Conversations with Ray Martinez

We’ve all heard familiar statements like: I don’t care! Who cares? Ask me if I care! I could care less. Oh, cry me a river! Give me a break! ...and the list goes on. Jesus never used the phrase, I don’t care, but there are a number of things that Jesus did not consider a priority and illustrated that he didn’t care about certain issues. In many ways, Jesus is a polarizing figure. His teachings and...

Today we will explore the theme of Jesus' care for his followers. Throughout the Bible, we see evidence of his love and concern for those who believe in him. From healing the sick to comforting the broken-hearted, Jesus demonstrated his compassion in numerous ways. Let’s explore some of the key biblical references that highlight just how much Jesus cares for us. Listen in for an indepth discus...

Thomas was one of Jesus’ most loyal followers. The Gospels portray him as reflective, not talkative. On the three occasions where his words are recorded, it’s clear Thomas thought long and hard before speaking. Once, in the wake of a friend’s death, Thomas broke the silence, saying that he was willing to die for Jesus if it came to that (see John 11:16). When everything came crashing down the foll...

Christophany is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. The Old Testament points to Jesus through various types of people, such as Moses, who is seen as a type of Christ. Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, just as Jesus leads his people out of bondage to sin. In Genesis 18, three men visit Abraham, and one of them is believed to be Jesus Christ. Abraham refe...

Josiah was only 8 years old when he became King, after his father's murder. His father had been wicked, as had the Jewish kings and culture for generations before him. Josiah was the grandson of Manasseh, king of Judah, and ascended the throne at age eight after the assassination of his father, Amon, in 641. Great-grandparent: Hezekiah, who, if you remember, ask God to spare his life and grant...

I have a few friends and family who have experienced the joy and the struggle of adopting. For some, adoption came at a cost—of finances, time and emotional energy—but for each it has brought great joy. Adoption is a beautiful thing and a powerful picture of who God is. In Ephesians, Paul tells us that adoption was never “Plan B.” God actually had it in mind before He even created the earth! Wow!...

Paul’s words to Timothy are equally God’s words to us. He has given each one of us a spirit of “power, love and self-discipline”, or as in some translations, "a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). Therefore, we never should respond to circumstances or people in fear, because we have the power of God living within us — the very power that dispels all fear and anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common...

Mal 1:2-4 is a great example of God’s love for Israel.  And Edom will never be allowed to build again (Edomites are today’s Petra in Jordan). The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the firstborn son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob. Esau became the father of the Edomites and Jacob became the father of the Israelites, and the two nations continued to struggle through most of their hi...

Jacob wanted to be obedient to God, and he was. But he knew he had to clean up his own household first. We read in the previous chapter how his two sons slaughtered the men of Shechem, because Shechem had raped their sister. So they took an unlawful revenge. God says vengeance is mine, not yours. Remember when you put your finger at someone you have three more pointed right back at you. To be vigi...

Apostasy is the total rejection of Christianity by a baptized person who, having at one time professed the Christian faith, publicly rejects it. Apostasy is distinguished from heresy, which is limited to the rejection of one or more Christian doctrines by one who maintains an overall adherence to Jesus Christ. The Great Apostasy is a concept within Christianity to describe a perception that mainst...

Today, we talk about how to discover yourself.  Why are you here today?  What's your purpose in life?  If we change the way we look at things, the things we look at will change.  Are you willing to change?  Listen in as we probe some deeper thoughts to this discussion.

Joshua was incharge of leading the people across the Jordan to win a battle.  This was a shortcut, but not an easy one. Yet God directed them to cross about 100 feet of water that may be approximately 10 feet deep.  The crossing of a turbulent river at flood stage would have been difficult.  This happened around 1406 BC.  God assured them that if they entered the water with the Ark, they would ent...

Today's story is really a sad one, but life lessons are taken away from Absalom's ego, and hatred, along with David's carelessness of not being a dad to Absalom.  The story of Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David, is told in the Second Book of Samuel (chapters 14 to 18). The handsome Absalom is distinguished by his extraordinarily abundant hair, which is thought to symbolise his...

My mother, Gloria Ager, passed on to heaven on January 31, 2023 at 11:48AM.  She is one of the candles in my life that God gave me to enjoy and share about her love for people and her family.  I hope you can listen in for a few minutes to hear more about her legacy.  For 92 years, she lived a great life of discipline.

Leaders often forget the four R.A.R.E. things of genuine leadership, which are:  Responsibility, Accountability, Relationships, and being an Encourager.  If you want to grow in your leadership style, listen to this simple and transparent message about your leadership style.

Any power attributed to the name of Jesus originates in the Person of Jesus. When we “believe in Jesus’ name,” we are trusting in the finished work of the risen Christ on the cross.  Jesus is not a magic word. There is nothing special about the arrangement of the letters in His name. By simply calling out the name of “Jesus,” one cannot expect a special power, outcome, or better standing with...

The term Godhead is found three times in the King James Version.  In each of the three verses, a slightly different Greek word is used, but the definition of each is the same: “deity” or “divine nature.” The word Godhead is used to refer to God’s essential nature. We’ll take a look at each of these passages and what they mean.  We are the offspring of God, not by images made by men. We w...

In Solomon’s day information was mostly limited to books. In our day information takes many other forms. If Solomon could say this when there was no printing press, Internet, television, radio, and only a fraction of the books we have what would he say if he lived in our day? The amount of information in our day is overwhelming and untrustworthy. Plant yourself in the Bible where “the words of the...

The Holy Scriptures clearly shows us Christ’s attributes.  We can certainly identify about 20 or 30 attributes of Christ right off the top of your head. However, we’re going to focus on the four main categories that are directly attributed to Christ. So let’s zoom out and look at the big picture. We will talk about that he is: OMNISCIENCE (all-knowing), Omnipotence (all-powerful), Omnipresenc...

What irony that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  Bethlehem means “house of bread”.  Jesus is the bread of life, “ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).  On the night when was betrayed Jesus instituted His Supper, that the bread He blessed and gave to His disciples, and us is His bod...

We celebrate Christmas because, as the angel said, the birth of Jesus Christ is “good news.” Good news is meant to be celebrated. In fact, the angel said the news of Jesus’ birth would cause “great joy” and would be “for all the people”—the joyful celebration would be universal. People around the globe would be glad for this occasion.

We celebrate Christmas because, as the angel said, “A Savior h...

The powerful story of Hagar in the Bible underscores how messy and complex God’s work in history really is. As people of faith, we believe that God answers prayer and keeps his promises, but this story will shake us out of simplistic notions of God’s call, God’s promises, and God’s faithfulness. Hagar is not just a supporting character in the story of Abraham and Sarah. She is not just the mother...

Yahweh is the principal name in the Old Testament by which God reveals himself and is the most sacred, distinctive and incommunicable name of God. Within all of us there exists a strong desire to be known and to know others.  We all like to think we are an influencer to others.  Jesus was the King of influence and sometimes in controversy.  The key to truly knowing God is found in w...

When the scripture says that God transcends or passes all understanding, this refers to the only known knowledge or capabilities of mankind. God rises above any man’s law. If God wants the law of man to work in his peoples favor, he can cause that to happen beyond circumstances that we cannot understand. So we refer to them as coincidences. There is no such thing as a coincidence. I refer to them...

Have you ever had a conversation and then all of a sudden, both of you are quiet…that sound of silence…what’s going on during that silent conversation?  Oswald Chambers talks about, His silence. He notes that God has trusted you with His silence – a silence that has great meaning. God will give you the very blessings you ask if you refuse to go any further without them, but his silence is the...