Category: Symbolism

Why Did We Miss The Son of God?

One could ask, “if the pharisees and sadducees all dedicated their lives studying the scriptures, how then did they miss Jesus?”

God made them as an example of what we should not do. This is what happens when we only take what is literal and miss the symbolism in scripture.

Love is a very symbolic expression. Love and symbolism are both very right brain characteristics that complement each other.

Without this symbolism in a relationship there is no expression of intimacy and without this intimacy there is no love.

Once again, this is why the “Word” became flesh. If we understood the symbolism, we would have recognized Him. He had to come to set the record straight. He showed mankind that we were all wrong about our translation of the Word.

This is why He gave us the Holy Spirit. To “remind us” of everything that He taught us from the beginning.

John 5:46

“If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.”

Nicodemus was probably so happy to have met the I AM personally. Sadly he could not share his joy with his colleagues. Sadly, that feeling is all to familiar to us these days.

So what can we learn from Nicodemus?

If we can be just a bit “right brain” for a moment, God just maybe able to speak to us.

Why the symbolism?

Because it takes FAITH to see the symbolism and faith is what pleases God.

Next, I have learned Nicodemus made a huge public testimony by helping with the burial of Jesus.

And notice that after he received who Jesus was, The Christ, Nicodemus had the power to overturn the crucifixion because they had to have majority rule. But I believe he allowed it. Because Nicodemus finally understood what Christ came to do.

He did not like it one bit, but I guarantee Nicodemus shortly after left his high position and lived a life sharing his story of how we must be born again.

There should be a movie about Nicodemus. I bet he cried so much. Everything he studied all his life, was now face to face with him.

He had the honor to have shook His hand who formed all things, he probably gave Him a hug and I bet Nicodemus had so many questions and enjoyed Jesus’ fellowship. He probably came to Jesus by night several times.

I bet he secretly gave financially to Jesus’ ministry because he knew that this is where it should go.

So much left out, but by faith I see the symbolism coming to life.

Nicodemus was the “People’s Victory” indeed.

Today, there are many Nicodemus’ out there in organized religion. And this is my ministry to find them.

Nicodemus (/ˌnɪkəˈdiːməs/; Greek: Νικόδημος) was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John:

He first visits Jesus one night to discuss Jesus’ teachings (John 3:1–21).

The second time Nicodemus is mentioned, he reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires that a person be heard before being judged (John 7:50–51).

Finally, Nicodemus appears after the Crucifixion of Jesus to provide the customary embalming spices, and assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial (John 19:39–42).

That Nicodemus was truly a protestant at heart. His story was all to great not to be told and is a blessed reminder of his love For God. I personally thank God for Nicodemus’ faith to live beyond what was written or literal.

Your brother in our war against sin,

Amen

Ray Evangelista.

Literal Symbolism.

There was a time when a Pastor would tell me in regards to scripture, “Don’t read into it”. Meaning that I should not venture off the literal meaning of scripture. However, what message are we sending as elders of the spiritual church of God?

What is “literal” is good, and it is not a matter of right or wrong, but of order.

We, mankind, have been deceived on what we classify of what is “literal” and “figurative” because it is all figurative.

Because what we deem as literal; words, letters, characters, and numbers are really just “symbols” of something true and what is true is that all of creation points to the Creator. When we lose this connection, we lose vital meaning and intimacy between our relationship between God and mankind.

“The Word of God must first be a love letter before it can become a rule book.”

These words are just a basic symbolic expression of what is real and in no way should be taken as truth alone.

The word coffee is not really coffee and the word apple, is not an actual apple.

For example, the word “faith” is not faith. The word “hope” is not hope and the word “love” does not even express a fraction of what love truly is.

In fact, scientifically, when we “see” the word love, it is our right brain that will interpret these characters to us and produce a conclusion by linking our personal experiences of love (good or bad) which creates our own personal definition of what “love” truly is.

So what does this all amount to?

Well, the “Word” became flesh for a reason. The “Word” or what was written had to become an actual being and an expression of flesh because we got the wrong interpretation of what was written in the scriptures.

So if this note will teach us anything, it would teach us that even what we perceive as literal in life and scripture, still has a very symbolic and deeper meaning if we can believe.

A life of literal meanings is what we are trying to escape in this world.

Now if we are still children, yes we need literal boundaries, but when do we push maturity? At what age?

And who around us will we allow intimately to push or encourage our maturity?

These are valid questions that the “church” are obligated to address and yet they do not. Because unless we are preaching about receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, then we remain in a immature spiritual state and require discipline over having the power of self-discipline via the Holy Spirit.

Look around us, we are grown adults that are still fighting childhood demons of envy, lust, addiction, gluttony, and abuse.

Everything in our lives speak that we have a lack of self discipline.

I have been a poor steward of God’s blessings. It was never a question of God providing, but a question of my management.

“Our problem in this country is NOT our ability to make money, but our ability to manage it.”

Let us learn from great men like King David. Sadly, he was more mature as a young man intimate with God then as an adult separated from God with so many distractions. Apart from God we truly cannot do anything.

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Maturity is about living by faith, by hope and most of all living by love. Maturity is about living beyond what is literal and what is “seen” or by what we perceive as good or evil. There is more to it than just “bad luck” or this is what we deserve.

Philippians 4:7 “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Life is about many personal messages and experiences that God sends to us in one of three ways, aka the “Trinity”. And in this “Trinity” comes three intimate messengers of love with the latter being the most intimate;

First, the love of a Father, second, the love of a best Friend via His Son and finally, the love of a Husband to His Bride via the Holy Spirit.

All are in harmony to remind us that there is something greater than what is literal.

I have much more to write, but I trust that by faith, the true Counselor will guide you unto all truth and the mysteries of this blessed subject. May this serve simply as a “Theatrical trailer” to a greater full length feature film.

Now if you still remain a very literal person about scripture, I close with this scripture:

Acts 2:38

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

In the name of Jesus Christ, your brother in our war against sin.

Ray Evangelista

The True Light. 

There are artificial and natural lights for every need in life. Some lights are solely to illuminate our surroundings and some are designed specifically for cellular growth.

However, there is a light that is far greater than any light God or man has created. This light also possesses illumination factors as well as the power of cellular growth, however it has one more quality that the other lights lack and that is the power to give life to your soul.

In fact, this light was often described biblically as a consuming fire or a pillar of fire unlike a dove from heaven when Jesus was baptized.

This light is what inspired God’s creation of all earthly lights, including the sun, moon, stars and fire.

This original light was the Holy Spirit and prior to Calvary, only one man was able to harness its power in it’s entirety and His name was Jesus Christ.  

John 1 NIV

“9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

If there was any book and chapter in the Bible that I would recommend to read before starting in Genesis, it would be John chapter 1.  
My emphasis here is verses 12-13,

“12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Acts 2:38 NIV

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Receive the true light.  There is 99.9% chance that you were baptized by the traditional religious way of “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” which OMITS the name of Jesus Christ.  Honor the name above all names and  ask to be rebaptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 

We preach the baptism in the name of Jesus Christ not because a believer has to, but instead, a true believer should want to.  

Because obedience without love is religion. 

Your brother in our war against sin, 

Ray Evangelista

To Live By More Than Just Bread Alone.  

“You know, there’s a lot of sheep food, and there’s a lot of food you give your sheep would kill it. And I’m so glad that God was mindful enough of His sheep to get the right kind of Shepherd, the Lord Jesus. He knows what sheep food is. And you know what sheep food is? It’s the Word of God. “Man shall not live…” May I change that just a little; “Sheep shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” The sheep of God are fed by the Word of God. The Holy Spirit in you, what makes you the sheep, feeds solemnly on the Word. And solely He feeds on the Word. Anything you throw in the pen outside the Word, He will root it out to one side and let it lay there.” – Rev. William Branham
Matthew 4:4 NIV

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

The context of this verse was that Satan was focusing God’s will on these stones. Satan was testing Jesus to change something that was “useless” in his eyes to something more purposeful like “bread”.

Little did Satan know that Jesus does not live by these labels. That a stone has just as much purpose to God as bread, like a toe just as important as a finger or an eye equal value as an ear.

ALL things speak of God’s glory regardless what mankind labels as useful or useless, good or evil.

This verse is about diversity. God is The “I AM” and is in everywhere and everything, and only an immature mind and heart walks by sight. 

Brothers and sisters, 

It was written in John 3, which was a very rare moment where God took the time to speak to those who were highly fluent in the very scriptures He wrote.

“8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”

Remember that perfection is about maturity and maturity sends a message of great faith in God.   Always stay open minded and may we do our best to love people and not things.  Search His will and you will find it. 

In the most honorable name worthy to fight for, Jesus Christ. 

Your brother in our war against sin,

Ray Evangelista. 

Amen. 

Inclement Weather. 

There are not many things these days that slow mankind down. In fact, if it wasn’t for inclement weather and tragedy, I personally would never take time to be reverend and still for God.  

We all had plans this evening, yet God and the weather had other plans. A simple reminder why we were the last thing God created. Lol

But like the scripture states, “the last will be first and the first will be last.” (Mt 20:16)

A scripture not so much about what is right or what is wrong, but a message of order and God’s presence in all things.  

“The last will be first and the first last” is a metaphor of what a “circle” is. A symbol of faith and stepping into God’s eternal rest.

Let us be confident that regardless where feel we are at in life, always know that as long as we do our best to keep God first, He will always be with us regardless if we are first or last in anything because He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen. 

Brotherly Love, 

Ray Evangelista

How “Love” unlocks the TRUE meaning of the Scriptures. 

If you ever hungered about the meaning of the many stories in the Bible, or if you were routinely perplexed about Jesus’ parables, or if you ever thirsted for the mysteries behind the book of Revelations, look no further, because it is as simple as having a heart of “love” that unlocks these mysteries.

So unless we can be reminded of the power of love, we CANNOT even begin to draw nearer to the Author of love which is God revealed and expressed via The Scriptures.  Which is by far the world’s greatest literary work.

“Until we can fall in love with God, the scriptures will always remain a mystery to us.” – MMA

John 3:19 NIV (3+1+9=13) & 13 is love.  

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

As we can see in the scripture above, we got the “love” part correct, however we “loved” darkness over the light.  Our love was simply misdirected.  We were deceived.

Now we all loved “sin”, and unless we can begin to love God like how we loved “sin”, then we cannot begin to draw nearer to God via the scriptures.   In the “church” you may have heard the Pastor say that the Bible is simply a love letter to His Bride.

This “love letter” is composed of two testaments of God’s love, one old and one new.  And each of these testaments have a collection of personal and intimate testimonies of how God’s love was displayed in their life via Jesus and in others.

Sadly, many pastors avoid teaching books like Revelations and the book of Daniel because of the extreme “symbolic” content.

However, once again, this symbolism should be a reminder to us that we cannot understand these love letters with a LEFT brained intellectual mindset, we have to start with our RIGHT brain where faith, hope and love reside.  REMEMBER, it is never a matter of right and wrong but a matter of order and what we seek first.

“The Word of God must first be a love letter before it can be an instruction manual.” – MMA

If we dig out one of our high school love letters and gave it to a stranger, they would most likely get discouraged on the symbolism and find little to no logical sense in it if they tried to read it like an instruction manual first. Lol. 😂

But if we can help prepare each others hearts and remind others when they were madly in love, then the “letter” now comes alive.

It takes a RIGHT brain led by faith, hope and love to reveal the meaning of these books.

The book of REVELATION is literally the Revelation of Jesus Christ as evidence of the 1st verse of the 1st Chapter of Revelations.

Revelation 1:1 GWT

“This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. God gave it to him to show his servants the things that must happen soon. He sent this revelation through his angel to his servant John.”

So a good exercise that we should all practice before reading the scriptures is to do our best to be reminded of when we fell madly in love with anyone or anything.

If we can remember that feeling of what falling in love produces, then we can be reminded on how it renewed our heart, soul and mind about everything.

There was nothing too great or too small that kept reminding us of this love, until sadly, “it” or “they” failed us. 😩

But we only knew the half of what love is. 😘 and when we place our love on God first, He will never fail us.  

“The only thing that failed us in this life are the things we placed before God.” – MMA

“Where there is a possibility to fail, there also should be a possibility to forgive.” – MMA

1 Corinthians 13 NIV

“4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Matthew 22:37 NIV

“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

In closing, we cannot begin to understand God no more than we can understand love and forgiveness.  However, once you experience love and forgiveness, then you can begin to understand God in an intimate and symbolic loving way, because God is love and WE are His Bride.

Brotherly love,

Ray Evangelista