How Should We Pray for Those Affected by Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine?

How should we pray for those affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity will hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Gabriel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

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That way you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com will if you been following the news over the past 12 hours or so. You seen some of the images coming out of Ukraine and some of those are truly heartbreaking and a drill as we watch what's unfolding in that part of the world right now.

How can we best pray for that situation.

You now want to read some updates that I've seen from missionaries in the Ukraine, and in some request that they have for prayer.

But before I do that I think reading Psalm 46 would be good. And actually, I would encourage you if you're a believer. Maybe this week to pray Psalm 46 for for those who are in Ukraine, in particular for the Christians who were there. I was certainly wanting to pray for all those who were there and and suffering some 46 beginning in verse one God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the most high God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns the nations rage of the kingdoms totter. He utters his voice, the earth melts the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress come behold the works of the Lord how he has brought desolation's on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, he burns the chariots with fire.

Be still and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress meditating on that Psalm thinking about that Psalm today in light of everything that's going on some of the request that I saw coming from missionaries in the Ukraine one was pray for Ukraine to trust what is not changeable and to hope and what can it not be lost may the church mean Ukraine be strengthened through this war. In other words, holding fast to the faith and into the Lord into that which cannot be lost in the midst of these very scary precarious times I saw another update post on the Gospel coalition with pastor writing there is a missionary in Ukraine for during this critical moment, our church, which has about a thousand people attending on a normal Sunday is also a place of service. We recently conducted several trainings on performing first-aid people are learning how to apply a tourniquet stop bleeding applied bandages and manage airways. These laypeople aren't going to become doctors but this is given them confidence to care for their neighbors. If necessary, we have decided to stay both as a family and as a church. When this is over the citizens of of you have will remember how Christians have responded in their time of need. And while the church may not fight like the nation. We still believe we have a role to play in the struggle we will shelter the week serve the suffering and mend the broken and as we do. We offer the unshakable hope of Christ and his gospel. What we may feel helpless in the face of such crisis, we can pray like Esther Ukraine is not God's covenant people like Israel, our hope is that the Lord will remove the danger as he did for his ancient people as we stay.

We pray that the church in Ukraine will faithfully trust the Lord and serve our neighbors really just just remedy right there. I think there's there's some helpful words for how we can be praying in particular for the church there in in the Ukraine that the Lord would be with his people, protecting his people be a refuge for his people, but also that he would use the church in a powerful way through the circumstances that the gospel would continue to advance and certainly we want to pray not only for the Christians were there but for all the people who are who are suffering under this this war that the Lord would bring peace swiftly like as as Psalm 46 says you know he makes wars deceased to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear. He burned the chariots with fire that the Lord would bring that kind of peace to that region and and we continue to join with the people of the world and with those who are in Ukraine in praying and asking the Lord for his intervention. Let's continue to pray for that situation over the next couple of days when I how long this will be going on but some just remember, for this is a drill said not just the believers there, but all of the people that are affected by the situation right now so thanks for that Israel. Let's go to the phones. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine or theology. We would love to hear from you. Our phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 Ralph is on the line from Long Island, New York. Ralph what your question for pastor. Israel okay in chapter 1 verses okay NAS spoke long ago to the fathers and the Papas made portions and in many ways. In the last days of his son and heir of all things, through whom also in a world so the question is stated Psalm 46 or the question is still speak today in Revelation, or the principal soldiers got a great question. Is God still speaking giving new revelation today. I love you into this passage in Hebrews chapter 1 because it does seem to indicate that look back. Then God was speaking to our fathers by the prophets, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, so on and so forth that God had a word for his people through these prophets who were looking forward to the coming of Jesus so often that you think of the various prophecies related to the coming of the Messiah, but in these last days, God is spoken definitively. Finally, in his son Jesus, who is the ultimate prophet, priest and king.

He fulfills all of those offices that you had in Israel really revealing to us as as as the profit the ultimate prophet, the will of God for our salvation is of Jesus is the prophet to whom we go the one who is speaking. Today I would say by his spirit through his word, but I don't think that we need new revelation and one of the things it's important to understand, Ralph, is it in the Bible revelation and new revelation was often tied together with the accomplishing of redemption the Bible is the history of redemption redemptive history and so it's the that the record of what God was doing to deliver his people. Well there. There is no new redemption that needs to be accomplished. We have the once for all, redemption of Jesus Christ. It's it's it's been finalizing this is what the author of the Hebrews and go on to same place like Hebrews chapter 10, where he emphasizes that once for all offering of Jesus and so because we don't have new acts of redemption in the sense of the accomplishing of redemption we should expect brand-new Revelation in the same way that we were getting under the old covenant here even during the time of the New Testament.

Now what we have is the spirit of God today through the word opening our eyes to what God is already done. We have the application to us by the spirit of that once for all, redemptive work of God in his son Jesus. And so the sense in which we experience may be the revelation of the spirit today is through Jesus and this is exactly what Paul says in Ephesians chapter 1, as he's praying for the church in Ephesus. He says in verse 16. I do not cease to give thanks to you, remembering you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he is called you.

What are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ did the focus there is, is Jesus still the eyes of our hearts being open to see and grasp the glory of Jesus and the work of Jesus for us that's that's the focus and so watch out for people who were talking about new and fresh revelations that take the focus off of Jesus that they get people focused on other things know it's not can it happen.

There is no new revelation in that regard because there is no need for new redemption. It's been accomplished. It's been sealed. It's been done.

God bless Ralph MM.

Great answer to the question. Thank you Ralph for your calling and for being a regular listener to core Christianity by the way, today we are offering one of our core Bible studies and it's one that a drill wrote himself on the book of Galatians.

Yeah, look, the book of Galatians is such an important book of the New Testament because it gets straight to the heart of the gospel, the book of Galatians is written in a time of great turmoil and Paul was very concerned for a church.

The church dwelling Galatia because people in that church were beginning to be led astray by false teachers and they were being taught things that weren't true pertaining to the doctrine of justification pertaining to how to understand God's law and one thing I can say pretty definitively as a pastor and having done this broadcast now for some time is there's a lot of confusion today in the church still about the law and about the gospel and so we want to help you sort that confusion out by taking you through the book of Galatians is a 10 week study this 10 week study on the book of Galatians and you can get it over@corechristianity.com for donation of $20 or more be great for yourself or for a small group Bible study or Sunday school class because we actually offer a discount if you order several of those for your church or your small group, you can find out more by going to core Christianity.com/studies that's core Christianity.com/studies and look for the Bible study that federal mentioned on the book of Galatians. Let's go back to the phones.

Here's our phone number if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. It's 833-843-2673 you can spell it on your phone.

It's 833 the core and will be taking calls probably for the next 10 minutes or so, so hop on your phone right now and give us a buzz.

Let's go to Kenneth in Mount Rose Missouri Kenneth, what's your question for pastor. Israel, all tomorrow over her phone call and I hear a lot of people, but all we needed were the market would be what you look for all the yada yada yada but my problem is while you were to build a your brother, you know your mother be saving me more about the mark of God, do you have a wiring not more blogging on the other smugglers. Yeah why week when we get so wrapped up in the city. Bible prophecy thing and in trying to figure out who the antichrist is and what is the mark of the beast when when maybe we haven't gotten the other for the first things in order, which is what is my relationship with Jesus Christ look like wealth and a couple things we are called to be discerning To think about what John says in first John, where he talks about the spirit of the antichrist and how we as believers today need to test the spirits any any spirit that says that Jesus is not come in the flesh is not of God. That is the spirit of the antichrist which John says you heard was coming in the world and is already in the world and so there there is this false and empty demonic doctrine. It's out there and in the spirit of the antichrist is at work in the world today has been since the days the apostle John, and the goal of the antichrist, the spirit of the antichrist is to take our eyes off Jesus to confuse us about who Jesus is and what he's done from the very beginning. Think some of the early heresies in the history of the church. They always focused on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Why will because that's that's that the vital organs if you will of the Christian faith, his life, his death, his resurrection if if Satan can can mess us up on those things. Well then he's he's got a victory into the focus has to be and I think is where your right.

Who is Jesus and do I know him and my sealed by God, and that seal is talked about. I was just talking about Ephesians chapter 1 verses 15 and volleyball talks about that prayer that he he prayed for the Ephesians limit. Earlier he says in verse 11 in him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according the purpose of him who works all things according the counsel of his will so that we who were the first to hope in Christ, might be to the praise of his glory in him you also, when you heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory. That's the mark right there if you will that sealed the seal of the Holy Spirit that we have how, through faith in Jesus Christ by knowing him by receiving him by faith. You know, for the forgiveness of our sins and I'm with you Kenneth that should be our focus and it should be the focus of of pastors today to fix the eyes of people not on you know who we think the antichrist is going to be put on the true Christ Jesus who lived and died and rose again for our salvation.

We need to have a right relationship with him if we don't. Nothing else matters. Kenneth thanks for your call.

Next, Kenneth. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by the way, you can watch a drill on YouTube every day we have a YouTube channel and if you go there at 11:30 AM Pacific time. You can interact with a drill in the studio. That way, so check that out and course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. Let's go to Troy in Nashville Tennessee.

Try what your question for pastor a drill regular follow-up in the first of all appreciate ministry a girl and I like to follow up on the go to Elon musk is manufacturing company is is manufacturing right now and the other guy didn't even speak about what they're doing in Switzerland. There are literally taken them. Children are handed Switzerland that I would doubt is so over hundred thousand people by mouth. What I have been doing for about two or maybe three years now and it's a real tangible device that they're putting in people and a lot about who's going to do the same thing is a real tangible device is going to be putting people's for is to control people is what it's really about and I was wondering if this is truly tangible as it is, instead of spiritual that the ship is one of a and I noticed the mark that God will put them people will be his own market will be spiritual.

Could you tell me anything about that yes is it sounds like your question. It's and I've said this before, in talking about revelation chapter 13 and 14 the week we hear about the mark of the beast you are there some people say all that that that becomes a microchip or attached to that kind of thing. Some some physical mark that an individual is getting on their body as opposed to viewing it as identification with the antichrist more spiritual. You think about the symbolic language that we get in the book of Revelation. This is why it's important for us to understand biblical genres, Bible prophecy, and in particular visionary prophecy, which is what the book of Revelation is made up of throughout the book of Revelation. John repeats this this phrase and I saw and I saw it as if God is giving these pictures. These vivid colorful pictures of things that are taking place in history, but we have to make sure that were were understanding those pictures.

According to the symbols that are provided for us in Scripture. So even you know that the language of the mark of the beast than the number of the mark of the beast 6660 that's a significant symbol in the Bible. It's it's the number of man, it's often identified in the Old Testament or or related to the Old Testament, you know, instances of greed or immorality, idolatry, even in so I don't know that it's, it's, you know that this tattoo the 666 literally gets put on people's foreheads or hands or even a microchip know the idea here is this spiritual identification with an idolatrous system of worship, genuine apostasy, turning away from the gospel not embracing the true faith, not embracing Jesus but embracing the worship of the beast in the antichrist and and your right you know it when it talks about the saints being marked by the Lord.

I think that's that's the seal of the Holy Spirit. And that's again spoken of in in Revelation chapter 14 the first couple verses there and so if that's this spiritual reality to see why there's any reason to think that there there isn't also that that same kind of thing parallel with the mark of the beast as well. Now that doesn't mean that there aren't real historical implications to all of these things there are.

And that's how prophecy works as we have to understand the symbols as they are given to us in the Bible.

One thing I can say I think quite confidently and is what a lot of people are afraid of is that they're concerned. Well if it's this microchip or this kind of thing you know MIR are people going to accidentally take the mark of the beast. They just didn't know. The other thought it was.

It was a good thing they thought it was you know a positive thing in.

And lo and behold, it's actually the market beast well will know that that's that's me. Don't accidentally take this mark of the beast. It it comes through deception it comes to apostasy. It comes through the rejection of the gospel and so if you're a believer in Jesus Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit as as Paul said, bear in Ephesians chapter 1 the guarantee of your inheritance for for that final day, you don't have to worry about accidentally taking the mark of the beast you been sealed by the Holy Spirit. And that's one of the comforts I like to give our audience because I know there are a lot of people who are concerned about this and so Troy appreciate your encouragement brother and I thank you for digging into the word and forgive us a call. Your listing the core Christianity, just a reminder we have that great Bible study on the book of Galatians available today.

This is one that Israel wrote himself and you could use it for personal study or for a small group or Sunday school class and you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/studies.

Also, just a note that were to be recording a second program today second edition of core Christianity. So if you still have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine or theology or even what's going on in our world today will be taking calls for the next 30 minutes or so, so hop on the phone right now and give us a call at 833-843-2670 3833 the court go to voicemail.

We received from one of our listeners. This is from Lisa my program every day. I wanted to write what you're doing both her pastor Angel and Bill Meyer share the gospel and the Lamb of God in Jesus without alienating my agnostic friend. You identify the day.

I'm typically like when I'm confronted with the question being gay and how do I avoid compromising the word of God in answering that question and not dodging it without alienating landline to think their attraction is fundamentally who they are and I want to convey the gospel in a way that winds them, but I also want to be truthful and faithful to God. Any direction you can give me. I would really really appreciate thank you got God bless you too sister and God bless you as you seek to minister to this friend a couple of things that you mention how this individual. This is so true.

Many people today on the just sort of wrap their identity up in their sexuality and this is been something that's been progressing over the last several decades are we to sort of identify the core of who we are with our our sexual desires will that's that's different than what the Bible teaches. And so I think part of the approach is being able to say, look, actually who you are is someone made in the image of God Almighty God were called to reflect God in how we live in in the love that we extend to each other in those those things that God calls us to, but that the reality is we live in a fallen world, because we live in a fallen world, where broken were sinful and even our our sexuality can be broken in terms of the other desires that we have the inclinations that we have and so I think it's being able to say look good and not to be identified. First and foremost with your sexuality.

Although your sexuality is is no part of who you are and how God made us as human beings, but were also broken and so we have to understand that part of the puzzle but were not so for far gone so broken that we can't receive the grace of God. Check out the works of Rosario Butterfield as she talks about this specific question that you fasten how to be loving and engaging winsome, but also firm in what the Bible teaches.

May God bless you as you hold fast the Scriptures to care for your friend thanks 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 bar 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.

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