Ronald Trujillo's Blog

 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them “I am He,” they drew back and fell on the ground. Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke. “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” (John 18:2-9)

Here is the start of Jesus’ arrest and trial and seen here is Jesus’ supreme courage to go to the cross, where His innocence and purity would be grossly interogated and violated as He would bore the wrath of the penalty of our sins. John who wrote from a eyewitness account, set out to present Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, by producing evidence such as Jesus declaration “I am He, ” a designation He had used before to declare Himself God (John 8:28). And to write of Jesus’ knowing all things that would come upon Him, by asking them twice about whom they were looking for, which they replied “Jesus of Nazareth”, He was forcing them to acknowledge that they had no authority to take His disciples, in fact, He demanded that they let His disciples go. This was His prayer to the Father, Jesus was already interceding for them even before His passion week would start (John 17:12). He knew that their faith was still untested and that to face being arrested and perhaps imprisoned, it might be too much for their young faith. All of His believer’s are weak and vulnerable unless protected by the Lord. But He will never let us be tempted beyond what we can bear (1Cor.10:13), as evidenced here.

Dear Friend, Believers in Christ are eternally secure, not in their own strength, but in the gracious and constant protection of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:35-39).

May the Lord bless your walk!

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Acts 3:13-15

This title for God would be familiar with Peter’s mostly Jewish audience using God’s very own self description of Himself when He spoke to Moses in the wilderness through a burning bush (Exodus 3:6). Using this method stressed God’s OT covenant promise of faithfulness to a stiff necked people through the prophets declarations. Peter depicted Jesus as God’s personal representative in fact the unusual title ” Servant Jesus ” is used only four other places in the NT. Pontius Pilate the Roman governor at Jesus’ trial, was determined to let Him go, for he strongly supported justice, he knew Jesus crucifixion would be unjust punishment and therefore declared Him, Jesus, innocent 6 times and repeatedly sought to release Him. Instead, they asked for a known murderer, Barabbas to be released in His stead. What irony, the Bible says: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Corinthians 5:21). Peter’s confident and forceful declaration was a clear defense for Christ’s resurrection for which many were still denying.

Dear Friend, Many people in our world today still doubt all of what God has done for us in His only begotten Son, but the facts can’t be denied of the transformation of a born again believer. A man or woman who once did not know this Prince of Life, but now has a personal relationship to God through the power of His resurrected Son, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, given to all who believe at conversion to be His witnesses, like Peter, and fulfill the calling on their life.

Be a witness for God and if you have to,  use words!

May the Lord bless your walk today!

” For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Jesus is our supreme example of servant leadership. The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16) relinquished His priviledges (Philippians 2:5-8) and came to earth to give His life a selfless sacrifice in serving others. When His disciples came to Him, asking if they could sit on His right hand and left in His Father’s Kingdom, in places of highest honor beside the throne, He informed them of their request as not to be sought for, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (v.38) Even though the disciples James and John were willing to suffer for Christ, even unto death. But that in itself would not earn them the place of honors they were seeking. Honors and rewards in God’s kingdom is not on the basis of selfish ambition, but of the divine sovereign will of God. The Lord Jesus never would let a teaching moment go unnoticed, to offset the rest of His disciples who showed resentment at what was asked, showed what is really of importance and that of which is how we serve; Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever of you desires to become great among you shall be your servant (v.43). Ransom for many- The ransom price was paid to God to satisfy His justice and holy wrath against sin. In paying it, Christ “bore our sins in His own body on the cross” Christ’s substitutionary death on behalf of those who would put their faith in Him is the most glorious act of Servanthood that could be demonstrated, and now, for us today, we have a template to model our lives after. As husbands and fathers, and wive’s and mothers, we have a example from which we can have opportunities to show the next generation of the selfless love that honors and glorifies God the Father, through the life and example of His Son, Christ the Lord. This through the power of of the Holy Spirit who dwells in every believer.

Dear Friend, Steady on in your walk with the Lord, don’t be discouraged by what you’ve failed to do in the past in serving the Lord, or others. God knows right where you are, and He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

May the Lord bless your walk.

 

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisment for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

This passage of Scripture personafies the Lord Jesus Christ as our substitute for our sins. The Servant Christ suffered not for His own sin, since He was without sin ; For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15) but as a substitute for sinners, receiving upon Himself, God’s wrath on the sins of mankind. He suffered the chastisment of God, so that we may experience peace with God. By His stripes we are healed – The Hebrew noun is singular ; The stripe that caused His death has bought salvation to to all of us who are spiritually bankrupt, because of our sins, and now we can come boldly to the throne  of grace, and seek His mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Isaiah 53:1 asks: Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Inspite of all that was prophecied about the coming of Christ, only few would recognize the Servant Christ when He appeared. But for us today, we can’t use that same excuse. We have all the testamonies of what is written for us in the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation to who God is, and His Son Christ the Lord. And the reason of why He came to earth, fully God, yet, fully Man. To redeem us all to Himself by offering His life for ours as a substitute for our sins. Yet, why is there still so little who believe? We’ve allowed the Bible to be not considered revelant any more across America, and have now reaped what we have sown. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (Hebrews 9:27-28).

Dear Friend, The Lord has appeared once already, the suffering Servant to take away our sins, now He will return a second time, as our conquering King!

May the Lord bless your walk

There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:32-34)

The boundless compassion of divine grace Jesus shows us here to both Jews and Romans, to a people who so willingly sought to mock Him, and even cast lots for His clothing. There were not aware of the full scope of their wickedness, nor did they recognize Jesus as their Messiah (Acts 13:27-28). They were blind to the light of divine truth, “For if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corithians 2:8). But Christ’s prayer while in the very act of mocking Him, and His willingness to seek their forgiveness shows the real power of God’s Spirit at work. In Matthew’s account of the crucifixion, we read: So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying,” Truly this was the Son of God!”  Their “fear” speaks of an awareness of their sin, and the word “truly” suggests a certainty and conviction that speaks of geniune faith. Jesus’ prayer is in fact being heard by the Father, and is even bearing fruit, as our suffering Savior God, hung on that cross. We see the real reason of why Christ death on the cross had to be so brutal, sin’s consequences were placed on Him, and the weight of it’s judgment was placed on Jesus, yet, in return we have His compassionate love and forgiveness given to us who have faith to believe that we too were in need of salvation, and that Christ’s crucifixion was the atonement for our sins.

Friend, what does the cross mean to you? Does it bring a realization that you have been forgiven of your sins, when you confess Christ as your Lord and Savior, and believe in your heart that you need His forgiveness?

May the Lord bless your walk today!

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of Tax collectors and sinners! But wisdom is justified by all her children. (Luke 7:33-34)

Jesus had a strong word of rebuke toward the Pharisee’s. These teachers of the Law He suggested, were acting childish, and not believing in either Jesus or John the Baptist’s testimony about who they were. Although John’s style of ministry was different from Jesus approach, their message was same. For these different methods took away all the Pharisees’ excuses for the very thing they had professed to want to see in Jesus, a rigid abstinance Spartan lifestyle was characterized in John the Baptist’s ministry, yet they had refused and rejected him. So with Jesus’  living an ordinary life among the people eating and drinking with the ones who needed Him most, yet refusing to believe in Him because He was not who they pictured Him to be. The real problem for the Pharisees’ though, was in the corruption of their own hearts, but they would not acknowledge that.

Dear Friend, We can be shown how to love God through the teaching of His Word, My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him, For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God (1John 3:18-21). You see the Pharisees’ were not acknowledging that they heart was convicting them of their sin of hypocrisy, they weren’t hiding it from Jesus, and by the Spirit of God neither from John the Baptist.

Confess your need of God in your life, and seek Christ’s forgivness, and you’ll experience the peace of God in your heart. Be a witness to others of God’s love, of God’s peace, in your ordinary life.

May the Lord bless your walk!

“Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” But He answered them saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35)

The will of God here is to follow Christ. Jesus made a decisive and comprehensive statement on true Christian discipleship. Such discipleship involves a spiritual relationship that transcends the physical family and is open to all who are empowered by the Spirit of God to come to Christ in repentance and faith and enables them to live a life of obedience to God’s Word. The Scriptures reveal the first time a disciple was called by another name, And the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26) a term of derision meaning “of the party of Christ”. Jesus told His disciples “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I have chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). This transforming power to be a true disciple of Christ, is not without cost, the rejection of the world, is one of the costs, but so is the rejection of even members of your own family (Matthew 10:34-39). The end result is that though the cost of being a follower of Jesus Christ is high, God will reward and make it right,  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29).

Dear friend, It is wise to count the cost of being a Christian, but God is faithful and will be fair to everyone to have their opportunity to come to Him and be saved. If you decided to follow Jesus, don’t look back, If you haven’t yet decided, then don’t let another day go by without making this, the most important decision yet. It will all be worth it in the end.

May God bless your walk today!

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Timothy 3:16-17)

Paul’s instruction to Timothy in earlier chapters was to remind him to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (Ch.1:6-7). Paul’s need to remind this young pastor, teacher, was to take courage and perform all of God’s will for his life, for it is God’s power, through the Holy Spirit who would perform this work of ministry in his life. Now, here in our text, Paul reveals to Timothy by what authority he has in the Scriptures of God’s written word. All Scriptures – accurately describes that both OT Scriptures and NT Scriptures are given to us by divine inspiration. Given by inspiration of God – Litterally “breathed out by God” or “God breathed” Sometimes God told the Bible writers the exact words to say, example : Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.” (Jeremiah 1:9). But more often He used their minds, and vocabularies, and experiences from which to write His own perfect infallible, inerrant Word. This is only applicable to the original writers of Scripture, and is so identified with God that when the Scriptures speak, God speaks (Romans 9:17). The Scriptures provide a complete and comprehensive body of divine truth and instruction necessary for life and godliness. Reproof – It rebukes wrong behavior or wrong belief and exposes sin that can then be dealt with through confession and repentance. Correction – It brings the restoration of something to its proper condition. Instruction in righteousness – Scripture provides positive training when used in the right context for godly behavior, not only for wrong behavior. Man of God – The Christian, pastor / teacher, may be complete – able to do all of God’s calling on your life. Thoroughly equipped – And finally enabling you to meet all the demands of godly ministry and live righteously, the Word of God not only accomplishes this in the life of the man of God, but in all who will believe in Jesus Christ, through his word ( John 17:20).

Dear Friend, Stay in the Word that you may fulfill the will of God in your life. People will know that you are a Christian, by how you rely upon the Scriptures for your life.

May the Lord bless your walk today!

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened  with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; (Ephesians 3:16-17)

In this beautiful prayer to the Ephesian church, Paul’s prayers are almost always for the spiritual welfare of other believer’s. According to the riches of His glory – Paul points out the limit less grace that is available to every believer, which in turn gives Spiritual power and that is the mark for every Christian who submits to God’s Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is not reserved for any special class of Christian, but is for all those who take the time to study the Word, grow in understanding of it, and put it into practical application and live by it. The Bible does say Although the outer man, the physical body becomes weaker with age (2Cor.4:16), the inner man, spiritual person should grow stronger through the working of the Holy Spirit. That Christ may dwell in your hearts – Every believer is indwelt by Christ at the moment of salvation (Romans 8:9) but is He “at home” in your heart? The believer’s life is comforted and finds great peace and satisfaction when their hearts are cleansed from sin and filled with His life – giving Spirit (John 14:23) This speaks of Christians continuing trust in Christ to exercise His Lordship over their lives and maturing into useful vessels for God.

Dear Christian friend, Stay encouraged in your walk with Lord, God is still sovereignly working a great and mighty work through you, when you let Christ be at home in you, your life will have a dramatic effect in ministring to the needs of others.

May the Lord bless your walk today!

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18)

This declaration that Jesus Christ first had to suffer, and be tempted in every human way, in order to fulfill one of His divine titles, in this case: High Priest. His mercy and faithfulness as the Son of God, and High Priest give us hope in that we can be seen by Him as someone who understands what we go through in this life, and that He is able to see us through our times of trial and temptation. By His sinless and perfect life while in human form, He became the Father’s acceptable and perfect sacrifice for atoning our sins as a Lamb offered without blemish, so Jesus Christ offered His life in order to satisfy the Father’s requirement for atoning the sins of us all. And because we have a Great High Priest who can sympathize with our weakness, He is able to see us through difficulties in life we’re facing because of what He endured. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin (Hebrews 12:3-4). This is telling us that there has only been One, who has suffered to the point of bloodshed, which was what God the Father required, and still be without sin, to atone for the sins of everyone who has ever lived (John 3:16).

Beloved Friend, Take the offer God has offered to us through faith in His Son, Christ the Lord, that through Him and His sacrifice, We have forgiveness and eternal life and the comfort of knowing that He is able to help us in our time of need.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him!