Anthony Diaz 10/8/25 Anthony Diaz 10/8/25

The Antichrist

You have heard that the Antichrist is coming. 1 John 2:18.

The term Antichrist is found several times in the Bible and refers to a person who will come in the days just before Christ returns to establish His kingdom. This person is not Satan, but he will use every evil device of Satan to oppose the work of God. The apostle Paul used the term “the man of lawlessness” to describe this individual (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NIV). He will be the embodiment of evil and will have great power to deceive those who choose to follow him. When he is revealed, it will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing (2 Thessalonians 2:9–10). The time will come when someone who is totally opposed to Christ will rise to world dominance and achieve great influence. However, in the end, he will be defeated by the Lord Jesus. At the same time, the Bible warns that there are many in the world who have the same spirit as the Antichrist and oppose the work of God. This means we need to be discerning and not be misled by those who oppose God’s truth. How can we avoid being led astray into falsehood? The most important thing is to yield our lives to Jesus Christ and then to know the truth God has given us in His Word.
Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : Daily Devotions to Renew Your Mind and Inspire Your Soul (a 365-Day Devotional), Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-10-06 15:32:54.

Anthony Diaz 10/7/25 Anthony Diaz 10/7/25

The Power Of The Christian Faith

No one has ever seen God, but [Jesus] . . . has made him known. John 1:18 NIV.

Careful study of world religions reveals extreme contradictions and how impossible it is to take various ideas and draw them together into an intelligent system. There is a problem to consider. Who would be the judge of which ideas to keep or throw out? Without a standard, the process would quickly fall apart. Many religions in the world have developed because people have had various ideas about God. The Bible makes it clear that we don’t have to guess what God is like. The Bible tells us. All we have to do is read it and by faith receive the salvation He offers. He transforms the sinner and brings new life. This is the tremendous distinctive of the Christian faith: Jesus died for the sins of man and stands ready to forgive. The Christian life is not an idea—it’s God’s sacrificial gift of salvation to mankind. The power of the Christian faith is not in its ethics, ideas, or philosophies. It’s found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Many have tried searching the religions of the world to find peace but it ends in failure. But Jesus said, “I am the way” (John 14:6). God isn’t an object to be studied and analyzed, like a butterfly or a chemical solution. He is almighty God who created us and loves us. And all people can know Him personally through His great salvation.

Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : Daily Devotions to Renew Your Mind and Inspire Your Soul (a 365-Day Devotional), Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-10-06 15:30:55.

Anthony Diaz 10/6/25 Anthony Diaz 10/6/25

Gifts And Talents

Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men . . . for you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23–24.

We may never know how God uses the talents that He gives to mankind. While many are acclaimed for the music they compose or canvas art or books penned, there are many testimonies unheard by the throngs but impact one soul at a time for eternity. We are responsible to be faithful in our witness for Jesus Christ, and it is He who blesses the work, though many will never know the outcome this side of Heaven. In the twenty-first century, throngs of people acclaimed the newly discovered Leonardo da Vinci fifteenth-century painting entitled Savior of the World. The piece had been lost for five hundred years, disguised by layers of overpainting, and was painstakingly restored before going on exhibit in London in 2001. Whatever we do in word or deed, the Bible says, do all to the glory of God. Our gratitude to Him can find expression in our service for others, but ultimately we use our gifts and talents to glorify His name, and He sees all that is done by human hands. There is a powerful verse found in Genesis 50:20 that says, “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good . . . to save many people.” We never know how God blesses the works of our hands when we leave it in His capable hands.

Anthony Diaz 10/1/25 Anthony Diaz 10/1/25

Obedient Channels

Beloved, let us love one another. 1 John 4:7.

Visualize a triangle with God at the highest point and the two lower points are “You” and “Others.” This is a diagram of a relationship with God and man. Our lives before accepting Christ as Savior are represented by a single dot of self-centeredness, but in salvation, we now make contact with two worlds. Truth flows from God to the believer and out to others who cross our paths. We become obedient channels of His truth and love. To say we love God but care nothing for others is to deny God’s Word. Personal faith in Jesus Christ is what makes us able to reach out to others and become a testimony for Him. Once a cartoonist depicted a man rowing a boat toward a golden shore labeled “Heaven.” All around him were people struggling in vain to reach the shore, but he was heedless of their peril. He was singing, “I am bound for Heaven, hallelujah!” This is not an adequate picture of the Christian life. When we have the Lord in our hearts, He gives us peace with Him and with our fellow man. This is our calling, to be His light in a dark world. “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:8–9).

Anthony Diaz 9/29/25 Anthony Diaz 9/29/25

God’s View Of Humanity

The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God. Romans 8:7.

Humans view life from a personal point of time and space, but God views us from His heavenly throne in the light of eternity. We see ourselves as self-sufficient, self-important, and self-sustaining; God sees us as dependent, self-centered, and self-deceived. Our worldly wisdom has made us calloused and hard. Our natural wisdom, as the Scriptures teach, comes not from God but is earthly, sensual, and devilish (James 3:15). There is the person you think you are. There is the person others think you are. And there is the person God knows you are and what you can become through Christ. All truth is from God, and He wants us to believe His truth, which points us to the cross. It is there that we find forgiveness of the sins of “self,” and we also find the solution to dilemmas and problems. It is impossible for the “natural man” (the one who does not know Jesus Christ as personal Savior) to understand how God, in His grace and mercy, can forgive sinners and transform lives. It is also impossible for the natural man to comprehend how these changed lives can affect society. Those with their worldly wisdom do not understand the workings of God. But you can know the Lord Jesus today if you will receive Him by faith.

Anthony Diaz 9/28/25 Anthony Diaz 9/28/25

New Rejection

The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. Psalm 145:8.

One reason many Christians aren’t sure of their salvation is because they still sin, and they fear God may reject them because of it. But even when we sin, the Bible tells us that the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He’s slow to anger and rich in love (Psalm 145:8). Suppose someone is given the gift of a computer. The giver says, “This is my gift to you.” The recipient would be delighted. Then they would become discouraged to hear the giver say, “If you make one mistake, I am going to take it back. You can only keep it if you operate it perfectly!” Many people assume God’s like that, giving us the gift of salvation—then taking it back if we aren’t perfect. But this isn’t true. When we’re saved, Christ begins the work of transformation. The story’s told of a sculpture artist who was chipping away at a chunk of stone. A man asked, “What are you doing?” The artist replied, “I’m sculpting an elephant.” The man responded, “How do you know what to chip away?” The sculptor smiled and replied, “I chip away anything that doesn’t look like an elephant.” This is what God desires to do with our lives. When we place our lives in His care, He will chip away at whatever keeps us apart from Him.

Anthony Diaz 9/27/25 Anthony Diaz 9/27/25

A New Purpose

“Ask . . . where the good way is, and walk in it.” Jeremiah 6:16.

Some people are focused on using all their energies to reach their goals. Others drift through life with little purpose or direction, living for the moment and never thinking about where they are headed. Most people probably live somewhere in between. But they all have this in common: they are living only for themselves and their own happiness. Down inside we all sense that this was not the way life was meant to be, and we want something better—and we search for it. We suspect there must be another way, a different path from the one we’ve been traveling. But why do so few people seem to find it? Can life be any different? The answer is yes! No matter what our lives have been, the rest of the journey can be different. When we come to Christ, God gives us a new purpose. He helps us begin again. He helps us confront our problems and deal with them, and this helps us avoid life’s pitfalls and detours. More than that, God can help us make an impact on our world. When we begin to live according to His purpose, and not our own purposes, we see other people differently—not for what they can do for us but what we can do for them. Ask God for the good way—the better way—and walk in it.

Anthony Diaz 9/26/25 Anthony Diaz 9/26/25

The Perfect Love Of God

The steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting. Psalm 103:17 ESV.

Behind every dealing God has with us is His perfect love. It was love that made Him create us, and it was love that caused Him to send His Son to redeem us. His love pursues us and draws us to Himself, and His love will someday take His children into His presence forever. As with other aspects of His nature, we have a difficult time fully understanding God’s love. For one thing, the word love has come to mean almost anything today. We say we “love” ice cream or the color of a car, or we say we “love” entertainers or celebrities. But God’s love is far deeper than this. His love is not a passing fancy or superficial emotion; it is a profound and unshakable commitment that seeks what is best for us. Human love may change or fade; God’s love never will. He says to us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love . . . with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3). We must not sentimentalize God’s love; it isn’t a warm, fuzzy feeling that ignores sin or shuns judgment. God’s holiness demands that sin be punished—but God’s love has provided the way of redemption through Christ. If it weren’t for God’s love, we would have no hope, in either this life or the life to come. But there is hope, because He loves us!

Anthony Diaz 9/25/25 Anthony Diaz 9/25/25

Leap Of Faith

The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18.

The Saturday Evening Post once published a landmark interview with the great physicist and mathematician Albert Einstein. His response to questions of Jesus as a historical figure are breathtaking. He stated, “I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene. . . . No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.” No one knows whether Einstein ever received Christ as Savior, but near the end of life he said, “If you ask me to prove what I believe, I can’t. . . . The mind can proceed only so far upon what it knows and can prove. There comes a point where the mind takes a leap . . . and comes out upon a higher plane of knowledge, but can never prove how it got there. All great discoveries have involved such a leap.” But we can’t rely on the testimony of others over the testimony of Christ Himself, who said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). This leap of faith is given when we speak the name of Jesus in sincere truth, realizing that we’re bound to a dark eternity without His forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Regardless of the knowledge gathered, no one can know Jesus without taking the certain leap of faith that salvation comes only from Him.

Anthony Diaz 9/24/25 Anthony Diaz 9/24/25

Information Overload

Lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul. Deuteronomy 11:18.

Think about the incredible number of messages that surround us every day. Information that comes to us through television, radio, websites, magazines, song lyrics, movies, conversations with friends—the list is almost endless. This is sometimes called “information overload,” and it goes into the mind and remains. Images, words, and persuasions become part of who we are, and much of it is harmful. The mind is the devil’s favorite avenue of attack. Our minds are molded in many different ways—often in ways we are not aware of at the time. What the world calls valuable, God calls worthless. What the world looks down on, God praises. Our thoughts are not God’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). When we fill our minds with the things of God, it begins to affect our thinking and our decisions in the right way. The very practice of reading the Bible will have a purifying effect upon the mind and heart. The truth is, God wants our minds to be shaped by Him so that our thoughts and actions reflect Christ. The Scripture goes on to instruct us to dwell on His words when we rise up and when we go to bed at night, and when we walk along the way of life (Deuteronomy 11:19). It simply means to think of these things continually. His words are truth and they will shape us.

Anthony Diaz 9/23/25 Anthony Diaz 9/23/25

Assurance Of His Presence

“The wind blows where it wishes.” John 3:8.

On a windy day, a boy went out to fly his kite. The sky was filled with puffy clouds and a gentle breeze. As the boy lengthened the string, the kite went up and up, until it was hidden by the clouds. “What are you doing?” a man asked the boy. “I’m flying my kite,” the boy replied. “Flying a kite?” asked the man. “How can you be sure? You can’t see the kite.” “No,” the boy said. “I can’t see it, but I can feel it tug, so I know for sure it’s there!” God is real. We must not let other people’s doubts cast a shadow of disbelief over us. His presence is just as sure as the tug on the boy’s kite. And His love is just like the wind that carries the kite high into the sky. You can’t see the wind, but you know for sure it is there. When we invite the Lord Jesus into our lives, He gives us assurance His ever-present Spirit is with us to guide and direct our steps. The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit (Romans 8:16). But we must seek Him every day, asking for His help. This happens when we pray and listen to Him speak to us through His Word. The warm tug on our hearts brings peace that He truly watches over those who belong to Him.

Anthony Diaz 9/22/25 Anthony Diaz 9/22/25

Where Our Hearts Are

God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7.

There are many compassionate organizations reaching out to those in need, and people often ask the question, “What can my little amount do when the needs are so great? Why bother to give?” God looks at our finances differently than we do. He knows that our giving is a measure of something far more important. When we reach out to others with gifts of compassion, we demonstrate God’s compassion. We should not give to impress others, but we should give because it expresses concern and compassion. Responsible giving is important, and it is important to ask God to help us make the right choices in our giving. The Bible tells us to give joyfully and not out of a grudging obligation; God loves a cheerful giver. God does not need our money, but He wants us to discover where our hearts are, and when we give to bless others, it pleases the heart of God. God is able to take what we give and use it in ways we never could imagine. The extra dollar, when given in His name, is multiplied in ways we will never know. What a testimony it is when someone receives a gift knowing that God has put it on our hearts to give it. By His hand, He gives the increase.

Anthony Diaz 9/21/25 Anthony Diaz 9/21/25

Shinning In The Darkness

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9.

While life can be filled with negatives, for those who know the Lord and have a personal relationship with Him, there are opportunities to demonstrate the peace of God in the midst of trouble. Isn’t it interesting to consider something like a simple battery that has power to illuminate a flashlight? The battery has a positive end, marked by a plus sign, and a negative end, marked with a minus sign. If we don’t put the correct end into the flashlight first, the battery will provide no power at all. Both the positive and negative connections must be made. Faith in God is like a battery in that to tap into the power of God, we must be connected in the right way, by loving and obeying Him and feeding on His Word. We must also love our neighbors. Our personal faith in Christ is useless unless we also love others and do good toward them. If we belong to Jesus, we have peace with God and the peace of God—and our lives will become more than a flash of momentary light. The Bible tells us to put aside the negative (works of darkness) and instead put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12), for His people are the light of the world, and this light is found in all that is good, right, and true (Ephesians 5:8–9).

Anthony Diaz 9/20/25 Anthony Diaz 9/20/25

Antidote To Loneliness

“It is not good that man should be alone.” Genesis 2:18.

Loneliness is the predominant attitude in our culture. It may be experienced by the rich and famous or the poor and unknown. The kind of society we live in can contribute to loneliness. Mobility and constant change tend to make some individuals feel rootless and disconnected. Many withdraw from everyday life. The Bible has a great deal to say about this. God said it was not good for man to be alone, so He made a suitable companion for him. From the book of Ecclesiastes, it states that two people are better off than one, for if one falls, another can reach out and help. If one is attacked, another can defend him (4:9–12). The Bible also speaks of showing hospitality to others. This is something that has been lost in today’s culture. But there are times when being alone can bring advantages. The Bible tells us that the Lord Himself withdrew from others in order to spend time in prayer to His Father in Heaven, and this is an example that we, too, should follow. We need the fellowship of others, but especially God. With Christ as our Savior and constant companion, we never really need to be lonely. Nothing dissolves loneliness like a session with God in Bible reading and prayer. For those who are lonely today, seek Christ and know the fellowship that He brings to the human heart.

Anthony Diaz 9/19/25 Anthony Diaz 9/19/25

Delighting In God’s Word

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11.

For the Christian, learning to enjoy the Bible is to open the Word of God and read His truth. Almighty God communicates with His people through prayer and the richness of His Word; this is the secret to learning how to walk with the Lord every day. It becomes a joy to wake up in the morning and know He is with us, no matter what the day has in store. The Christian finds joy in looking back at the end of the day to marvel at how God guided and directed. Then to think about God’s love and mercy and to dwell upon all the good things He has done, brings us to the point of thankfulness and praise. Even when circumstances have been hard or the way unclear, we know that God has surrounded us with His fellowship and comfort. Turning to the Bible every day brings strength and wisdom. Its words have seen believers in Christ through good times and bad. For those who are new to the Christian faith, turning to the book of John in the New Testament is a good place to start. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1–2). He—Jesus Christ—is the Word, and those who read His truths will be blessed.

Anthony Diaz 9/18/25 Anthony Diaz 9/18/25

By Wisdom And Understanding

Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. Proverbs 24:3.

The family is the most important institution in the world. It was God’s plan; He ordained it. It wasn’t the idea of sociologists. Families and homes existed before cities and governments, written language, nations, temples, or churches. God intended for the home to be a family’s foundation, a place of security. God meant for the home to be a place where character and attitudes were formed, integrity born, and values made clear. Instead, we see rubbish everywhere—rubbish on our televisions, on digital devices, in literature, and in magazines that poke fun at the idea of traditional home experience. The institution of the home once fortified society. A popular personality was asked about the institution of marriage and home. She responded, “Who wants to live in an institution?” This is typical of the ridicule that has been heaped on the home. Satan’s attacking the family as never before. What should our defenses against such attacks be? If families would return to God and make Him the focus of the home and the heart of the family, reading the Bible that brings comfort in turmoil and light to dark pathways, the nation would begin to rebuild on a sure foundation.

Anthony Diaz 9/17/25 Anthony Diaz 9/17/25

Obedient Channels

Beloved, let us love one another. 1 John 4:7.

Anthony Diaz 9/16/25 Anthony Diaz 9/16/25

Animals In Heaven?

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44.

God’s creation story includes His creative work in the animal kingdom. “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle . . . and everything . . . on the earth. . . . And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:24–25). All of this took place before sin entered the world. We know that God gave animals to mankind for a purpose, because before the great Flood, God preserved every species—male and female—on the ark so they would inhabit the land again. Animals are among God’s many diverse gifts to man. It’s important, though, to understand that Jesus Christ died for our souls to give us life eternal in Heaven. While we can enjoy the many things God has created for us on earth, we have a responsibility toward other people. He calls us to love one another and gives us His own example of love toward us. It is hard for us to love others if we do not first love the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not miss Heaven. Even when we allow our imaginations to run wild on the joys of Heaven, we will not really know the realities until we are there, but one thing is certain, nothing will compare to being in the eternal presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a thrilling future for those who know that someday we will populate the kingdom of God.

Anthony Diaz 9/15/25 Anthony Diaz 9/15/25

Fruitful Lives

“He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.” John 15:5.

It is hard to understand the Christian life without understanding the Person and the work of God’s Spirit, but what a marvelous picture we have in the New Testament book of Galatians, chapter 5. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. . . . If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (vv. 22–23, 25). We cannot do this on our own, but as children of God He gives us the gift of His Spirit that resides within us and helps us live according to His example and His loving commands. This cluster of fruit should characterize the life of every child of God. We’re to be filled with love, joy, and peace. We’re to exhibit patience and extend gentleness and kindness to those we meet. We’re to be filled with goodness, meekness, and temperance. As we grow in Christ and put Him on the throne of our lives, God’s Spirit becomes dominant in our thinking and in our actions. God intends for Christians to live on the highest plane, bearing the fruit of His Spirit because it’s His Spirit that empowers us. When we’re praying daily for the Lord to empower us, our desire for immorality, dishonesty, jealousy, and all these other things that beset man can no longer find a place in our lives to dwell.

Anthony Diaz 9/14/25 Anthony Diaz 9/14/25

Strong In The Lord

When I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10.

When we seek the promises of God’s Word, His truth will uphold us daily, no matter what we go through. We must turn constantly to Him in prayer, confident not only that He hears us but remembering that even now Jesus intercedes for us. When we focus our thoughts on Christ and maintain our connection, His very words encourage us and keep us pressing onward. The Bible’s words are true: “Neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). True joy is derived from depending on the Lord Jesus. He is the One who supplies our strength in weakness, for when we are weak, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). Strength is found in the wisdom of God, and that is at our disposal whether young or old. We do not have to let the world hold us captive as we work and live in this world; our freedom is in Christ. When faith begins to fade, we must ask the Lord to stir it up by considering all He has done for us, and be strong, for the Bible declares, “My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!” (Haggai 2:5).