Pastor Vic's Nuggets of Truth: Recent Episodes
Dr. Vic Torres
Free Podcast Downloads In my previous episode, 189 The Better Covenant, I made the point that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God, literally 'God-breathed' (2 Timothy 3:16). From beginning to end, it reveals God’s redemptive plan and His covenant relationship with humanity. The two Testaments represent two distinct covenants: the Old Covenant given to Israel through Moses, and the New Covenant given through Jesus Christ to all who believe. Understanding how these covenants connect, and how the New is better than the Old is basic to living in the freedom and grace God offers.
Free Podcast Downloads 189 - The Better CovenantAs Christians, we understand that the entire Bible, Old Testament and New Testament, is inspired, or “God breathed.” 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” The word “inspiration” literally means “breathed”, in other words, all scripture is “God breathed.”
We also know that the two parts of the Bible represent two separate Covenants. The word testament is from the Greek diathēkē, which means covenant. A covenant is an agreement or contract. A theological covenant is an agreement between God and mankind. Therefore, the Bible represents two covenants. The Old Covenant was a covenant between God and the Hebrews, and the New Covenant was a covenant between God and the followers of Jesus, Christians.
Every theological covenant has a mediator. The dictionary defines a mediator as one who attempts to bring people involved in a conflict to an agreement, serving as a go-between. In the Old Covenant, Moses was the mediator; that is why the covenant was often called the “Law of Moses.” The New Covenant mediator is Jesus, who gave His life willingly to save us from sin and gave us eternal life with Him in Heaven. Notice that I said, “Jesus gave His Life.” That giving of life is why the New Covenant is called the Covenant of Grace.
Back to the dictionary, grace is defined as: “(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.” Put another way, Jesus giving His life for us is the very definition of grace. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Here is the crucial point: you can’t have two mediators! Too many Christians are trying to live under the Law and under Grace. Grace and Law are mutually exclusive, meaning that it must be one or the other; it can’t be both. Look at what the Apostle John said in John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” And then the Apostle Paul in Romans 6:14, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Free Podcast Downloads God’s desire is to dwell with His people.The basic restoration of God’s plan is eternal, unbroken fellowship with His people.The Bible makes it clear that God longs to dwell with His people; it is not a side note or unimportant issue. From the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the New Jerusalem in the book of Revelation, the Lord continually moves towards us. God’s desire is to be close, to live among us, and to restore what was lost through sin. The Lord uses the word “dwell with.” We need to understand that in modern terms, “dwelling with” means relationship and fellowship.
In the beginning of the Bible, we can see that God dwelt with Adam and Eve. They knew the Lord in a personal way; they walked with Him and talked with Him. Even after they sinned and were trying to hide from God, God was there waiting for them to come to Him.
Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”
At the end of the Bible, we see the conclusion to the story of redemption and restoration of fellowship.
Revelation 21:3, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.” God Himself will be with them and be their God.”What a beautiful picture of the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling place, being in His people.
Free Podcast Downloads The Relationship Between Character and Anointing in ChristianityThere is a vital relationship between the character of a Believer and the anointing in the Believer that is often overlooked. It is all too common to focus on either character or anointing, rather than both. This problem in Christianity goes back to the saying, “With the Word (Bible) only, you dry up. With the Spirit (anointing), only you blow up. However, with the Bible and the anointing, you grow up.
Growing up to be the person God created you to be in the image of Jesus Christ is our goal as disciples. When Jesus walked the earth, His disciples and followers had the advantage of learning from Him directly. They walked with Him, talked with Him, and lived with Him.
Jesus knew that He would be leaving His followers and that they would scatter without Him. Jesus made it very clear that the Father would not leave us as orphans when Jesus was gone, but that He would give us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit, to guide us into becoming disciples of His. The early followers of Jesus had Jesus to help them grow mature; today, we have the Holy Spirit of God to help us grow into mature Christians.
Free Podcast Downloads Interdependence of the Holy Spirit and the BibleThe Bible provides the unchanging truth of God’s revelation, while the Holy Spirit brings that truth to life. It is possible to read Scripture without spiritual understanding—many scholars have dissected the Bible as mere literature without encountering the Author. This is why Paul writes, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God... because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Conversely, if we rely solely on spiritual impressions without anchoring them in Scripture, we risk drifting into subjective experience and doctrinal error. The Holy Spirit never contradicts the Word—He illuminates it. Jesus declared, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit... will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26). What He teaches always aligns with what God has already spoken.
This is captured in the wise saying: “The Bible alone—you dry up. The Spirit alone—you blow up. Both the Bible and the Holy Spirit together—you grow up.”
Free Podcast Downloads The Bible and the Holy Spirit: Maturity!In recent months, I have focused on the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life. However, I want to make sure there is no doubt that we need both the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Without the Bible, we can easily fall into error. Remember, Satan is a deceiver, as the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:14, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” So, how do we know what is from God and what is from the enemy of our soul, or just wrong thinking? The Bible is the standard of truth for life and godliness.
Free Podcast Downloads I am sure that all of us have faced the age-old question of, “Why is it so hard to obey God?” The truth of the matter is that we cannot consistently obey the Lord in our own strength and discipline alone. We need help, we need power!
That is why Jesus ascended to the Father, so that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to us as the “Helper” John 14:15-18, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
Free Podcast Downloads When's the Stuff Going to Happen?Many people believe they need to become better people before they can get close to Jesus. However, the truth is, if you draw closer to Jesus, He will make you a better person. The Lord doesn’t want to put you into a mold and make you look like a Christian. The Lord wants to change you from the inside out to make you a Christian. This process is called transformation. Look at Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The Lord’s perfect will is that you become like Jesus and that in life’s situations, you would do what Jesus would do. Jesus empowered us, through the Holy Spirit, to do the following in Mark 16:15-18, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Free Podcast Downloads As Christians, we commonly use the word salvation to mean being “born again.” We talk about being saved or not saved, but what does that really mean? In its most straightforward understanding, it means that by putting our faith or our trust in Jesus Christ, we are saved. Our faith is in Jesus alone, and as a result of that faith, we believe that His crucifixion, death, and resurrection purchased something that we could never obtain on our own. We believe that faith in Jesus has caused the following: our sins to be forgiven, a restored relationship with God the Father, His Holy Spirit to come live in us and that we will have eternal life with God in Heaven!
If the above is what you believe, then you are absolutely correct; however, there is more! These facts of being forgiven, in a proper relationship with the Father, and knowing you have eternal life are the beginning of understanding what being “born-again” means. As the term born again implies, you have been spiritually reborn, and this rebirth not only changes your spirit, but it also changes your soul and body.
Free Podcast Downloads Mustard Seed Faith: A Journey of TransformationThe writer of the book of Hebrews makes it abundantly clear that it is impossible to please God without faith! The writer says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). It is wonderful that all we need is the smallest measure of faith to start our faith walk, and Romans 12:3 tells us that the Lord graciously gives us that seed of faith. Like any seed, the destiny of that seed is to grow.
Free Podcast Downloads In the last several episodes of this series entitled “Learning How to be Led by the Holy Spirit,” we talked about a number of ways the Lord communicates with us through the Holy Spirit.
- Holy Spirit Guidance Through Conviction.
- Holy Spirit Guidance Through the Bible.
- Holy Spirit guidance through recalling scripture. (Rhema Word)
- Holy Spirit guidance through circumstances. (Providence)
Today, we will look at how God uses messengers, spiritual and human, to communicate with us.
Free Podcast Downloads In the last episode of this series entitled “Learning How to be Led by the Holy Spirit,” we talked about two ways to be led by the Holy Spirit. The two ways were: Holy Spirit Guidance Through Conviction and Holy Spirit Guidance Through the Bible.
Today, we will examine two more areas, and they are: Holy Spirit guidance through recalling scripture. (Rhema Word) and Holy Spirit guidance through circumstances (Providence).
Free Podcast Downloads How Does the Holy Spirit Guide Us? Part 2As we have established earlier, God intends that we be led by the Holy Spirit. That means that He directs our paths. You’ve heard me say, “When you walk with God, you get to where He is going.” The Lord wants us to be where He is; working with Him instead of working for Him.
Just as we can be assured that God has plans, purposes, and pursuits for us to walk in, we can also be sure that God speaks to or communicates with us. The most important reason that God speaks to us is to guide us. There are at least six important ways in which we receive guidance from the Lord.
When you are born-again, you know it because of the peace and assurance that the Lord gives you to know that you are saved. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you know it because you will speak in new tongues and move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, to move in […]
There has always been a controversy between the terms the Bible calls “Grace and Works.” Some have misused the terms to excuse sin; others have misused the terms to try and earn or deserve God’s blessing and favor. Both these terms, Grace and works, are important aspects of the life of a New Testament Believer […]
Every Christian has heard or used the term “Jesus, my Lord and Savior! There are only five words to that statement, and yet those five words are the foundation of the entire New Testament. I think you would agree that as a Christian, I need to understand what the key three words, Jesus, Lord, and […]
As a Christian, it is important to know who you are! Today, there seems to be such an effort in the world to put everyone into a group or category. This suggests a real identity crisis in our cultures, societies, and countries. The Bible makes it very clear who we are: we are citizens of […]
How to be led by the Holy Spirit of God is of utmost importance. It represents the difference between working for the Lord or working with the Lord! While working for the Lord may be a sincere effort to please the Lord, it is often a work the Lord has not asked us to do. Here is an important point: if […]
Free Podcast Downloads A friend of mine asked this question about God. “When I pray, who do I pray to, God the Father, Jesus or the Holy Spirit? This is really a good question and maybe something you have wondered about as well. Let me try to explain this question first from how I approach the triune nature of our God and also from a scriptural perspective.
Free Podcast Downloads 1 Corinthians 12 is the apostle Paul's exhortation to recognize the spiritual gifts available to every believer who acknowledges the presence of the Holy Spirit in them. I quote Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:1 (NKJV), “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” Paul was chastising the Corinthian Christians for abandoning the work of the Holy Spirit in their personal lives and in church life.
It is not enough to know the basic truths of the Bible; knowledge should lead to understanding, and then the ultimate fruit of understanding is wisdom. Wisdom is the proper application of truth. In other words, we are called to be “doers” of the Word.
Free Podcast Downloads In the last post, 163, the focus was on "Why we need the Holy Spirit.” We need the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness, overcoming sin and defeating the enemy, the Devil. We can sum this up as the process of Sanctification. When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we are declared sanctified or holy; this is our new “position” in the Lord. At the same time, we enter a process of becoming more like Jesus in our thoughts, words, and deeds. This is what a faithful Christian is, a work in progress; becoming more like Jesus is our life's work. Sanctification has two parts: our position in Christ, which Jesus purchased for us, and the work we must do, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to become more like Jesus in our character.
Understanding the principle of Sanctification is to understand why Jesus sent us a "Helper," the Holy Spirit, to lead us, teach us, guide us, and most importantly, empower us to live the life He has called us to. While our position of being sanctified never changes, our personal lives continually change. This process of change is called “transformation.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV), “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” So, the transformation process is that we become more and more like Jesus in character.
Free Podcast Downloads Review As I said in my last post, what we believe should be based upon the Word of God, the Bible, and not on the opinions of others. The Bible is our map to life and godliness; the Holy Spirit is our compass to help us find the one true way. Remember the way is narrow, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
I also said that it is important that we not lose sight of the fact that the most important aspect of Christianity is the salvation provided by the crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than what Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. However, we shouldn’t be ignorant of what was provided by Jesus to help us live in spiritual victory. The Helper has been the focus of the last several posts and episodes. We worship Jesus and only Jesus because He was the One who died for us. However, let us not forget that in Jesus' own words, He promised us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an option. Jesus commands His followers to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV) “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” The “Promise of the Father” was the promise of the Holy Spirit!
Free Podcast Downloads Jesus is the Reason we Live.As we continue to focus on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, let us not lose sight of the fact that the most important aspect of Christianity is the salvation provided by the crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than what Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. However, we shouldn’t be ignorant of what was provided by Jesus to help us live in spiritual victory. The Helper has been the focus of the last several posts and episodes. We worship Jesus and only Jesus because He was the One who died for us. However, let us not forget that in Jesus' own words, He promised us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit. You might ask, why did Jesus provide us with a Helper, and what does the Helper do? Jesus provided the Helper because Jesus didn't want to leave us alone in our own strength to live the Christian life, a life of righteousness.
Free Podcast Downloads As a Christian, it is so important to understand what happened in Acts chapter 2; this chapter holds the key to living in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, which was made available to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savior Jesus is alive; He lives to actively give us everything we need to live an abundant life. Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Trusting in Jesus is not some empty ritual or religious superstition; trusting in Jesus is a genuine response based on the relationship between God and man.
Free Podcast Downloads 160 Evidence for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
I find it interesting that when we read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we don’t look at them as historical books giving an account of what happened in the past. When we look at the Gospels, we recognize that they represent something new that started with the coming of Jesus Christ in power and authority to save and heal; here is the important part: that power and authority continue to this day. Why, then, do we look at the Book of Acts as a historical account of the early Church instead of looking at Acts as the start of the Church coming into power and the authority of the Holy Spirit continuing to this day? If I have learned anything as a Christian, it is that I can’t pick and choose what I want to believe in the Bible! All of the Bible was relevant then and is relevant today.
Free Podcast Downloads The book of Acts in the Bible is one of 27 books of the New Testament, and the author was the Apostle Luke, the same one who wrote the Gospel of Luke. The book's title is "Acts," or the "Acts of the Apostles," in particular, the acts of the apostles' Peter and then Paul. I would suggest that it is also the acts of the Holy Spirit.
How one looks at Acts, in large part, determines how one sees the church in apostolic times and how one will see the church in the present time.
Free Podcast Downloads RighteousnessIn the beginning, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve were in right standing with God; the Lord walked with them and talked with them; they were in a relationship. Their relationship could exist because they were innocent, and as a result, they were holy and righteous in the eyes of the Lord. However, when Adam and Eve sinned, that relationship was broken, and there came a separation between God and humanity. Because the Lord is Holy and Righteous, He cannot be in contact or relationship with anything unholy or unrighteous.
Free Podcast Downloads God is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever, Hebrews 13:8.At the very end of my Last Post, I mentioned something about the authority that we have as Believers. So, I thought I would take some time to examine this important area of spiritual authority.
From the beginning of time, the Holy Spirit has been active. The Holy Spirit was key in creation; he was active in Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit was active and essential in the early Christian church, and finally, the Holy Spirit continues to be active in the lives of believers today.
Sometimes when we study the Bible, we think of the many miraculous events that took place in the past and make the mistake of thinking that it was for that time only. Let me remind you that the Bible says that “God is the same yesterday today and forever.” To me, that means that He is the same today as He was in the distant past.
We should never discount the miraculous. Our God is a miracle-working God; he does not change, and what has changed are the vessels or people He uses to fulfill His will.
Free Podcast Downloads This message is intended for all those who pastor or teach others in the Christian community. I encourage you to consider what I have to say, and if it is helpful to you, then Praise the Lord! If not, then Praise the Lord again! The message has to do with what the Scriptures call "the Milk of the Word or the Meat of the Word." What is the difference? The foundation to understanding is the question, "what is our motivation, and what should be the motivation of those we minister to?"
Free Podcast Downloads For much of the last year, our focus has been on seeing Jesus through the Gospel of John. We looked at the seven "I AM" statements and the seven miracles of Jesus in John's writings. Today I want to take a look at the phrase that Jesus is "the Alpha and Omega," which is found in the book of Revelation. The descriptions of Jesus that the Bible writers used tell us much about the character and nature of Jesus and how we should view Him.
Free Podcast Downloads As born-again Christians, we understand that the enemy of our soul, the devil, wants to keep us in doubt and fear of losing our relationship with the Lord! I am sure you have heard the expression, "the Battlefield of the Mind!" The battle is between believing what God says about you as opposed to what the devil says about you. Something you must settle in your mind and heart is that God is the author of all truth, and the devil is the author or father of all lies. The devil will try to use our emotions, such as guilt, shame, and fear to convince us that God can't love a sinner like us.
Free Podcast Downloads As we begin a new year, I can think of no better subject to examine than that of Assurance. One of the most important issues in becoming a strong Christian is the issue of assurance or confidence. Assurance is defined as certainty, sureness, confidence, hope, or expectation. Assurance as a Christian means that we believe in all that Jesus has said and done on our behalf. Another word we could use is confidence. As a Believer, we are confident in our relationship with Jesus, the love of the Father, and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Lord did not send Jesus to us so that we would be in doubt of all the rights and privileges of being a Believer. Remember, we are to be witnesses to Jesus. Therefore, the assurance of how we live our lives and speak testifies that what we are saying and displaying is true! Why else would anyone believe our testimony? Our assurance or confidence makes others wonder about our faith and want to know more. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.
Free Podcast Downloads Today we look at the final miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John. John the Apostle wrote about seven miracles; the final one is truly the most important and symbolic of the life to come. Remember, John chose to write about seven miracles, but John also wrote this at the end of the Gospel, John 11:24, “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
In other words, John chose these seven miracles out of many to show that Jesus had authority and power, from the Father, over all of the earth.
Free Podcast Downloads The sixth of the seven miracles mentioned in the Gospel of John is the healing of the man who was born blind. This story is in John 9, and this miraculous event makes three important points.
- The difference between the Old Covenant of Law and the New Covenant of Grace.2. The simplicity of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.3. The difference between physical sight and spiritual sight.
Free Podcast Downloads “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6.
Faith is an Action
Faith is an action; it is the active choice of the will to believe something that is in the natural unbelievable. You don’t need faith to believe something you can see and understand. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith has its foundation in the “things hoped for.” As Christians, what can we hope for? We can hope for every promise found in the Bible and made available to us through the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All these promises are gifts of grace from the Lord. That grace is not earned or deserved; it is received on the same basis as our salvation; "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast," Ephesians 2:8-9. You see, God extends grace to us, and we can only accept that grace by faith. The Lord moves first by grace, and then we respond by faith.
Free Podcast Downloads Today we will look at the fourth miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John. In each miraculous event, Jesus went from small groups to ever larger groups of people. Remember, the first miracle was at a family wedding in Cana, where He turned water into wine. This sign was at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. This is an important message for each of us who are called to serve the Lord. The message is that our ministry starts in the family. The family is the proving ground where some of the difficult lessons of life are learned.
Third miracle of Jesus; The Lame Man is Healed!
Free Podcast Downloads Before getting into the third miracle that Jesus performed in the gospel of John, that is the healing of the disabled man who was infirm for 38 years. I want to give an overview of what I believe this episode in Jesus' life teaches us.
The scripture I want to start off with is found in John 10:10, I'm sure you are familiar with it, but I hope to give you some deeper insight. Listen to what Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
An important truth to remember is that God does not cause sickness and disease; that is the work of the devil and sin in a fallen world. Remember what Jesus came to do, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”, 1 John 3:8. Jesus is the abundant life giver; never forget that.
Free Podcast Downloads Before we look at the second miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John, let's look at how Jesus communicated the Gospel to the people of His day. When Jesus started His ministry, He kept it low-key. He revealed Himself to His disciple and then in ever-increasing ways to more and more people. What is important to note is that the people Jesus personally impacted are the ones who became followers and then disciples. There was a one-to-one interaction between Jesus and the hearer. Another way to look at it is that experienced Jesus! There is something irresistible about Jesus to those who are seeking the way, the truth, and the life. Today we have the Holy Spirit to anoint our words and deeds to make that personal interaction with those who need to hear the Gospel. Remember, we don’t save; we are the messengers; it’s the Jesus encounter that saves through the work of the Holy Spirit.
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Miracles, Signs, and Wonders.
Throughout Christian history, miracles, signs, and wonders have been a part of the Christian experience. We know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever; therefore, what was true in Jesus’ day is also true today. Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Free Podcast Downloads Throughout Christian history, there have been people who believed in Jesus and those who rejected Jesus. The same is true today. It is frustrating and heartbreaking to share the Gospel only to find that the message of love, hope, and forgiveness falls on deaf ears. Even when Jesus walked the earth, there were those who would not believe in Him; however, He never let the disbelief of some prevent Him from proclaiming the Gospel or the Good News! In the same manner, we need to proclaim the Gospel of Christ by words and deeds.
Free Podcast Downloads Over the last six episodes, I have been teaching on the seven "I AM" statements that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. These statements fit in with the unique perspective of John which is to focus on the deity of Jesus Christ.
Free Podcast Downloads We have been sharing a series based upon the seven "I AM" statements in John's gospel. Jesus made these statements so that He could identify with God the Father to His listeners. I have discussed the first five "I AM" statements in previous episodes; today, we will look at the sixth “I AM” statement which is found in John 14:6.
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The Good News
The Gospel is the “Good News” provided by God; He has offered free spiritual gifts to restore or reconcile us into a personal relationship with Him. God’s plan is “good news” because God has done all the work. God provided the perfect sacrifice for our sin and sinful life in the person of Jesus Christ! God demonstrated His love for us by sending the “Lamb of God," Jesus, in our place, to the Cross of Calvary. That one act by Jesus accomplished the following:
Free Podcast Downloads There is power to change a life for eternity in the message of the Gospel or Good News. The Kingdom is represented by Jesus Christ, the King, and the finished work at the Cross of Calvary. Any message that does not focus on Jesus is not a Gospel message. To be sure, we need to be taught how to live the Christian life, but unless one is born again, that life will not bear fruit.
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Review of the Significance of the Phrase “I Am."
The phrase “I Am” is the name God used to identify Himself to Moses in the book of Exodus. When God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush encounter, the Lord gave Moses his assignment to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Moses protested at first because he looked at his own insignificance and imagined how he would look in the eyes of his fellow Israelites. It is then the Lord promised He would be with Moses and that the Israelites would believe that Moses was sent by God. Exodus 3:14, “And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.”
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The Pastor’s Call:
Hello and welcome back to PVN; before we go on with today's topic, “Jesus is the Bread of Life”, I want to tell you about new material available on my website; The Pastor’s Call.” This eight-part series is produced by World MAP. Let me quote the lead into the series.
“The Pastor’s Call is an incredible teaching about one’s ‘call to ministry’. Dr. Vic Torres explains Who calls you, the challenges involved, understanding what the “work of ministry” truly is and isn’t, how essential the Holy Spirit is, and the goal and true purpose for those that are being called to be in ministry.”
I hope you will take a look at it.
The Gospel is the “Good News” that has the potential to change a life and change a person’s eternal destination. When we talk about the Gospel, we are talking about Jesus and what He has done and continues to do in the life of a Believer. When we share, teach, or preach about Jesus, our focus should be on the Kingdom, the Cross, the Blood, and the Name of Jesus. There is power and authority in these terms that identify Jesus Christ. Today we will be looking at another Gospel term, “The Lamb of God”!
Free Podcast Downloads Over the last several posts I have been making a distinction between the Gospel (salvation) and Christianity (discipleship). The Gospel is about what Jesus has done; Christianity is the response of a born-again believer to what Jesus has done. The message of the Gospel is what turns a heart towards the Lord! Trying to preach or teach how to live as a Christian to people who have not been converted or born-again simply makes people religious and dutiful, but not born-again. Remember, Jesus said in John 14, “no one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus also told Nicodemus, in John 3, that one must be born-again to see and enter the Kingdom of God! As born-again Christians, our responsibility is to first “know Jesus and then make Him known!”
Free Podcast Downloads As we look at the issue of the blood of Jesus, we must be sure that we are not talking about traditions and practices found in many church denominations. In my last post, we looked at the Cross as a reality and also a symbol of God’s great love for us. It is so amazing that the Lord would give His beloved Son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
In the same way, the blood of Jesus is also a reality and a symbol of something that many Christians miss and that is the New Covenant. Jesus said in Matthew 26:28, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” As believers and followers of Jesus, we are graced by a New Covenant purchased through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
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135 The Gospel: The Cross!
Over the years I've observed that many confuse the Gospel with the Christian lifestyle. While both Gospel and Christian lifestyles are important you must accept the Gospel before you can live a genuine Christian lifestyle. You see, it is the power of the Gospel that produces the Christian lifestyle and not the other way around.
Free Podcast Downloads 1. The Kingdom
It is such an important truth that Jesus tells us to: “… seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
- What is the Kingdom?
“The Kingdom of God is the realm where Jesus Christ reigns as King and God’s authority is supreme. This Kingdom exists here and now in the lives and hearts of the redeemed, as well as in its fullness in the future.”
Free Podcast Downloads As you know, the Apostle Paul suffered greatly for the cause of Christ, and yet he never lost his focus on his commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. He determined in his heart not to allow the circumstances of life to define who he was and his relationship with the Lord. Listen to what Paul says in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The upward call is the perfect plan of God for your life, Paul recognized that at times life would be difficult, but he decided to never waver.
Free Podcast Downloads The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to leave the past behind and make new decisions for the future. The most important decision one can make is to make a new commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps you’ve strayed or walked away from God, there is no better time than now to re-dedicate or re-commit to your relationship with Jesus.
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1 The title of this message is “Celebrate your salvation!”
The thrust of the message is that when one is saved or born-again, the issue of sin has been dealt with. Sin is no longer an issue as it deals with salvation for a Christian. However, Christian or not, sin always has consequences.
Free Podcast Downloads Many years ago, I started a Christian publication, a newsletter, called "The Christian Crier," which announced upcoming Christian events in my region. As a result, I became somewhat well known in the area because of the publication.
One time I was at a meeting of Christian men and women, and during break-time, I was talking with a group of people. Now picture this, we were all wearing name tags identifying who we were. One of them heard that I was from a town called Hopewell Junction, and he responded by saying, “Do you know a friend of mine his name is Vic Torres he does the Christian Crier newsletter." What struck me was that I did not know him, and yet he said I was his friend. I was so embarrassed for him that I put my hand over my name tag so that he wouldn't realize who I was. You see, he knew of me, but I did not know him! He may have known about me, but we had no relationship.
As Christians, we often ask, "Do you know Jesus?" when in fact, a more important question should be, “does Jesus know you?”
Free Podcast Downloads Since divine healing is such an essential part of the Gospel, I want to take the time to share my testimony. My testimony takes me from when I was essentially an atheist to believing in God, accepting Jesus as my savior, and finally believing that healing is for today. It was a journey from skepticism to faith in all that God has provided for us today. I've learned that you cannot pick and choose what you will believe from the Bible! Either all of it is true, or none of it is true, and the only way to know the truth is to embrace all the Word of God and walk by faith in it.
In my personal experience, I have observed that there are two camps of belief regarding divine healing in the Bible. There are those who believe that divine healing is for today and those who don't. Both groups can find scripture verses to support their agendas. So, what one thinks about divine healing is in great part influenced by what one is taught! Those who don't believe that healing is for today will overlook the preponderance of Bible verses that talk or witness about healing. However, there is another group of people who are taught about healing but are skeptical about healing. They are skeptical because it doesn't make sense or line up with their experience. Finally, they have never witnessed supernatural healing for themselves!
Free Podcast Downloads 128 – Disciples of Jesus!
Many Christians do not understand the full impact of the power and authority we have because of our salvation through Jesus Christ. Christians are not simply saved for Heaven, but also saved for God's purpose on earth! Let me remind you of what Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."What kind of power are we talking about? The original Greek for the word power is “dynamis” and Strong’s Bible Dictionary defines it as “miraculous power”! Are you seeing miracles, signs, and wonders in your life?
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What we know about God is from the Bible
The Bible is the source of all knowledge about God, and one of the things we learn from the Bible is that God and His Word cannot change. Our confidence in God is based upon this simple truth! Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Now what's important to understand is that in the Old Testament (or Covenant) and the New Testament (or Covenant), God gives his word that he will not lie, nor will he change. This means all the promises that God makes He will keep. The basis for faith in both the Old and New Covenant is that we believe that God always keeps His word.
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Jesus is the Gospel!
One of the most important words in the Bible is the word Gospel. The word gospel translated means “Good News” Jesus came preaching the Good News, and the point I want to make today is that Jesus is the Gospel. He is the Good News. Sometimes our focus is on what the good news of Jesus brings; He indeed brings health, healing, wholeness, prosperity, and sound relationships; all these things are important. However, if we miss the provider of all these things, Jesus, then we are pursuing what Jesus can provide rather than Jesus himself. You see, if you have Jesus, you have it all!