The Habit of Spiritual Dependency is FAITHFULNESS

In John 14:6-7 NLT says, “6 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had really known Me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!”

In John 3:16-17 NLT says, “16 “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”

I am glad to invite you all to join us in our Zoom Services; Sunday Service at 4 pm and Bible Study on Wednesday at 6 pm CT.

To Join our Zoom Meetings, just click the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7354863381?pwd=aFJXV0g4S0NZcUNVeGtZZ0NsTHVZUT09

Meeting ID: 735 486 3381
Passcode: 718522

trinityblessings@homefellowshipchurches.org is inviting you to scheduled Zoom meetings.

Notice to Cell Phone Users: Click > To Open the Site Menu – (God’s Promises for All Our Every Needs, Purpose and Mission Statement, Ministries, and Etc.) Using the Three-Lined “Hamburger Icon” at the Top Right of the Screen

Topic: Fruit of the Holy Spirit & God’s Promises for All Our Every Needs

Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples,

Pastor Elias Aguilar Busuego Jr PhD DTM

Founding Pastor – Home Fellowship Churches – https://homefellowshipchurches.org

The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – FAITHFULNESS #2

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating in the LOVE Chapter of the book in the Bible – New Testament – 1 Corinthians 13.

Caleb Request His Land

In Joshua 14:6-14 NLT says, “6 A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. 9 So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’ 10 “Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as He promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise – even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.” 13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land. 14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.“

Caleb was faithful from the start. As one of the original scouts sent into the Promised Land (Numbers 13:30-33), he saw great cities and giants, yet he knew God would help the people conquer the land. Because of his faith, God promised him a personal inheritance of land (Numbers 14:24; Deuteronomy 1:34-36). Here, 45 years later, the land was given to him. His faith was still unwavering. Although his inherited land still had giants, Caleb knew the Lord would help him conquer them.

Like Caleb, we must be faithful to God, not only at the start of our walk with him, but throughout our entire life. We must never allow ourselves to rest on our past accomplishments or reputations.

The best of all habits is the habit of spiritual dependency. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;” says the writer of Proverbs, “in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Faithfulness simply means God can count on us. He can count on us to be positive when others are negative. He can count on us to obey when others are disobedience. He can count on us to follow when others bail out because of the steepness of the ascent, or climb. Faithfulness is the quality that honors God with obedience – joyous obedience. A faithfulness that grumbles at the requirements of God is not faithfulness at all. It is only grudging acquiescence or grudging agreement.

Notice that the blessing attached to the faithfulness is the blessing of eternal salvation. Faithfulness is not just a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is a world-view – the basis of our eternal rewards. Faithfulness is the habit of spiritual dependency.

Indeed, those who grow dependent on God have found that they must count on God, for within themselves they find only weakness. But God is our “refuge and strength.” He is our ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). We are so dependent on God that we appear to be faithful; however, our faithfulness comes about because of our need. Amen!

A Message About Assyria

In Isaiah 33:5-6 NLT says, “5 Though the Lord is very great and lives in heaven, He will make Jerusalem His home of justice and righteousness. 6 In that day He will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.”

When our Lord Jesus Christ’s Kingdom is established, Jerusalem will be the home of justice and righteousness because the Messiah will reign there. As a light to the world, the new Jerusalem will be the holy city (Revelation 21:2).

God is a strong foundation for times like these. He is a rich storehouse of wisdom and knowledge. But how do we tap into this treasure? Isaiah says that the fear of the Lord is the key. This fear of the Lord is that awe with which we approach His almighty power. It is that unfailing respect that causes our unrighteous souls to wilt into the heart of His holiness. With such respect, we learn His wisdom.

The best friend that our spiritual dependency can have been the fear of the Lord. What power there is in the reverence we give God! This awe releases in us the power to be more than we are. All fear is outlawed for the believer except the fear of the Lord. The only trembling permitted is the reverent awe we feel when standing face-to-face with utter holiness. Those who tremble before God are people who cannot forget the immensity of Him to whom their lives are owed. Our calling is to fear not just His size and power, but to tremble lest we let go of the task He has put us in the world to accomplish.

It is when we tremble most within that we understand and rejoice in our own need. It is in this fear we find that our faithfulness is truly the habit of spiritual dependency, and only then are we able to fully live as God has purposed. Amen!

Concluding Words

In Hebrews 13:1-8 NLT says, “1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. 4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery. 5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so, I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders who taught you the Word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Real love for others produces tangible actions: (1) hospitality to strangers (Hebrews 13:2); (2) empathy for those who are in prison and those who have been mistreated (Hebrews 13:3); (3) respect for your marriage vows (Hebrews 13:4); and (4) contentment with what you have (Hebrews 13:5). Make sure that our love runs deep enough to affect our hospitality, empathy, fidelity, and contentment.

In Verse 2 describes that the three Old Testament people “entertained angels without realizing it”: (1) Abraham (Genesis 18:1ff), (2) Gideon (Judges 6:11ff), and (3) Manoah (Judges 13:2ff). Some people say they cannot be hospitable because their homes are not large enough or nice enough. But even if you have no more than a table and two chairs in a rented room, there are people who would be grateful to spend time in your home. Are there visitors to your church/fellowship with whom you could share a meal? Do you know single people who would enjoy an evening of conversation? Is there any way your home could meet the needs of traveling missionaries? Hospitality simply means making other people feel comfortable and at home.

In Verse 3 describes that we are to have empathy for those in prison, especially for (but not limited to) Christians imprisoned for their faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that His true followers would represent Him as they visit those in prison (Matthew 25:36).

In Verses 5 and 6 ask and describe – How can we learn to be satisfied with what we have? Strive to live with less rather than desiring more; give away out of your abundance rather than accumulating more; relish what you have rather than resent what you’re missing. See God’s love expressed in what He has provided, and remember that money and possessions will all pass away. (See Philippians 4:11 for more on contentment, and 1 John 2:17 for the futility of earthly desires.)

We become content when we realize God’s sufficiency for our needs. Christians who become materialistic are saying by their actions that God can’t take care of them – or at least that He won’t take care of them the way they want. Insecurity can lead to the love of money, whether we are rich or poor. The only antidote is to trust God to meet all our needs. Amen!

In Verse 7 describes that if we are a Born-Again Christian, we owe much to others who have taught us and modeled for us what we needed to know about the Good News and Christian living. Let’s continue following the good examples of those who have invested themselves in us by investing in our lives through evangelism, service, and Christian education.

In Verse 8 describes that though human leaders have much to offer, we must keep our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ, our ultimate leader. Unlike any human leaders, He will never change. Our Lord Jesus Christ has been and will be the same forever. In a changing world we can trust our unchanging Lord. Amen!

The People Complain to Moses

In Numbers 11:1-15 NLT says, “1 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and He sent a fire to rage among them, and He destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. 3 After that, the area was known as Taberah (which means “the place of burning”), because fire from the Lord had burned among them there. 4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. 5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” 7 The manna looked like small coriander seeds, and it was pale yellow like gum resin. 8 The people would go out and gather it from the ground. They made flour by grinding it with hand mills or pounding it in mortars. Then they boiled it in a pot and made it into flat cakes. These cakes tasted like pastries baked with olive oil. 9 The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night. 10 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t have. The people of Israel didn’t seem to notice what God was doing for them – setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land – because they were so wrapped up in what God wasn’t doing for them. They could think of nothing but the delicious Egyptian food they had left behind. Somehow, they forgot that the brutal whip of Egyptian slavery was the cost of eating that food.

Before we judge the Israelites too harshly, it’s helpful to think about what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we grateful for what God has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God’s gifts of life, food, health, work, and friends.

Every morning the Israelites drew back their tent doors and witnessed a miracle. Covering the ground was pale yellow, fluffy manna – food from heaven. But soon that wasn’t enough. Feeling it was their right to have more, they forgot what they already had. They didn’t ask God to fill their need; instead, they demanded meat, and they stopped trusting God to care for them. “Give us meat!” they complained to Moses as they reminisced about the good food they had in Egypt. God gave them what they asked for, but they paid dearly for it when a plague struck the camp (see Numbers 11:18-20, 31-34).

This passage at one time or another is the lament of all in leadership. “These people have become too heavy for me,” laments Moses. Yet Moses was a faithful servant, and when the times were heavy, God was available to stand under the yoke with him. Moses unfortunately forgot to count on the ability of God and for one brief moment neglected his dependency on God.

The Israelites complained, and then Moses complained. But God responded positively to Moses and negatively to the rest of the people. Why? The people complained to one another, and nothing was accomplished. Moses took his complaint to God, who could solve any problem.

When we ask God for something, He may grant our request. But if we approach Him with a sinful attitude, getting what we want may prove costly.

Many of us are good at complaining to each other. We need to learn to take our problems to the One who can do something about them. Amen!

It would be a delight to minister to others if they were to thank us for our sacrifice, but their response is usually grumbling at the door of their tent. This grumbling is the local church is a “soul beater” for the Pastor who is called to lead. How often within a single year, does a Pastor lament like Moses, “My burdens are too great for me to bear”. How the Pastors in our narcissistic, conceited, self-important, selfish society long for church members who crave obedience to God? But so often, they meet only their self-indulgent flocks full of pastoral contempt and criticism.

Proposition: Why don’t we determine to have a “Pastor’s Day” at our church more often? On this day, celebrate the noble men and women who seek to follow the Great Shepherd while they live out their callings as under-shepherds.

In addition, our own dependency on God and our faithfulness to His calling can greatly relieve the burdens of those who lead. Our obedience can be their blessing.            

If we are leaders and are feeling the burdens of our role, major on our responsibilities and develop a dependency on our Lord Jesus Christ. He is faithful, and the habit of dependency is the only one that can provide a positive and continuing ministry when we feel the overwhelming burden of ministering to others. Amen!

The Message to the Church in Smyrna

In Revelation 2:8-11 NLT says “8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: 9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty – but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”

The city of Smyrna was about 25 miles north of Ephesus. It was nicknamed “Port of Asia” because it had an excellent harbor on the Aegean Sea. The church in this city struggled against two hostile forces: a Jewish population strongly opposed to Christianity, and a non-Jewish population that was loyal to Rome and supported emperor worship. Persecution and suffering were inevitable in an environment like this.

God’s message to the church at Smyrna was that they were not to quail, drawback, shrink back, shy away or tremble before all they were about to suffer. Rather, they were to be faithful in their worship, and then they would enter the final state of God’s congratulations. Worship only because it’s the thing to do, and God may not attend, be present, listen us; but worship when our very lives are under threat, and we may be sure of His presence.

Persecution comes from Satan, not from God. Satan, the Devil, will cause believers to be thrown into prison and even killed. But believers need not fear death, because it will only result in their receiving the crown of life. Satan may harm their earthly bodies, but he can do them no spiritual harm. The “synagogue of Satan” means that these Jews were serving Satan’s purposes, not God’s, when they gathered to worship. “Ten days” means that although persecution would be intense, it would be relatively short. It would have a definite beginning and end, and God would remain in complete control. Amen!

Pain is part of life, but it is never easy to suffer, no matter what the cause. Our Lord Jesus Christ commended the church at Smyrna for its faith in suffering. He then encouraged the believers that they need not fear the future if they remained faithful.

Faithfulness is the currency of martyrs, and when has spent it all, they will then spend their very blood. They know only one word that brings terror. It is the word disobedience.

If you are experiencing difficult times, don’t let them turn you away from God. Instead, let them draw you toward greater faithfulness. Trust God and remember your heavenly reward (see also Revelation 22:12-14). Amen!

Now, let’s talk about “Prayer and “Salvation”.

Prayer is the key that unlocks and reveals faith. Effective prayer needs both an attitude of complete dependence and the action of asking. Prayer demonstrates complete reliance on God. Thus, there is no substitute for prayer, especially in situations that seem impossible.

So, let our hearts and minds in tune with God, in the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. We as Born-Again Christians have been tried and cleansed, we have moved freely into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that is more powerful than it was before our trials. We are at home in the presence and fellowship of God, for we are heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, more like Him that we could ever have dreamed possible. So, let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. Amen!

The principle is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Let’s never get over the effect of God’s saving transformation on people’s lives. People who were lost in sin, filled with anger and bitterness, give up their hatred and become approachable as we have studied and learned last time. That is, of course, why we minister to others. Those of us who minister are not people to whom (fruit of the Holy Spirit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control comes naturally. We are people who have been remodeled by grace. We thankfully leave our old natures far behind as we embrace the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, the first of the list > agape love of God, and in our treatment of others. Amen!

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, let me encourage our brothers – and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others. We constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these FAITHFULLNESS Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

• To receive God’s blessings
• Get a habit of spiritual dependency
• To have a persistent commitment to the right
• No compromise
• The Road That Ends in Victory
• High Art of Persistence

On every Podcast, I always have three (3) questions we can answer from only these two (2) Sources: The Bible and the Guidance of the Holy Spirit. The following are:

First is about our > Observation: What do these passages or Scriptures say to you?

Second is about our own > Interpretation: What do these passages or Scriptures mean to you?

Third is about how we can apply > Application: How do the meaning of these passages or Scriptures apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer or you have relatives, loved ones, friends, neighbors, and people in your circle of influence, please take a look and/or guide them to one of our ministries, “An Invitation to Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Let’s give an opportunity for the lost souls to experience on being Born-Again Christian as explained by our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of John 3 in the New Testament of the Bible.

It is as simple as A, B, & C > Admit, Believe, & Confess. All Born-Again Christian believers prayed this simple prayer, we called “Sinner’s Prayer”

“Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe and have faith in Jesus Christ who was born of Virgin Mary, died on the Cross for the penalty of my sins, and rose again that I may have the eternal life. I confess and declare Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord of my life. Please comfort, guide, and help me Holy Spirit to live and grow in my spiritual life according to Your Words, purpose, and perfect will of God, in my Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

If you prayed this, “Sinner’s Prayer” sincerely in your heart, you are Born-Again Christian believer. However, you are a spiritual baby who needs to grow up. (See 1 Peter 2:2). You need to find a church or fellowship to grow spiritually. We are glad to establish or bring the fellowship to your own home if it is safer by appointment.

Now, let me pray for all of you:

Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness you have done on the Cross of Calvary, and continue to intercede for us in prayer. Thank you, Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words, obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in our Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

Let’s praise and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Give all thanks to God for all answered prayers.

Please send your > Praise Reports (answered prayers) and New Prayer Requests via email to: trinityblessings@homefellowshipchurches.org. God bless you all and our families!

A Message to be Blessed:

A Call to Repentance and Be Blessed

In Malachi 3:7-15 AMPC says, “7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’ 8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse – See 2 Chronicles 31:11; cf. 1 Chronicles 26:20; Nehemiah 10:38; 13:5, 12. If the temple storehouses were empty, it was the people’s fault. God had already blessed them with enough to give a little back to Him.

Instead of destroying our crops (blessings), God would make them come in greater abundance than we had ever imagined possible (Amos 4:9; Haggai 2:19; Zechariah 8:12). The devourer – probably referring to locusts, though the word here is general in meaning (Baldwin). In the Near East, locust swarms are known for their ability to damage huge tracts of agricultural land (see note on Joel 1:4).

A delightsome land – All of the blessings promised to Jacob would come to pass if the people would obey God (Deuteronomy 33:29; Zechariah 8:13). Their land would be a delight to all who saw it (Daniel 8:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:7-12 was the people’s departure from God as reflected by their neglect of tithes and offerings. Two annual tithes were required according to Israelite law – one for the Levites (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21), and one to be used in worship at the annual feasts in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 14:22). A tithe was required every three years to provide for the needs of the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). There is debate as to whether this tithe for the poor was in addition to or served as a substitute for the tithe used in worship.

The New Testament pattern for tithing is proportionate giving – a person is to give “in relation to what you have earned” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Certainly a tithe should be given proportionate to one’s wealth, but not all proportionate giving is a tithe.

The anticipation of blessing for obedience to God’s command to tithe was based on the Mosaic covenant, which promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Malachi 3:10; cf. Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Generally, God will meet the needs of His own people (Psalm 34:9-10; Philippians 4:19), but that is not an unconditional guarantee. There certainly were and are exceptions. Yet, where God chooses not to provide physically, He gives sufficient grace to go without (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:14-15 was that the people were guilty of arrogant words against God. They were saying, “There is no prophet who is serving God,” and “God is not concerned about justice.” God responded by showing that He did distinguish between the wicked and the righteous. The righteous would be blessed, and the wicked would be judged.