The Word declares: For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible (Colossians 1.16 a). Therefore, it is impossible for a single thing to exist without God's intervention. With the power that is innate to the Lord, everything came into existence and will continue to do so until He determines the end. This will happen with Jesus' second coming to earth; then the material world will be destroyed by the power of God, who will cast evil into the lake of fire and brimstone (2 Peter 3.10).

         Imagine the capacity of the Father and the Son! God spoke, and the Son created what was said. The creation then passed through the Father's sieve and was considered perfect. Jesus, the Word of God, carried out the Father's orders: All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  (John 1.3). There was not a single reproach for God's work!

        Know that God is not against building good temples, as long as they serve to bring together the saved whose pleasure it is to know and serve Him. Now, the plan to build a house of prayer, designed to carry out His will, has to come from the Lord. The design of the temple must be made with what is necessary for it to bless everyone. Before making any decision, talk to the Lord of the harvest.

         Isaiah compares the act of killing an ox to the act of wounding a man; that of sacrificing a lamb to that of slaughtering a dog; that of giving a blood offering to God to that of offering pig's blood. Why did the Lord mention this, when the Bible itself records that His servants did so? At that time, it was common to use the blood of animals to cover sins.

         The Bible states that our ransom was not made with corruptible goods, such as silver and gold: knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  (1 Peter 1.18,19). God allowed the sacrifice of animal blood until the coming of His Passover Lamb.

         Many people who do not know the Truth have attitudes that are repugnant to God. However, if they learn from the Scriptures how to act in a way that pleases the Lord, they will see that their actions of the past will no longer serve them today. In the same way, the sacrifices made before the life of Christ, which only covered sins, are of no use today, because salvation was consummated on the cross by His blood.

        Burning incense to an idol and blessing it are practices condemned by God. Anyone who does this takes pleasure in these abominations and is choosing their own path. Their soul is an open tomb, satisfied with sin. However, God has the best for us!

In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares