Test the Spirits

Believe Not Every Spirit

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

The Apostle John is warning us about false teaching, and false teachers, in the church. Doctrine is important. We must test what we hear by the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will guide us as we study and know God’s Word. If we are lax in our study and knowledge of the Word, we open ourselves up to evil spirits through false doctrine brought into the church. There are many false doctrines in the church today that do not line up with the Word of God. We cannot rely on any teacher, or pastor, to know the truth. Hopefully, we are in a church that is teaching sound teaching. But in the end, we will be held responsible before God for what we believed and how it lined up with His Word. So, how can we be sure that what we are hearing is proper doctrine. If we know God’s Word then we will judge all we hear by the following:

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2).

I’ve heard it said that if we get Jesus wrong then we will get everything wrong. The Holy Spirit will ALWAYS points us to the Cross, that is, Christ and Him crucified. Any teaching contrary to that is not of God. Any teaching that draws our faith to other things is not of God. Any teaching that does not exalt Jesus and His redemptive work at the Cross is not of God. The Holy Spirit will “guide us into all truth” as we anchor our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. Jesus came to rescue us from our fallen nature and we obtain forgiveness and our Salvation through faith in His great work. All our blessings come through Jesus and His sacrificial death on the Cross. If we go some other way we open ourselves up to the following:

“And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God : and this is the spirit of Antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:3).

God has provided one way of Salvation. There is no other way. We know that we are currently in the end times and that the Antichrist will come which will lead to the Great Tribulation. Satan knows his time is short and is doing everything he can to keep those alive today from the truth of God’s Word. False doctrine and false teachers abound.  The antichrist spirit is here today as it was in John’s time. The term antichrist means exactly what it sounds like. It is that which is against Christ and the Salvation He affords through the Cross. We cannot call ourselves a Christian and believe any doctrines that do not line up with this truth. John goes on to offer encouragement to all true believers in the following verse:

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He Who is in you, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

There you have it. The Holy Spirit is greater and will guide us, help us, and change us, as we trust in Christ and Him crucified. We are to become like little children completely trusting the work of God in our lives. At the risk of sounding repetitive, it is of utmost importance that our faith be anchored in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. 

The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful Salvation and has given us everthing we need for “Life and Godliness.” We have the guide book He has given us – the Bible. We need to stay in the love of God which can only be done by going His way. We must remember, and be forwarned; the Apostle John wrote these words to Christians who where tempted to believe false doctrine that had been introduced into the church by false teachers.

“But you Beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Keep yourself in the Love of God, looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life” (Jude 20,21).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

The Book of Life

Is Your Name Written in the Book?

“And whosoever was not written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire” (Revelation 20:15).

The Book of Life contains the names of all the redeemed from the time of Adam and Eve forward. If your name is not found in the Book of Life then the Lake of Fire will be your final eternal destination away from the presence of God forever. Obviously, it is a matter of life and death for our eternal soul that we come to know the Lord in the time the Lord has given us. The Bible makes it clear that all are in need of forgiveness and the Salvation that comes to us when we place our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary.

Again, there is nothing more important for us then that we come by faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. The Lord Jesus came on a rescue mission; for left on our own there was absolutely no hope.

There is none righteous, no, not one. For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord ” (Romans 3;10,23 & 6:23).

The Lake of Fire is the final destination for Satan, fallen Angels, demons, and all those who have rejected God. This is the Lord’s final judgment against those who have rejected Him. It is called the “second death” which is speaking of the final end for the wicked and God’s final judgment on evil. Again, this speaks of final perpetual separation from God.

We can know that our names are written in the Book of Life by placing our faith in God’s provision of Salvation. That provision is Christ and Him crucified. We are to anchor our faith in Jesus and His sacrificial death at Calvary, daily. We are not to move our faith to other things like a works, or faith plus works, approach to sanctification. The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians about this when he challenged them to examine themselves to make sure they were walking out their lives by faith in the proper object.

“Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves” (2 Corinthians 13:5a).

Walking by faith is the only way to be in the faith. We are saved by faith and our sanctification is all by faith. Our names written in the Book of Life are the result of a life given to the Lord by having our faith in what He accomplished at Calvary. As has been said, Salvation is a gift of God and does not come to us by our works (Ephesians 2:8,9). The Lord reaches out to whomsoever will come to Him in repentance and faith. The rewards are great for all those that have forsaken all for the “pearl of great price.”

“Therefore being justified (made right with God) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (by faith in His sacrificial death on the Cross)” (Romans 5:1 commentary mine).

The Lord is our “exceeding great reward.” Our reward is the Lord Himself  – to know Him and walk with Him. We have been “bought with a price” – the shed Blood of the Lord Jesus. We are the Lord’s and He watches over us, blesses us, sees us through this life, and brings us into His very presence for eternity. It doesn’t get any better than that! Is your name written in the Book of Life? If not, won’t you come by faith and gain the assurance that your name is in “the book” and that you are secure in knowing that you are the Lord’s treasured possession.

“These things have I  written unto you who believe on the Name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have Eternal Life, and that you may believe (keep believing) on the Name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:12 ESB commentary).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

False Teachers Among Us

Identify and Avoid

“Now I beseech you, Brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine you have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).

The Apostle Paul is warning the church to watch out for false teachers. He is instructing them, and us, to mark them and avoid them. False teachers must be identified as such before they can do harm to those that are exposed to their teaching. All false doctrine comes from deceiving spirits that use these false teachers to propagate their lies. It is of upmost importance that ee identify and steer clear of these false teachers. However, we are to pray for them that they will repent of their false way (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

False teachers were a problem in the early church and they are a problem today. In the Olivet Discourse, the Lord Jesus warned about not being deceived by imposters that would come in His Name. In fact, when addressing the future, the time after His departure, it was the very first thing he mentioned which tells us of the importance He placed on it. Paul also warned of those that would depart from the faith in the latter times (the time we live in now).

“Now the Spirit speaks expressly that in the later times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1).

We are in those later times that Paul warned about. Our faith must remain fixed in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross. He paid the sin debt owed to God and opened the way for fellowship with the Lord. False doctrine always changes the truth of the Gospel in some way. If we do not understand who Jesus is and what He accomplished, we can be easily deceived. The Apostle John instructed us to test the spirits.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

The Holy Spirit will always points us to Christ and Him crucified. If any doctrine minimizes the Lord’s sacrificial death at Calvary then you can be sure that deceiving spirits are involved. Our Lord came to die on the Cross to deliver us from “this present evil world.” Satan knows that our victory is found in the Cross, and only in the Cross, and will do all he can to either keep us from the Salvation offered there, or offer us false doctrine which us intended to move our faith from the correct object to a false way. The Apostle Peter calls them “damnable heresies.”

“But there were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring damnable heresies, even denying the Lord Who bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter  2:1).

Peter goes on to say that many will follow these false teachers. Why? They will present doctrines that itching ears want to hear and that will result in the fulfillment of evil desires and/ or causing those that follow them to ignore God’s will, or Word. Paul said the following regarding these deceivers:

“For they who are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18).

There are only two kingdoms – the kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan, and the Kingdom of Light ruled by the Lord. These false teachers are serving the kingdom of darkness to satisfy their earthly needs and fleshly desires. Those that do not know the Word of God are easy marks for these false teachers who appeal to them through flattery. There words are smooth and very tempting to those that have little knowledge of the Lord’s ways and Word.

As Paul mentioned in our introductory verse; he gave us fair warning to mark them, that is, to identify them and to avoid them. Deception is widespread in the church today. The Lord warned against this prior to His departure and we must guard against it today. Our faith must be in the provision the Lord has given us which is Christ  and Him crucified. If our faith remains in His provision, the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.

Living our lives according to God’s Word is the greatest life. Should we veer off of the truth that His Word brings us then we will pay the price. There are false teachers out there today offering doctrines of devils and tempting their followers to go their pernicious ways. We must guard against these brokers of evil. Just as their father the Devil, they are seeking whom they might devour.

“But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockery in the last time, who should walk are their own ungodly lusts. But you, Beloved, building up yourselves on your most Holy Faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 17,18,20).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

A Call to Repentance

The Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea. And saying, Repent you for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:1,2).

John the Baptist came on the scene just prior to the coming of our Lord and His earthly ministry. He was calling Israel to repentance in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival. Multitudes came to the Jordan River to see and hear what John was preaching, including the Pharisees and Sadducees. He was calling them to examine themselves to determine if they were truly following the Lord.

The Kingdom of Heaven was being offered to Israel and this call to repentance was the way of separating those that believed in a national salvation, or a works based salvation, from those who realized the need for individual repentance and true faith in the coming Redeemer. Those that came were baptized by him in the Jordan River confessing their sins.

There were two groups of people that came to John as he preached his message of repentance. There were those that realized their need for repentance and truly sought the Lord and His way, and those that were self-righteousness. The Pharisees and the Sadducees fell into the latter group. John called both groups to bring forth evidence that they understand what the Lord required, which was repentance and faith. As evidenced by our Lord’s ministry, and the opposition by the religious leadership that He experienced, the latter group never brought forth the proper repentance.

Israel, due to unbelief, was destroyed. They had the ministry of John the Baptist followed by the arrival of the Lord Jesus and His incredible ministry of some three and a half years. They had no excuse. Judgment came in AD 70 when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the Jews were dispersed throughout the known world of the time.

This is a lesson for our world of today, and a warning for the church of our day. The King is coming. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The Lord is calling all those alive today to repentance. The question is, which group will each of us fall into. Will we realize our need for repentance and come to the Lord repenting and placing our faith in the Lord’s gracious provision of Salvation, Christ and Him crucified, or will we walk out our life in self-righteousness having our faith in something other than Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross.

Faith in our own ability to be pleasing and accepted by the Lord, or faith in our religious practices, or in a belief that because we were born into a particular denomination we are in the Kingdom, will not lead to the Salvation that must be our chief desire. These practices and beliefs can only lead to self-righteousness, just like the religious leaders of John the Baptist’s time; there are both true followers of the Lord and apostates in our churches today.

At the Lord’s coming, He will separate the wheat from the tares as the Lord told us in the Parable of the Wheat and Tares. In the church as a whole today, there are those that belong to the Lord (wheat), as well as those that follow a false way (tares). He asks us all to decide today whether we realize our great need and will come in repentance, or will we stand in our own righteousness awaiting the judgment that will come on all those who refuse the Lord and have gone the way of perdition. We must remember what happened to Israel in rejecting their Messiah. Our faith must be placed in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross, daily.  The reward for walking with the Lord is great; the punishment for rejecting the Lord is eternal.

“He (Jesus) came to His own (Israel), and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the Sons of God” (John 1:11,12).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

 

The Three Angels

The Everlasting Gospel, Babylon, and the Mark of the Beast

Revelation Chapter 14

“And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them who dwell on the Earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue” (Revelation 14:1).

This Angel referenced here as “another” Angel is the first of the three Angels whose messages are recorded here in Chapter 14 of Revelation and which comes after the entrance of the Antichrist onto the scene in chapter 13. Following the appearance of these three Angels and their announcements, the Bowl, or Vial, judgments commence. These judgments are the most severe and come at the very end of the seven-year tribulation period just prior to the Second Coming.

The first Angel preaches the everlasting Gospel to all those that dwell on the Earth. The wording suggest that everyone alive at the time will hear what this Angel proclaims. This is the first recorded time that an Angel preaches the Gospel. The Lord has entrusted the Gospel to the redeemed from the time of the inception of the church, as beneficiaries of His Mercy and Grace, to bring the Gospel to a lost and dying world. Having an Angel come at the very end of the Age of Grace is significant indeed. The message the first Angel brings is brought as a command and shows that at this point, time is short.

“Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give Glory to Him; for the hour of His Judgment is come: and worship Him who made Heaven, and Earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water” (Revelation 14:7).

The Antichrist makes great claims after he is empowered by Satan and does many signs and wonders that deceive those who have not believed the Gospel. This Angel is proclaiming just who the Creator of Heaven and Earth is, and calling all those on Earth to fear Him and give Him Glory.

“And there followed another Angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8).

Babylon was where the first organized rebellion against the Lord occurred with the Tower of Babel. The Lord, in judgment, confused their languages and they were scattered across the Earth. The Antichrist is now leading the final rebellion against God, and final judgment is coming. Babylon was where organized rebellion began, and the message of this Angel is that Babylon, being the place of the last rebellion against the Lord, will fall.

“And the third Angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in their forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wrath of God….and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone  in the presence of the Holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb” (Revelation 14:9,10a,c).

The third Angel warns all those that dwell on the Earth to not follow the Antichrist or receive his mark (see Revelation 13:16-18).  The Angel goes on to proclaim the end for all those that do not heed this message. They will go the way of perdition and will reap the wrath of God and will suffer eternal punishment .

“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:11).

Nobody alive at the time of the Great Tribulation will be able to say that the Lord did not warn them of the perilous times in which they lived. Those serving the Antichrist and receiving the mark of his name will be eternally condemned. These three Angels proclaim the everlasting Gospel, the judgment coming on a rebellious world, and the individual responsibility each and every person has. Everyone will give an account of themselves to God (Romans 14:12). As has been mentioned, the Vial Judgment follow these announcements by the three Angels and are the most severe. We are living in the last days just prior to God’s final judgment on this world and the Lord offers all those alive today a choice.

“…I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live…. ”  (Deuteronomy 30:19b).

The Lord has offered those that pass through this world a choice, forgiveness for sin and the gift of Eternal Life in His presence or eternal damnation. The fool says in their heart that there is no God, or that there is any other God other than the Lord, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. The hour of His judgment comes. The redeemed of the Lord will rejoice at this time having placed their faith in the One Who loves us and calls us to the safety of a Salvation provided for us by His Mercy and Grace.

“And after these things (the Tribulation period) I heard a great voice of much people in Heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and Glory, and Honour, and Power, unto the Lord our God” (Revelation 19:1 commentary mine).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Homesick!

This World Is Not Our Home

“In My Father’s House are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you be also” (John 14:2,3).

The Lord made this promise to His Disciples just before His death. They had been with Him for some three and a half years and He was about to go by way of Calvary. This promise, although I’m sure encouraging to the Apostles, was a promise to return for His church at the end of the age, just prior to the judgment that would befall a world that had rejected Him.

After the Lord’s departure, The Apostle Paul would also encourage and reassure us in His epistle to the Thessalonians. He said that the Lord has not appointed those that are His own to rath (to go through the end-times Great Tribulation). The Lord, Himself, will descend from Heaven and we will meet Him in the air. The church has been awaiting this blessed event since the time of Christ’s first Advent. It’s called the “Blessed Hope.” It’s a sure hope because, as our introductory verse tells us, the Lord Himself made us this promise.

We are in the end times right now and prophetically nothing must take place prior to the Rapture of the church. What we are experiencing in the world today with lawlessness abounding and everyone doing what seems right in their own eyes with little regard for the ways of God, causes those that are truly watching for His coming to look for His soon return.

“For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

Though things may be getting darker in our troubled world, we know that the Bible foretold just how things would be just prior to the Lord’s return, and as we look around us we see the coming fulfillment of all that was prophesied for these last days. The world is not our home and we are homesick for our Heavenly home. We are awaiting the day when our Father tells His Son that the hour has come. That will be the day! The day we have been waiting for when we shall see the One that loved us and died for us that we might be with Him forever.

“And so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians  4:17b).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Frustrating the Grace of God

The Proper Object of Faith

“I do not frustrate the Grace of God: for if Righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain”  (Galatians 2:21).

Righteousness is afforded to us by faith. It is given to us freely as we come by faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. We have no righteousness within ourselves. It is an imputed Righteousness we receive by God’s Mercy and Grace through faith in Christ crucified. Christ’s death on Calvary paid the sin debt owed to God and opened the way for relationship with God.

Our faith in His finished work at Calvary enables the Holy Spirit to come and live within us. He is present to help us and mold us into Christ’s image. Regarding our daily living, He will bring us the victory we seek over the world, the flesh, and the Devil as we place, and keep, our faith in Christ and Him crucified.

Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians, and our introductory verse regarding frustrating the Grace of God was his warning to Believers in the Galatian church. His reference to the Law spoke of the Law of Moses. The Galatians were being tempted to include obedience to the Law as necessary to their walk with the Lord. If they were to do this they would be apostatizing. We are called to faith in a finished work. Self effort in any form is a denial of our faith. This was a serious problem facing the church at the time, and it is a problem the church faces today.

Jesus fulfilled the Law completely in His life and ministry here. We fulfill the Law by our faith in His finished work. This is done through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we keep our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross. This is the only way. We cannot, by our Christian disciplines, find the victory we seek in our Christian walk.

The Apostle is telling the Galatians, and us, that should we add the Law, or any law we might make up, to our faith then “Christ is dead in vain.” In other words, as Paul explained in chapter 4, “Christ will profit you nothing!” If our faith does not remain anchored in Christ and the victory He afforded us at Calvary, then we cannot take advantage of the victoriuos living that Christ provided for us.

The Apostle Paul showed us that we are not to build again those things that faith in Christ destroyed, meaning adherence to the Law. Should we do this then we are a transgressor. As Romans Chapter 6 tells us: We are dead to the Law having died with Christ and having been raised with Him to “Newness of Life.” Our faith in Christ affords us all the blessings and promises of God. The following are Paul’s words on the subject.

“For if I build again the things which I destroyed (return to attempting to keep the Law), I make myself a transgressor. For I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God (can only be done by faith in Christ)” (Galatians 2:18,19 commentary mine).

The Apostle then shows us how Romans 6:3-5 had found place in his life and how we should live it out in our own lives. We’ll close with the Apostle’s powerful testimony.

“I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live (Newness of Life); yet not I (not by my power), but Christ lives in me: and the Life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God (faith in Christ and Him crucified), Who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 commentary mine).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

The Man Born Blind

That They Which See Not Might See

“And Jesus passed by, and saw a man which was blind from birth” (John 9:1).

This is the only recorded incident of a man, born blind, who was healed by the Lord in the time of His earthly ministry. His Disciples asked if sin on the part of his parents, or him, was the cause of his blindness. Jesus told them that the cause was not sin on the part of either. The Lord healed this man and, in doing so, showed the Lord’s work in this man’s life in healing him physically, and as we shall see, spiritually.

“And (Jesus) said unto him, go wash in the pool of Siloam. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing” (John 9:7).

After the man was healed, he testified of his healing to his neighbors, and when they questioned if it was indeed him who was blind, he told them that he was the very same man born blind and that Jesus had healed him. At this point, some in the crowd that had gathered brought him to the Pharisees because this miracle took place on a Sabbath Day. The Pharisees questioned the man repeatedly regarding his healing, doubting that he had been blind, or that a healing had taken place.

The man stood firm in his testimony that he had been healed. In answering them, he questioned how they could not know who this  Jesus was considering that the healing of a man born blind had never been seen before.  This angered the Pharisees greatly and they reviled him for his testimony and cast him out of the Temple. The result of being cast out would result in the man being excommunicated from the Temple. Jesus heard that the Pharisees had cast him out and found him. Jesus asked him if he believed on the Son of God and the man asked, Who is He Lord? Jesus revealed Himself to this man as the Son of God and the awaited Messiah and the man believed and worshipped Him.

This is a beautiful story of one man’s healing and redemption, but it is also a picture of mankind’s condition and our great need of a spiritual “healing.” We are blind spiritually from birth and will remain that way until we meet the Master. Jesus will wash away our sin with His  Precious Blood shed for us at Calvary. This is the only way we can see. We are blind to the judgment of God before the Lord saves us and restores what was lost in the Fall in the Garden so that we can see. We must, as this man did, confess the Lord Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world. Once we do this, our spiritual blindness will be healed and we will be made whole. Those who claim they see without the Lord will remain spiritually blind and suffer the judgment that comes on all those that reject Him.

“And Jesus said, for judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and they which see might be made blind” (John 9:39).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Fig Leaves Won’t Do

Naked to the Judgment of God

“And the eyes of them both (Adam & Eve) were opened (they realized their guilt), and they knew that they were naked (self- consciousness as opposed to God-consciousness prior to their fall); and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons (an attempt to cover their sin)” (Genesis 3:7 commentary mine).

Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves in an attempt to cover their nakedness. They had walked in God-consciousness prior to their fall, but after disobeying God in their partaking of the Tree of Good and Evil, they now were aware of their nakedness and the much lower state of self consciousness was the result of their sin. They tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves, but when they heard the voice of the Lord in the Garden, they hid themselves. They now realized that the fig leaves did not cover their nakedness. In sinning against the Lord, they had died spiritually. They were naked to the judgment of God. All that have come after them have this fallen nature. All are dead spiritually.

Many today are trying to live good moral lives without knowing the Lord. Whether they realize it or not, they are trying to cover the nakedness that is the result of our fallen nature with morality. We all want to live good moral lives, but that alone will not make our lives acceptable to the Lord. We cannot trust in the idea that as long as the good in our lives out ways the bad, that that is our way to gain acceptance and favor with the Lord.

Others are living their lives by comparing themselves with those around them who they believe are not living as morally good lives as they are. This is called relative righteousness, and those they compare themselves to, as should be obvious, are those they feel superior to. They are resting in the fact that they are a step above whoever they are comparing themselves to, and for that reason, their lives will be good enough to be rewarded when they pass from this life.

The last group of those trying in some way to gain favor with God are the religious. They have placed their faith in the doing of religion. Religion is man attempting to be found acceptable by God by what he does. They believe that their religious practices, sacraments, and following the dictates of their church, will gain them favor with God. They may be sincere in their efforts, or may be being religious to sooth their conscience, but the doing of religion will not find them favor with the Lord.

Those in the groups we have mentioned are trying to cover their nakedness before God by one of these ways, or some combination of them. So what did Adam and Eve find out after realizing that their fig leaves were not enough to cover their nakedness? The Lord covered them with skins of an animal, showing them, and us, that we cannot cover our nakedness by what we do. The Lord was showing them that an innocent victim must shed their blood to cover the sin that resulted in their nakedness. The Lord was pointing ahead to the great sacrifice of His Son on the Cross. Our answer is not found in ourselves, but found at Calvary. We come in repentance for our sins and place our faith in Christ and Him crucified, and we are born spiritually and receive Christ’s righteousness as our covering. Our nakedness for His righteousness! He took our sin upon Himself on the Cross.

“For He (God the Father) has made Him (Christ) to be sin (the sin-offering) for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him (Christ)” (2 Corinthians 5:21 commentary mine).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

One Man’s Account of the Week of the Crucifixion

The Third Day

A First-Person Fictional Narrative

The Via Dolorosa

“And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve Disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the Chief Priests and unto the Scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again” (Matthew 20:17-19).

I live in Jerusalem and witnessed the crucifixion of the one that some said was the Messiah. I heard that he told his followers that he would be in the grave for three days and three nights and would rise on the third day. I don’t know if he actually said that, but those that told me about it were sure that he had. Will he really rise from the dead? It seems impossible! He did say many wonderful things while He was here. And all the healings! I wonder if he really was the Messiah? The one everyone has been waiting for.

There are many here who think he was an imposter, including the religious leadership. I do wonder about their motives though. No one has ever done what this man has done. All those wonderful works! They witnessed it all yet they had Him crucified. Did they actually believe that he was the long-awaited Messiah? Did they feel threatened by Him? Their hatred for Him seemed to be so wrong and their treatment of Him so evil and unfair. Two more days.

I was there at the crucifixion and have never seen anything as awful as that. The man didn’t even look like a man. They had beaten him so badly that he was unrecognizable. Those standing around the scene at the crucifixion fell into one of three groups. There were the mockers telling Him to come down from the Cross if God was with him. And then there were those that just stared with astonishment at what was happening. They had never seen a crucifixion like this! The man was so physically abused! And so hated by the religious leaders of Israel. It was shocking to observe.

There was a third group present and they represented some of his disciples, his followers, and his mother. I cannot even imagine the sorrow they felt and the feeling of helplessness in being unable to stop what was happening. This good man was being crucified for no crime whatsoever and they stood there aghast at the sight. This group believed that he was the promised Messiah.

It’s now Saturday and groups of people are gathering throughout Jerusalem talking about the terrible events that had taken place. They talked about how they had heard that he promised to rise again on the third day. His disciples were nowhere to be found. As I walked down the Via Dolorosa there was great sadness and sorrow among all those walking along that way. It just seemed to hang in the air. Everyone knew that something quite terrible had taken place in Jerusalem. This was the very way that the soldiers had led the man down to his crucifixion. They spoke of him being so weak from the beatings that he was unable to carry his cross. All those that gathered along the way talked about all the good he had done. One more day.

It’s the third day and there is a rumor spreading throughout Jerusalem that the tomb is empty and that he had indeed risen from the dead. Someone said that they had spoken to some of his followers and they said that the rumor was indeed true. There was an account of a woman, who they said had actually seen him and had spoken with him. Incredible news! Amazing things are happening in Jerusalem on this day. It seems that the sadness that hung over the city for the last three days has lifted. It has been replaced with a sense of great wonder.

I remember times in the past when I had journeyed many miles to hear this man speak. His words were like no other man’s. I was in need of healing and the man touched me and I was healed. Just being in his presence was something you would never forget. I have decided that He was in fact the Messiah and I am on my way to join His followers. It’s the third day and he has risen indeed!

“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher….and they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus……behold two men stood by them in shining garments. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they (the Angels) said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen…..” (Luke 24:1-6).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Scroll down to read past articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com  2023