What Do I Do If My Employer Wants Me to Display Pride Flags in the Workplace?

What do I do with my employer wants me to display pride flags in the workplace. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi, I'm Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on her Facebook or Instagram account and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today. Here's a voicemail received from one of our callers earlier this week how you would do that.I hate you. Thank you, how you deal with bad thoughts in the Christian life. Well, first I think that you need to remember that we could distinguish between your thought that enters your mind, shall man I can't believe what why did I have that thought and then also meditating on her dwelling on things that you really shouldn't be dwelling on as a Christian, I mean whatever is good whatever is pure, noble, praiseworthy, those of the things we need to dwell on. Meditate upon Psalm chapter 1 talks about night and day meditating upon the law of the Lord and so is it that the letter were called meditate on it for focusing on other things. If were entertaining other thoughts with.

And there's a problem there and and when we confess that the Lord was a God help me, give me give me strength. Give me wisdom, but I think part of the issue is what it what is it that were filling our minds with every day and certainly you know right now and in the age of social media work work taking in so much information so many images and I and I wonder if that's not part of the problem and so you want to ask yourself the question of what is it that I'm focusing on what is it that I'm meditating on and thinking about throughout the day is its the Lord's word, that which is good and true and beautiful or is it all of these other things in, and if it's all of these other things and working to have a hard time with our thought life. I do think about the words of the apostle Paul in Romans chapter 8 verse five. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit for to set the mind on the flesh is death to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace for the mind is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law. Indeed, it cannot those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, Paul says, are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if in fact the spirit of God dwells in you.

Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you little body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness brothers and sisters, you have the spirit of Almighty God living in you to the grace of God through the grace of the gospel and so as those who are filled with the Holy Spirit were called to set our minds on the things of the spirit to meditate upon God and his word and and to seek how we can serve one another. So I think that's that's what's at stake here. When you have a thought that enters your mind that that you know is just my word that comfortable you you don't entertain it.

You know continued to dwell on those thought you just confess it to the Lord and then move on and and pray that God would give you a mindset on the spirit and so thanks for that question and may the Lord bless you your listing the core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

Here's our phone number is 833-843-2673. That's 833 the core. You can also email us your question. Here's our email address its questions at core, Christianity.com is an email from one of our listeners named Deandra. She says I believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But how do I know if I've received the Holy Spirit is belief in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross proof that I indeed have the Holy Spirit.

If not, then how my able to believe in the gospel at all. Can you please help me understand this in Scripture and pray that God gives me peace about my salvation yeah will let let me do that right now.

Deandra pray pray for your peace. Lord I thank you for my sister who sent us this email. Let me know that she's not alone and in wrestling with this question, wanting, wanting assurance wanting to know that she has your Holy Spirit, that she has believed in you and your son Jesus she's received the forgiveness of your sins. I pray that you help her not to doubt that Lord not to question the sure promise of your gospel for all those who turn to Jesus Christ and that she would receive comfort from that gospel that she would have Florida true sense of your presence in her life. By the grace of the Holy Spirit instead of questioning your forgiveness Lord, that she would be able to rejoice in it and she's she's turned to you she's clinging to Jesus Christ and and to press on Ford in the Christian life with that with that assurance and so would you be with the under Lord and bless her today. In Jesus name, amen. The how do you know you have the Holy Spirit. What will you said it is a fact I believe in Jesus you know in his resurrection that a sign I have a spirit will absolutely I would say a Paul tells the Corinthians that no one can say that Jesus is Lord accepted by the Holy Spirit even confessing faith in the gospel is the grace of the work of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13 getting more directly to your question. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

In other words, when you heard the gospel and you believed the gospel you were at that moment sealed with the Holy Spirit baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Paul says in first Corinthians chapter 12 that by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free. All of us were made to drink of one Spirit is one of these have been talking about this last week on the broadcast is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The fact that we are the temples of the true and the living God is so I would say to you if you've if you received Christ.

If you believe in him and his in his resurrection from the dead, you have the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is at work in your life. Now we can be more or less filled with the Holy Spirit and that's why Paul is good to go on to say in Ephesians chapter 5 in verse 18.

Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart and so as one who has the Holy Spirit been sealed with the Holy Spirit.

From the moment you believe in the gospel you're called daily to walk in the spirit to be filled with the spirit through the word of Christ and in the way we we see the spirit working in our lives as was what Paul refers to as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, and a lot of times we were the you know if I have the Holy Spirit. I should be able to work wonders and speak in tongues and do miracles that though those are the primary signs of the spirit that the primary sign or signs of the spirit of the fruit of the spirit, and of course that's an open area where we can all grow and so were were turning to the Lord's and God fill me with your spirit and help me to be directed by guided by controlled by your spirit and and may the Lord do that for you sister and I thank you again for your question and pray that your encouraged and comforted and that the Lord just gives you his grace to continue to pursue him. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez summertime is just around the corner like it's already out of school and families thinking about how I keep my kids busy this summer will one of the ways to keep your kids busy is to get them into God's word and we actually have a wonderful free resource would like to offer you today yeah Brenda resource called 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer friends hide God's word in your heart. The psalmist said your word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against you. I mentioned earlier Psalm chapter 1 where were David says no.

Blessed is the man who day and night is meditating on the law of God will how can you meditate on God's law will will. Memorizing Scripture is one of the ways I think that we we meditate on the word of God on the law of God would encourage you to do just that.

Not just on your own with your family and so this resource will give you 10 verses to memorize, but it also give you some some background context of explanation of what what these verses are all about, and again we hope you get a hold of it over it. Core, Christianity.com.

This is such a great resource for families to check out go to core Christianity.com/offers and then look for 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer will be to receive emails here core Christianity would love to hear from you. If you have a question that you can email us over the weekend with your questions about the Bible, the Christian life, theology, doctrine, you name it. Here's one from one of our listeners named Angela and she says this, my employer, a Police Department in California is pushing for pride flag stickers to be placed on all town vehicles. I drive a town vehicle. How do I appropriately and respectfully refused to comply. While it Angela thank you for that question and you know the dilemma that you're in is something that I'm hearing more and more questions that I am even getting these questions from people in in my church and in the first thing I'll say is I just want to write so I commend you and in terms of just the decision to say, look, this is not something that I can do with a clear conscience as a Christian as a believer in Jesus Christ. This is one of the areas. Frankly, where were going to be challenged more and more as Christians I think it would just thinking about that the trajectory of society when it comes to ethics and in particular sexual ethics in the way we think about sexuality and gender. What the Bible has to say about those things is very different than what broader culture has embraced and celebrates and so I think part of faithfulness for us as Christians in the world and being faithful witnesses to the gospel of Christ is not not capitulating. Not not saying yeah you know immutably whatever you want, do whatever you want, it's all good, knowing we don't do that and there there couple of passages of Scripture first that I want to mention Angela that I think speak to this. The first one of Artie been in the book of Ephesians a little bit but in Ephesians chapter 5 again in verse 11, Paul said, take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but instead expose them for it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it's as a way cosleeper and arise from the dead in Christ will shine on you look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, were commanded as Christians to take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness does matter what what everyone else around us is doing that that that's not what drives us what drives us is faithfulness to the Lord into his word.

Now the other passage of Scripture that I wanted to bring up considering your question is what Peter says in first Peter chapter 4 beginning in verse two, he says to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions for the will of God for the time that is passed suffices for doing with the Gentiles want to do living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry with respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you. But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead Angela you may be maligned and no thought less of because you're you're choosing not to do this the whole world is going to give account to the Lord, to the to the God of heaven and earth. Now, in terms of the way you go about this. You know how how do I appropriately and respectfully refuse to comply. I don't think that you need to to make a big scene.

You know, I don't think that you needed to say.

I'm knocking to do this because you know III have contempt in my heart for for people you know, for the gay and lesbian things that that that's what is it on. You shouldn't have that in your heart as a Christian that the LGBT Q community is not our enemy. It's our mission field is the people God is called us to, to love and to pursue with the grace of the gospel but but doing that doesn't mean affirming what they they want you to affirm know we have to stick to what the Scripture says, and so I think you can respectfully and lovingly choose not to comply and thought that's how you go about it is you know is this is a part of who I am that the core of my identity as a Christian, what God calls me to and so I can't in good conscious conscience do this.

That doesn't mean that I I hate gay and lesbian people and and of course again that I would be wrong that's that's foolish that the sin that's not what Christ calls us to do, but he also calls us not to take part in in that's that flood of debauchery that the ideology that has so many people captive to sexual sin and and sexual deviancy, and so may God be with you Angela and can give you wisdom.

May he give you courage and boldness and may he fill you with the sense of his presence is as you choose to live your life in a way that is honoring to the Lord and faithful to your convictions as a Christian, God bless you. I do so well said a drill and I particularly like like what you said that the gay and lesbian community is not our enemies. They are our mission field.

I think of something that all of us need to remember and be praying about in those opportunities we might have. To interact with those especially maybe in our workplace who have that that ideology. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Lynn calling in from St. Louis, Missouri when what your question for atrial all I will only become born-again Christian I landed I name written in the Lamb's life.

Is this an excellent question. Will let me just give some some background to this idea of a book of life. I think you first hear about in the book of Exodus. In Exodus chapter 32 verses 32 and 33 revisits you know immediately after what took place with the golden calf and then in the in the book of Revelation you have references to this book of life. Jesus, when he is writing to the church in Sardis says the one who conquers will be clothed. Thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

He was an easier let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Now your question is more specific when is our name written in the book of life is at the moment you're baptized is at the moment that you profess faith in Jesus Christ. With regard to the wood question is the sort of interesting because there are two passages in the book of Revelation that I think speak to this.

Revelation chapter 13 verse eight and Revelation chapter 17 verse eight and chapter 13 verse eight it says, and all who dwell on earth will worship it is speaking of of the beast.

Everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain, and that is really interesting. Their names written in the book of life uniform when were they removed from before the foundation of the world.

And then I mentioned also Revelation chapter 17 verse eight where this is repeated, the beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit, and go to destruction, and the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast because it was and is not and is to come now. So what I think the thing highlighted here with regard to the book of life and just salvation in general is God's sovereignty God's absolute sovereignty as it is like to eat of the book of life is just you know you are in and you're out so that he loves me he loves me not that kind of thing know God was actually sovereign from from the very beginning has known those who are his. And I think it's one thing has been indicated there in in Revelation.

In Revelation chapter 17. As I just read and so those are the two passages are a look want to look at in terms of the Wayne question as to when our names are written in the book of life. God blessed excellent. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder we have a great resource for families perfect for some summertime activities maybe around the dinner table each evening to really help your kids get into God's word. It's called 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer. It's absolutely free and you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer. Let's go back to the phones.

Alethea is on the line from Tennessee Olivia what your question for pastor. Israel, yes.

Thank you Ray Mike my questionnaire prophesy. I know it is a spiritual, but I was wanting to know is it relevant today because I had a woman just tell me that she was a prophet she could tell. Think about me, but in my mind I was thinking okay say and know how to speak through people to handle youth team that you want to hear but I want to know if prophesies a in relevant today Alecia thank you for that for that question made it into opens up. This is a broader discussion of spiritual gifts, describing first Corinthian's 12 to 14 in which gifts are ordinarily given in the church today.

There is there is a position which is referred to as continuation is him, which is essentially that God is giving all spiritual gifts. He seen first printing chapter 12 in the church today and the healthy churches you know have people who are exercising the gift of prophecy the supernatural gift of prophecy. Gifts like the gifts of tongues and interpretation gifts like the gift of healing and so on and so forth.

And there are others not continuation us, but this would be what's referred to as the cessation's position is they will those gifts specifically those those sign gifts were given for. In the history of the church. I really do to help advance the gospel at the early stage of the churches as the gospel is going out through the apostles, but that ordinarily today, God is not giving those gifts in the same way that he was early on, I think that there's some evidence for that in places like Hebrews chapter 2 I believe it's verse four with the author to the Hebrews speaks of the church about these gifts, you know that the various gifts of the Holy Spirit that were being given in effect again to confirm the proclamation of the gospel. Now look God can do whatever he wants. I am a God can give. You know people a word from the Lord to share you you free to do whatever you want to eat.

Ordinarily, he works through means the preaching of the word faithful ministry. So on so forth. But God is free to work apart from means if if he so chooses. The question is how does God ordinarily work today and is it typically through people who are prophets in the church under the old covenant the office of profit was very important because it was this group that was a part of Israel, and in particular a part of the theocracy in Israel that the kingdom and the prophets what they would do is they would they would essentially all the kings in Israel and Fed rebelled in to repentance, to live in line with God's covenant. They were sort of like this attachment to the kingdom there and and advisors, if you will, to the Kings in Israel. What we don't have a theocracy anymore in the church today we have we have we have the church a manifestation of God's kingdom on earth and I would say that ordinarily, if you want to grow in your spiritual life Alethea that that the way that that happens.

Typically, ordinarily in the Christian church is through the faithful study of God's word, the faithful preaching of the word of God growing together in Christian community, encouraging one another, speaking the truth in love to each other as Paul says in Ephesians chapter 4 speaking the truth in love to each of us, we might grow up into Christ was the head of the body and when somebody comes along and and they they say will I'm a prophet I can. I can tell you in no secrets about your life or or what's going to happen when I think we should. I think that we should be well a little concerned.

Frankly, I wouldn't out.

I would ask a lot of questions or meet. We don't make ourselves prophet prophets in Scripture. This is a calling that God gave so so I can decide an individual can decide and say I'm a prophet used by the Lord in that way and I mean that's that's a very big claim and so III would just be cautious and the other thing that we have to be careful with this, is there a lot of people who are saying I'm a prophet or I'm a teacher, even of the word of God and yet there contradicting what God has said in his word in in various places and so you have to consider those things as you're having these conversations and I was using her to say look, if you want to. If you want to go somewhere where you know God is spoken where he speaking clearly it's in and through holy Scripture it's fair that God speaks today by his spirit.

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