Will a Christian Always Experience the Presence of God?

Christian always experience the presence of God in their life. 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 Adrian 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. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts and you can email us your question anytime. Here's the email address its questions at core, Christianity.com will drill yesterday. One of her listeners asked if God still speaks to people in dreams, and I know in your marriage. You kinda have a unique situation when it comes to dreams, and I understand it doesn't always turn out so well for you. Yeah, this is one of the reasons why you just don't want to trust in your dreams. Go to the word of God.

I was teasing yesterday was singing a sometimes a lad I asked you will have you ever had a situation where you wake up in the morning your wife is mad at you because of something you did in her dreams the night before and Bill has never had this problem. Maybe you have had this problem I've had this problem before were all wake up and you know my wife and I will be going to get coffee in the morning and she just looks at me like I can't believe you did that. What I do it, but it's always you know in the dreams, and so we were teasing about that yet. Don't trust in your dreams. Go to the word of God.

That's where that's with the truth that I'm not going to try to psychoanalyze that yet, please don't live on the air. I don't think that our our audience initiate that okay Isabel if you ever had any more bad dreams about Israel. Just be nice to them yeah yeah that's that's the advice I think that we should all take just be nice to me yet. Okay. Alright, let's get to our first call of the day, this is Mike from Kansas City and Mike. Welcome to core Christianity so often. I love it had a question about God knew that Lucifer was going to betray will why did he created the first yeah an excellent question, and you know the why question there. Sometimes you know we have these these really complex issues in Scripture and God doesn't always reveal to us exactly why it was that God did this or that the God allowed a particular kind of suffering, or why he created Satan even though he knew that this creature, this angel that he created was going to rebel and lead people astray, but Mike there is one verse that I that I do go to that I think does give us some guidance and it's in the book of Colossians in Colossians chapter 1. This is in the context of Paul really emphasizing the supremacy and preeminence of Jesus Christ as the creator of all things he says in Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 he that is Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and get this for him. That is everything that exists in the created order that Jesus created was made through him and for him. So in one sense everything, even the angelic hosts were created for the sovereign. This son of God. Now the devil is God's devil you know Amir that I think it was Luther that said that. And God is is completely in control over the evil one. Another great church father many many years ago, talked about how know God doesn't permit any evil that he doesn't first determine how to how to resolve how to bring good out of it and so we know that God is able to use the evil actions of people and even of angels for his own glory but but again oftentimes you know were confronted with this, the terrible events that take place in the world.

Sin destruction.

Those kinds of things and got doesn't always give us a real clear answer, but I think one thing that we can say is that the Lord is in control and that all things micro made through Christ and for Christ. And it in the end, in one way God is going to receive all the glory.

Mike, thanks so much for your question follow-up for you Israel. Do you believe that Lucifer we talk a lot about free will and how God gives us as human beings free will we have the choice to accept him or reject him and that a truly loving and all-powerful God would not control us like robots would not make us want to love them because that wouldn't be a loving God, what about Lucifer. Did Lucifer have a choice to believe yeah I believe that a mean yet that in terms of the rebellion that initial rebellion that there was a choice that was made by the fallen angels to rebel against the Lord, that you rooted in pride rooted in sin.

And so, and then you think about Adam and Eve in the garden know that they were left to the freedom of their own wills. They chose to go astray as well and all of us in Adam are bound to sin, really because of because of what we refer to as originalist as it gets us into a lot of other things there, but the reality is, God made everything good, including the Angels and he gave them freedom and they turn from him and God is able to take even the evil that they do that the destruction that they bring in turn it around for his glory, and even the good of his people and that something you see throughout the pages of the Bible. Certainly most clearly exhibited in the cross of Jesus, man. Start off with a big old metaphysical question early this morning. Let's get to another question this is that by way, here's a phone number to call if you'd like to talk to a drill. If you have any questions about the Christian life or the Bible. It's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 were taking your questions right now live Hannah from Escondido, California how are you will and I am wondering, are there any collateral or principal, or resolving conflict in marriage, yeah, well, congratulations on your recent engagement Hannah that is really really exciting when I'm taking couples through premarital counseling as they're getting ready to be married.

Some of the things that we focus on our list. What is marriage to begin with. I think that's really important because in our in our culture today.

There's a there's a real lack of understanding you know religion what what marriage is all about.

It's this ordinance. It's given to us by God and ultimately in in Scripture it's this beautiful picture of the relationship that exists between Jesus and his bride, the church is audio that the passage that I typically go to is Paul's words in Ephesians chapter 5. Beginning in verse 22, where he said wives submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord for the husband is head of the wife even as Christ is head of the church's body and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish in the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.

He loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church because we are members of his body right damages so so beautiful the words of the apostle Paul. There it when we want to think about what marriage is and what should guide us as believers, as we think about what is you know what what what the relationship that I have with my spouse look like well we go to the gospel of Jesus that that sacrificial love that Jesus exemplified for his people that humility that that's where we go. And so Hannah I would say first and foremost, you know, you do look to Christ, you look to the relationship that exists between Christ and the church long-suffering the patient's, the forgiveness, the goodness that we find there in the gospel and it's it's from that place that we are given the strength to love each other as we ought to love each other in marriage one other resource that I would recommend to you as your entering into marriage is CS Lewis's book mere Christianity. His chapter on Christian marriage is just absolutely wonderful. He talks about what love is and the importance of love, being rooted in something deeper than just our feelings but love being rooted in this commitment that's given to us by God and before God and so that's that's another good resource and that as I was saying alike.

The focus being on Christ and the relationship that Christ has with his bride, the church, our love for each other, coming from the gospel. I heard one pastor put it this way. He said were moons, not stars.

We reflect the light in the love of Jesus to each other in our relationships, in particular in the marriage relationship or moons work reflecting the light of the sun don't generate that light in that love within us. It comes from the Lord and so keep your eyes fixed on Christ on his gospel, and as you rest in that love that goodness you you share that with your husband and and that's I think that's what makes a strong marriage better. Congratulations on your engagement helpful to send you one of our resources here from core Christianity.

It's called seven things you need to know about sex and marriage and will send that off you. So Hannah Malan for second will get your contact information from you. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by the way, want to say a huge thank you to our listeners who have joined our inner core. Your financial support makes this program possible. Your core Christianity. We aren't supported by a particular church or denomination. We rely on people just like you to make donations to keep us on the air and if you find this program helpful if we do ask you to prayerfully consider making a gift of any amount you can do that on our website. Core, Christianity.com just click donate at the top of the page.

Let's go to Bruce in Minneapolis, Minnesota hi Bruce how are you find a cute question. There Christians are pro-life and recently competitors in our church had not evoked a certain way and is listening to what the new president is doing more and more angry and distorting effect grounds really are church or to let time go by or what do you think about that very upset about the pastors political endorsements have risen my personal position is that it's not the job of pastors to make political endorsements. I mean we endorse the King of Kings and Lord of lords. Jesus Christ himself, the job of the pastor, the minister of the word is to point people to Christ there. There's you know a certain level of liberty of conscience that we need to exercise more thinking about things like voting, always ill in our minds middle asking ourselves the question what what's gonna be good for my neighbor for the good of the people around me you think about God's law, the commandments that God gives to us, but that the question here really is when is it right to leave the church and ought we to leave over political divisions and differences. Well, I think.

I think that might depend. I think if if a ministry is focusing so much on politics that they're endorsing a candidate and they're not preaching the gospel faithfully will that would be.

I think a significant issue and you have to sit down with your wife and and think about that and pray about that. I do think too often in the church we divide so quickly over things like politics without holding fast to the unity that we have through our baptism in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am always blown away when I consider the initial disciples that our Lord Jesus called you think about him calling Simon the you know that the zealots and Levi Paxil area.

Now these two guys are not the guys that you would invite to your birthday party at Ratliff because you knew if you invited Simon and Levi to the party, there was probably going to be a brawl fistfight and yet Jesus looks at these two people who work totally different on on opposite ends of the spectrum, we might say, politically, and he says to both of them, follow me, follow me and and ultimately transforms and right.

We know that that his ward is transforming them that his gospel is transformative, but I just I'm so taken aback by the fact that the Lord is able to bring together people who ordinarily would never be in the same room and that's what the church does in and is it's this place were sinners of all different backgrounds and stripes come together united by the blood of Jesus Christ at the table of the Lord. And so there's I think I think it's something that you and your wife need to pray about.

To think through you know is is this something or just may be splitting over over something is not too big of an issue or is it. Is it really gospel is where the gospel is not being proclaimed faithfully the word is not being taught because were so sidetracked with these other things. First and foremost are the marks of true churches where we know that Christ is present is where the word of God is being faithfully taught and where worship is happening in accordance with what Jesus said and so keep your eyes on the Lord on his gospel and I pray that the Lord gives you wisdom brothers you think about this this very difficult decision. Thanks Bruce.

We appreciate your call and thanks for being a regular listener. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez's. Our phone number again if you want to connect with us and ask a question right now is 1-833-843-2673 if you want us spelled on your phone. It's 833.

The core now today we want to offer you a very special resource. This is something really cool it's actually atrial produced it and it's called seeing Jesus yeah I wrote this really devotional booklet called seeing Jesus prayerfully hoping that it would it would bring you into an encounter with Jesus through the pages of Scripture. I take four different accounts from from the Gospels that show us a glimpse at the life of Jesus things I think we oftentimes miss about our Lord and and that I particularly wanted to highlight for poor believers because I think it it it will. I think it is a great comfort for them to think about the Lord in ways maybe we haven't thought about them before itself seeing Jesus is a devotional resource which we really want you to get your hands on and a bill you can tell him how to how to get hold of this, go to our website at core, Christianity.com/Jesus that's core Christianity.com/Jesus.

You can find that you can also call us or this resource or any one of our resources. Here's the number 833-843-2670 3833 the core here's a question that came in through our website from David.

He says I don't feel spiritual enough is God calling me to pray more through that feeling. How can you tell what feelings of the supernatural should a Christian have like during spiritual disciplines or congregational worship.

Can you feel the supernatural. What does the Bible command and say that we should experience how the Bible doesn't command us necessarily to to feel anything.

We can't conjure up feelings or at least in a true, genuine, spiritual is not something that you just would sit down and really try to heal the presence of God. That kind of a thing in the reality is, is for believers feelings come and go in the Christian life. I remember as a brand-new Christian walking with Jesus and having this this real sense of the presence of God in my life like I'd never experienced before, and that lasted for some time, maybe a couple of months and then our member waking up one morning and that feeling being gone and thinking, oh no what what's have no have you left me, that kind of a thing.

But the reality is is that I think God teaches us to rely upon to rest in not how we feel. But his word and that's way more stable, and I think that that's what we have to focus on the reality is, the people of God throughout redemptive history have have experienced times are for real drought, spiritual drought, not really experiencing or feeling the presence of that I think of the Psalms. In particular, the Psalms of lament over the Psalms is crying out to guys in God, you know, where are you. Psalm 88, for example, the just the darkest lament in all of of the Psalter Psalm 88. The psalmist says this, but I owe Lord cried to you in the morning my prayer comes before you oh Lord, why you cast my soul away. Why do you hide your face from you if you ever felt like that like God was hiding his face from you afflicted and close to death from my youth up. I suffer your terrors. I am helpless. Your wrath has swept over me, your dreadful assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long. They close in on me. Together you have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me. My companions have become darkness. Now what I think is so amazing about the words they are of the psalmist, if this is often missed by people who read Psalm 88 is the guy who wrote Psalm 88.

His name was Heem in the Ezra height were told that at the very beginning of the Psalm you know who he was