How To Have Faith and Hope In The Age of Fake News

When someone takes God's name in vain. How should we respond. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel 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 first step today a seven-year-old boy does something special for the Queen of England.

The little guy created a word search puzzle and sent it to her Majesty to keep her entertained during the covert lockdown Timothy matters from Essex, England was worried that the Queen might be bored and sad during the lockdown, so he created a happiness seemed puzzle to keep her busy in his very best handwriting. Timothy had hidden words such as happiness, love, family and sunshine. Throughout his royal puzzle and Timothy and his family were amazed when they actually got a letter back from one of her Majesty's staff members thanking him for his kind and thoughtful puzzle. Let us meet that they responded to him out.

You know that is very me just so cool to see these kids are of these great ideas during the whole covert situation and really thinking outside the box. I think they venerate our neighborhood. Here we have kids in our writing chalk drawings and hearts and will make it through and things like that you know if if Bill, I know that you're looking for stuff to do so with maybe some of the listeners want to send you a crossword puzzle that they've made that would be no address are listed to our first question of the day. This is an email we received from Nathan and he says how can I grow in my desire to pray in a group I struggle with others approval so much that when I get together with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

My anxiety grows and I struggled to pray for my heart and my thoughts get clouded.

I don't like this about myself but I desire to grow in courage and confidence. How can I grow in this as a believer yeah Nathan, thanks for that question and I think that a lot of us can sympathize with you in prayer is is something worse for so many Christians is difficult, especially praying with and around other believers that the first thing that I think is that all prayer in one sense, even when you're by yourself is meant to be corporate in nature. When you buy that you think about how Jesus taught his disciples to pray the Lord's prayer in Matthew chapter 6 our father in heaven. Holly would be your name is give us this day not give me this day my daily bread.

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors lead us not into temptation other words, even when were praying Nathan by ourselves, we should be praying together with and for the whole church were saying, Lord, help us deliver us, nourish us.

It's so important, I think that we pray in this way, remember me about reading a while back a book by a man he was a pastor he still is actually who lost his wife to brain disease and he said traces that the story of their marriage falling in love getting married their life together in ministry. And then as she was diagnosed got sick and then slow deterioration and he talks about how one point she got to a point where she just felt like she couldn't pray anymore. And no matter how much he tried to just it just could not pray and he talked about how significant it was to be a part of the worshiping community and to know and for her to know that other people were praying with and for her when she felt like she didn't have the word slave. It is just wasn't there couldn't come out of her.

She knew the body of Christ was praying there with her and that's that's when the sweet things about the family of God is even when Jesus teaches us how to pray. This is all prayer should be corporate in that sense were praying. Help us Lord our father in heaven, hallowed be your name is I think difficult for many of us and I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you know part of it is the desire for other people's approval. We get really self-conscious when we pray in front of the people because we want them to like us. We want them to think a way that was. It was a good prayer that was a spiritual prayer we have to see Jesus's warning a little bit prior to the Lord's prayer that he gave in Matthew chapter 6 of us know what he said in verse five when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at street corners that they may be seen by others. Truly I say to you they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you see one of the problems that the religious leaders had in Jesus's day is when they prayed they didn't for other people. They wanted people to see them to praise them to think, oh boy, what it was spiritual person that is. And Jesus says that's hypocrisy when you pray, pray before the Lord your Father in heaven, shut your door go in your closet and approach him and he sees you and he will reward you know that doesn't mean that we can't pray together with the body of Christ or with other believers around us and I think that's a wonderful thing to but I think we have to be careful that were praying not so that they will hear us, so that God will hear us and I think deep down inside with their with their is here is there's a pride there's a desire to be is is you said like approved of, viewed as having this level of spirituality that we when you catch yourself doing the say Lord forgive me, forgive me for praying so that others will hear me and not so that you will hear me and ask God to help you Nathan, I think, and I think that's a prayer that God will answer when you ask God to help you and say Lord I don't want to pray for others so that they will approve of me so that they will like me. I want to pray to you, I want to draw near to you. Even when I'm gathered together with other believers and I think that should be the goal and so I think one of you recognize that this is an issue you here Jesus is teaching their you know that this is an area where you want to grow. I think confessing and saying, Lord, help me. I confess you that there are times run. I'm doing this for Theo to please other people and not to please you help me and help me Lord to be able to set aside those distractions and just to approach US my heavenly father even when I'm praying with other believers so I really appreciate your question. If you need a one other thing that I'll just say thinking about this idea of corporate prayer you heard of a rope team mountain climbers you know is is there climbing up. Think of a snowy mountain using those pictures maybe in the movies you know whether all tied together the ropes together as there climbing up the mountain. Will the reason you have a rope team is because if one person slips and falls in the rope together this little bit more staying power right not to slide down the hill if the others are are roped with this person in their way is helping to carry this individual and the more people you have on your rope team that the more staying power you have on one sense, as we pray together as the body of Christ will like this great rope team were roping our brothers and sisters into our prayers, father, forgive us father provide for us. Father, lead us not into temptation so that if one of us falls in the body of Christ. There are roped in by the entire church in by the prayers of the saints, and that's what will continues to sustain us and to hold us together to keep us going up the mountain if you will, and so praying with other beliefs to such a beautiful thing and and I just want you to picture that were roped together as the body of Christ, and were praying to our heavenly father who is going to keep us and strengthen us as we journey towards him, but illustration drill. Thanks for that.

Thank you Nathan for your email. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

You can always call us with your question. At 833. The core Duncan called us from Ontario, Canada every day by way of lecture and I have a question for Sanchez when someone profane our blessed Savior and take God's name in vain.

What should be our response as Christians. Thank you. Well, one Duncan thank you for listening every day. I'm glad that you're encouraged by the program and I hope that the Lord continues to bless you through this ministry of the first thing that I think of it, Marty opens in Matthew chapter 6 of the sermon on the mount because of the previous question, but a little bit earlier in chapter 5, verse 43 Jesus said, you heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. I said you love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven. So I think of the very first thing that I would say to you, Duncan is pray for this person, whoever.

Whoever this person isn't somebody taking the name of the Lord in vain where they're acting in a way that's hostile towards the God that we love and worship right there there acting as an enemy if you will of the truth of Jesus commands us to pray for those people that their heart might be opened. I think also what Paul said to Timothy in second Timothy chapter 2 verses 24 through 26, Paul encouraged Timothy said the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach patiently enduring evil correcting his opponents with gentleness.

There is a correction that I think needs to happen. We don't have to be afraid of correction or speaking the truth of God's word to be. We want to do it. Also, Timothy with gentleness that he has this God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will, and so were praying for those people who are hostile towards us hostile towards God and were gently bringing in the truth of God's word correcting with the hope that God would deliver them from that blindness from that lack of understanding from not seeing Jesus that I used to know man who anytime someone around him would use Jesus's name in vain. It didn't matter who they were, he'd always say that's the name above all names and people would be caught off guard as you can imagine will today.

So many people do profane God's name and not despite my talking flippantly about the Lord. We as believers have the name of God placed on us in our baptism we were baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit when you don't live when I don't live according to the calling placed upon us in our baptism. It's a cause for God's name to be profaned by the people around us. I think of what Paul said, speaking to the Jews and Romans chapter 2 verses 23 to 24. He said you who boast in the law, dishonor God by breaking the law for as it is written the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. Someone at the I think here's a question we should all ask ourselves does the way that I'm leaving right now is a Christian lead others to profane the precious name of Jesus through hypocrisy through claiming to believe one thing and be one thing, but living in an in another way. Does that cause people to blasphemed the name of God to profane the name of the Lord if people were just flippantly using God's name in one sense I don't expect the world to treat God's name with reverence, but I think it should certainly be a reminder to pray for those people with gentleness to share with them about why God's name should not be treated disrespectfully and so I think this is a call for you to pray when somebody does this to pray for them. It's a call for us to examine ourselves.

Is there something that I'm doing a way that I'm living this leading to the profaning of God's name by the people around me that there is that we repent we say Lord forgive me for not representing you as I should and also talking about the beauty of Jesus with the people around us.

One of the reasons people profane the name of God is they don't know who he is. If they knew the glory of Christ, the beauty of Christ, the love of Christ for sinners, for them, going to the cross, they would treat the name of Jesus is sweet as precious and so part of the way that we help brother is we help people to know who this Jesus is there.

Speaking about the one they don't know we point them to his glory to his goodness to his love so that they wouldn't profane his name but praise his name, and we should join in praising his name to Duncan.

Thanks much for your question. Thank you for listening and Canada always wonderful to hear from our Canadian listeners. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

I'm Bill Meyer and you know we have some great resources designed just for you. We want to tell you about one of those today. One of the questions bill that we often get on this program is why is the world such a mess I made you think about everything that's going on and the challenges that so many people are facing both here in the United States but then throughout the hearing about Christians as they were reopening churches in China being forced in China to sing these national, state, hymns, and to raise the Chinese flag me think about the persecution. The brothers and sisters throughout the world are experiencing, it can be so discouraging. We have a resource for these troubled times. It's our four-week study called, why is the world a mass is not only to take you through the reasons why suffering and evil exist, but it's also going to show you how God has dealt with these things. You can find on our website. Core, Christianity.com and it's free for you when you sign up for a weekly newsletter core, Christianity.com/offers to download why is the world a mess. You can also call us for that offer in any of her offers at 833-843-2673. That's 833.

The core look at another question. This one came in from Gregory. He posted on her Facebook page he says it's hard to be the light in a dark world with all the fear and hate being spread around. We have one side exaggerating the truth while the other makes false accusations pitting the people against one another. How should Christians watch for the signs. As Jesus commanded with all the fake news out there yet. If the seem like there's a lot of confusion out there right Gregory of the signs which Jesus gave are precisely some of the things that were sing today, aren't they an increase in lawlessness and apostasy coupled with the continued spread of the gospel throughout the world as preachers missionaries are sent to the uttermost parts of the earth to keep proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ Gregory you're right like it is hard to be a light with all of the fear and hate that we see around us. Jesus himself said in Matthew 24 verse 12 because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. It's one of the most heartbreaking verses in all the Scripture the brother. Sometimes I look at the things going on around us, injustices, persecution calling, good evil and evil good, and it is overwhelming.

On top of that, as you mentioned, the media can spin things to the point that you don't know what to believe anymore is like who can I trust. Here's what you can cling to Jesus Christ is Lord. Right now he is seated at the right hand of the father and from there from that place. He is praying for you is praying for his church and one day he's going to return and uncover every stone and all will be brought to the light and until that day. He's going to keep advancing his kingdom through the proclamation of the gospel. I look at the world around me.

Sometimes Gregory and I do get discouraged.

I think and say and broken is all of these things we see around to see. It's heartbreaking. What gives me hope is not looking at the world looking at Jesus was overcome the world.

What gives me hope is the promise that he gave to his disciples in Matthew chapter 16 verse 18.

I tell you you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It seems sometimes like the gates of hell or are advancing all over the place in society and culture in the media will guess what they're not going to prevail against the church because Jesus is with her and the indestructible gospel is going to continue to advance in Gregory. That's what we have to focus and that's how we can continue to be a light in this world as we cling to that gospel. It's that gospel that burns deep inside of us and shines for the world to see, to give hope to people in Jesus Christ to look to Jesus Gregory your listing the core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and we received this email from a Lister named dolce in Matthew 69. Jesus taught his disciples to pray to the father and for the father's name to be glorified and sanctified, why wouldn't he reveal his father's name. What could be that name. Please help me to understand.

I like that question is, is now the third time were looking at the sermon on the Mount in just today's programming going back to the Lord's prayer our father in heaven, hollowed be your name, and I saw three does like you're asking you why didn't Jesus tell us delight. I would be your name. It's X well sometimes we get confused about this and the gel was what witnesses, for example, there really confused about the city. We focus on the pronunciation or the spelling of the name of God must never point we think of God's name were thinking of who he is excess. Chapter 3 when God revealed himself at the burning bush to Moses that amazing scene where they're speaking to having this conversation. And Moses said to God in verse 13. If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you and they asked me what is his name what shall I say to them what God said. God said to Moses, IM, who I am and he says say this to the people of Israel. I am has sent you the focus is. This is the one who is the self existent, one God, who are you what's your name, and God response to Moses, I am who I am. That is, in a culture in the engineer is the world we had all these gods and goddesses God says I'm the one who actually is. We get so caught up sometimes and you how do you pronounce the of the name of God Jesus issue what you know Jehovah Yahweh. I think sometimes we can miss the forest for the trees. It's not so much the pronunciation dolce it's who God is hollow would be your name. This is the holy one, the God of all the earth, the one who has existence. It's how he's revealed himself to his people, and in a real sense Jesus his entire life was a revelation of who God is and you want to know who God is.

Look to Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us. That's how we know and meet God is through Jesus, and you know so interesting. Also, as you think about this prayer our father who art in heaven, hollowed be your name Jesus is himself and in one since the fulfillment of that request. He's the one who perfectly glorified the father hollowed the name of the father on earth never treated God's name profane Lee is we are talking about with one of that with one of the earlier question. We've all fallen short of that, we ball at times in our lives taken the name of the Lord in vain.

But Jesus never did. He perfectly hollowed the name of the father. See want to know who God is and you want to know what it looks like to hollow his name perfectly look to Jesus, we have time for one more question here on core Christianity. This one came in through our website at core, Christianity.com/radio Gail asks how can someone find and keep their salvation if they are consistently sending Gail salvation is not something that you find and keep.

If that was the case if it was up to me to discover this and to keep it to hold onto it. I guarantee you we would all be lost.

I would be lost.

We can't keep ourselves to think of that beautiful hymn come, thou fount of every blessing you prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above God. I know how fickle I am.

I know how easy it is for me to wander and I think all of us as believers in Jesus Christ can say that we know right like like Jeremiah says the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick to know what we know our sin. This is why St. Paul himself, as I know that in me, that is, in my flesh. No good thing dwells in sore hope is not that we have to find and keep salvation.

Our hope is that we have been found by the good Shepherd protected by him, and when you know that when you know that he's the one who pursued you, who found you, who lifted you up, carried you on his shoulder and brought you back to the fold. Even though you were wandering and straying you think of the parable about the lost sheep in Luke chapter 15. When you know that you rest in the fact that Jesus is the one who keeps you protects you, who saves you think of what Paul said in Romans chapter 8 verse 29 for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren and those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified. You don't call yourself. You don't justify yourself. You don't glorify yourself. You're not even the one who's conforming yourself into the image of Jesus that all the work of God's work of God by the power of the Holy Spirit and it's for you in Jesus Christ and so you turn to Jesus by faith in you rest.

Gail and the fact the one.

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