Some would say that miracles, signs, and wonders petered out when Peter petered out. This expression means that some believe today when the last disciple passed away, signs, wonders, and miracles passed away. Nothing could be further from the truth! In our previous post (127), we showed in the scriptures that God never changes. In the post before that (126), we showed in scripture that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Therefore, the scripture that God is the same yesterday taking forever means that what is true in the New Testament is still available to us, if only we would believe. Jesus said some powerful things in the Gospel of John that should encourage us to pursue the supernatural. 

Salvation

Spiritually we are changed in an instant but, our mind and soul are transformed over time. As we learn the scriptures of the Bible and learn to be led or directed by the Holy Spirit, we go step by step, faith to faith. to maturity in Christ.

Maturity is a Process

We go from being a convert to Christianity, to a follower of Jesus, and finally to a disciple of Christ.

1 John 2:12-14 describes the transition from children to young men, to fathers. Our goal is to become mature Christians rightly handling the Word of God, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15. 

Now, I need to make an important point; there is a world of difference between knowing the scriptures and doing the scriptures! We don’t want to be like the Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus’ day, who were experts in the scriptures but failed to do the scriptures. 

A Pharisee had to memorize the first five books of the Bible, the Torah, but many Pharisees failed to live up to the standards of the Torah. They expected others to adhere to the Bible but found ways to avoid the commandments of God for themselves. They created traditions and practices that voided the purposes of God. Jesus called them “hypocrites,” “the blind leading the blind,” and “sons of the Devil.”

We are called to be “doers” of the Word, not just hearers of the Word of God! In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus says, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” The only way to fulfill God’s call for your life is to be a “doer of the Word.” Knowing alone is not enough, but knowledge coupled with application is the path to the wisdom of God.

Disciples

We are not called to remain as children but to mature into disciples. A disciple is a follower devoted to the cause of Jesus Christ and is actively testifying of what the Lord is doing in and through them—always giving the credit and glory to Jesus our Lord and Savior. 

When Jesus walked the earth, He had many disciples. The first 12 disciples, Jesus also called Apostles. The Apostles were the first to walk in the power and authority given them by Jesus. As a result, many came to Jesus and became disciples as well. Remember when Jesus sent out the 70 (disciples) in Luke 10. Listen to what they said when they returned to give Jesus a report, Luke 10:17, “17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.”

Jesus’ prayer in John 17

Prior to Jesus giving His life on the cross of Calvary, He prayed a prayer that is instructive for us in John 17.

In this chapter, Jesus prays for Himself as He prepares for the purpose He came to earth, to die on the cross for man’s sins. Jesus then prays for His disciples, the Apostles. Finally, Jesus prays for all of those who will come to know Him in the future, which includes us!

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John 17 verses 1 through 5

Jesus prays for himself. Jesus knows that he has completed the work that he was sent for, and now He will return to be seated at the right hand of the Father. The path back to Heaven for Jesus was through the cross at Calvary! In these verses, Jesus gives all glory to the Father, and all the work that he had done on earth was to bring eternal life to those who would choose to know the Father through Himself. In verse 4, “I have glorified you on the earth. I finished the work which you have given me to do.”

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John 17 verses 6 through 19

Jesus prays for his disciples. In this case, he is praying for his 12 Apostles, and his prayer is that they would continue to glorify the Father. His prayer is that they would not be taken out of the world but be protected from the evil one, Satan. Jesus says the following: “16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” They were to continue in “Power Ministry” which would be evidence of the presence of God and glorify the Lord.

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John 17 verses 20 through 26

Jesus prays for us meaning those Believers in the future. Recall Peter’s message in Acts 2: 38, “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” The expression “afar off” is not an expression of distance, but of time. Sometime in the future.

20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their Word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. Jesus is now speaking about us, that we would be one in Christ.

22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. By faith we believe that we are loved by the Father, John 3:16 is a reminder of His great love for us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16.

24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. We are no longer of this earth, but citizens of the Kingdom of God. What is available in Heaven is also available to us on earth. Matthew 18:18, “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Conclusion

Here is the point, Jesus performed signs and wonders to demonstrate that He was from God because only God could heal the sick, the lame, the blind, and raise the dead! Read Mark 2:10 – signs are the evidence of the Lord at work. His disciple performed signs and wonders to demonstrate that God was at work on the earth!

As disciples of Christ, we are also charged to be the vessel through whom Jesus works, to perform signs and wonders. All of this is for one purpose, to bring the non-believing world to Christ! Keep in mind that Jesus is our example, and He said and did only what the Father showed Him to do in ministry. We also must follow the pattern of Jesus. Spend time with the Lord with a particular emphasis on hearing and seeing what He wants you to do. So that the Lord would be glorified, and all people would be drawn to Him. 

The Great Commission

Mark 16:14-18, “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

As Disciples of Jesus, we have two tools or weapons at our disposal: the work of the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Together they are powerful for winning the lost, healing the sick, and bringing wholeness to broken people in a broken world. 

Angry or Gracious God?

When reading the Bible, I’ve heard some say that it seems like God is angry in the Old Testament and then compassionate and merciful in the New Testament, and this must mean that God has changed! It may seem the Lord is harsh and unrelenting in the Old Testament and gentle and compassionate in the New Testament. However, the Lord does not change. How do we account for the difference in how we see the Lord God? 

The Difference in Perspective Is Because There Are Two Different Covenants

Let me assure you; God does not have a split personality! It would be easy to make that mistake if you don’t realize that the Old and New Testaments represent two different Covenants. The Old Covenant is a covenant that the Lord made with the Israelites, and Moses was the mediator and intercessor between God and the people of Israel. The New Covenant is a covenant between the Lord and Jesus Christ; Jesus is the mediator and intercessor for us. 

Remember, a covenant is an agreement that God makes with His people. The Old Covenant is a conditional covenant; that is, God sets all the terms. Blessings come with obedience, and hardship comes with disobedience or sin (Read Deuteronomy 28). The Old Covenant is called by several names: the  . The important point is that this covenant was between God and the Jewish people. 

On the other hand, the New Covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34, fulfilled by Jesus Christ, is a “better covenant, based upon better promises.” The book of Hebrews uses the term better about 12 times to describe how much better the New Covenant is than the Old Covenant. The New Covenant is an unconditional covenant established by God the Father and ratified by Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus is the mediator and intercessor for anyone (Jew or non-Jew) who would believe in Him and follow Him. 

Grace and Law

The New Covenant is a covenant of Grace, not Law. The word “grace” comes from the Greek Charis, defined as; acceptable, benefit, favor, gift, gracious, joy, liberality, pleasure, thanks worthy. In short, Grace can be thought of as an undeserved, unmerited gift from God. This Grace means that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is transferred to us. This transfer or imputation is not by our “goodness” or effort but is a gift of God; this is Grace! That is why the New Covenant is unconditional; it doesn’t depend on what we do because Jesus did it all, once and forever!

Getting back to the issue of whether God changes, we said earlier God makes covenants with humankind, and in those covenants are promises. The promises the Lord makes in the Old Covenant are different from the promises of the New Covenant, for example:

1. In the Old Testament or Covenant, the Lord came for a nation, Israel; in the New Testament or Covenant, the Lord came for the individual, and therefore it is described as a better covenant.
2. In the Old Covenant, it was about God calling a nation Israel to himself. In the New Covenant, it’s about God calling every individual to himself. 
3. In the Old Covenant, God was found in the Tabernacle or the Temple. In the New Covenant, the Believer is the Temple of God, 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
4. In the Old Covenant, righteousness came by works or following and adhering to the Law of God. Under the New Covenant, righteousness comes by faith in Jesus Christ.
5. In the Old Covenant, the promise was that Israel would become a great nation. In the New Covenant, the promise is that whoever believes in Jesus Christ would have eternal life and the Holy Spirit living in that person in this life. 
6. The Old Covenant is about physical blessings (prosperity, a mighty nation, being an example to the rest of the world). In the New Covenant, it’s about spiritual blessings (eternal life and living in the Kingdom of God while on earth). 

A deeper discussion of the two covenants is beyond the scope of this message, but if you would like more teaching on covenants, go to my website and download the free book, “Seeing the Forest for the Trees’ or my article for World MAP called “Covenants: God’s Purpose Revealed.” Both are available at www.PastorVic.com.

God always keeps His promises

The unchanging nature of our Father in Heaven is so essential an anchor to our faith. What He says in His Word He will accomplish. His Word never comes back without fulfilling what it was sent for. Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

God does not Change

In the Old Testament, the Word says that God does not change.

• Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
• Psalms 33:11, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.”

In the New Testament, the Word says that God does not change.

• James 1:16, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
• Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

Signs, Wonders, and Miracles available to you because God does not change!

Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” What was true then is true today. Power and authority, in Jesus’ name, are still available to those who believe.

Listen to what Jesus said in John 14:12, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” 

1. Do you need healing? Jesus has given you healing! Both in the Old and New Covenant, the scriptures say about Jesus the Messiah:
   • Isa 53:5, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
   • 1 Peter 2:24, “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”

Our God has power to heal… do you believe Him?

1. Do you need deliverance? Jesus has given you deliverance. Jesus has delivered you from sin, guilt, and shame. In the Lord’s eyes, you are righteous and clean. Don’t let anyone try to place condemnation on you… you are God’s child… you are loved!
   •  Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
2. Do you need to be set free from your past or the circumstances of the present that hold you in bondage? Remember these two things:
   • You are a new creation in Christ Jesus, the old has passed away, and all things are now new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Step out in your new Christ-centered life! Don’t focus on the past but focus on your new life in Christ.
   • John 8:31&36, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Don’t let the Devil or anyone else imprison you in the box of your past; you are free- walk in it!

Be a testimony to the Lord

Every time you allow Jesus to heal, deliver and set you free, it becomes a testimony that Jesus is God, and there is nothing He won’t do for you because you glorify your Father in Heaven.

All of Jesus’ signs, wonders, and miracles were to point to the fact that He was God in the flesh! 

Whatever you need, if it lines up with the Word of God, it is yours if you will only believe! If you believe from your heart, speak it out, and you will have it (Mark 11), and when you testify of the Lord’s goodness and Grace, you will be fulfilling His purpose in your life.

Jesus has the power to heal all kinds of sickness and disease, but most importantly, Jesus has the power to forgive sin!

Let me close with a beautiful story about Jesus and a paralytic man, which clearly shows that Jesus is God because he demonstrates His power and authority to forgive sin. 

This story is found in Mark 2:1-12 (Matt. 9:2–8; Luke 5:17–26). In the Mark account, Jesus was ministering to the people the word of truth. He entered a city called Capernaum, and of course, the people in the region had already heard of the great miracles and signs and wonders that he had performed, so the multitudes gathered to where he was. Jesus found himself in a house ministering to the crowds, and there were so many people that the house was filled and overflowing the house. 

Here’s the important part: a paralytic man had heard about the great things that Jesus has done. This man’s faith was so strong he must have persuaded four of his friends to carry him on his bed to where Jesus was, but of course, it was so crowded they could not bring the paralytic man to Jesus. So, they climbed up on the roof, pulled the roof apart, and lowered him into the midst of the house where Jesus was. In verse 5, it says, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven you.” You might ask why Jesus didn’t say, “you are healed, rise up and walk,” but instead, Jesus says, we see next why Jesus did what He did.

Apparently, some of the scribes of the religious leaders heard him say, “Your sins are forgiven you.” and they said, why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone? Jesus immediately perceived in his spirit that they were condemning Him for what he said. Jesus then says in verse 9, “which is easier to say to the paralytic your sins are forgiven you, or to say arise, take up your bed and walk?” Obviously, it is easier to say you are forgiven than arise and be healed! Now, here is the key to this illustration, Jesus says, “but that you may know that the son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralytic I say to you arise take up your bed and go to your house,” and then immediately the paralytic man stood up picked up his bed and walked out of the house. All the people were amazed, and they glorified God, saying we never saw anything like this.

Jesus alone has the authority to forgive sin. Sins of the past, present, and future! In a single sacrifice upon the Cross of Calvary, He put to death the sinful nature and placed His Holy Spirit in every believer. On the Cross, Jesus said, “it is finished!” Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of sin and death.”

Even the Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus’ day missed who Jesus was.  Because they were so focused on the promises of Abraham and Moses, they missed the one who would fulfill all of the scriptures. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders in John 5: 39, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of, Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” While it is the “hand of God” that attracts us to Him, it is the “face of God” that produces the eternal relationship.

Jesus makes it clear that we are to pursue Him and Him alone in John 14, Philip the Disciple asked Jesus to show him the way, and Jesus replied in John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Then look at John 6:44, Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Nothing could be clearer, Jesus is the instrument that our God has used to bring salvation, healing, and hope to a lost and dying world.

The word Gospel is used about 124 times in the New Testament. The first time we see the word Gospel is in Matthew 4:23 and is repeated in Mark 1:35–39; Luke 4:44; 6:17–19, “23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” You see, Jesus came preaching the Kingdom, the Kingdom presupposes that there is a king, and that king is Jesus. Jesus is described as the king of kings and the Lord of Lords in several places in the Bible, and one place is    (Also, in 1 Timothy 6:15).

So, here’s the dilemma do we hunger and thirst for the promises of God, or do we pursue the one whom God has sent, Jesus Christ, who is also God in the flesh or God incarnate.

Have Faith in God!

Now here is a thought: When you believe the TRUTH about God, the windows of Heaven will be open to you!

As we begin this new series, it’s important to understand some of the foundational truths from which I will be teaching. 

1. The Trinity, one God in three persons.
2. The unchangeable nature of God.
3. The full impact of the power and authority we have because of our salvation through Jesus Christ. You are not simply saved for Heaven, but you are also saved for God’s purpose on earth!
4. The difference between sin in the Old Testament (Covenant of the Law) and sin in the New Testament (Covenant of Grace). 
5. Learning the nature and character of God as displayed by the names and titles of God used in the Bible.

The Trinity

While the word trinity does not exist in the Bible, theologians developed the word trinity to explain the fact that the Godhead exists in three persons. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit; three persons in one. The Trinity is a concept that is difficult to comprehend as human beings because as humans, we are limited in our ability to understand the awesome power and nature of our Father in Heaven. 

Think about it, can you really understand or even imagine how God created the universe by simply speaking it into existence! When we experience a truth that we cannot fully comprehend the Bible teaches that we must accept it as true by Faith! I’m reminded of the verse in Isaiah chapter 55 that states that God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways and thoughts or sometimes beyond our comprehension; therefore, we must receive them by Faith. That means that we don’t walk by our understanding, but we walk in what God has revealed as true, in his word, the Bible. This is what Faith is built upon! Think about it, if you can comprehend it then you don’t need Faith, it is logical, and you are able to grasp it. However, when God makes a promise that is so glorious and magnificent, yet you don’t know how it will be possible… that’s when Faith kicks in. Remember 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We walk by faith and not by sight.”

There are three attributes of God that only God can have they are: 

1. God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful; nothing or no one is equal to him in power and authority. He created the universe by simply speaking it into existence.
2. God is omniscient. He is all-knowing. There is nothing that he does not know. God does not learn, as humans learn. He simply knows! He is not limited by time and space He knows the past the present, and the future.
3. God is omnipresent. This means again that he is not limited by time and space, therefore, can be anywhere anytime, everywhere at the same time, and nothing and no place is hidden from him.

As we study the Bible, we find that these three characteristics his omnipotent power, his omniscient knowledge, and his omnipresence can be attributed to God the Father or Yahweh, to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Since as Christians, we believe in only one God, the God of the Bible, the three persons the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit must exist in one person. Because God is infinite and we are finite this concept of the Trinity is impossible to understand, and so by Faith, we must accept it as true.

Three in One

God the Father; in the Old Testament, He was called Yahweh or Jehovah. Now, God, the Father is Spirit (John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”) and no one has seen His Face because God said that no man shall see my face and live (Exodus 33:19-20). So, no one can see God the Father.

God the Son; is not some lesser person in the Godhead. Jesus is God incarnate who came to the earth with “skin on.” The term incarnate means in the flesh. Jesus is not simply a good man or a prophet of God; He is all of that, and more He is God. 

Theologians use the term co-equal to describe the relationship between the three parts of the Trinity. Earlier I used the word incarnate to describe Jesus, God in the flesh. Now, listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 2:6-8, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (ESV). Jesus laid aside His deity to be an example to us as human beings. That doesn’t mean that He was not God; what it does mean is that for 33 ½ years He functioned as a human being. No different from you or me, Jesus experienced hunger, thirst, pain, and the rejection of many. He never resorted to His divine authority even while on the cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do! (Luke 23:24)” He fulfilled His mission on earth and now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. 

Even His disciples didn’t realize who He was until after the resurrection. Listen to this exchange between Jesus and Philip in John 14:7-11, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”

Jesus’ statement is obvious. If you see me, you see the Father! Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus then says if you can’t believe that we are one, then believe that I am from the Father because only God can promise salvation, heal the sick and raise the dead, and I have done all these things.

God the Holy Spirit; The third part of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit was in the beginning, Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The Holy Spirit is found in many places in the Old Testament, but it is not until we read the New Testament that we see the fullness of the character and the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. 

Recall from scripture that Jesus promised to send us a “Paraclete” or comforter, helper, advocate, and teacher. He promised that after He was resurrected, He would send us the Holy Spirit. He would not leave us as orphans! John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

Personally, as for me, I like to think of the Trinity in this way:

1. I am a son to my parents. As such my parents see me as a son.
2. I am a husband to my wife. Therefore, my wife sees me as a husband and not a son.
3. I am a father to my children. My children don’t see me as a son or a husband but as a father. 

In each of these three roles, I function differently and have authority depending on how each of these three groups sees me, yet I am still just one person. In a similar way, God is one, however, He functions and is seen in three different ways, depending on the relationship. 

I know that some Christians have a hard time accepting the truth of the Trinity and if you are one of them then I would urge you to search the scriptures for yourself. Don’t just accept what I say or rely on traditions or practices for the truth. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Remember, it is the truth that will set you free. Until the next time, may God richly bless you.