Is My Toddler Experiencing Spiritual Warfare?

If God created everything, then who created God. 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 Adm. Sanchez and this is the 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 court, that's 1-833-843-2673.

You can also email us with your question at questions@corechristianity.com. First up, today we got a good news story to share with you during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, even in the quiet little town of Kelsey Bill California lunch time is a busy time at Lindell sport stop grill. One reason why Michael Lindell and his staff begin at 5 AM for a 100 person take out order and Mike's bills that order three times a week.

He personally delivers it to a place where hungry staff members have already formed a line waiting for the food they know what's coming. Another donated lunch from Mike to the hard-working staff at Sutter health Lakeside Hospital. If you ask Mike why he donates these meals. He says my mom and dad said sometimes it isn't about making money, it's about doing the right thing that Kool-Aid drill that is cool and it just another one of the stories that were sitting all around us. If people who are really seeking to bless their neighbors in this time.

I just want to say to you as you listen if you have great stories of your own that you're seeing or experiencing during this present Christ as the coronavirus crisis reach out to us would love to hear those stories and it is important for us to be encouraging each other in this time. Please do share those with us would love to share them on the air from anywhere in the country or around the world.

If you're listening online or listen to our podcast while here's today's first question a drill and this one comes from Zach and Zach says should Christians circumcise their boys. My wife and I decided not to circumcise our two sons, but most of our friends with boys did mainly because their parents had and they wanted their sons to look the same. That wasn't a good enough reason for me.

I know that circumcision is no longer required under the new covenant, but why do so many Christians at least in America still do it when there really aren't any medical or hygienic reasons to do it.

How should we think about this. Thank you for your question and you write me circumcision as a sign under the old covenant marked Hebrew boys office participants in the visible life of the church of the church at that time, you have the people of God is real.

It was a sign of judgment if you rebelled against Yahweh you were cut off from the people and that was symbolized in circumcision, but it was also a sign of blessing and salvation.

Ultimately it pointed to the circumcision of the heart regeneration and their places in the Old Testament work God is rebuking Israel calling them to to be circumcised in heart. Under the new covenant that God gives us a new heart. The sign of circumcision that has been done away with it actually in the New Testament is replaced by baptism while sitting in Colossians chapter 2 verses 11 and 12 in him that is in Jesus. Also, you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. So under the old covenant of circumcision was not. It wasn't done for hygienic reasons or for cosmetic reasons of it was it was to sign this covenant sign that God gave to his people were no longer under the old covenant. So there's no religious reason why you would circumcise your children. I don't know why you know the majority of Americans do it today think it's a matter of personal choice whether you choose to do it for your family are not and so that's what we have to look at it. It's really interesting. One of the earliest controversies in the Christian church had to do with circumcision amine whole books of the Bible like the book of Galatians address this issue because there were Christians or professing Christians who were saying if you really want to be a part of the church. If you really want to be justified will then you also have to be circumcised. You need to basically become Jewish and Paul said no it's only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ that were justified were made a part of the people of God. So that's an important question and whether or not people choose to do circumcise today of that system a matter personal choice.

By the way, if you like to call us with your question.

Here's the phone number it's 1-833-843-2673.

That's 1833. The court also send us a question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. We would love to hear your question it or let's go to war first called the day and this one came in from a listener named Bill. Hello drill Saudi gentleman called you and out group on how the Lord will let dad. Now my question really the only physical that was close to what the 12 disciples that they saw and mentor guards had to make some sort of an excuse why did they rise from the gathering up a pair to Apple goes along bacon 12 people were gonna there were his followers. Hey Bill, thank you for your question says that you're really wrestling you know with this issue. Why would we just trust 12 guys will let me just unpack the facts of history first. We know that Jesus was crucified and all of the gospel say this historians like Josephus, the Roman historian Tacitus they affirm this as well me this is not really something that's up for debate. Even atheist and agnostic historians are willing to say yet Jesus was crucified. We know that Jesus existed that he died on a Roman cross. The second fact of history that week we have to affirm is that the body was missing when there are different explanations for where it went up. The Christian said like we say he rose from the dead others.

The Jews were saying the body was stolen. The fact remains, the body was not there, so we have to be able to account for what happens to the body.

Third, the disciples the 12 apostles that you mention another's claim to see the risen Christ, and were willing to lose everything for that claim.

Even enemies of the church like Saul of Tarsus experienced a powerful conversion experience of the risen Christ that caused them. Men like Saul of Tarsus to begin preaching the Christian faith. Instead of trying to destroy it now.

The text that I would go to in the New Testament is one of the earliest New Testament books 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses three and following says this I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received that we just stop right there and state.

This is a really important line because the apostle Paul is writing this and as I mentioned, it's one of the earliest New Testament books that we have any says this is what I received was what is about to say this is already the tradition that's being handed down in the church is not something that's invented later. This is the most ancient colonel of the Christian faith. What is it that Paul received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the 12.

Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all he appeared to me, Paul says, first Corinthians chapter 15 verses verses three through eight. So actually Bill, he did appear to a multitude and Paul and this is so amazing writing to the Corinthians, says most of those people that he appeared to are still alive right now.

In other words, if this was just something he was making up you don't like why would he say that he sang look those multitudes that Saul the risen Christ.

You can go talk to them. Most of them are still alive right now.

Go see for yourself.

All of that is evidence is that I think is most compelling. This really describes me bill these people. The apostles they knew whether or not they were making this stuff up for some people say that they did it for money for power for control that they're inventing this new religion to control people.

But guess what, the claim that Jesus rose from the dead didn't make them rich or powerful, but hated, persecuted, and they took this claim to their graves and many of them went to an untimely, painful death because they stuck to that claim that Jesus Christ rose from the dead when they lost everything, their jobs, families, their lives, why because they preached the resurrection. Now if they were just making it up. Why would they do that. Why would they do that if it wasn't true them and have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

And yet, the early disciples of Jesus. They preached this message that I think is compelling evidence.

It's reason to believe that what they were saying was true. Bill, thank you for your question.

A drill I think that's one of the most powerful defenses of the resurrection affected by tradition, we believe that each one of those disciples with perhaps the exception of John went to their death in a horrible way they were. They were killed by the Romans, and they wouldn't go to their graves because of a lie. There's no reason for that.

And so I think all of us need to be thankful that their testimony stands throughout the centuries, and that we can believe the word of those early followers of Jesus.

This is core Christianity with pastor Averill Sanchez and you can call us right now with your question.

At 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673 in April. We have a great opportunity. We want to mention to our listeners today.

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So with a monthly donation of $25 or more can be a part of the team, making it possible for us to answer these questions and share the core truths of the Christian faith, truth like the one registering with Bill.

This is why we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why you should believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ of head over to core Christianity.com/inner core. To learn more or give us a call at 833. The core one of the ways you can contact us here at core Christianity with your question is by going to our Facebook or Instagram page and Sam posted this on Instagram first Corinthians 511 tells us not to eat with those living in sin. How should we treat someone who is fallen from the faith and is living in sin, for example, adultery. SMM is really heartbreaking. Just out the other day picking up some food in the person who I was given the food from that they know I'm a pastor and they said you know if a pastor commits adultery. What should we do that apparently this woman was in a church where the pastor committed adultery is heartbreaking when we see these kinds of things all around us and I think if you take Paul's words at face value. If someone who has or was a part of the church is been excommunicated. They stayed in some grievous way and down there under church discipline as Jesus outlines in Matthew 1815 and following will then wait we have to treat them as a nonbeliever.

Now week when you know what the steps are that Jesus gives us in Matthew 18, the first step is to go to brother sister who has sinned against you and you approach them individually. The second step is if they still don't repent then you take two or three others in the church.

You can confirm this case and go to them and plead with them in and call them to repent and if they still don't want to follow Jesus. If they continue with a hard heart and their sin will then the cases brought before the church. I think Jesus there is referring to the elders if there still no repentance. And Jesus said this in Matthew 18, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector that is to say don't even treat them as as a brother or sister in the faith, and Paul's words in verse 20 and five demonstrated in the case of one who has abandoned Christ and the church.

We shouldn't have our normal relationship with that person eating and drinking hanging out. Why is this isn't to shame them.

It's a warning were saying look brother or sister. Your soul is in danger. I can't be in laugh with you, everything is fine while you're in while you're in unrepentant sin, you know better. The goal of Church discipline is always restoration not condemnation but know what Paul said earlier in that text in first Corinthians in chapter 5 verse five is that deliver the unrepentant person over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord that here's what I think the big take away is in all of this. Sam we need to be serious about sin in our own lives and the lives of the people around us in the church. Don't overlook it. Don't brush it under the rug. Don't laugh about it. It will kill you and spread throughout the church. If it is then addressed sin ruins lives. Now, having said that we don't eat and drink with unrepentant persons like we once did. Does that mean we abandoned them know you mean you can still pursue them lovingly. Pray for them.

Reach out to them, call them back to the faith. Paul's point there is don't pretend like there's no problem if if you saw someone driving off of a cliff and you didn't shout and say hey stop, look and pay attention if the brakes you just let them go. That would be horrible. That's not how we love each other and Paul he take sin seriously. The word of God. It takes sin seriously, you need to take sin seriously. I think that's what first Corinthians 5 teaches us. Sam, thank you so much for your question. We know that's a tough one.

When you care about someone in your church and they have committed some kind of sin, and they're not repentance it's difficult to be able to set up those boundaries as that federal pointed out, we have a call that came in April. This one is from Joe Dr. Nutter I character wrote on their merit that God created everything critic God and not telling them that God was always there. How can I get through to the Scripture that you have a great day by hey Joe, the age-old question, and in one sense I think the question you understand why someone would ask them if God is like his creation.

Then, let's just assume that he had to of been created like we were created. But the biblical view is that God is uncreated see there's a distinction between the creator and the creature.

And you know what this is probably one of the most important distinctions for us to understand today. I think one of the big problems in society right now with people think about God is. They assume that God is like them.

We make God to be in our own image. God is like a creature eased just my friend, my buddy, you know, there isn't this understanding of the fact that he's infinitely greater than we are. He is the creator. We are his creatures were different. We are dependent on God, God is not dependent on anything or anyone.

He has life in himself, as I think the reason this issue comes up time and time again is because our view of God is to creature. We were expecting him to be like us to need something outside of himself to exist, but if that was the case and he wouldn't be God. Certainly not the God of the Bible, God said to the prophet Isaiah.

In Isaiah 55 89. My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. So Joe's were trying to help each other. Think through this question and it's a question that that is just a lot of people are asking whether Christians or non-Christians, or did God come from. I think the first thing we need to do is take a step back and realize God is the creator. We are the creature we need to be created.

We need to be made. But God doesn't need that because he's outside of his creation.

He's the Lord of all creation. He is unlike us and as we understand that.

I think that this idea that God is uncreated makes more sense or begins to make more sense a tough philosophical question, Israel and the even five-year-olds asked that question. Oh yeah might have that much about my kids have asked that question multiple times and I just they go to bed no more question. Oh man, here's our phone number if you have a question for us. It's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 we received an email question from Karlyn and Carla says recently I heard an objection to the validity of the Bible based on the mobilization of Israel from Egypt and through Canaan.

The argument was this for a civilization like Egypt that had very meticulous records. Why have there been no writings found on the enslavement and exodus of millions of Hebrews within the Egyptian archaeological record in the same argument for lack of evidence for movement of Israel through Canaan. Could it be that the Bible's Israel or simply miss documented descendents from the Canaanites. Thank you for your ministry.

Well, okay, what I thought out question important one because this really one of the things were sitting on this program.

In particular, is that the Christian faith is rooted in history we had that question about the resurrection did Jesus really rise from the dead. Can we trust the word of the apostles and the disciples who died for this message.

The stories that we have in the Bible. They're not just nice myths for us to glean you some sort of spiritual insight. Well, we should love each other, look at you know, didn't Jesus do that that kind of a thing of this is historical accounts that were claiming that God broken the history that he delivered his people from Egypt that he came to earth in the incarnation died for our sins and rose again history is so important to the Christian faith. A minute it's it's everything so that we understand this this argument against our faith against the Bible that the Exodus didn't really happen that there is no evidence will it is primarily an argument from silence Karlyn, but that doesn't mean it's not a good question and I'm not entirely up-to-date on all of the recent archaeological evidence. But here's where I stand.

God's word can be trusted over and over again. The Bible has been confirmed on the basis of archaeology. There was the Cyrus cylinder I don't know if you heard about it dates back to that six century BC corroborates some of the biblical account of King Cyrus described in places like the book of Isaiah. In the 1960s in a get the pilot stone that was discovered which corroborated the New Testament account of Jesus's crucifixion pilots existences as a governor at that time there was even a copper ring that was discovered around that time that bears pilots name name. It actually wasn't very common in that day know. Maybe some of that seems like a deflection Karlyn. But Mike, my point is simply that the lack of evidence now doesn't mean that something will come up later when new discoveries are being made all the time that support the biblical record and I think that help us grow in confidence that what we believe is true. And it is a limit to say one more thing and I recently saw a documentary on this very question. There is an Egyptologist named David roles and he suggested that I think he's onto something here that basically our chronology for the Exodus event is all wrong that it actually happened a lot earlier than a lot of Egyptologist right now, understand, and so there's there's some helpful information on this effective friend of mine – Jane Rosenthal on his podcast called Whitehorse and they recently interviewed David roles on this question.

Did the Exodus really happened and what's the evidence. I think if you look that up.

You'd be surprised to find that there really is some compelling evidence for the Hebrew people fleeing from Egypt to them. In the event of the Exodus. Maybe we can put that program on the show notes. There's also this really great documentary that you can watch with your family. I actually watched together with my wife.

She loved it me, she loves history. So if you're in history. This is this is the fun. One of its fiscal patterns of evidence. Exodus factor fiction. I think you can find on Amazon prime. This is another neat resource a fun one that you could go through the helps in answering this question, so check out some of those resources and no you can be confident with the word of God says because it's true. Thanks so much for your question Karlyn, this is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez and we have one more question that came in before we wrap things up for the day, this one from Hayden says does God give different preachers different emphasis in their ministry.

For example Tim Keller has help me understand God's love more than anyone, but someone like Michael Horton has help me understand justification more than any other preacher. Is this something that can be found in the Bible or is it a result of different personalities look God has gifted us each in different ways that you know when I first started preaching. I remember really wrestling with trying to sound like other preachers, my very first sermon that I preached was 18 years old. Is that a little Calvary Chapel here in San Diego and at the time I had been reading a lot of Charles Spurgeon and I think I preached the sermon in old English and I realized over time. Eight God has made me who I am. The focus the emphasis for all of us though needs to be Christ and him crucified. The apostle Paul said his right of the great is thy purpose to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified with all the experiences that followed had the revelations he had received from the Lord, and he talks about lifted up into the third heaven meet right.

That's what I want to hear about Paula me what you see their bosses just I want to talk about.

I want to talk about Jesus as I think that the emphasis for every preacher for every theologian needs to be Christ and him crucified.

Now were gifted in different ways and so we might present that in ways that are unique to us but the message stays the same. And here's the beautiful thing God uses us in our unique gifts to communicate that message to people all around the world to sinners who need to hear about the forgiveness that we have in Jesus Christ.

The message is the same, but it's preached by all different kinds of people, and God uses that to accomplish his redemption in the world. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer.

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