Now both inspecting our fruit and in this internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. That is sort of subject the right thing about what we can see in our lives and how we feel and that's why think the most important place for us to go for wondering if were questioning is to the objective promise of the gospel, given to us in Jesus Christ. One of the text that I that I often go to to bring this out as in Hebrews chapters 6 listen with the option of the Hebrew, said José. Hebrews chapter 6 beginning in verse 13. For when God made a promise to Abraham since he had no one greater by whom to swear. He swore by himself saying, surely I will bless you and multiply you, and thus Abraham having patiently waited, obtained the promise for people swear by something greater than themselves in all their disputes. An oath is final for confirmation so when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise that you and I José, the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to lay hold of the hope that is set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. Hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus is gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Now there's a lot here in that passage, but I just want to emphasize one thing the author the Hebrews says we have an anchor of our soul. You have an anchor of your soul, José. It's not your works. It's not how you feel it's not the length of time that you've been sober. The anchor of your soul is Jesus your high priest, who shed his blood for your sins cling to him look to him and rest in his forgiveness. What a beautiful promise of assurance from God's word and drill. Thank you so much for sharing that in José. We pray that that is something that will give you comfort. This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez and let's go to another question. This one came in on our YouTube channel which is YouTube/core Christianity.com it's from Bhutto in South Africa and window says almost every Christian church here in South Africa dances during the Sunday services is that biblical or is it one of the worldly things that's been adopted into the church. Hey Gunda, thank you for reaching out to us for the first text that comes to mind is, is that story and second Samuel chapter 6 unity of the account of when the ark was returned to the people of God and King David danced with all his might before the Lord seems like dancing can be an expression of joy in Scripture. The I've ever heard amazing news and it just made you want to shout dance leap for joy. I think that's the kind of news that the gospel is frankly made such good news that we should want to break forth into dance now course the context there is under the old covenant that wasn't the temple service that has strict rules about how he wanted to be worshiped and that there really wasn't any room in the Old Testament renovation you think about a Leviticus chapter 10, where God strikes down Nate having a Bible for worshiping him in a way that he had not commanded them to worship him. Under the new covenant we don't have a book of Leviticus and in terms of our music and style and the way we express ourselves.

I think a lot is going to be culturally determined, but here are some of the key questions I would ask you, does whatever is happening in the worship service. Give glory to God or does it give glory to man. In other words, is our expression and worship.

Whatever it is taking our eyes off of the Lord and putting it on us or is it not distracting is it keeping our eyes fixed upon Jesus. I do want to read it from what one text of Scripture thinking about your question someone hundred and 50. Listen to what someone 50 says the very end of the book of Psalms, praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in his mighty heavens praise him for his mighty deeds. Praise him according to his excellent greatness, praise him with trumpet sound, praise him with lute and harp praising with tambourine and dance, praise him with strings and pipe praise him with the sounding symbols praising with loud clashing cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, suggesting like that you know there's a place in terms of worship coming before the Lord with joy, jubilation, praise the Lord with dance.

I think we do as I say I want to be careful that were not taking our eyes off of the Lord and and being distracting worship so I really don't know what it looks like, and in the services that you're talking about. I can say to you that if I tried to dance it wouldn't bring anyone glory so we just don't do it, but I wonder if you have different cultures just as their singing to the Lord and and expressing themselves with joy because of God's mighty acts of salvation is someone 50 talks about it is okay to clap your hands into rejoicing to move a little bit better when my daughter, my youngest daughter was probably four or five years old. She would often break out into spontaneous worship dance during the service. We went to a large church with a lot of older people and the for the service was a little more formal and so you could often see some of the older people looking sort of askance at her as she would dance in the aisle and then one for her pastor said from the pulpit. He said no.

I just love it when these little kids are just dancing to the worship music here and he said, and if any of you older people have a problem with that. Just get over it you will you know if it's funny it reminds me of Jesus in the temple when he goes to the temple and were told that the children there were praising him. If you remember that the Pharisees, the religious leaders describes they were upset about this in Jesus's response is no haven't you heard out of the mouth of babes you have ordained praise and I think it's something to do what we think about what it means to be childlike before the Lord.

It's okay to rejoice in that way. What a cool, what a neat thing for us to to be able to come before the Lord, honestly and to rejoice before him. This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez and Pedro we have an opportunity want to share with our listeners today, which were very excited about. Yeah, thanks, Bill.

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Learn more or give us a call at 833. The core a lot of people do not realize that we are listener supported and so we count on people like you to keep this program on the air and we would ask you to prayerfully consider joining that inner core and helping us to get the good news of Jesus Christ out on a regular basis again. The numbers 833-843-2673 let's go to a phone call we received a realist one from Carrie in Tulsa, Oklahoma question mark PASSED AWAY AND HE AUTOPSY REVEALED COOL HIS HOUSE. THERE ARE RECENTLY TOLD ME THAT SATAN TOOK MY SON NOT CALLED AIR TO LIVE, BUT NOT MY SONS LAPTOP AND WHEN I SAW HE WAS PLANNING TO COMMIT SUICIDE A FEW DAY THAT HE ACTUALLY DIE. SO I BELIEVE THAT GOD TOOK HIM BEFORE HE COULD. THAT SAID, NOW I'M CONFUSED ALL AT THE GOAT PAINTING TO WAKE THAT UP AND HAVING TERRIBLE PTSD. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR THINKING SO MUCH THAT I SHAVE I BLESS YOU TO CARRY AND LET ME JUST BEGIN BY PRAYING FOR YOU HEAVENLY FATHER, I LIST CARRY UP TO YOU AND WE ASK LORD, THAT YOU WOULD GRANT HER YOUR COMFORT YOUR PEACE A SENSE OF YOUR PRESENCE. LORD FATHER AND THINKING ABOUT THE CRUSHING GRIEF. THE PTSD THAN THAT SHE MENTIONED. LORD WE ASK JUST FOR YOUR HAND OF GRACE YOUR HAND OF HEALING TO BE UPON HER THE PRAY LORD THAT SHE WOULD BE ENCOURAGED BY YOUR WORD BY YOUR GOSPEL THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO REST IN YOU, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENED LORD WHICH YOU COMFORTER. NOW I ASK IN JESUS NAME, AMEN KAYLA ME TO SAY SATAN DID NOT TAKE YOUR SON. I THINK THAT THIS IS THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I IMAGINE IT PASTORS WHEN THEY MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT ARE WANTING TO PROVIDE COMFORT THERE WANTING TO SAY GOD DIDN'T DO THIS IS NOT HIS FAULT.

THIS WAS ALL SATAN AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A DANGEROUS THING TO SAY BECAUSE WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES IS IT COMMUNICATES TO PEOPLE THAT SATAN IS REALLY THE ONE WHOSE POWERFUL. HE'S THE ONE WHO'S IN CONTROL THAT'S JUST SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH.

THAT'S NOT AT ALL WITH THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT.

I THINK IT ROBS US OF THE COMFORT THAT WE CAN RECEIVE FROM WHAT GOD'S WORD DOES SAY A PASSAGE THAT COMES TO MIND. CARRIE IS WHAT JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 10 BEGINNING IN VERSE 26 LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF OUR LORD JESUS. HAVE NO FEAR OF THEM FOR NOTHING IS COVERED THAT WILL NOT BE REVEALED OR HIDDEN THAT WILL NOT BE KNOWN. WHAT I TELL YOU IN THE DARK SAY IN THE LIGHT YOU HEAR WHISPERED PROCLAIM ON THE HOUSE TOPS AND DO NOT FEAR THOSE WHO KILL THE BODY BUT CANNOT KILL THE SOUL. RATHER FEAR HIM WHO CAN DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY IN HELL ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A PENNY, AND NOT ONE OF THEM WILL FALL TO THE GROUND APART FROM YOUR FATHER. BUT EVEN THE HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED. FEAR NOT, THEREFORE YOU ARE OF MORE VALUE THAN MANY SPARROWS. IF NOT, WHEN SPARROW FALLS TO THE GROUND APART FROM THE HEAVENLY FATHER WOULD WE NOT SAVE IT. YOUR PRECIOUS SON WAS IN THE HANDS OF GOD TO EVERYTHING CARRIE EACH HAIR ON HIS HEAD WAS NUMBERED. NOW NO PASTOR CAN TELL YOU WHY GOD ALLOWED THIS THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN. YOU MAY NEVER KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE WHY QUESTION COULD IT HAVE BEEN THAT THE LORD WAS WAS TAKING HIM HOME EARLY BECAUSE OF WHAT OF MIGHT'VE TRANSPIRED. LATER I DON'T KNOW BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE LORD LOVES YOU AND THAT GOD CARES FOR HIS CREATION THAT GOD CARED FOR YOUR SON. WHEN KING DAVID SON WITH BATHSHEBA DIED. DAVID DIDN'T SAY SATAN DID THIS, HE PRAYED TO THE LORD AND TRUSTING GOD AFTER IT HAPPENED EVEN EXPRESSED THAT HE WOULD GO TO BE WITH THE SUN ONE DAY. ONCE HE TOO HAD DIED AND I HESITATED TO BRING UP THAT EXAMPLE BECAUSE I DON'T MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT YOU HAD SATAN THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEATH OF YOUR SON OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WAS THE CASE WITH DAVID BUT I BRING IT UP TO SHOW THAT THE LORD WAS IN CONTROL AND DAVID KNEW THAT THE SAME THING WITH THE STORY OF JOB, YES SATAN TEMPTED, JOB, AND BROUGHT GREAT CALAMITY IN HIS LIFE. THE DEATH OF HIS CHILDREN, BUT THE LORD WAS ALWAYS IN CONTROL JOB AND COMPLAINED TO SATAN ABOUT HIS SUFFERING, HE CRIED OUT TO GOD. I WANT YOU TO KNOW ON THE BASIS OF SCRIPTURE THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND YOUR SON AND IT KNEW YOUR SON MORE INTIMATELY THAN YOU EVER COULD.

EACH HAIR ON HIS HEAD WAS NUMBERED WHY GOD ALLOWED WHAT HAPPENED TO TAKE PLACE. WE MIGHT NEVER KNOW, YOU CAN REST IN KNOWING THAT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED OUTSIDE OF GOD'S PROVIDENTIAL CARE AND THIS IS I THINK A SOBERING TRUTH. BUT IT'S ALSO A COMFORTING ONE BECAUSE YOU CAN REST IN THE FACT THAT GOD CARES FOR YOU AND HE CARED FOR YOUR SON AND AS I SAID SISTER REST AND THAT NO THE LOVE OF CHRIST FOR YOU. THE FACT THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL AND THAT HE HAS NOT ABANDONED YOU, EVEN IN THIS GREAT TRIAL AND CARRIE, I'M STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT YOU'RE STILL STRUGGLING WITH PTSD AFTER ALL THIS TIME AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE IF YOU HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO A CHRISTIAN THERAPIST.

THERE ARE SOME REALLY SOLID TREATMENTS FOR PTSD AND GOD WOULD WANT YOU TO AVAIL YOURSELF OF A PROFESSIONAL WHO CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS BECAUSE THE DEATH OF A CHILD IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS IN LIFE AND I KNOW HE WOULD WANT YOU TO GET SOME SOME HELP FOR THE SYSTEM AND NOT TO BE SUFFERING FROM THE SYMPTOMS WILL BILL YOU BRING UP SUCH A GREAT POINT. IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US AS BELIEVERS AND WE GO THROUGH SOMETHING DIFFICULT TO HAVE A SOLID SUPPORT SYSTEM AROUND US IN AND FINDING A GOOD COUNSELOR CAN BE REALLY GOT ME REALLY AN IMPORTANT ART OF THE PUZZLE THEREIN AND AS WE SAID HAVE SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW, BEING IN A CHURCH. WE ARE HEARING THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD WHEN IT JUST GOES TO SHOW WHY THEOLOGY AND HOW WE UNDERSTAND SCRIPTURE SO IMPORTANT TO THE EVERYDAY PRACTICAL LIFE. BECAUSE IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING LIKE THE DEVIL TOOK YOUR SON WHILE THAT THAT IS THE CAUSE FOR A LOT OF FEAR AND CONCERN. BUT IF YOU KNOW THAT THE LORD IS IN CONTROL. IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S BRINGING TO YOU THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD AND COMFORTING YOU WITH NO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED RIGHT NOW.

CARRIE AND SO I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU KNOW MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE IN A CHURCH THAT IS BRINGING THE WORD TO BEAR ON THE SITUATION AND GETTING THE EXTRA HELP THAT YOU NEED BY SEEKING OUT A COUNSELOR AS WELL.

CARRIE WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO PRAY FOR YOU AND YOUR SITUATION. WE ARE THE GOD WILL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF PEACE AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THIS THIS ANXIETY AND THIS PTSD THAT YOU BEEN STRUGGLING WITH YOUR LISTING TO CORE CHRISTIANITY WITH PASTOR ADM. SANCHEZ WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR US. THE NUMBER IS 833-843-2673 IF YOU WANT TO SPELL IT OUT IN YOUR PHONE IS 833 THE CORE AND YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US AT QUESTIONS AT CORE, CHRISTIANITY.COM DRILL WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM JOHN WHO IS 12 YEARS OLD. HE LIVES IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND JOHN SAYS HERE'S MY QUESTION. WOULD YOU GO TO HELL TO SAVE TO SINNERS. THANK YOU. WHILE JOHN, WHAT A QUESTION I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A QUESTION LIKE THAT, AND FRANKLY, YOUR YOUR QUESTION CONVICTS ME AND HERE'S WHY I THINK MANY OF US ARE OFTEN UNWILLING TO GO OUTSIDE OF OUR OWN COMFORTS IN ORDER TO SEEK AND SAVE SINNERS, MUCH LESS TO SAY WOULD BE WILLING TO GO TO HELL TO DO THAT, WE MAKE EXCUSES FOR WHY WE DON'T NEED TO SHARE JESUS OR WHY IT WOULD BE TOO AWKWARD OR OR HOW WE CAN PREACH THE GOSPEL WITH OUR LIVES BUT DON'T REALLY HAVE TO USE OUR LIPS. IF YOU DON'T SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST YOU'VE ACTUALLY NEVER SHARED THE GOSPEL. YOUR QUESTION IS A REALLY GOOD ONE AND THAT IS MUCH AS I'D LOVE TO SAY YES OF COURSE I KNOW MY OWN SINFUL HEART. MY SELFISHNESS NOW THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE BIBLE WHO DID SAY THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THIS IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT PAUL SAID IN ROMANS CHAPTER 9 AT 60 REALLY REALLY WONDERFUL PASSES WE JUST TURN THE ROMANS CHAPTER 9 BEGINS. I AM SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN CHRIST. I AM NOT LYING, MY CONSCIENCE BEARS ME WITNESS IN THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT I HAVE GREAT SORROW AND UNCEASING ANGUISH IN MY HEART FOR I COULD WISH THAT I MYSELF WERE ACCURSED AND CUT OFF FROM CHRIST FOR THE SAKE OF MY BROTHERS.

MY KINSMAN ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, AND THEN HE GOES ON TO DESCRIBE ESSENTIALLY HOW ISRAEL ETHNIC ISRAEL HAD REJECTED GOD SO MANY OF THEM HAD TURNED AWAY AND IN ALL IS ESSENTIALLY EXPLAINING HOW GOD'S PROMISES HAVE NOT FAILED. IN SPITE OF THIS, BUT HE SAYS THERE I COULD WISH THAT I MYSELF VERSE THREE WERE ACCURSED AND CUT OFF FROM CHRIST.

NOW OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THAT'S A HYPOTHETICAL. HE KNOWS THAT THAT CAN'T THAT YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT A HABIT THAT I CAN REALLY HAPPEN BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU SAY YES TO LOVE FOR HIS KINSMAN, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, FOR THESE JEWS THAT IF HE COULD TRADE PLACES. IF YOU COULD IF HE COULD BE CURSED SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED.

HE WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT NOW.

WHAT I WOULD WOULD MOST OF US AS BELIEVERS.

LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE LOVE TO SAY YES, BUT I KNOW THIS IS WHAT SO CONVICTING. I KNOW THAT SO OFTEN WERE NOT WILLING TO LAY ASIDE TO SOME OF THE MOST BASIC COMFORTS TO SHARE JESUS WITH OTHERS. HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS THOUGH, I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO HELL TO SAVE SINNERS. I'M ONE OF THE SINNERS NEED SAVING.

AND JESUS WENT TO HELL FOR ME FOR US ON THE CROSS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT ON THE CROSS. HE BORE OUR JUDGMENT. THE CURSE THAT WAS DUE TO US BECAUSE OF OUR SIN, HE TRADED PLACES WITH US IS THE SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST, SO THAT IT IS NOT ABOUT ME LAYING DOWN MY LIFE FOR OTHERS SO THAT THEY CAN BE SAVED. IT'S ABOUT ME POINTING OTHERS TO THE ONE WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THEM. JESUS AND THAT'S THE HOPE THAT WE HAVE JOHN THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.

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