Has God Turned His Back On the United States?

Has God turn his back on the United States. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity why this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answered your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Feel free to leave a voicemail if you go to voicemail system. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites and you're always welcome to email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Elias is calling in from Longview Texas Elias what your question for atrial particular calling. Love the show.

A question is there probably many examples of this which one it call you favorite or your most recent discovery of finding Jesus, perhaps in the Old Testament yeah favorite Jesus is a picture of Jesus in the Old Testament. I love this and below, and here I want to hear from you. If you have one as well. The last I was preach before I am currently preaching to the book of Revelation before the book of Revelation. I preached through the book of Genesis and one of the things just remarkable to see is how over and over again. You have pictures of the Messiah way back in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 you know where we have this promise that that the seed of the woman is to crush the head of the serpent. What some people will refer to as the proto-UN galley on the first preaching of the gospel.

The promise of the gospel, but then throughout the entire book of Genesis and no doubt throughout the entire Old Testament you have that promise continuing to be traced out. Whether it's it's continued unit with with the promise of blessing the nations through Abraham, and even the experience that Abraham has with that mysterious priest king named Melchizedek. In Genesis chapter 14 would you see it over and over and over again so is it a number of those ones from the book of Genesis because they're so fresh on my mind would probably be my my my favorite to think about that but also always just the bigger assertive picture of Christ being the fulfillment of all of those sacrifices under the old covenant that the ceremonial laws. When you look at the temple and its sacrifices, and in the blood that was shed there in the temples all day long. The rivers of blood if you will, especially on you during the time of the Passover pointing forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world homages it is really remarkable.

So those are those are some of the ones that I would go to at least Bill I don't know if you have a particular story in the Old Testament that you really cherish and feel like man what a great picture of Jesus. There how I love the fiery furnace.

When you have Shadrach me shack in a Bendigo and then Nebuchadnezzar looks in there and sees this fourth man and of course is never identified specifically as Jesus, but I might be hundreds. That's who it is. Yeah yeah know what a great picture that is as well. Right like like the Lord with his people in the midst of their exile and in the midst of their suffering in the midst of the furnace so so much comfort and encouragement that we can take from from the Scriptures and I Elias, thank you for for your encouragement and forgiveness.

A call by the way, we have a great book on this topic called seeing Jesus. You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/Jesus again. Core, Christianity.com/Jesus for that wonderful book seeing Jesus go back to the phone's grace is on the line from Oklahoma grace what your question for atrial hi Grace, how are you I'm doing well. I admire you show so lightning I'm selling well.

My question is not anywhere and and you will many important to me and it may sound silly but thinking but I amateur Holly you and I really want to make a crown actual crown returns okay okay so looking down and they all agree translations of the Bible whether the Bible and I was strong in Hebrew and in my world around the name down.

How is beyond my grasp at lakefront lifestyle translate dream, light shown Genesis Garden of Eden Hebrew and very first song spell the same way as all my heart. I'm looking like I now beyond the point of wanting to know whether I saw fire deeper meaning I can't quite seem to reach or recommend any yeah Grace will one.

Thank you for for that question and an limit to say something that I really appreciate about what you said you all these questions are good questions, and except as people think. A man I don't want to call it that. I don't know if that's can help anyone or whatnot, but the just the way that you wording of this is important to you and in all the Scriptures should be important to us as we search them as were moved by them as I'm just grateful that you you've taken an interest in this and that you've been digging deeper and that it's been a blessing for you and I think often times, especially when we when we do that deep digging into the Scriptures when reminding them and how you know how neat they were talking here about these precious stones mining, you know, for those treasures that we find in Scripture is so often the Lord rewards us is as we dig man so yet that these are the that the 12 stones that appear on the high priests breastplate. You also see that the language of 12 stones and other places like Revelation chapter 21 on the picture of the new Jerusalem, and in terms of in terms of the. The deep blood limits.

Is this talk about that that the big meaning here on the big picture meaning of these particulars doesn't read Exodus chapter 28 where it talks about making this this particular piece of clothing for the priest. Exodus 28 verse 15 you shall make a brass piece of judgment and skilled work in style of the e-file. You shall make it of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen shall you make it, it shall be square, and double square and doubled his doubled, a span its length and a span its breath. You shall set in it for rows of stones, a row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row.

The second row, and emerald a sapphire and a diamond in the thorough Jackson and a gate and an amethyst in the fourth row of barrel and onyx in a Jasper they shall be set in gold filigree. There shall be 12 stones with their names. According to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like Signet's, each engraved with its name for the 12 tribes and so on one since these 12 stones a similar to the shewbread in the in the table way that there a picture of the people of God, and I think there are so many wonderful things are giving these 12 precious stones being symbolic of God's holy people.

On the way in which the Lord views cherishes treasures his people. This is, I think we see even in the New Testament where were the people of God referred to him as his as his own treasured possession. So you have these these 12 stones that are symbolic of God's people. God's covenant people. But there placed on the breastplate of the high priest enters into the holy place into the presence of God on behalf of the covenant people as their mediator.

So in one sense the priest is bringing the whole community of faith with him when he enters into God's presence. So you see this picture of of the that the priest being a mediator. This figure that brings the people of God into the presence of God and in here.

I think we get to see a wonderful picture of Jesus our great high priest who carries the names of his people. We might say on his heart who's entered into not felt the holy places made with hands, you know the earthly tabernacle but into heaven itself, the heavenly temple where he could appear for us once and for all to put away our sins and so these these priests and these need of all the stuff we see there it in the Old Testament that the tabernacle the furniture of the tabernacle, the garments of the priest appointing us to these greater realities that highlight Jesus as our great mediator the great high priest, the one who gives us access into God's presence and that's why we worship and why we love him, which is precisely what you're what you're seeking to do and so grace make the Lord bless you as you continue to dig into the Scriptures and again thank you so much for giving us a call it Elio thing is so encouraging about graces she's using her gifts and talents in a way to to serve the Lord is not something a roll call to yeah grace please send us a picture of this thing when it's all done and I think that's cool. Great. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by the way, we have some great Bible studies that we produce here at the core and would like to tell you about one of our newest ones.

Today we have a new Bible study on the book of Philippians and what it actually believes it is been out for a while but were offering it a new and afresh today and were excited because this is this is one of Paul's New Testament letters actually written during a time of great difficulty.

He's writing the book of Philippians while he's in prison and so you imagine rather than the struggle that he's going through. And yet he calls the church in Philippi to rejoice to be full of joy will how you hold together that tension. The tension of the sufferings we experience in this life the difficulties the challenges we experience and the joy that we can have through Jesus Christ. I think that this resource will help you think through that more. It's a 10 week Bible study you can get it for a donation of $20 or more over it.

Core, Christianity.com perfect for small groups and also for individual study. So get a hold of this resource be great if you're in a church in a small group you been looking for some kind of curricula.

This would be a wonderful choice. You can find it by going to core Christianity.com/new study again.

Core, Christianity.com/new study, our newest study on the book of Philippians we do receive voicemails here core Christianity and here's one that came in from one of our listeners in Nebraska named Jan Mike. I honestly think God is trending back on the night's state what you think. Thank you bye-bye yeah well, what do I think about this. II think the goddess long-suffering and more full of grace and mercy than we could ever imagine that they got all our sins and the sins of the nation testify against it. But does that mean that God has completely abandoned is not the spirit of God is still on the move working redeeming bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ and God has his embassies if you will spread abroad throughout the United States in every country of this world, called to be salt and light called to preach the gospel called to preach the law testifying against a nation of its sin, so that people might come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as I think of symptoms we can you watch the news or just feel like when things things seem so terrible.

Maybe goddess is totally done with us. You can almost feel hopeless, but what we need that continual reminder that the Lord is more merciful than we are more long-suffering than we are sick what Peter says in second Peter God is God is not slow when it comes to bring about his judgment.

He's patient towards us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. And so we need to fix our eyes on that mercy and and hope in the gospel, not in not in our sinlessness, not in you know how how just things look all around us because we see so many injustices, but our hope has to be the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ. The psalmist said in Psalm chapter 33 verse 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The people whom he has chosen as his heritage will who is that people today it's not it's not one particular nation on earth like the United States it's it's God's church. It's his covenant people again spread out throughout the whole world. This is what we read in first Peter chapter 2 verse nine you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood holy nation of people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So the church on earth is God's holy nation, we can't confuse the church is God's holy nation with the common nations of this world, through whom God works and and you know that God's governing with the church is proclaiming the excellencies of Jesus Christ, who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, so that we might be a blessing to all nations, and so that people from every tribe and tongue and nation would come to experience the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and until the Lord comes back ushering in the final judgment. There's always hope. And so we cling to that hope in Christ you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez's we do receive emails and you can email us your question anytime and questions at core, Christianity.com here's one from Rebecca. She says hey a drilling bill.

My husband and I have recently been thinking about how our culture is being progressively shaped and increasingly sexualized direction.

I wanted to pick your brain. You know what you guys think there is any psychological and spiritual benefit to be gained from the separation of sex and nudity. And if there's a place for it in Christian circles, or more specifically, is there a place for exploring the use of nudity as a therapeutic tool for Christians to help D sexualized the body. Bill were talking about therapeutic tools here, so I'm eminently not here for just one, but not limited to say a couple of things. Yes, man.

Everything is so hyper sexualized and in there is a real issue. I think what we can't sort of separate that these two things were everything is just so sexualized that that what Jesus if you look at a woman to lust for her.

You already committed adultery in your heart site. I think we really do need to examine ourselves here and and and ask ourselves you to what extent have I been shaped by the sort of hyper sexualized culture that I am in so that I am unable to look at another person, while a person made in the image of God, worthy of dignity and respect without objectifying them huge problem. This is one of the big issues with with pornography in our culture and society today is just it just terrible. And so there needs to be a lot of repentance there needs to be a lot of healing right and we talked about this on the broadcast before but is the right approach trying to sort of D sexualized the way with we think about the human body and maybe using nudity to do that.

My concern is that a lot of people in here and think okay this is just that now I'm justified in looking at images of of the opposite sex or or whoever you know naked images and I'm just trying to you know D sexualized my my mind I that that that seems very unwise to me and and unhelpful in particular and in an easily abuse and so I would say no personally pastorally outside that's and that's not a wise approach. And so we have to be cautious here brothers and sisters and really ask ourselves you know what what what am I doing how my using my eyes, my mind to honor the Lord Paul says in in Romans chapter 12 verse one we present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. Earlier in chapter 6 through 87 we present the members of our bodies as holy instruments for righteousness to the Lord that's that's every part of us. God has sanctified you in Jesus Christ and now were called. This is verse two of Romans 12 not to be conformed to this world to the worldly way of thinking, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That's what we need and it's a work of the holy spirit and so Bill I don't know if you have thoughts just coming from your professional background with with this question, particularly just it just seems to me like that. It would be really something that would be abuse not not so helpful per se. I think one of the ways we we D sexualized our minds if you will, is by repenting of the pornography by repenting of these things that people are consumed by that make it so hard for them to view the opposite sex, and other people made in God's image with dignity and I'm not sure exactly what Rebecca is suggesting there but I mean, I've even heard of believer or not Christian nudist camps that that sort of thing just so I think your caution is is well taken. Only the flipside of this is when you have such a legalistic view of sexuality and as parents, you know you you start to impart to your kids that you know all sex is bad and dirty and wrong and yet we know that God created it for a couple who are committed in marriage.

That's right. And it's a beautiful thing and it's a treasured thing and and also results course and the blessing of children.

In many cases, so I think the flipside is especially for moms and dads to help their kids to develop God's view of sexuality which is beautiful and pure and right. And of course that's so opposite of what our culture is the teaching Russia yes a good job of them gladly brought that out because of a week, and often in the church had the sort of taboo view of sexuality and an intimacy with mood when in reality, it is this gift that God has given to us not to be abuse and of course we see it so abuse in our culture today that were trying to find an answer but the answer is not to to to to demonize it to make it Nina just this taboo thing it's it's to have that positive biblical outlook that the Scriptures give to us now. Also, you mentioned these nudist colonies did you know the bill that there was an ancient sect called the Adam nights. It was heretical sect and basically what they were known for was a group in North Africa and the 3rd to 4th centuries and they wore no clothing during their religious services, scapula could be kinda hard to concentrate on worship. If that is what you were doing, but they were they were condemned because it you know obviously the type of strange views of so this thing is it has been around for a while bill. But thanks reported got out I buy appreciate that I don't appreciate the image. But really, with the historical context is interested.

Business core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Here's a voicemail from one of our listeners. This is Kyle I have a question regarding her modest confident but wondering if there was ever something your purpose and reason in certain churches whether or not those are black iterations of false religions yeah monasteries a mix of places where where where believers retreats and are there and devoted to prayer and fasting. And of course you know there there many Christian traditions where this is a big thing but not as big. I would say you know among among the Reformation churches that is accredited during the time of the Reformation. There was this this big push to not not separate if you will, from the world, but that the restoration of the doctrine of vocation living and working in the world serving your neighbor not not been cut off from your neighbor but serving your neighbor with the hope of of the gospel, which is also in in whatever it is that God had called you to.

And so II think that there can really be a minute in one sensitive Vicki. There can be an issue here. When you think about what God calls us to. We think about the great commission and in the way in which at least in the New Testament you need it seem like the church was set up by these kinds of institutions.

These modest monitors are things that didn't begin to develop early on in the history of the church and so but whether or not I guess for me I would be more on the side of you know that the sort of Reformation outside of of of viewing them not so much as as what were called to ask Christians in a sort of abandoning the world and in cutting ourselves often just being devoted to to prayer in isolation but really wanting to encourage people to view their work, their vocation is a gift that God had given to them in in in serving society in growing together with people and spreading the gospel of our Lord Jesus is so I appreciate your your question. If you're considering running off to the monastery.

Maybe give us a call back and then let us know and we can give you some encouragement there but once again God bless you brothers and sisters and thank you 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.

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