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November 30, 2021 1:30 pm
Episode 848 | Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions.
Questions in this Episode
1. In 1 Samuel 28:12, it says that Saul had someone conjure up Samuel's spirit from the dead. Did this actually happen?
2. Should I prevent going to yoga and working out in public if it might cause someone to stumble?
3. Some folks think that because we shouldn't be afraid of death that we shouldn't mourn when a loved one dies. Is this a biblical response?
4. I read the Bible and it doesn't really signify what the promises are exactly and how do we connect God's word with the promises of God?Â
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The following is a prerecorded version of core Christianity will be back alive again all of God's promises for the church today is just one of the questions will be answering here on core Christianity will 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, as always, you can post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us on YouTube and not send us a message. That way, and you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Jill in Omaha, Nebraska hi Jill, what your question for Pastor Israel my call.
I really enjoyed listening to you while I work from home and dad. I love your humor to thank you. Out of curiosity I thought of it from the previous program of the different things like people seeing into heaven before we all get there and all that in first Samuel 28 starting with verse 12 it says that Saul had some person conjure up Samuel's spirit from the dead, and I'm just wondering your take on that. If that is actually what happened or was that a demon wet muddy.
How do you take that. Yeah, great question.
I one of those passages of Scripture to think what is going on here because we know repeatedly in the Old Testament God forbade necromancy, you know, calling upon the dead. This kind of thing. This is totally about to be rejected is really witchcraft and as so God was very very much against this he he he condemned these kinds of practices. Even Saul did an excellent Saul goes to this medium or this which it and/or the initial response I can do this, you know. So Saul has banished this this practice in and eventually she does do it and verse 15 says Samuel said to Saul, why have you disturbed me by bringing me up and Saul answered I'm in great distress for the Philistines are warring against me and God's return and God is turned away from me and answers me no more, either by profits or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do. Samuel said, why then do you ask me, since the Lord is turned from you and become your enemy really isn't that scary scary scene here.
Not just because you have this which who it seems like she shocked me she she gets upset when when she sees that there is the spirit of Sano seems like this might have been new for her. Even but also because that would basically hear the Lord just says through Samuel. I'm done with Saul and of course this was something that you know if you're reading first and second Samuel. You see, was was this assorted direction that he was heading is apostasy, full apostasy, turning his back on the Lord completely doing something that God condemned and being told basically your your your done. Your done for Saul now was Samuel really brought up, I think, based on the response of Samuel here that the this was the sort of extraordinary miraculous thing that God allowed to to take place. And again, even the witch of Endor.
She said she seems shocked she she screams she's you know upset about this whole thing. You know what's what's going on.
If you will, but the got allowed and we do know Jill that there are these dark, sinister spiritual forces in the world that you have the power to work miracles, or even tell people revealed to people things that they they ordinarily wouldn't know I think about the woman who was possessed with the spirit of divination in acts chapter 16 verse 16 it says that she brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling and when the disciples cast as demon out of her hurt her, you know masters were very upset because she was cute but we what she did brought the money was lucrative, so there is a there is a power here in witchcraft in sorcery in these kinds of things it's an evil power.
It's a demonic power and that's why God calls us to stay away from it and here it seems like Samuel really was brought up and he gives us last sort of message to Saul, basically saying you're done for. But it's certainly not something that was ordinary. Certainly not something that we should ever participate in it got allowed this to happen as a judgment against Saul and so thank you for your question and for your encouragement sister, Jill, thanks so much and thanks for digging into God's word are we just love it when our listeners spend time really searching the Scriptures and coming up with these great questions. Let's go to Michelle in St. Louis, Missouri Michelle what is your question for Pastor Israel know my that I've been doing yoga my grandmother together for 45 years. We kind of woman you never knew I yoga or do yoga for 21 years and I a little nap about five years ago when yoga became opened up a lot of doors very quickly and I had the nature I need to work out I had more that room and I got a Bible study and I did not understand why it was important to be changed. Okay, I didn't understand that because they didn't tell me when I was growing up. And so I had to do that I had to purify my body here and then I was able to see the flesh nature.
He wasn't easy was not but I like questions that I was straight and still do the thing but now I call it branch and grab ranch and breath and I don't want to do anything that will cause anyone to after the body, and I understand the genuine love that Christ has brought what I and he wants to restore our relationship with each other and so my question is that if somebody were to be me doing lunging for you. You know, one of the yoga postures. How do I get. I know that we can easily car I lead us the wrong place at the same time I'm not going to go into denying something that I enjoy like my capture life for he does and she will dance and so I assume it is a concern. Michelle just adjusted last one follow-up right here is the concern then you know should I not do it because it could potentially cause other people who are watching me to stumble or about our do you go to like a yoga studio that kind of thing shut it down over the so was very very. Like I said at the same time for denying the body. And they ought not to scratch. I meant to take care my joints not to take care my bonds because it might leave someone else to stumble help. Sorry no I'm not taking that route. I'm taking the route of if you want to know the reason for my joy, if not the scratch God and of course, the Bible does not condemn bodily exorcism and were called to take care of our bodies and and I think that's a good frankly too often in the church say that that's probably something that we would we dismiss that we don't think about me think of sins we don't often talk about today. Since I gluttony that kind of thing and in the apostle Paul. He does say in first Timothy chapter 4 verse eight. The bodily training is of some value, but as you know and I can tell based upon. You know what what you were saying here. Godliness is a value in every way. He says as he holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come in so you basically there is and what are your priorities are your priorities growth in grace drawing near to Jesus, glorifying him or is it your bodily health, I live in Southern California where I think sort of that the health and and fitness thing can be a real sort of idle for people they begin to worship it and worship themselves and they don't take care of their spiritual needs. They don't growing in in the word of God and in grace, they don't go to Christ and so this is something that that is really important, but I would say look first and foremost read it. There's nothing wrong with doing things that are good and healthy for your body. I appreciate the fact. I don't know the entire history behind yoga but I know that that does have some sort of roots in Eastern religion that kind of a thing is so I do know that there are some studios it really sort of playoff on this and you know they'll do the chanting and that kind of thing I'm I'm concerned about that when it becomes a sort of religious practice and I think that could be a problem. But if you're just if you do stretching and breathing as you say if it's if it's a way for you to stay in shape. I don't think that there is there is anything wrong with that. I think that you can so long as you can do it with a clear conscience into the glory of God. You know Paul says in the book of Romans, whatever is not from faith is sin. And so if it's difficult for you.
If you're not able to do it and you just feel convicted every time you do it, even though there's nothing wrong with stretching in and of itself and exercise. You know what I think you maybe want to take a step back and and pray and work through it between you and the Lord but but I would say you don't have to.
You don't have to forsake you know doing these kinds of exercises and and certainly not just because you're afraid of, you know what what somebody else might think of you your your primary concern needs to be between you and the Lord and before the Lord. Now of course I and again I appreciate you brought this up as well, just that the whole conversation of modesty and and whatnot but I think that's I think that's a good thing.
I think it's something we all need to be conscious of both men and women the way we think of our own bodies and the way we want to be perceived by others, but you also are not you know totally responsible for you to what another person sinfully might do and so so I would say the other has to be a balance there as well.
It's not your fault, per se. When somebody else is looking at you in a way that they shouldn't be and so there's that there really is a lot there but but to boil it down first and foremost I think you have to be able to say before the Lord. Look I I'm I have a clear conscious about this guy does call me to take care of myself to take care of my body. My priority is growing in grace growing in holiness growing in God's word. But I also want to be sensitive to the thinking felt like you are I will be sensitive to you know other people who might look at me. I want to be sensitive to the fact that I'm not turning this into a spiritual practice. If you can do that and you can do that with a clear conscience. I would just encourage you sister to do in everything that you do glorify the Lord and Alonso glanced glad you mentioned the importance of modesty there and I really appreciate the fact that you know when you are at the gym bench pressing 500 pounds you cover up because yes I have to phases and no I and I've said this before, but we had a call once about another call once about yoga niceties appreciated that you should. I just called breathing, stretching out. I think biblical bending is a better and if you're just reciting Bible verses or listening to sermons while you do it. That kind of thing filling your mind with the word of God is called the biblical bending added and there you go. So the hot yoga go with the cold you're okay this is Corker C heavily with Bester, Israel said, shows, and we love hearing from you. By the way, our program errors on a lot of different radio stations and some of those stations are the program on a delayed basis, which means if you want to call into the studio live, you want to do that at 11:30 AM Pacific time, which translates in 1230 Mountain 130 Central or 230 Eastern time. So if you are the program airing at a later time. Either call in during that half hour.
Or you can leave us a voicemail anytime 24 hours a day at 833 the court let's go to Simpson in Clearwater, Texas. Simpson welcomed the program.
Hey Simpson there's two of them bothered to go on all morning and housekeeping.
Like the people as long goodbye though also want useful or useful to quiet all the couples when the weather come from my family recently there was a happy occasion is one where the elbow will subside and that I could say with where the foolishness comes from.
I think it's totally appropriate when someone dies to implement and to mourn not to laugh. Certainly not are not treated like one of the proms. I think our culture today is that we treat death to lightly we avoid it we talk about it is if it was just this sort of beautiful part of life is natural part of life we all you know, you know, go to that kind of thing. We've we've we've toned down according to the Bible. Simpson death is a great enemy. It's a monster that needed to be defeated, not a friend, not something for us to befriend and and so I think that's really really important men. Paul in writing to the Thessalonians is what when when a brother sister dies and we sorrow we ought to have sorrow not as those who don't have any hope. And so morning for the believer can look differently than it does for the rest of the world because other people you know someone dies and is just there gone forever. Or maybe ice to confer to speculate about them crossing over to the other side passing on all these these phrases that you hear but there's nothing concrete but we have something concrete. We have the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and we know based on holy Scripture that all those who are in Christ will be raised again and so we do have sorrow when someone we love dies, but we can also have hope.
Hope in the midst of sorrow know you but mentioned Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verse two where wisdom says it is better to go to the house of mourning into the house of feasting for this is the end of all mankind and the living will lay it to heart. Now right there in that passage it's it's not saying that you know it's better because we have a better time when we go to the house of mourning on the contrary were morning were weeping were crying and so why why is it that here in the wisdom literature. It's called better will I think it's because it it it's meant to instruct us death shows us something.
It teaches us something about our own frailty reminds us of our mortality would everyone now is trying to sort of forget and avoid want to live as long as we can just push death off as much as we can, no matter what.
That kind of a thing. There was a book that came out not long ago talking about how you know as a society when they were in a conquered death was written by an atheist, and he was a with all the medical advancements that we've made in any you know how we've doubled our life expectancy in the last however many years. But one day were to get to the point where we can live forever through through medicine through technological advancement that kind of a thing that is not the reality. Death is going to come to each and every one of us.
And so when we go to the house of mourning reminded of that it helps us to live in light of that reality and and frankly that something that we need Simpson when we need to recognize that that this is this is a reality for us, but that there's also another reality and even greater reality and that's it.
Death the house of mourning the grave has been conquered by Jesus Christ.
He entered into the tomb was there for three days sanctifying the tomb if you will.
And then he came out victorious. It's as if you think of it like a great boxing match. For example, Woodward two great boxers are getting into the ring, only one is going to come out. It's as if Jesus got into the ring with death himself and Jesus came out and death was left dead.
He conquered death and that that's the hope that we have, but that doesn't mean that we should celebrate when someone dies or be happier that kind of thing though, we experience sorrow because we know that death is the result of sin, and so appreciate your question.
I don't know I mean I there are also two people have. I think unhelpful and unhealthy views about death and dying.
It sounds to me like that's what you were referring to. I don't know why they hold that view of the front part of the reason might be because we don't know how to deal with the reality of death 10 avoid it. Want to make a joke about it what it is not talk about it.
We can talk about it because we know the one who is conquered the grave. Thanks your question. Thanks for those words of comfort and drill. It is so true your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and by the way, we have a special group of people that we would like to thank their members of what we call the inner core and if you're a regular listener. This program would love to have you consider joining the inner core yeah I live just I always love being able to talk about the inner core bill because inner core members are a huge shot in the arm for our entire team for for me personally it's so encouraging to know that you are supporting us with your contributions that you're praying for us were grateful for you and if you've been blessed by this broadcast if encouraged by the Q&A that you hear every single day.
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You can be part of that that the team the inner core team and we also have all sorts of exclusive resources and offers that we give to our inner core members. If you join you get a copy of this book core Christianity a just a wonderful blending of should read it. Digging into the core doctrines of the Christian faith. We also have a number of other exclusive things we get our inner core members monthly devotional that I lead that kind of a thing and so would you. As I said prayerfully consider joining the inner core.
All you have to do is go to core Christianity.com/inner core. To learn more. Again, that's core Christianity.com/inner core. You can also call us about joining the inner core at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also leave us a voicemail at that number. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life and here's a call we received earlier this week, my name is Angelo and my question is regarding promises of God. I read the Bible and… Really I what are the promises where to begin and how do we substantiate always connecting God's word with the promises of God which signifies the promises of God and where is it stated in Natalie prove all of that. Thanks again Angela love that question. And so I just opened up to Galatians chapter 3 and let me read beginning in verse 15, this is Paul talking about the difference between the old covenant and the promise that was made. All come to be under Moses and the promises made to Abraham into his offspring. Galatians chapter 3, beginning in verse 15 to give you an example, brothers, even with a man-made covenant. No one annuls it or adds to it. Once it is been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and his offspring does not say and to offsprings referring to many but referring to one into your offspring, who is Christ is what I mean the law. That is the the Mosaic covenant, the Mosaic law, which came 430 years afterwards does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God is referring there to the Abraham covenant so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law no longer comes by promise. God gave it to Abraham by promise to give these promises were made to Abraham in particular, you see that a blessed offspring Genesis chapter 12 verses one through four. God promised Abraham kids land if used in Genesis chapter 12 verse seven and 13 verse 15 Genesis 15 Genesis 17 the promise of of land of promise to be the God to Abraham and to his children be got to you and to your children, but this language of promise and offspring also echoes back earlier in Genesis Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 God promised that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent that is ultimately the promise of the gospel. One day Satan himself would be conquered by this evil woman by Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary crush Satan at the cross through his resurrection from the dead, you have all these promises, though that essentially are and find their fulfillment in Jesus. That's why Paul in Galatians 3 says you know what is the promises were made to Abraham and his offspring really if the focus is on Jesus now in Jesus we Angelo are the recipients of these promises as well were a part of the family of Abraham were the children of God, you dig what about those those land promises that kind of the thing was interesting because ultimately those promises were a picture of a type of a greater reality, the land, even the land of Canaan, the Old Testament was a picture of the new creation that ultimately the new heavens and the new earth was a picture of heaven with the Lord and actually this is something that the author to the Hebrews makes absolutely clear in Hebrews chapter 11 says in Hebrews chapter 11 verse eight by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance and he went out, not knowing where he was going that if you go down to verse 13. It refers to all the people who receive these promises date they all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them.
Acknowledge them and that they were strangers and exiles on the earth for people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland if they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would've had an opportunity to return.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he is prepared for them a city. In other words, the hope of Abraham and all those who were the recipients of the promises was above all else the new creation eternal life being in the presence of God in that sexy what John says in first John chapter 2 verse 25 that what he has promised us what God is promised to all who believe in Jesus is eternal life, and what a wonderful thing brothers and sisters. What a glorious thing. You and I are the recipients of those ancient promises through Jesus Christ.
If you're in Christ. You are a child of Abraham, heirs according to the promise. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together