Can God Restore Broken Families?

God restore broken families best is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity will either Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We pray that you have a wonderful weekend. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Our phone lines are open right now and we configure calls for the next 25 minutes or so at this number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 also post your question on one of our social media sites and you can email us anytime at questions at core, Christianity.com. Today let's go to Jeff in Lodi, California Jeff, what's your question for pastor atrial you think you for taking my call. I would give me a second year I and a small amount in a middle nondenominational church here and will attract people from various churches with different backgrounds and so forth.

With a clear gospel message and all about focus here. Some have asked about our stance on spiritual gifts focusing on tall, we have an need to minister to all these people and we always want to be careful to always point them to Jesus. The question is, can a stance or position be many or advice given that will always glorify God and point out the door by telling people how or how not to worship Jeff. I just want to say first. God bless you and your service to the church as an elder and I love just the description you painted there. The congregation your part of focusing on Jesus, the gospel and that does attract people from from all different backgrounds and the gospel is central when Christ is being exalted. The church is can it be this this diverse place where were sinners who struggle with different things are coming together, people with different backgrounds and so I love that you're a part of that now, but an excellent question knife I've had to wrestle with this in my own life as a believer and also now as a minister of the gospel as well. It's clear in Scripture and places like Joel chapter 2.that you had this this sort of new covenant outpouring of the Spirit that was expected by the prophets, and part of that involved dreams and visions. Remember back in Joel chapter 2 verse 28 it says it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions, even on the male and female servants. In those days I will pour out my spirit that was unique about this in the context of the Old Testament was under the old covenant, the spirit of God came upon the prophets and the kings, the priests, but was pictured here is this democratization of the spirit that is the spirit is just to be fruit for the priest and the prophets, your sons and your daughters.

Everyone in the church is going to be filled with the spirit and this was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, Peter talks about this in acts chapter 2 in verse 16 says that what we're seeing is what was prophesied by Joel that is the you see this very clearly now the question is, what, what's a stance that we take as as believers now under the new covenant in there.

There are no people who come to church just up to the church that I pastors they will are we supposed to be having dreams and visions God has worked in that way throughout redemptive history, but ordinarily I would say we should expect God to give us dreams and visions in order to communicate his truth to us that we have it right in front of us in in the word of God. So one of the things I like to say look, there are ways in which God works extraordinarily right that you note miraculously and that is not the common everyday Christian life. And then there are the ordinary ways that God works through faithful elders like yourself to faithful pastors were preaching Christ were grounding people in the word of God. That's where we need to focus.

I've seen this over and over again as a pastor that we need to help our people be rooted in the Scripture is not chasing after signs and wonders if God wants to do something extraordinary and in individual's life that's that's God's prerogative. He can end and he does but it's extraordinary. It's not the normal thing that we expect and so I would say when you're having conversations with people were coming the church say yes God has throughout redemptive history worked in these ways. Right now he's speaking to us through his son Jesus is what the author of the Hebrew says in Hebrews chapter 1 verses one into God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us in his son. And that's where we need to focus Jeff. Jeff, thanks so much for your call and thanks for listening to core Christianity would love to hear from you.

If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life up on your phone right now and call us at 833-843-2673.

That's 833. The core according to the Bible what is the meaning and purpose of marriage. We actually have a wonderful little booklet that dives into the topic we'd like to offer you today. The booklet is called why would anyone get married, and there are a lot of questions that people have today about marriage. What's what you look like what's the purpose for marriage. How can we have God honoring marriages as Christians in the midst of a society that oftentimes minimizes the importance of marriage the sanctity of marriage. The beauty of marriage is really important for us to understand what the Scripture teaches on these things ahead over the core, Christianity.com to get your hands on this resource is available to you for a gift of any amount by going to core Christianity.com/offers.

Again, that's core Christianity.com/offers and look for.

Why would anyone get married.

It's a great booklet that will help especially in Namibia.

Some discussions with the people have a different view of marriage in our culture. Let's go to a voicemail we received from one of our callers earlier this week I will know I want everyone that God will are and how are God. All you think you destiny for giving us a call and I definitely want to pray for you and for your mother for your family and then I want to try to give you some encouragement from God's word. Father, we lift destiny and her siblings up to you with your family up to you. We pray God that you would pour your mercy out upon her that you would provide for her and for her needs and that in this time.

Lord of being separated from from her home Lord, that you would meet her that I pray that you would surround her with solid Christian community that men and women in the faith who can encourage her and help to care for her and for her family in this time and we do pray for her parents for her mother. Lord, that you would open their hearts to you to your son Jesus that you would be at work in them by the grace of your Holy Spirit. Please be with our sister Lord we ask in Jesus name, amen. Destiny that there are a couple of passages of Scripture that I I want to go to just to encourage you there passages that have encouraged me throughout my life as a Christian, in particular in the Psalms that David the Psalmist said in Psalm 27 verse 10 for my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in God cares for you and he cares for all those who are uncared for those who who are neglected in particular here. To me it sounds to me like there's some really difficult things going on in your home with your parents have not been there for you. Like they should have been there for you and so I was to go to those passages go to that passage right there. Psalm 27 verse 10 to know God's grace and God's kindness toward you another passage of Scripture that I think you can derive comfort from his Psalm 68 verse five, father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God is he seated upon his throne looks out for the fatherless.

Those who are in need, and it sounds to me like you're in that situation right now. Destiny and want you to know that the Lord sees you and God is able to bring healing in broken families and in in situations like this. I just this this last week. Yesterday, preached on the restoration that Joseph experienced with his brothers in Genesis chapter 45 were after being basically left for dead by his brothers abandoned, forsaken God at work this amazing miracle. This amazing reconciliation. So always, always have that hope that the Lord is able to work continue to pray for your family, trusting that the Lord is is working in the circumstances and that he's going to draw you near to himself through to these difficulties and so may the Lord be with you sister and thank you for giving us a call.

Your listing to core Christianity with pastor Andrea Sanchez. Our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Here is the number it's 1-833-843-2673.

That's 833. The court once tell them your phone. Let's go to Charlie in Carlock Illinois Charlie, what's your question for pastor atrial inurement hey Charlie, I can hear you what your question brother out. My question is how do we use God's name in vain.

A course of poor Nina say Jesus Christ and anger are certainly using that but I watch these shows on TV were remodeling places and then the people come and go all my God, it's so beautiful that using God's name in vain and plus. Not only that, but what are other ways that the I can teach my children and grandchildren to be careful not to use it in other ways to do you have other examples in the 20th.

Think about yeah you know it's one of those commandments that we typically when I hear people talking about taking the name of the Lord's name in vain.

Of course this is something that with us for bid and you think of Exodus chapter 20 that there there thinking about just what you said unit than those the sort of you know, one line phrases using the name of God, anything Charlie. I think that minimizes the majesty and holiness of God, and those things associated with the true and living God of the worship of the true and the living God.

Right. Those are ways that we take God's name in vain I mentioned you have been preaching through the book of Genesis. When Jacob is deceiving his father, and he's dressed up as his brother Esau. One of the things you know that his father asked him is how you know how how are you able to catch now in this game so quickly. This this food for me and he says well God helped me to do it.

He's invoking the name of God and yet he's taking the Lord's name in vain as he does it. He sees lying about God. He's minimizing God's glory. God's holiness. And so, in so far as we do that, whether it's through the way that we speak or how we live our lives, minimizing things like the importance of Christian worship gathering together with the saints, anything associated with God in his name, for not treating it with the reverence that it deserves were taking the name of the Lord in vain and so I think that the big thing that we do and that you can do for your children for your grandchildren is set an example for them by treating God's name with reference me as we pray in the Lord's prayer you think of how Jesus taught us to pray our father in heaven hollow it be thy name.

God's name can't can't be any more holy if you will of God is holy, in and of himself, but were praying that in our own lives in our own hearts.

We would give God's name, the reverence, the glory that it deserves insight. I would say pray that and and mean it when you pray and teach your children to pray that hollow would be thy name, lest we take God's name in vain. So, may God give you the grace brother to to do that. Charlie for yourself and for your children and your grandchildren. I love that your your thinking about them as well. Charlie, thanks so much for your call really appreciate your your sensitivity to God's name and what the word commands us.

That's really wonderful. We appreciate that all of our listeners who really dig into the Scriptures. This is core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez and if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life doctrine, theology, or maybe you're somebody who has some doubts about Christianity would love to take your call as well. Here's the phone number it's 833. The core 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Cameron who is calling in from Texas. Cameron what your question for pastor atrial brother being able to take these dollars is a great way to serve the body. I was actually looking for some insight on the stage of life. Got a really good community of believers around me that I've been able to pour into and sharpen and eminent in the in the next year on forcing God's calling me out of that. So in this this final stage of this community. I'm just looking for some insight that I can practically ensure that while doing life with people and demonstrating Christ love to the congregation around it that I'm guarding their hearts against them, miss attributing my actions to myself rather than to the Lord was my second, ensure that I may typify Christ and not but not distracting with myself and with my own character if I'm praising that correctly understand what nasties yeah I think so.

God bless you as you as you seek to serve the church as well. Cameron so a couple of things. You know, the apostle Paul does say in first Corinthians chapter 11 verse one. Be imitators of me as I am of Christ, as of the life that we live as Christians and in particular as leaders in the church should be an imitation of the Lord Jesus, we could call people long and say hate follow Jesus along side of me but were following Jesus were not making followers of us and in fact this is what you know, the apostle Paul in Ephesians 20. In acts chapter 20 is he speaking to the Ephesian elders warned against. He said that there can be savage wolves who come into the flock, not sparing the flock, seeking to draw people away after themselves. It's one of the signs of false teachers that they want to make disciples of themselves, not disciples of Jesus as II think this is a really important question and in the way we go about it is continually putting the focus back on Christ. It's not me I'm not the Savior. I'm not been on the spiritual guru who's going to transform your life, it's Christ. And so our focus as leaders in the church has to be the cross when the apostle Paul said to the Corinthians. III determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. One of the things I love about Paul Cameron is that he wore his weaknesses on his sleeve. He made it very clear that he wasn't this superstar Christian and he talked about his thorn in the flesh. He talked about the weakness the fear of the trembling that he oftentimes had and it was something that you could see in his life. He was a real person who was clinging to Jesus and that that's gotta be us, I think, is as leaders were real people were honest about the fact that we are not the Savior, and you think of John the Baptist. I'm not the bridegroom you know I'm I'm sent before him.

He's the one who needs to increase. I have to decrease in so throughout your your service to the church is your as you're doing life with other people, as you said, and Esther caring for members of the church and in talking about the word opening up the Scriptures together. I think it's it's being vulnerable and it's also keeping that the focus on Christ as the one who really is going to transform the lives of people and and so may the Lord bless you as you as you do that as you seek to follow Jesus and make disciples not of yourself but of Jesus. May God help us all to do that some great counsel.

Thanks for that atrial you're listening to season your listing to core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez reminder we have that wonderful booklet available for you today. It's called it's basic on what is God's view of marriage, and it's called, why would anyone get married and you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/offers.

Also, you can call us if you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life. Or maybe how your of faith intersects with what's going on in today's culture were still taken your phone calls at 833 the core. We also have a YouTube channel. By the way, you can watch atrial on YouTube in the studio every day at 11:30 AM Pacific time. Eduardo sent us a message through a YouTube channel federal.

Here's what he says is lack of assurance of sin and many get specific here.

He says the canons of Dort seem to make assurance more essential than the Westminster confession does what are your thoughts. I think it right here you're talking about some of the historic confessions confessional documents not coming out of a particular Christian tradition and documents which I which I happen to really appreciate and use that but specifically in this is a question that every single one of our listeners can can relate to is the question of assurance having assurance that I am indeed a child of God, is it a sin when I doubt that. Do I have to have perfect assurance can I have perfect assurance. I think it's very clear that were called to have assurance you think about me you know what what John says in first John, I believe, is chapter 5 I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life. God wants you as a Christian to know that you have eternal life, and yet assurance is something that many of us as as followers of Jesus struggle with in in the Christian life and we wonder why my and my really the Lord's. I still wrestle with saying I wonder is is my faith real or is it in my demo just deceiving myself that kind of the thing not having assurance doesn't mean that you aren't a Christian, necessarily. I think that that's an important thing. Some have people that why don't I don't have assurance maybe I'm I'm not a believer. No true believers can struggle with this question of assurance and and you can have real saving faith and still have doubts at times, especially if you're if you're really struggling with sin walking with the Lord and just look at your life and you think a man I messed up again when I write I really belong to Jesus.

That's why it's so important for us. Eduardo to get our assurance from what God has done for us objectively. The best thing to do when you're struggling with assurances is not to dig deeper inside and to look further within you know that the caverns of your heart to see how much love you have stored up there. The reality is all of us struggle and fall short.

The best thing you can do is look away from yourself and's look up to to Jesus.

Set your eyes on Christ and him crucified for the salvation of sinners. I love the encouragement that the apostle Paul gives to the church in Rome. In Romans chapter 5 Reese's God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us and if if God loved you sent his son into the world for you as a sinner, then do you really think that neither the fact you still struggle with sins as a believers can is in it and even change his mind is in a stop loving you. This is some of the ways I've comforted myself over the years and I think it is important for us to have the have that to have that sure confidence in the work of Christ objectively for us. Jesus lived and died, rose again from the dead.

That's we sink our teeth into our hope, our faith into and that's where assurance comes from and so appreciate your your question.

Sounds to me like you're digging into the word in the history of the church and may the Lord bless you as you do that, Eduardo. Think your daughter for your question. Benadryl register brings back that point that we so many of our listeners struggle with circumstances and feelings versus the of the objective finished work of Jesus on the cross and we always need to look outside of ourselves to God and what he has done for us, not what were feeling at the moment correct, absolutely. Yet God wants to teach us.

I think often times to rest in his word as opposed to our emotions. We we typically know we we we go to our emotions to our feelings.

We need to go to the word and rest in God is said this is core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez got a quick email hear from John. He says if were saved by his grace, and our sins are wiped away by the blood of Jesus, then why do we always have to repent of our sin that we have committed that's that's a great question because we do often talk about the fact that neither the work of Jesus on the cross for us the salvation we receive no it all our sins are forgiven, past, present and future insulin. Why do we keep on confessing our sins. Why do we need to like a great text to go to is in the first John first John chapter 1 verse five. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin. We say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Think your answer is is right there. We are called as Christians to walk in the light and what does that look like it looks like that that's parallel to this idea of confessing sins were called to walk in the light were called to confess our sins, and as we do know we have not just fellowship with God, that sweet communion with the father the son and the Holy Spirit, we have fellowship with each other as believers peace within the body of Christ because all of our sins have been washed away and so we continue to confess thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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