Monthly Archives: June 2023

Awake to Righteousness – I Corinthians 15:34

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

A Denver Post newspaper article, entitled, “33 Parolees Linked To 38 Murders In Colorado,” cites numerous examples of inmates who committed murders within a matter of weeks after being paroled. One inmate stabbed his girlfriend to death. Another murdered a woman who was eight months pregnant. A third killed an attorney, who was found in his basement bound by duck tape. When released from prison, these murderers were given a second chance at life. They needed to awake to their opportunity to live a new, lawful, and productive life in our society. Instead, they continued the same criminal behavior they knew prior to being incarcerated.

When the Apostle Paul urged the saints at Corinth to live in light of their coming resurrection to eternal life, he told them, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God; I speak this to your shame” (I Corinthians 15:34). From earlier chapters, we learn that the saints at Corinth were not acting very saintly. They were controlled by so much carnality that they could only comprehend the milk of God’s Word. They commonly practiced immorality; and yet, they were puffed up over the limited spiritual knowledge they possessed. From every outward appearance, one would find it difficult to see little that demonstrated new life in Christ. They were effectively living the same kind of sinful lifestyle that they lived prior to trusting in Christ. This mattered, too. The Apostle Paul constantly taught believers to not continue in sin because God’s grace was abundant toward them (Romans 6:1-3), to walk worthy of the sacrifice Christ had made for their salvation (Ephesians 4:1), and not to let the “filthiness” of sin “be once named among you” (Ephesians 5:1-5). Paul used the term, “awake to righteousness” (meaning a righteous lifestyle), warning them that many people within their sphere of influence knew nothing about receiving eternal life by Gods’ grace alone. Their silence with the gospel, and their sinful lives, before lost souls was to their utter “shame.”

Believer, in salvation the Lord Jesus has given you a second chance at living the way you should. Is your speech free from profanity or impure words? Can others see in you a more righteous lifestyle, explained only by your interest in the Lord Jesus and the Bible? Do you seek to share the gospel with lost souls? In each of these areas, we need to awake to righteousness.

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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."

Todos somos impresionables – I Corintios 15:33

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

A los 16 años, no era salvo y, sin dudas, estaba inmerso en comportamientos inmorales, que incluían andar en compañías desagradables. Cuando comencé a salir con una joven, su madre me llevó aparte para conversar algo muy serio. Casi puedo escucharla decir: “John, queremos a nuestra hija y queremos lo mejor para ella. Estamos preocupados por algunos de los amigos con quienes andas por ahí. Nunca debes olvidar esto: Si aún no eres como ellos, pronto lo serás. Así que ten cuidado de con quién andas porque ellos te influenciarán”.

Cuando los creyentes en Corinto recibieron la primera epístola de Pablo, pasaron tiempo con falsos maestros que habían erosionado su fe en la resurrección del Señor Jesucristo de entre los muertos. Para combatir esta influencia, un capítulo entero contrarresta la falsa doctrina con la verdad divina acerca de la resurrección de nuestro Señor y nuestra futura resurrección. En este contexto, el apóstol Pablo escribió: “No se dejen engañar: “Las malas compañías corrompen las buenas costumbres” (I Corintios 15:33). La palabra “costumbre” se refiere a hábito moral. Al igual que aquella madre que trató de convencerme de que aquellos a quienes escuchamos y con quienes pasamos el tiempo influirán en nosotros, Pablo quería que estos santos comprendieran que ellos también eran impresionables. Es muy probable que algunos en esta iglesia pensaran que estaban tan arraigados en la sana doctrina que no podían ser apartados de una comprensión bíblicamente exacta. Sin embargo, solo se engañaban a sí mismos, cuando permitieron que otros los engañaran con una falsa doctrina. Tal vez algunos de estos santos pensaron que podrían influir positivamente en estos falsos maestros, pero Pablo les advirtió que no se engañaran acerca de lo que sucedería. Las “malas comunicaciones” de los falsos maestros ciertamente “corromperían” sus hábitos, doctrina y comportamiento. Este es un principio intemporal. Proverbios advierte “No hagas amistad con el iracundo … no sea que aprendas sus maneras …” (22: 24-25). Al darse cuenta de que los demás nos influyen, David se rodeó de compañeros que temían al Señor y guardarían Sus preceptos (Salmo 119: 63).

Hoy, nosotros los creyentes debemos tomar en serio este sabio consejo. No “engañarnos” pensando que no seremos influenciados cuando escuchamos “comunicaciones mal intencionadas”. Específicamente, no debemos escuchar personas de otros cultos que vienen a nuestra puerta, o a cualquiera que no reconozca el carácter distintivo de la Dispensación de Gracia, y el ministerio de Pablo.

Comience cada día con artículos devocionales breves tomados del libro Daily Transformation del pastor John Fredericksen. Como escribe el pastor Fredericksen en la introducción: "Le damos la bienvenida, mientras viaja con nosotros..., no sólo para aprender información, sino también para beneficiarse de ejemplos de fe y fracaso, y tratar de aplicar la Palabra de Dios a la vida diaria. Juntos , pasemos de estudiar únicamente teorías de doctrina a aplicar las verdades de Dios de manera práctica todos los días. Que Dios use estos estudios para ayudarte a encontrar la transformación diaria."

We Are All Impressionable – I Corinthians 15:33

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

At age 16, this writer was unsaved and, admittedly, steeped in sinful behaviors, which included having some unsavory friends. When I began to date a young woman, her mother took me aside for a serious discussion. I can still almost hear her saying, “John, we cherish our daughter and want only the best for her. We are concerned about some of the friends you hang around. You need to never forget this: You are the kind of person you hang around. If you aren’t like them yet, you soon will be. So be careful who you allow yourself to spend time with because they will influence you.”

When believers at Corinth received Paul’s first epistle, they had spent time with false teachers who had eroded their faith in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. To combat this influence, one entire chapter counteracts false doctrine with divine truth about the resurrection of our Lord, and our future resurrection. In this context the Paul wrote, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I Corinthians 15:33). The word “manners” means a moral habit. Like the mother who sought to convince this writer that those we listen to and spend time with will have an influence upon us, Paul wanted these saints to understand that they, too, were impressionable. It is highly likely that some in this church thought they were so grounded in sound doctrine that they couldn’t be moved from biblically accurate understandings. However, they only fooled themselves, when they allowed others to fool them with false doctrine. Perhaps some of these saints thought they could positively influence these false teachers, but Paul warned them not to be deceived about what would happen. The “evil communications” from false teachers would indeed “corrupt” their habits, doctrine, and behavior. This is a timeless principle. Proverbs warns against “…friendship with an angry man…lest thou learn his ways…” (22:24-25). Realizing that others influence us, David surrounded himself with companions who would fear the Lord, and keep His precepts (Psalm 119:63).

Today, we believers need to take this wise counsel to heart. We must not “deceive” ourselves by thinking we won’t be influenced when we listen to “evil communications.” More specifically, we should not listen to people from cults who come to our door, or to anyone who does not recognize the distinctiveness of the Dispensation of Grace, and Paul’s ministry.

Free Mail Subscription

Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


Muero a diario – I Corintios 15:31

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

Las madres conocen el principio del desinterés. Las aves se niegan a moverse de su nido, incluso ante el peligro. Las osas pelearán agresivamente contra los machos si intentan matar a sus crías. Las madres alimentan a sus crías, incluso descuidándose. Las madres humanas dan a luz con gran dolor, se despiertan para alimentar a sus bebés cada dos horas y cuidan incansablemente sus necesidades durante muchos años. En un sentido muy real, estas madres mueren diariamente para sí mismas, viviendo por el bienestar de otro.

Pablo hace una breve, pero profunda declaración cuando escribió: “Cada día muero” (I Corintios 15:31). Mientras que Pablo se refiere a su propia muerte, una muerte literal también está a la vista. Como apóstol de la gracia de Dios, Pablo soportó muchas dificultades. Se enumeran abundantes trabajos, heridas, encarcelamientos y “muertes, muchas veces” (II Corintios 11:23). Es la conclusión de este escritor que Pablo, literalmente, murió por la causa de Cristo en más de una ocasión. Su lapidación por parte de hombres judíos incrédulos y de ser dado por muerto es un ejemplo (Hechos 14:19). Ser “arrebatado hasta el tercer cielo” (II Corintios 12: 2) sería otro ejemplo. A lo largo del ministerio de Pablo, su vida estuvo en constante peligro. Él creía que Dios había establecido a los apóstoles para ser “… como condenados a muerte … porque hemos llegado a ser espectáculo para el mundo …” (I Corintios 4: 9) y porque “… nosotros [los apóstoles] que vivimos, siempre estamos expuestos a la muerte por causa de Jesús, para que también la vida de Jesús se manifieste en nuestra carne mortal” (II Corintios 4:11). Cuando Pablo dijo: “Cada día muero”, obviamente no creemos que haya muerto literalmente todos los días. Sin embargo, creemos que estuvo en constante peligro de muerte. La aplicación secundaria de la muerte diaria es que Pablo simbólicamente hizo morir los deseos y las prácticas de la carne cada día para glorificar a Cristo. Como una madre que ya no vive para complacerse a sí misma, sino que vive para su hijo, ahora Pablo vivió, no para complacerse a sí mismo, sino a su Señor. Fue en este sentido que Pablo dijo que “… han crucificado la carne con sus pasiones y deseos” (Gálatas 5:24), y que “… Con Cristo he sido juntamente crucificado … Lo que ahora vivo en la carne, lo vivo por la fe en el Hijo de Dios quien me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí” (Gálatas 2:20).

Es el deber de cada creyente morir cada día y vivir para Cristo. En este sentido, ¿ya has muerto hoy?

Comience cada día con artículos devocionales breves tomados del libro Daily Transformation del pastor John Fredericksen. Como escribe el pastor Fredericksen en la introducción: "Le damos la bienvenida, mientras viaja con nosotros..., no sólo para aprender información, sino también para beneficiarse de ejemplos de fe y fracaso, y tratar de aplicar la Palabra de Dios a la vida diaria. Juntos , pasemos de estudiar únicamente teorías de doctrina a aplicar las verdades de Dios de manera práctica todos los días. Que Dios use estos estudios para ayudarte a encontrar la transformación diaria."

I Die Daily – I Corinthians 15:31

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

Mothers know the principle of selflessness. Mother birds refuse to move off their nest, even in the face of danger. Mother cats or bears will aggressively fight off males when they try to kill their young. Mothers feed their young, even to the neglect of themselves. Human mothers give birth in great pain, wake to feed their babies every two hours, and tirelessly care for their needs for many years. In a very real sense, these mothers die daily to self, so that they may live for the welfare of another.

Paul makes a short but profound statement when he wrote, “I die daily” (I Corinthians 15:31). While Paul refers to a death to self, a literal death is also in view. As God’s apostle of grace, Paul endured many hardships. He lists abundant labors, stripes, imprisonments, and “deaths oft” (II Corinthians 11:23). It is this writer’s conclusion that Paul literally died for the cause of Christ on more than one occasion. His stoning by unbelieving Jewish men and being left for dead is one instance (Acts 14:19). His being “caught up into the third heaven” (I Corinthians 12:2) would be another example. Throughout Paul’s ministry, his life was in constant peril. He believed God had set forth the apostles to be “…appointed to death…for we are made a spectacle unto the world…” (I Corinthians 4:9) and that “…we [apostles] which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh” (II Corinthians 4:11). When Paul said, “I die daily,” we obviously don’t believe he literally died every day. However, we believe he was in constant jeopardy of death. The secondary application of dying daily is that Paul symbolically put to death the desires and practices of the flesh each day that he might glorify Christ. Like a mother who no longer lives to please herself but lives for her child, Paul now lived, not to please himself, but His Lord. It was in this sense that Paul said he “…crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24), and that he was “…crucified with Christ…and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

It is the duty of every believer to die to self each day and live unto Christ.

In this sense, have you died today?

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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


One More Year

Posted on by Pastor Kevin Sadler

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“A man and his wife had just moved to town, and he was coming home from his first day at work. As he’s driving down the highway, his cell phone rings, and it’s his wife. ‘George, I just had to call you and tell you to be careful. I just heard on the radio that some nut got off the on ramp and is now driving the wrong way down Hwy. 280!’ ‘It’s worse than that!’ said George, ‘I’m driving home on 280 and it’s not just one car. It’s hundreds of them!’”

This man was traveling the wrong direction, and in the time of Christ, Israel also went the wrong direction in her unbelief and rejection of Christ.

Weather Report

“And He said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?” (Luke 12:54-56).

In Luke 12 and 13, the Lord addressed His disciples and a large crowd. Luke 12:1 tells us that “there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another….” In this address, the Lord urged the people to discern the significance of their present time. This was important in light of the division of opinion concerning Himself and the judgment that would follow if they continued in their rejection of Him.

The Lord equated observing His ministry to noting daily weather patterns. Both offered
unmistakable signs of what was to come. The people all knew how to judge the future in light of the present, such as when predicting the weather.

The Lord told them that, when clouds formed in the west over the Mediterranean Sea, they could all predict that rain was on the way. And they knew that when the warm wind blew from the south in the Arabian desert, a heat wave or a hot day was coming. And this is exactly what would come to pass in each instance.

The ability to judge the evidence and to see its implications was not restricted to the experts. Everyone could come to the same conclusion from the plain evidence they could readily observe.

The point the Lord was making was that, seeing as how they were able to reach correct conclusions about the weather, they should have been able to discern the times and come to the correct conclusion that He was their Messiah, based upon the mountain of evidence He had given them through His life and ministry, all of which fit perfectly with the predictions of the prophets. They didn’t need the so-called religious experts of the scribes and Pharisees to tell them. They were able to reach the correct and obvious conclusion themselves.

When it came to the weather, they would see the signs and make the correct, logical conclusion, but they were not making the logical conclusion that the Messiah had arrived and His kingdom was coming.

Thus, the Lord rebuked this large crowd, calling them hypocrites and telling them that they could discern the sky and the earth, “but how is it that ye do not discern this time?” (v. 56 cf. Luke 19:41-44).

They did not see or realize the pivotal time which had arrived in Israel’s history, the time of their Messiah’s visitation. This was Israel’s day, the time of her people’s greatest blessing and special opportunity with her Messiah’s presence among them. And the people and their leaders had all the light they needed to know that it was Him, yet they chose to reject Him.

So again, like the signs of a cloud in the west or a south wind predicted future weather, the Lord warned them that their present rejection of Him would lead to future judgment.

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“There were present at that season some that told Him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5).

Next, the Lord was told by some in the large crowd about “the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.” For reasons unknown to us, Pilate, the governor of Judea, had cruelly ordered the slaying of some Galileans who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. This was done while they were offering their sacrifices, and their blood was mingled with the blood of the animals that they were offering. The Lord used this tragedy to remind Israel of their need to “repent” of their rejection of Him, lest they “perish” and suffer a worse tragedy.

Then Christ reminded the crowd of the collapse of a tower supporting an aqueduct by the pool of Siloam in Jerusalem which caused the death of eighteen persons. The Lord emphasized that these catastrophes should not be interpreted as God’s special judgment on those people for their sins and wickedness and
that they were not worse sinners than others. All those who were listening to Him were also sinners, individually, and worthy of God’s judgment.

Thus, the Lord said, “Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (vv. 3,5). Each person individually needed to repent and believe in Christ as the Messiah and the Son of God, so that they would not perish eternally in their sins. However, it’s important to remember that God’s dealings with Israel were primarily national in nature. Thus, when the Lord said, “Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall ALL likewise perish,” He is speaking to Israel nationally. Israel, as a whole, had rejected her Messiah and was guilty. And the Lord challenged that large crowd and all Israel to repent, and told them that unless they repented and had a change of heart and mind and accepted Him as their Messiah, they would “ALL likewise perish.”

The collective sin of Israel in their rejection of their Messiah put the people in danger of a national calamity. Christ warned Israel of the inevitable future that was coming if she and her leaders continued in their unbelief.

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“He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?” (Luke 13:6-7).

Next, the Lord told this large crowd a parable, which taught Israel about her future. After the warning that unless Israel repented, they would all perish, the parable gave the reason repentance was vital for Israel: judgment was nearer than they realized! This parable clearly depicts the nation of Israel on the edge of judgment, and God as merciful in allowing the nation one final chance to respond to Christ in faith.

The parable begins by referring to “a certain man” that “had a fig tree planted in his vineyard.” The “certain man” in the story is the owner of the vineyard and represents God the Father.

The fig tree and the vineyard in the parable are both symbols of Israel in Scripture. Putting these two symbols together, we find that the parable is teaching about the spiritual condition (fig tree, Hos. 9:10) within the house of Israel (the vineyard, Isa. 5:7).

The fig tree is a symbol of religious Israel. You’ll remember that, after Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, they tried to cover their nakedness and sin with fig leaves (Gen. 3:7). And that’s what the definition of religion is: man’s attempt, by his own efforts, to cover up his sin and thereby restore his good standing with God. The only legitimate religion in all of human history was the law of Moses, with its sacrificial system that atoned for and covered Israel’s sins.

During Christ’s earthly ministry, He lived and ministered under the law (Gal. 4:4), and He kept it perfectly. The fig tree represents the religion of Israel and their spiritual state under the law of Moses during the time of Christ’s ministry.

At that time, the Lord stated in the parable that the owner of the vineyard, or God the Father, “came and sought fruit thereon, and found none” (Luke 13:6). The ultimate purpose of a fig tree is to bear fruit. And from the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry, God the Father sought spiritual fruit from Israel.

The parable shows that this fig tree had a favored position. It was in an ideal place for a fig tree. It had been planted in a vineyard, where the soil was especially rich for the grapes within it. And this tree also had the watchful care of a vineyardkeeper (v. 7). The tree was protected and well-watered, and the conditions were ideal for it to bear fruit. This was to remind Israel that they lived under ideal spiritual conditions to bear fruit unto God (Rom. 3:1-2; 9:4-5).

Fig trees have relatively large leaves which tend to obscure their fruit so that one must come close and look carefully for the fruit to find it. And in the parable, the certain man “sought fruit” on the fig tree. Unfortunately, the leaves did not obscure the fruit, because there was none to be found. Because of their favored position and ideal spiritual conditions, especially with His Son ministering right then among them, God the Father expected to find spiritual fruit in Israel, but He “found none.”

God the Father patiently waited and sought spiritual fruit in Israel for the three years of His Son’s earthly ministry, but the nation did not produce fruit. Israel was all leaves with no fruit, external performance with no spiritual life. As a whole, they were not believing, just, true, faithful, or loving toward God or their neighbor. There were no fruits of righteousness or “fruits worthy of repentance” (Luke 3:8).

The “certain man” then spoke to the dresser of his vineyard, the one whose duty was to trim the vines and care for the vineyard. Christ is represented by the vineyard-keeper. The vinedresser worked in the vineyard, that is, the house of Israel, and personally cared for the nation. Christ was sent by the Father to the vineyard of Israel (Matt. 15:24), and He worked in that vineyard for the three years during which the Father came seeking fruit on the fig tree.

The “certain man” talking to the vineyard-keeper is God the Father speaking to God the Son. And the Father told the Son that because He didn’t find any fruit on this fig tree for these three years that He should “cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?” (Luke 13:7).

Because of its fruitlessness, God advised that the fig tree be cut down. It was cumbering the ground, meaning that it was occupying ground that could be used more productively. It was depleting the soil, taking up room, and blocking the sunlight; it needed to be removed.

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“And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down” (Luke 13:8-9).

Very much like Moses, who previously interceded for Israel when God was ready to judge her, so the Son interceded for Israel. The vinedresser, Christ, proposed giving the fig tree one more year to bear fruit. During that time, Christ said He would “dig about it,” or loosen, break up, and cultivate the soil around the tree, and He would “dung it” or fertilize the tree.

Christ appealed to the longsuffering of God and asked that Israel be given another chance and one more year to accept Him as her Messiah after the three years of His earthly ministry.

And then the vinedresser said, “And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down” (v. 9). The Son told the Father that if at the end of the one year it was still fruitless and in unbelief, then He could cut it down.

Israel was to be given one more year to respond in faith toward Christ. If she did, this would result in spiritual life and fruit for the fig tree. But if she failed to respond and accept Christ as her Messiah, this would result in her being cut down in God’s judgment.

At the end of the three years of Christ’s earthly ministry, we know that Israel’s rejection of our Lord led to His crucifixion. At the Cross, He graciously interceded on behalf of Israel and said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The Father responded to His Son’s prayer and forgave Israel for rejecting His Son and crucifying Him, affording them the additional opportunity of one more year to receive Christ as their Messiah.

When the Father was prepared to cut down the fig tree of Israel in her unbelief, the Son interceded
and requested of the Father, “Lord, let it alone this year also.” And here is something fascinating. The Greek words, aphiemi autos, translated as “let it alone” in Luke 13:8, are often translated as “forgive” in Scripture. And when Christ prayed from the Cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,”
the words “forgive them” are the same Greek words, aphiemi autos, translated in Luke 13:8 as “let it alone.”

At the Cross, Christ was telling the Father to forgive them, to let the fig tree alone, don’t cut them down, give them another chance, give them one more year to believe.

After Christ ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to Israel. And the cultivating and fertilizing work was then done through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dug around the fig tree of religious Israel and fertilized it, stirring up the nation, powerfully working by signs and wonders, bearing witness to Christ’s resurrection and His identity. This work of the Holy Spirit was done for the purpose of persuading Israel to accept Jesus of Nazareth as her Messiah (Acts 2:22-38; 3:13-26).

Acts chapter 1 through Acts chapter 7, between Christ’s resurrection and the stoning of Stephen, is a one-year time period, the one more year that Christ asked the Father to give the nation of Israel. At the end of
that one year, Israel, nationally, remained in her unbelief, and the fig tree of Israel still had not produced the spiritual fruit of faith in Christ.

Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5,8), then stood before Israel’s religious leaders and his powerful words cut them to the heart as he convicted them of being the betrayers and murderers of the Just One, Jesus Christ (7:51-54). Stephen looked up and saw “Jesus standing on the right hand of God,” standing in judgment which was to be poured out against the nation (7:55-56). Hearing this, these leaders rushed together upon him in their rage, grabbed Stephen, cast him out of the city, and stoned him with their own hands (7:57-60).

It was at this point, at the end of the one additional year, that God cut the fig tree down. Israel was cut down, and her fall was to result in judgment and being cast into the fire of the Tribulation (Luke 3:9). At that point, the next thing on God’s prophetic timeline was the vengeance and wrath foretold in Luke 21:

“For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled… for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles…” (Luke 21:22-24).

The Lord’s prophecy in Luke 21 was not fulfilled in the destruction of the temple in AD 70. This prophesied judgment was to be fulfilled during the Great Tribulation. This 70th week of Daniel was the next prophesied event after Israel was cut down because of her unbelief—but it didn’t take place. Why?

Special Report

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery… Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men…And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God…” (Eph. 3:2,3,5,9).

At the stoning of Stephen, Israel fell, was set aside in unbelief, but the prophetic clock was put on pause. It temporarily stopped running because God interrupted His prophetic program with Israel with the dispensation of the grace of God. Thus, the Tribulation period was temporarily suspended, and the promised Kingdom was temporarily postponed.

Instead of the cutting down of Israel resulting in the judgments of the Tribulation, it resulted in God turning to the nations to have a program with us, the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). For that purpose, God raised up the Apostle Paul, saved him by His grace, and called him to be the apostle of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13; 15:16).

The dispensation of grace was something that God said nothing about until He raised up Paul
and revealed it to him first. It had been “hid in God” (Eph. 3:9) and “in other ages was not made
known unto the sons of men” (v. 5). For nearly 2000 years this dispensation of grace has continued, and we continue to live in this dispensation to this very moment.

To Paul, Christ revealed this dispensation of grace, along with its Church, the Body of Christ, its
gospel of grace that salvation is by faith alone, our heavenly hope and calling today, and Christ’s office
and position as the Head of the Church. And we must look to Paul to find God’s will and instructions for the Church under grace.

Christ also made known to Paul the truth of the Rapture of the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 15:51-53). It is this event, the catching away of the Church to heaven, that will bring this dispensation to a close. Following the Rapture, God will pick up right where He left off with Israel, and God will pour out His wrath on this world in the Tribulation, and He will chasten and bring to pass the prophesied judgment upon Israel.

Any and every day now the Rapture could take place, and then the world will be plunged
into the darkness of those seven years of judgment. In light of the sobering truth that we live
among people who could be suddenly thrust into that day of God’s vengeance, may we “not sleep, as
do others; but let us watch and be sober…putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thes. 5:6,8).

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Haz que cuente – I Corintios 15:9-10

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

En la película de 1998, Saving Private Ryan, El capitán John Miller llevó a sus hombres detrás de las líneas enemigas para encontrar a James Ryan, cuyos tres hermanos habían sido asesinados recientemente en acción. Su misión era sacar a Ryan del peligro para que su familia no perdiera al único hijo que le restaba. La película terminó con el capitán Miller herido de muerte. Con su último aliento, acercó al soldado Ryan y susurró las palabras: “Gana esto”. Él quería que Ryan se diera cuenta del gran sacrificio de vidas humanas empleado para garantizar su seguridad. Por lo tanto, necesitaba que viviera una vida digna de tal sacrificio.

Antes de la salvación, Pablo había sido un perseguidor despiadado de la Iglesia del Reino Judío. Había encarcelado a hombres y mujeres, causando que fueran brutalmente torturados hasta la muerte a menos que renunciaran a la fe en el Señor Jesucristo. Entonces, el Salvador confrontó a Saúl, más tarde conocido como Pablo, con una luz cegadora y le preguntó “por qué” perseguía al Señor Jesús a través de los creyentes. El resultado de este encuentro es que Pablo fue maravillosamente salvo. Después de su salvación, hay dos cosas notables que recordar. Primero, nunca olvidó la profundidad del pecado del cual el Señor Jesús lo había salvado. Él había sido un hombre despiadado que estaba espiritualmente muerto en una religión falsa. Parte de su testimonio fue el siguiente: “Pues yo soy el más insignificante de los apóstoles, y no soy digno de ser llamado apóstol, porque perseguí a la iglesia de Dios” (I Corintios 15: 9). Una lección importante de la vida de Pablo es que uno no debe quedar paralizado por un sentimiento de indignidad debido al pecado antes o incluso después de la salvación. En cambio, uno simplemente debe permitir que este recordatorio nos llene con un profundo sentido de gratitud por nuestra salvación. Segundo, Pablo dijo que “la gracia de Dios soy lo que soy, y su gracia para conmigo no ha sido en vano. Más bien, he trabajado con afán más que todos ellos; pero no yo, sino la gracia de Dios que ha sido conmigo” (I Corintios 15:10). En otras palabras, Pablo se dio cuenta del sacrificio supremo que Cristo hizo en la cruz, y eligió vivir digno de lo que Cristo había hecho por él. A partir de entonces, vivió por la causa de Cristo con sinceridad y servicio constante. La gracia de Dios extendida a él no fue en ningún sentido “en vano”.

Que la gracia de Dios para ti en ningún sentido sea “en vano”. ¡Asegúrate de vivir una vida digna del sacrificio que Cristo hizo por ti!

Comience cada día con artículos devocionales breves tomados del libro Daily Transformation del pastor John Fredericksen. Como escribe el pastor Fredericksen en la introducción: "Le damos la bienvenida, mientras viaja con nosotros..., no sólo para aprender información, sino también para beneficiarse de ejemplos de fe y fracaso, y tratar de aplicar la Palabra de Dios a la vida diaria. Juntos , pasemos de estudiar únicamente teorías de doctrina a aplicar las verdades de Dios de manera práctica todos los días. Que Dios use estos estudios para ayudarte a encontrar la transformación diaria."

Make It Count – I Corinthians 15:9-10

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

In the 1998 movie, Saving Private Ryan, Captain John Miller took his men behind enemy lines to find James Ryan, whose three brothers were recently killed in action. Their mission was to get Ryan out of harm’s way so his family would not lose their only remaining son. The film ended with Captain Miller being mortally wounded. With his last breath, he pulls Private Ryan close to him and whispered the words: “Earn this.” He wanted Ryan to realize the great sacrifice of human lives spent to secure his safety. Therefore, he needed to live a life worthy of such sacrifice.

Before salvation, Paul had been a merciless persecutor of the Jewish Kingdom Church. He had imprisoned both men and women, causing them to be brutally tortured to death unless they would renounce faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, the Savior confronted Saul, later known as Paul, with a blinding light and the question of “why” he was persecuting the Lord Jesus through believers. The result of this encounter was that Paul was wonderfully saved. After his salvation, there are two notable things to remember. First, he never forgot the depths of sin from which the Lord Jesus had saved him. He had been a ruthless man who was spiritually dead in false religion. Part of his testimony was as follows: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (I Corinthians 15:9). An important lesson from Paul’s life is that one should not be paralyzed by a sense of unworthiness because of sin prior to, or even after, salvation. Instead, one should simply allow this reminder to fill us with a deep sense of gratitude for our salvation. Second, Paul said that God’s “…grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (I Corinthians 15:10). In other words, Paul realized the supreme sacrifice Christ made on the cross, and chose to live worthy of what Christ had done for him. Thereafter, he lived for the cause of Christ in sincerity, and constant service. God’s grace extended to him was to no extent “in vain.”

May God’s grace to you in no sense be “in vain.” Be certain to live a life that is worthy of the sacrifice Christ made for you!

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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


Turning the World Right-Side Up!

Posted on by Pastor Kevin Sadler

“And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also” (Acts 17:6).

Without meaning to, a rioting mob of unbelieving Thessalonians paid the greatest of compliments when they described Paul, Silas, and Timothy as men who had “turned the world upside down.” As one commentator wrote, “God willing and blessing, people would say such things about the effectiveness of Christians today.” The world needs to be turned upside down.

How can a few men turn the world upside down? All they did was bring good news to others. They had no power in themselves, but they did have a powerful message, a gospel that “is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16). They had a message of a Savior Who came to this world to pay the price for all our sins by His death and to defeat death by rising from the grave. All these men did was talk about Christ wherever they went, and because of people responding in faith and being given true hope and being transformed by God’s grace, the world was turned upside down.

The irony is that, as they faithfully proclaimed the gospel of Christ, these men of God were actually turning the world right-side up! But when one is upside down, right-side up appears to be upside down. When sin and the curse entered the world, the world was instantly turned upside down. Sin deceives, and unbelievers think their version of the world is right-side up, when in fact it is upside down in the sight of a holy and righteous God.

The world thinking the world is right-side up is due to “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:18). But after we trust the gospel of the grace of God, the Holy Spirit, by His Word, changes our thinking, values, and morality to be in line with God and His standards. As a result, the world views believers as strange, different, and upside-down, when in truth, we have been turned right-side up by Christ!

The gospel of grace revolutionized and upset the world as the Thessalonians knew it, but it did so for the eternal best. The gospel is what this upside-down world needs. It is God’s way of making things right.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

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¿Estás confundido? – I Corintios 14:22

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

A mi hija mayor le encanta recordarme un incidente ocurrido durante su último año de secundaria. En un viaje a campo traviesa, ella conducía y yo la guiaba. Cuando pasamos por Memphis, Tennessee, leía el mapa; y ella, los signos. Cuando llegamos a una bifurcación en el camino, insistí en que fuéramos a la izquierda, a pesar de que estaba seguro de que las señales indicaban que debíamos ir a la derecha. A unas cinco millas finalizó, abruptamente la interestatal y nos condujo a una parte muy difícil de la ciudad. Ella dijo: “Mira papá, te dije que íbamos bien”. Yo estaba en lo cierto, pero estaba confundido.

Muchos hoy en día parecen estar sinceramente confundidos acerca de los dones milagrosos. Dios tiene la intención de que veamos que todos ellos solo se otorgaron durante un período de tiempo temporal, para un propósito específico y para ser utilizados de una manera específica. Durante la era de los Hechos, antes de que las Escrituras se completaran, había necesidad de habilidades sobrenaturales para guiar a la primera iglesia. I Corintios 13:10 asegura, “pero cuando venga lo que es perfecto, entonces lo que es en parte será abolido”. El versículo ocho explica que las “profecías”, las “lenguas” y el “conocimiento” sobrenatural “acabarán”. Una vez que se completó la revelación de la Escritura, todos los dones que la orientaban finalizaron. El propósito principal de estos dones son señales “no para los creyentes, sino para los no creyentes” (I Corintios 14:22). Cuando las personas no salvas en la era de los primeros Hechos atestiguaron a los creyentes con genuinas habilidades milagrosas, fue una poderosa herramienta para llevarlos a Cristo. Mientras que algunos de estos dones, como la profecía [proclamar la verdad de Dios], fueron usados ​​por un tiempo para “edificar” a los santos en una nueva verdad bíblica, el propósito principal de Dios era influenciar a los perdidos. Cada vez que se daban regalos, como lenguas (un lenguaje humano desconocido), tenían que practicarse como Dios requería. Las lenguas siempre debieron interpretarse para todos (vs.26). Solo hablaba uno a la vez (vs.30-31), y nunca más de tres (vss.27, 29), nunca dejaron al que habla fuera de control (vs.28, 32), y a las mujeres nunca se le permitió hablar en lenguas en servicios públicos (vs.34).

Los reclamos de hoy de lenguas milagrosas no siguen este patrón divino, ni pueden alcanzar el propósito original de Dios. Dios no es el autor de la confusión. Si solo cumplimos con estas instrucciones, la confusión sobre este tema desaparecerá.

Comience cada día con artículos devocionales breves tomados del libro Daily Transformation del pastor John Fredericksen. Como escribe el pastor Fredericksen en la introducción: "Le damos la bienvenida, mientras viaja con nosotros..., no sólo para aprender información, sino también para beneficiarse de ejemplos de fe y fracaso, y tratar de aplicar la Palabra de Dios a la vida diaria. Juntos , pasemos de estudiar únicamente teorías de doctrina a aplicar las verdades de Dios de manera práctica todos los días. Que Dios use estos estudios para ayudarte a encontrar la transformación diaria."