The Gospel of Luke 12:22-23 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.” (Luke 12:22-23 KJV).

The highest honor we can offer to God is to trust Him always and fully depend on Him. We must honor His nature, being our Almighty Father, Provider and Source for everything. He is Love! Hence, we must allow Him to love us by surrendering our all to Him, for everything and all the time. We are God’s “Most Beloved Children”, (Ephesians 5:1), which highlights an intimate relationship with our Father. Because we are His beloved children, our Father cares for our needs, and worry is un-called for.

We are to move from the demand consciousness of the law to the Lord’s unlimited supply of grace environment. Rather than strive and worry to provide for ourselves, we trust in God's provision. As our Heavenly Father clothes the lilies of the field with majestic beauty and feed the birds in the sky that neither sow nor reap, surely He will take care of our physical needs. Worry about our daily needs is behaving like the "nations of the world" who do not know God as the only true provider. Hence, we are to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness, trusting that all the things that the world seek will be added un to us (Matthew 6:33).

As children of our Most High God and Father, born again by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord, we can rest in His protection and provision. These passages serve as our call to stop worrying, recognize our high value before God, and rely on His grace to provide for all our needs, allowing us to live a life of peace rather than anxiety. Our Lord Jesus gives us this reassuring declaration: “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matthew 6:30-32 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:20-21 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21 KJV).

These passages drive in strongly the importance of reliance on God's supply, rather than striving in self-effort for material gain. These emphasize that true blessings and fulfillment come from resting by faith in God's grace and the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, rather than striving in self-effort, which this “rich fool” in the Lord’s parable was doing. This reminds us of the importance in having a relationship with God by His grace, rather than trying hard to earn His approval for righteousness or security through material accumulation or keeping the law.

We are, therefore, warned against mixing law and grace (like many religious enterprises - then and now, are doing), which lead many to spiritual death and a "bankrupt" heart, akin to the foolish rich man who trusted in his own possessions. Instead of storing up treasures on earth for security, as true believers in Christ Jesus by grace through faith, we are being roused to trust that God is our provider and He will supply all our needs. He supplies all that we need for living and for storing up treasures in heaven, where no robbers can steal, where no moth and rust can corrupt. Then, when this realm of life is over, you don't leave your treasure behind, you will be where your treasure is! (Matthew 6:19-21).

The Lord's Holy and Written Words promised to provide us the resources and seeds for storing heavenly treasures and for increased harvest of our righteousness. It is written: “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:16-19 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” (Luke 12:16-19 KJV).

These passages of the Lord's parable of the "rich fool" highlights the contrast between relying on self-effort of materialism under the law and trusting in God’s provision under His grace. This rich man represents the root problem of self-sufficiency mindset. It is a perspective of scarcity under the law where one feels the need to hoard and protect resources through personal effort rather than trust in God’s continued supply day by day. There is the arrogance of thinking “I” will do this and that. He does not acknowledge God as the source of his blessings.

The man's focus is on storing for himself - "my crops," "my goods", the hallmark of a law mindset. In grace, hoarding signifies lack of trust in God’s future provision. Grace emphasizes that God is a "BIG God of abundance" and that trying to hoard out of fear is the opposite of living by grace. True security comes from being "rich toward God," not from material hoarding. This man relies on the temporal things, directly spurning the Lord’s call to direct his focus on matters of eternal value. He chooses the laborious fleeting things of the world to eat, drink and be merry over God’s divine provision of grace and be filled with joy for all our needs.

It is therefore reminding us not be like this foolish man and to never blink our eyes on focus to rest in God’s grace by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are assured, as it is written, Apostle Paul testifies: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:13-15 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:13-15 KJV).

Material wealth, fame, glamour, luxury and other earthly possessions are transient in nature, yet many are so focused to have it. Some are even consumed in squabbles over it deeply that it strikes a wedge through the hearts of closest bond of siblings, children and parents. It is sad, knowing that these earthly riches just come and go. We watch it happening before our very eyes in our short time passing through this planet. We see people soaring in the skies of luxury and wealth then suddenly crashes down to nothing, even leads to incarceration for some due to ill gotten possessions. Even those who inherit riches passed down, we watched them leaving it handed down and left behind for others to squander. None has ever taken it with them to where they go after this life. And yet in spite its fleeting nature, it is the driving force for many to cheat or be cheated, like this man seeking the Lord’s help.

Many of us, if not all, can really get upset when someone cheats on us on things we have a claim on. And, almost everyone gets cheated at one time or another. There are plenty of people looking to steal or scam others, especially those doing an honest living. It is terribly hurtful to be cheated, especially by a person close to us who we expect to be one we can trust. Hence, it is not surprising to have a family conflict being brought to the Lord Jesus. But, the Lord made it clear that He won’t get involved in a family dispute about worldly possessions. He was not here to settle our material injustice. He came to settle a debt we could not pay. We had a debt that sought payment by death arising from the demands of the law that only His supply of grace can settle once and for all, by our faith in Him. This, the Scriptures remind us, as it is written: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:11-12 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” (Luke 12:11-12 KJV).

In these passages, our Lord Jesus, after giving His warning of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, highlights the important role of the Holy Spirit in navigating our journey in this life. He gives vital aspects of the Holy Spirit's participation in guiding, leading and teaching us how to live and respond to challenges we face. One very important aspect of His role in our daily living is to help in confronting threats we encounter that has eternal ramifications, like the threat of religious and worldly accusation that the Lord Jesus mentioned in this passage. Being His disciples and children of God by faith in Him, we are hated by the world (John 15:18) and all its cohorts of worldly religious enterprises. We are warned by our Lord that we will be faced with persecutions, but He assured us that He has already overcome it (John16:33). And in these passages He forewarned us that we will be hauled to courts and various religious panels for interrogation. But, we have help in the person of the Holy Spirit, who will be our advocate and counsel how to respond.

It is therefore important we don't grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), as the Lord Jesus warned beforehand about the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our core wellspring for living while we are still in this world. All that we do must be done by His unction, not by our emotion, knowledge, understanding and wisdom. We are to live totally dependent on Him. We are to let Him guide and lead us. Every situation of decision and action we face, we seek His direction. And, right on the spot, with faith in Christ Jesus as we rest in His grace not on our perceived ability and capability, the Holy Spirit teaches us what to do right in that moment. We must not harbor thoughts of anxiety and fear. Rather, we converse with the Holy Spirit with thanksgiving for His presence. We face every situation with His direction for living. He gives us this promise: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” (John 14:16 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:10 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.” (Luke 12:10 KJV).

It is amazing to realize from this passage that past blasphemies and past rejections against the Lord Jesus Christ will not be held against anyone when they repent by coming to His presence. Like when they accuse the Lord Jesus of casting demons by Beelzebul (Luke 11:15-19). If only they turn around and come to the Lord's grace, they would have been forgiven.  But, we are warned about the "unforgivable sin" of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. It is unforgivable when anyone continues to reject the Lord Jesus and attributes His work to Satan and not the Holy Spirit who works through Him, like these religious people are doing (Mark 3:22-30).

Those who continue to resist the Holy Spirit's testimony to the Lord Jesus (Acts 7:41-53) lead them to remain outside the forgiveness and saving grace of God that are found only in Christ Jesus. Salvation is found only in Him (Acts 4:12). In Him, we receive grace, mercy, and forgiveness of our sins (Colossians 1:13-14), no matter what sins they are - past, present and future. We know that when we come to Christ Jesus our Lord and confess our sins, we are cleansed of "every kind of sin" and "all wickedness," and "every" and "all" including blasphemy against the Spirit (1 John 1:7-9). For His grace, we can only offer our thanks, praise, and total surrender to God, by believing in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Not believing in the person of grace, who is Christ Jesus our Lord, is the only unforgivable sin that leads to condemnation. It is written our Lord Jesus says: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:17-18 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:8-9 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8-9 KJV).

Confessing our Lord Jesus Christ is crucial for living! It can be costly in human terms, as the Lord Jesus Himself warns. Believers of Him in generations before us and in this present generation in some parts of the world were and are put to death for declaring that our Lord Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. Many, today in this very moment in some nations, while we are reflecting one these verses are suffering terribly and, are even dying for their faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ cautions with assurance about this in His words. He said: “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22 NIV).

The significance of our confession of our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed very clearly by His very own words. He promised that He will claim us. He will "acknowledge" us as His - before the angels and before the Father if we "acknowledge" Him now while we are still here on this earth! Yes, that, we must do now knowing that life is fleeting. Life is like a smoke or vapor that appears in a while then vanishes away! (James 4:14). It is written, our Lord Jesus proclaims: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:6-7 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7 KJV).

This revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ emphasizes His intimate care and our immense worth as His children by grace. He allays any feelings of fear or insignificance we may have by showing us that if God notices the insignificant of creation, He deeply cares for us, the more. This is urging us to trust His provision and recognize our value in Him, as our foundation for a fearless, grace-filled life, not on worldly metrics.

Our Lord Jesus uses the triviality of sparrows, priced five for two pennies in the market, to highlight that no one is overlooked by God. Then, He contrasts this with the meticulous numbering of hairs on a person's head, showing God's profound interest even in the tiniest things about a person, especially a believing one. This reveals that God values us infinitely more than many sparrows.

In essence, these teach us the radical security and identity we have in Christ Jesus, assuring us who believe that we are seen, known, and deeply loved, thereby empowering us to live above anxiety and fear. He gives us this assurance as children of the Most High God through our faith in Him: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:4-5 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” (Luke 12:4-5 KJV).

These passages, viewed through the lens of the Lord's New Covenant of the gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24), emphasize that true believers, who are saved by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), do not live in fear of God's punishment because our Lord Jesus Christ has already taken all our judgment and punishment upon Himself. By law, we have the protection under the principle of double jeopardy. No one is to be prosecuted or punished more than once of the same crime. The Lord Jesus already took the punishment of all our sins - past, present and future, on the cross.

That's what we should fear of falling from, His grace (Galatians 5:4) and love. We do not fear the devil nor the deception of religion nor the threat of losing the world. In Christ Jesus, those things all belong to the sea of forgetfulness. The One who took our sins, He is the One we look to with awe and reverent fear for His exceeding love for us. He loves us that even when we were yet His enemies by our being slave to sin (John 8:34), He took our place on the cross.

That’s our sentence He bore to make us justified and righteous before God (Romans 4:25). The Scriptures affirm: “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:9-11 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:2-3 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” (Luke 12:2-3 KJV).

The Lord Jesus continues His warning about dual-faceted life: one for show and one for living, which the religious people, represented mainly by the Pharisees, mastered very well in their hypocritical role playing acts. Here, we are warned, there's nothing truly hidden, whether covert acts, words whispered in private, nor inner thoughts, will remain concealed forever. It will all be exposed and brought to light publicly. It, therefore, serves to warn against hypocrisy, and a call for authentic living, as God sees everything, and He will hold everyone accountable. The Lord Jesus emphasizes that what is muttered in secret will be amplified and proclaimed from the rooftops, meaning - all hidden deeds and words will eventually be exposed, either in this life or the next, on judgement day.

These passages give a powerful call for us to live a life of transparency and integrity, NOT BY OUR SELF-EFFORT BECAUSE WE CANT, BUT BY YIELDING TO THE LORD’S GRACE IN FAITH. Trusting that God's light will reveal all, we are to encourage every one who believes to be fearless in love and service. It is about recognizing our true identity in Christ Jesus as Abraham's seed, not striving in our own performance to show off what we think is our best and to hide the flaws. Instead, we receive God's undeserved favor, trusting in the Lord’s perfect obedience to reveal our righteous standing before Him, not fearing judgment for our imperfect human thoughts, but living in faith in the reality of the Lord’s imputed righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), in His grace by faith. How do we put this to operate in our daily living? Everyday, as we go out into the world, we must converse with the Holy Spirit to direct our every thought, decision and move. We must never attempt to say, I can do this. Rather, we say to the Holy Spirit: "please do your work in me, today. Use me to be a blessing. Prompt me what to do and what to say, Amen!"  

Yes, we are to live in His grace by faith in Christ Jesus for righteousness guided by the Holy Spirit, not works of self effort, as it is written, Apostle Paul testifies: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”” (Romans 1:16-17 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 12:1 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1 KJV).

This passage surrounds around the environment of the crowds gathering to hear the Lord Jesus speaks. When the Lord notices the magnitude of people building up, pressing and stepping on each other’s feet, He turns to His disciples and begins to address the issue of hypocrisy. The Lord Jesus warns against the "yeast" of the Pharisees (revealing hidden things), as a call to be authentic before God, not on performative self-efforts in religion. We just have to come before God as we are. It’s the primary theme of this verse, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. This is a group of religious leaders during the Lord’s time on this Earth who prided themselves on their outward piety and pretentious strict adherence to religious laws. However, the Lord Jesus chastises them often for their fake righteousness and their focus on external appearances, rather than matters of the heart, exposing what religion really is in essence.

Talking to the disciples in the presence of the gathering multitude, the Lord warns them of the "leaven of the Pharisees", which symbolically talks about the corrupting influence that can spread and permeate throughout a community. Likened to the yeast that raises the dough left unattended, hypocrisy bloats religious peoples ego to arrogance. He cautions the disciples and us now, who have been reborn as children of God by grace through faith in Him, to be aware of the insidious nature of hypocrisy and to guard against religious influence of sanitizing outward appearances instead of an inner transformation.

He wanted the disciples and us to understand that true righteousness is not about observance of the law and following external religious practices for the sake of appearances, but about having a sincere and authentic relationship with God, by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures affirm: “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 3:21-24 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:53-54 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.” (Luke 11:53-54 KJV).

In these passages, we can sense the intensity of hostility of the religious leaders against the Lord Jesus Christ. Their reactions to the Lord’s chastisements of woes they heard is an attempt by the enemy to trap or provoke Him into saying something they could use for a false accusation. The scribes and Pharisees vehemently oppose the Lord Jesus and resolved to trap Him in His words—as a demonstration of the intense opposition of religious legalism to the grace of God. This is reflective of our present day world environment, where we witness some people in media silencing the voices of those who bring up the message of the Holy Bible in public discussions.

Hence, as the Lord Jesus leaves, after pronouncing woes on their hypocrisy, the religious leaders' hostility escalates. They badger Him with tricky questions, seeking a pretext to accuse and kill Him. With malicious intent to "trap him into saying something they could use against him," show they're focused on silencing Him, rather than understanding His message of grace.

These expose the religious leadership's desperate attempts to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ, revealing their hardened hearts and inability to receive God's saving light, setting the stage of their ultimate plan to crucify the Lord. This, the Lord Jesus faces willingly for us, as the Prophet Isaiah prophesied: “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:52 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” (Luke 11:52 KJV).

The Lord Jesus in His final declaration of "woes unto you" to the religious leadership, He again addressed the lawyers, who holds monopoly of expertise in understanding at whims their religious laws. We learn in this passage that they have taken away the key of knowledge from the people, the Lord reveals. Yes, they take away the key of knowledge from people by their flawed interpretation of the Scriptures and their man-made creeds and traditions. This hindered those who sadly were duped to follow them from understanding the true way to enter the presence of God and His Kingdom.

The lawyers and scribes of religion burdened people by their focus on keeping the law and their man-made doctrines, purposely to hide the truth of the Scriptures, especially that which concerns the promised Messiah. Because they relied on their own righteousness and “good works”, and hindered others from entering the Kingdom of God by teaching a warped understanding of God's word, they too did not enter themselves. The Scriptures said this oath: “better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:6).

This, therefore, reminds us who have been reborn in Christ Jesus by faith, that we must stand strong in the Lord’s Words to Nicodemus the Pharisee, who acknowledged the Lord to come from God. It is written: “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3- 5 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:49-51 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.” (Luke 11:49-51 KJV).

These passages are amazingly sharp and true! The Lord’s pointed words towards the hypocritical religious people are severe. Why are His pronouncements so harsh? How can He say as such? We can surmise several reasons why the Lord’s words are so direct and strong:

Firstly-He, the Messiah, the Son of God (whose name is above all names) is greater than the great figures and prophets of the past generations. He comes for His people, but the religious leaders murdered Him to protect their interests and legalistic religion.

Secondly-The Lord Jesus wants them and the religious people of these days to realize, out of His compassion, how utterly flawed their approach to relationship with God had become.

Thirdly-The Lord Jesus wants them and us to see how horrendous and fatal is following and protecting religious doctrines and worldly precepts can be. Rather than religious concepts, our relationship with our Father and Creator must be shaped by the message of grace and truth, not by laws. Let it be revealed that the law is just a crisis management apparatus for a broken world. God’s grace by faith in Him is what the people of the world need, not laws (Romans 6:14).

Fourthly-The Lord Jesus confronts them as they idolize the past, without recognizing their connection to the sins of the past.

Yes, His words were sharp and harsh. However, they’re true and needed, then, as well as in the now! The sins against the blood of those who perished are demanded of this generation unless they come to grace and be saved by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. Scriptures declare: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:47-48 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.” (Luke 11:47-48 KJV).

The “woes to you” messages of the Lord Jesus against the religious leaders were directed at their focus on outward religious acts (like building tombs for dead prophets of the past) while inwardly rejecting God's living message in their now moment. The Scriptures reveal that God gave the law to show man's inability to keep it, exposing weaknesses and leading people to realize their need for a Savior (Galatians 3:19-22). The Pharisees, Priests, Sadducees and lawyers/scribes represent an "old wineskin" system of legalistic rules that could not contain the "new wine" of the grace of God (Mark 2:22).

These "woes to you" of the Lord Jesus highlight the hypocrisy of the scribes, Pharisees and religious people, who honored dead prophets with polished tombs while their fathers killed them, and they themselves planned to kill Him. It emphasizes that God looks at the heart and the need for a transformed life through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not by outward display of morality or by phony charade of honoring the past.

The core message that we must, therefore, get hold of this is that all sins (past, present and future) have already been punished in Christ Jesus on the cross. The judgment that the Lord speaks of for those who continue the cycle of rejecting God's truth in Him, points to the consequences of not accepting Him and His sacrifice. For believers, as we are by faith alone under the new covenant, we are saved by grace through faith, and our sins are not anymore remembered. In Christ Jesus as we call on Him, to Gentiles [that's us] and Jews [the house of Israel] alike (Romans 10:12), Scriptures affirm: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”” (Hebrews 8:10-12 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:46 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.” (Luke 11:46 KJV).

The Lord Jesus continues His “woe to you” message to the Jewish religious leadership. In this instance, He is directly addressing the lawyers, in response to one of them that complained. He warns against self-righteousness and performance-based religion, where religious leaders burden people with load of laws, while neglecting love and justice. This highlights that grace and God's abundant supply of peace, not human effort, bring true wholeness, contrasting with the bitter fruit of trying to earn God's favor through works of religious laws.

The scholars (lawyers and scribes) of the law, like the Pharisees, imposed heavy loads with their laws on people, but wouldn't lift a finger to do it - which they could not. No one can perform the demands of the "law". Only the Lord Jesus can, the reason He came to supply the demands of it with His grace by dying on the cross for all people. The Jewish religious leadership with their hypocritical enforcement of their laws, while rejecting the Lord Jesus and His message of grace, demonstrates a heart devoid of compassion and love.

This, therefore, serves as our pop-up alert, that instead of the "thou shalt/shalt not," of the law, we should look to the Lord’s grace that says "I will," which emphasizes God's supply in grace and the Lord’s perfect obedience as the source of righteousness, not our own performance. In Him, we have righteousness through faith, as Apostle Paul testifies: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—” (Philippians 3:8-9 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:45 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.” (Luke 11:45 KJV).

Here, we observe a lawyer, one of those scribes or scholars who are experts in their religious laws, complains after the Lord Jesus denounces them and the Pharisees with damning woes. The Lord rebukes them for their use of the Scriptures as tool of control and for their oppressive and external focus on the law. It hinders people (including them) from finding the true "key of knowledge," who is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. This transpired at a dinner where the Lord Jesus was invited by a Pharisee. After He publicly chastised their hypocrisy (for their rigidness on external cleanliness while their inner being are full of greed and wickedness), a lawyer (an "expert" in the Law of Moses) protested.

The lawyers and scribes or scholars of their days and in present day religious and worldly climate are so focused on the letter of their laws and doctrines of men, which only brings condemnation and sin-consciousness, rather than point people to the Lord Jesus Christ, the true source of life, health, and freedom by grace. These legalistic, worldly and religious approaches - then and in these days, prevent both themselves and others from entering into a true, loving relationship with God in Christ Jesus.

Whence, this reminds us children of God by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, to be circumspect in our daily walk in this life so as not be ensnared by religious and worldly nets and traps. We are still in the world. Scriptures caution us with these words: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:44 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.” (Luke 11:44 KJV).

In this passage, the Lord Jesus proclaimed another grievous woe, issuing a serious rebuke upon the religious leaders of the Jews. The Lord reveals their hypocrisy is akin to unmarked graves which outwardly appear clean and manicured but are inwardly rotten. Peering this verse through the lens of grace versus the law, gives light on the Pharisees and scribes’ self-righteousness as a hidden source of spiritual defilement. Their deadly contagion affected those that follow them who are unknowingly deceived by their religious creeds.

The Lord Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites, as they are, with their religion being merely an outward show, as all religious are. They are focused on the surface appearances and hapless cling to traditions rather than an authentic inner transformation of the heart. They love seats of honor and conspicuous public greetings, seeking praise of men instead of giving glory to God.

This, therefore, is our reminder being children of God through grace by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord that we must not be caught up with their hypocrisy. Sadly, the cultures and traditions of these religious Pharisees and scribes are being copied for perpetuation in this present day religions. Many of them are clutching the Holy Bible, but teaching those they deceive with precepts not from God’s holy Word, that which they scavenge from the garbage of world. They follow the cues of the world’s culture and morals to define who they are as a person and as family, rejecting God’s design. They allow worldly sciences to creep into their doctrines. 

As God's children by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, let’s remain strong and steadfast in faith to stand against the pressure building up over us. Our identity must remain as what God declared who we are, as revealed in His Words. The Holy Scriptures, therefore, edify us with these words of Apostle Paul to Timothy : “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:43 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.” (Luke 11:43 KJV).

The Lord Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their hypocritical love of honor, prestige, and outward appearances, specifically their desire for prominent seats in synagogues and overt greetings and salutations in public places. It shows their thirst for human acclaim and to be served, rather than do genuine services before God. This unmasks the core of their hypocrisy. And, this verse highlights that true spirituality focuses on internal purity and serving God humbly, not on self-exaltation or seeking worldly recognition, a point that the Lord Jesus emphasizes by contrasting their love for status with God's true expectations of justice and love.

The "chief seats" in synagogues were places designated to identify positions and point of visibility, indicating that the Pharisees and religious leaders love it. Their pride and desire to be seen as important religious figures, give away their true nature. They enjoy public greetings showing they sought validation and honor from people, making them more concerned with reputation than humble and righteous service. They exemplify hypocrisy at its worst—performing religious acts for show, while neglecting inner spiritual reality, colliding with the fruit of the Spirit in grace by faith in Christ Jesus.

As children of God, born again in spirit through faith in Christ Jesus, we are standing totally released from the grip of religion and the world. We are set free! And, Apostle Paul exhorts us with these words: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.

The Gospel of Luke 11:42 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Luke 11:42 KJV).

With this passage, our Lord Jesus Christ starts proclaiming woe of damnation for the religious Pharisees’ wrongly placed efforts of self-righteousness. He is highlighting the motive behind their action, which is what religion is all about. It’s the motive! Just like the world at large is, who hates all things about God, especially those of us that believe in the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who sends His only begotten Son - Christ Jesus our Lord. The world who claims there is no God actually believe in themselves as their god. That’s the reality. Religions believe in a god they made up for themselves, just like what the Israelites did as they molded a statue of a golden calf then look to it as god (Exodus 32:1-23). Some even use the name of our Lord Jesus and names of dead people to label an image, put it on a pedestal then look to it as one with power as their gods. Some look other creatures and things. Those are of religion and the world, and are not of the true God of the Bible. That’s where we are in this passage as the Lord Jesus stumbles upon one of them who invited Him to dinner. They claim the Word of God - the Holy Bible as their source of guidance, but do things contrary to it and not of it, and reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here, our Lord Jesus knowing the heart of this Pharisee, out of His compassion for this lost soul, rebukes him with woe of damnation and dismay, based on His reading of the content of this man’s heart. The Lord is not condemning their tithing of herbs and other little things, but their self-righteousness that neglects justice and love, to perform religious acts and rituals without a transformed heart. It contrasts with true believers under the Grace of God who worship with tithing from a heart full of God's love, seeing the Lord Jesus as their great High Priest, not a taskmaster. What truly matter is that justice and love, as well as, those other things are to be manifest as fruit of grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross, with the unction of the Holy Spirit, and not by work of self effort to earn applause and accolade.

We are therefore reminded, including those Pharisees, all the religious and worldly people, that what pleases God is not the score of ovations, nor count of followings and likes in social media platforms and the crowd. What pleases God is our faith in His only begotten Son (John 6:29). It is written: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477

Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.