Exodus 23:20-21 (KJV)
20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
So many people are fascinated with angels. Some even claim divine experiences through speaking with angels through dreams or visions. But are all "angels" the same?
Did you know there are different types of meanings for the word "angel"?
In Exodus 23:20-21, God speaks of sending an "Angel" before the Israelites to guide them and bring them to the place He has prepared.
The Hebrew word for "Angel" in this context is "malak," which means "messenger." While angels often serve as messengers of God, this passage points to a unique and divine Messenger—Jesus Christ. No ordinary angel has the authority to forgive sins or carry God's name in such a profound way.
Jesus is the ultimate Messenger sent by God to humanity. He bears the message of the good news, the gospel.
We will go in depth on what this means for Saturday's Zoom Bible Study on Exodus 23. Don't miss out!
If you haven't done so already, you can join @ www.coreoftheheart.com, select platinum or diamond tier, and use code
"BIBLESTUDY50" to get 50% off your first month!
Hope to see you all there!
1 Peter 3:21
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
While water baptism is a significant outward symbol of our faith, Peter emphasizes that true baptism goes beyond the physical act. It’s about a deeper, spiritual transformation: "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." It is believing the good news in our conscience and accepting that Jesus washed away all of our sins.
This is the true baptism the bible is speaking about. Not of flesh which is filthy forever, but of Spirit which needs eternal cleansing.
Water baptism symbolizes the believer's death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It represents the washing away of sin and the beginning of a new life in Christ. However, Peter clarifies that the physical act of being immersed in water is not what saves us. It's much deep and profund meaning is that of a spiritual cleansing eternally and internally.
True baptism is a spiritual experience. It is the inner transformation that occurs when we place our faith in Jesus' precious blood. This spiritual baptism is the work of the Holy Spirit which makes us a new creation through belief, not water. When we are spiritually baptized, we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, and we receive the the Holy Spirit. It cleanses us from Head to toe, just like a physical baptism, and absolves us of all sin, past, present, and future.
That is why God says it is the answer.."the answer of a good conscience toward God." Our conscience must be moved to the good news of God. We are no longer sinners but righteous and sanctified. This is the conscience God calls good.
True baptism leads to a clear and clean conscience before God. It’s the result of having our sins forgiven and being made righteous through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When our conscience is spiritually clear in this way, we can approach God with confidence, knowing that we are accepted, loved, and perfected!
It is by His resurrection that we are given new life. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we too are raised and walk in newness of life. Our old self is crucified with Christ, and we are reborn as new creations in Him.
Please live boldly as a new creation in Christ, we are no longer sinners but righteous. This is what the spiritual baptism has obtained for us! Amen! Hallelujah!
Luke 12:32
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Many people believe obedience, following the commandments, and showing compassion pleases God. But the bible speaks about what truly pleases God and brings him pleasure.
God loves to bless and care for his children. He wants to give them the kingdom through eternal life. When God says "fear not", he is inviting us to trust in Him and to rest in His promises. He is faithful and will deliver us into his Kingdom. This is a promise from God and an everlasting covenant.
He doesn't need us to do anything, he has done everything.
The term "little flock" is an endearing expression. It conveys intimacy, tenderness, and care.
As the Good Shepherd, Jesus views us as His precious sheep, and he knows us by our names individually. We are not just part of a vast, impersonal crowd but cherished members of God's family.
Jesus reminds us that it is our Father's "good pleasure" to give us the kingdom. This phrase highlights God’s generous and loving nature. God doesn’t reluctantly grant us His blessings; He delights in giving them. His desire to bless us comes from His deep love and kindness. Knowing that God finds joy in blessing us with eternal life transforms our view of Him. How can we not trust such a loving God? All he ever wants is to be close to us, even when we are so undeserving.
God gives us protection, guidance, and eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Understanding that it is God’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom inspires us to live confidently and without fear. It's a reminder that our future is secure in His hands and that He is committed to our well-being. This assurance allows us to face life’s challenges with a sense of peace and trust in God’s provision.
It gives us a Godfidence, different type of confidence.
We are truly blessed to have a Father like the most high. Walk boldly as the righteous children and heavenly citizens of God. Selah!
Hey everyone,
Tickets for our first-ever, Core of the Heart live event will go on sale this week!
The event is on Sat, September 14th in Glendale, CA.
Tickets will include a sermon from me, Q&A from the audience, live music, and community hang out. Also, we added VIP tickets for a limited number of people which includes a private hang out with me, and the best seats.
Here is the Ticket Pre-sale Purchase schedule:
Wed (tomorrow): Diamond COTH Members
Thurs: Platinum COTH Members
Fri: Gold COTH members
Saturday: Twitch Subs
Sunday: Text msg + Discord
Monday: LIVE TO THE PUBLIC
There’s a limited number of tickets for this event, but if they sell out, or you can’t make it, we’ll have digital-livestream tickets available where you can tune in from your home.
I'll be sending out the ticket link to you all soon!
Hebrews 10:23 (KJV)
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
We all have doubted our faith at one point of another. Some of us have thoughts if we are truly saved. Will God truly be this merciful and is the gospel really just received by acceptance alone? Do we really get to heaven that easily? It sounds too good to be true.
God recorded these verses to combat those types of thoughts. God wants us to hold onto the faith without wavering. Since faith represents Jesus, we must believe that Jesus/God was faithful in keeping his promise. We need to remember that we can not and did not do anything for our salvation. God gave Jesus the sole responsibility in obtaining eternal salvation for us. He truly is a faithful and merciful God! Holding fast implies a steadfast commitment, even in the face of challenges, doubts, and tribulations. It’s a call to remain unwavering in our trust in God, who is always faithful to His promises.
The foundation for our unwavering faith is God’s faithfulness.
God’s promises are sure and reliable. Throughout Scripture, we see countless examples of God’s faithfulness to His people. He never fails, and His word is always true.
We can never have assurance in ourselves, we can only find it in God.
Being part of a community of faith provides strength and support. When we gather together, share our struggles, and celebrate our victories, we reinforce our commitment to hold fast to our faith. The encouragement we give and receive helps us to remain steadfast and grow in our walk with God.
God created core of the heart in order to remind us that we are all interconnected in faith. We are all here as a spiritual family. We move together, we grow together, and we all believe with one heart that God is faithful. Amen!
Isaiah 58:6-8 (KJV)
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.
True fasting goes beyond abstaining from food. It symbolizes a hunger towards the true spiritual word of God. Just like a person who is starving seeks out food, we too need to seek out spiritual nourishment through God's word.
It's also about starving our worldly desires and distractions in order to seek God's righteousness. Not only should we focus on eating well physically, we need to truly receive nourishment spiritually.
Fasting allows us to align with the will of God, which is preaching the gospel and living a spiritual life.
True fasting involves breaking free from the bondage of sin and weakness. We do this by seeking only the gospel. It’s a call to true repentance which is transcending our thoughts back to the gospel. It’s about seeking breaking people free from the oppression of Satan. How do we do this? Through the gospel and preaching true salvation by grace alone.
True fasting involves caring for those in need. It’s about sharing the gospel to those who are spiritually homeless and hungry. It's not just giving out food or clothing. It's about giving them the bread of life, which is Jesus. It's about giving them the gospel and giving them the righteous robes of Christ. Fasting means focusing only on the gospel and denying your flesh.
"Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward".
When we engage in true spiritual fasting by serving others through the gospel, we experience blessings. Our light shines brightly, our health improves, and we walk in righteousness. We feel the glory of God through the gospel and people begin to notice the change in our hearts. God wants us to actively deny our fleshly desires but in order to do this, we must focus only on the gospel. The gospel provides true nourishment to our souls and to everyone around us. Fasting physically and abstaining from food is good for our health. But we must always prioritize the gospel above all things. This is what the bible teaches is true spiritual fasting. Amen!