Steven Garofalo
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WHAT IS YOUR GOD MISSION? Don’t Forget God or the Word
By Steven Garofalo, January 8, 2024 (Copyright 2024)
January 08, 2024

It’s easy to be blessed and then forget about what someone or even what God did for us. Today I am going to show you that as newly saved babes in Christ (no matter what age) new and old Christians alike tend to forget what God actually did for us. As new believers in Christ, we as humans tend to immerse ourselves deeply in a Christ-community which is wise and necessary. But sometimes we withdraw from the world and never go back to visit. In today’s passage we will see Jesus’ response to how we are to live as redeemed Christians in a lost world. Once saved, we are to be in Christian community but must also equally get out of the community to share our faith with the unsaved world.

While many Christians get deeply immersed into Christian culture and retreat from the world, Jesus make clear that once God saves you that there is work to be done. In today’s passage we see that God calls us to, at some point and possibly immediately, “go home to your friends (and family) and TELL THEM how much the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19)

In Luke 17, we find the story of Jesus casting out the Legion of demons from a man so demon possessed that he broke out of and destroyed the iron shackles the authorities continually put on his body to restrain him. While this may seem like a lot of power, the power of God through Christ is stronger.

Before we start into today’s devotional-article, I would ask that you keep in mind the different responses from the different characters in the parable. The Jewish pig owners were scared because they feared loosing more revenue from more dead pigs. The man with many demons called “Legion” (unlike nine out of the ten lepers Jesus healed in (Luke 17:11-19) came back with a grateful heart. We can see different responses from people who saw and experienced the same event. While the man with the demons experienced the miracle directly, others saw it in real time. Let’s pick up today’s less in post-Jesus casting the demons out of the demon possessed man in verses 18-21 to lay a foundation for today’s lesson.

“As he (Jesus) was getting into the bad the man who had been posed with the demons begged him that he might be with him. And he (Jesus) did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and TELL THEM how much the Lord has done for you, and how much he had mercy on you. And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled”

It’s so easy to look over this short passage without seeing all that God is telling telling us as to why Jesus wouldn’t allow the man healed of a Legion of demons to join Him as one of His disciples. Let’s break this down into three simple points.

FIRST: (THE REQUEST) The man just freed from a legion of demons (called Legion) BEGGED Jesus that he might be with (join) him and his disciples (Vs.18) but Jesus denied him. A legion in the Roman army was between 3000-6000 strong, indicating that many demons possessed this man (see Matthew 12:45 and Luke 8:2). The point is that we often make requests of God in supplication asking for things in prayer that the Lord seems to deny or not to answer. God does not do this out of a mean heart but out of love and His having a much greater plan for us. His plans are not ours. Isaiah 55:8-9 makes clear, “My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans”.  Simply put, God has something ever better and greater than we ask for in many cases. We as finite creatures often cannot see the big picture and God has so much more for us than we can see in the moment of our requests. We may pray for a spouse, a job, ministry, or even or other things-but God often gives us something very different than what we ask for. And He does so in part in not whole to fulfill His purpose and mission for our life.

SECOND: (THE MISSION-COMMISSION). Jesus denied the request of newly demon-freed man for TWO specific reasons. In the words of Scriptures: “And he (Jesus) did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and TELL THEM how much the Lord has done for you, and how much he (God) had mercy on you” (vs. 19).

Jesus didn’t just deny this newly saved man or abruptly leave him. Instead, Jesus called him to mission and life purpose in that he was to go home in mission to his friends and do a a few very specific things. FIRST, this man was to TELL THEM (his home region of 10 cities!) how much the Lord had done for him and he was to show the people of those cities that God is a merciful God as was demonstrated in the Jesus’ healing and freeing him from the many demons. When God calls us to mission and purpose in life, it always comes with some level of specifics and focus. Not that it can’t also be broad in scope; only that God calls us to specific mission and purpose in our life. What is the mission(s) God called you to?

THIRD: Is (THE RESPONSE): “And he (the man) went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled” (Vs. 20). What’s so important about Jesus sending him home? Jesus obviously knew where his home was and that home was a place was a very important place called Decapolis.  Decapolis is the region south-east of the Sea of Galilee where (at that time) were 10 cities (the number varied over history). During the time of Jesus, the ten cities of Decapolis and the surrounding region were inhabited mostly by Gentiles, not Jews. Did Jesus send him home to retire and chill out, enjoy life and go to Church, never to return to the PTSD of being possessed by many demons? NO. God called him to mission. And God calls you and I to mission as well.

I think it safe to say that Jesus had a mission-purpose for this man who was so THANKFUL and GRATEFUL for being freed from legion of demons that he was on figurative fire for the Lord. This man met the God of the universe and simply wanted to share that with the part of the world God called him to. That was this man’s specific mission. And it was an important mission field.  Decapolis had a strong Greek influence meaning they served many false gods through “polytheism” (worship of many gods) using idols. Jesus gave this guy a pretty large mission field of ten unsaved cities!

CONCLUSION AND TAKEAWAY:I want to wrap up with verse 20 tells us, “And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled”. While the man wanted to go with Jesus and become a disciple, the greatest need for this man (and his mission calling and life purpose) was to return to his home and report “WHAT GREAT THINGS” God had done fort him. He could now return home to his estranged family with a testimony of God’s work in his life. And Scriptures tells us that he did in fact become a great testimony for Jesus in the region of the Decapolis. And look what happened. He faithfully proclaimed his testimony and “EVERYONE WAS AMAZED”! WOW, this man wanted one thing and was denied by God. And look at the special mission God had for him. That blessing would have been lost  if it were possible to talk Jesus (God) into granting his request. It’s easy to be blessed and then forget about what someone or even what God did for us. Let’s be careful not to withdraw from the world and never go back to visit. Instead, let’s accept the exciting mission God calls us to and live as redeemed Christians in a lost world. Once saved, we are to be in Christian community but must also equally get out of the community to share our faith with the unsaved world.

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DON’T ALPINE ON THE “GOOD OLD DAYS”

“Say not, “Why were the former days better than these” (Ecclesiastes 7:10).

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ARE YOU AS ZELOUS AS SAUL WAS?

It never ceases to amaze me how lethargic we as Christian’s can be. When we were saved we were called to. Called not to rest from God’s mission but rest only from the ways of this world. Sadly, most Christians are on the sidelines in today’s world. WHY? I think it’s because we feel we are in the safe cacoon of the Lord’s arms.

While true in one sense, the truth is that we are called to get out of the cacoon and into the battle of good and evil as representatives of Lord and Savior-standing slbodly for His goodness once saved. We are not called to relax by the beach but to share the love and truth of a Christ with anyone who happens to be at the beach when we are visiting. And the same wherever we go 24/7.

Our family is at the beach in Charleston this week and a nice Southern lady came up to Heather in the beach to speak with her-saying “you are a good southern Christian” aren’t you?” She was half right but we are not southern😎. Heather explained that she met me at a church in ...

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DO PETS GO TO HEAVEN?

When I was in seminary, the question was raised as to if pets or animals in general go to heaven. Our professor, Dr. Norman Geisler said this: “Jesus Christ came to earth and died on the Cross for the human race, not animals.” I was working out at the gym one day when one of the regulars, who had just moved to Charlotte, NC from California told me that one of her beloved dogs died; and would that dog go to heaven. I have her the same answer. But, was that the whole story? That’s what we are going to look at today.

In a peace by Michael Housman, Founder of GotQuestions.Org, Housman wrote that “The BIble does not give any explicit teaching on whether pets or animals in general have souls, or spirits, or whether pets and other animals will be in heaven.

His answer was short but the animals not having souls maybe up for debate.

We can use general biblical principles to develop some clarity on the subject though Housman wrote. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15 and 22) have the “BREATH OF LIFE” that is, both man and animals are living beings. Furthermore, the primary difference between human beings and animals is that humanity is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), while animals are not.

Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human beings are like God in some ways; they are capable of spirituality; they have a mind, emotion, and “will”; and part of their “being” continues after death.

If pets and other animals do have a “soul” (or spirit or immaterial aspect), it must therefore be of a different and lesser “quality”. This difference possibly means that pets and other animal “souls”  do not continue in existence after death.

Another factor to consider regarding whether pets will be in heaven is that animals are a port of God’s creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be pets and animals on the NEW EARTH as described in (Revelation 21:1). 

In the end, there will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitely whether some animals of these animals might be the pets we had here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to heaven, we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever that turns out to be.

So, there you have it. I think that’s the best answer on the subject in all honest. Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and check out StevenGarofalo.Com for exclusive content and early release of our two weekly podcast.

Until next time, I’m your host Steven Garofalo, and this is your reason for truth for today.

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AN ETHICAL ECONOMY IS GOOD FOR ALL
By Steven Garofalo, May 2, 2025

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ECONOMY

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Today, I am going to show you through Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 that vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, will devour one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Let’s get started.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor is an interesting subject in light of wealth, corruption, and the human heart. This subject effects many things, including what makes a good economy. 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses eight to nine, Solomon says the following:

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9
“8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

COMMENTARY: There are two things king Solomon is saying here within the theme of the vanity of WEALTH and HONOR. Wealth and honor are two different things, as one can have wealth with or without honor or honor with or without wealth. That being said, let’s look at verses 8 and 9 independently to see the simple message God provides us today through Solomon.

BREAK DOWN
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9

THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY & WEALTH
 “8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them." 

COMMENTARY: Verse 8 clearly illustrates that there is a corruption at every level of government, with higher level oppressors plundering the equally oppressive lower-level magistrates. This perhaps explains the st state of America and the world. With blackmail running. Rampant and the public sector unchecked, they have been robbing the everyday citizen of their hard earned money. As a result, the system became insulated and division between the haves and have nots became more defined. When the high level government officials rob and abuse those below them, someone above that person robs and abuses the higher level person himself.

In America, where we print money out of thin air for the world, in this short period of history, there is little need to plunder those under one authority because there is so much to steal that those in authority can simply pay them off or blackmail them; whichever is most convenient. Either way, Solomon makes abundantly clear that when there is nobody minding the ship, evil perpetuates to the point of overtaking the government in whole. As a result, we end up with a 2024 government, riddles with corruption, immorality, blackmail, lawlessness, and all other things evil due to the lack of God-ness which equates to “goodness”. 

Economically speaking, when this happens to a country, its own economy begins to decline into debt due to their insatiable desire and emotional need for more money and resources. When resources are stripped and money is squandered, the elite few are smart enough to collect those resources and money and we end up with a U.S. Stock Market where only 5% holds up to 80%  of the entire market wealth. 

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The answer and solution is to keep to return to the system we created in the first place which is free market capitalism that allows those who desire to work hard, to have a fair chance at success, making money and turning a fair profit. This is called “honor for everyone”.

HONOR FOR EVERYONE
"9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

CONCLUSION:

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, devours one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Solomon (Qohelet) considered goverment to be frustrating becuase it was a necessary evil, something deply flawed but indespsnsible. On the one hand people sould "not be shocked" when they see OPPRESSION and injustice in a governmental province (v.8). After all, bloated government bureaucracy tends to frustrate justice (v.8b). On the other hand, government has it advantages (v.9). Many hold to the belief that this verse continues the negeative assessment of government. Others see this passage better understood more positively since it fits with Qohelet's normal pattern of "on the one hand, on the other.." way of teaching. 

Even a corrupt government is better than anarchy, which devastates a country, it's culture and in Solomon's time, an agrarian economy that would lead to starvation. Keeping to God's ways is the only solution to man's sinful nature; especially in governmental rule. In the end, a king who devotes himself to developing the resources of the land ushers in a systems that brings the opportunity for profit to all, not just the corrupt few.

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SOLA SCRIPTURA
A Protestant & Catholic View Comparison

I grew up Catholic and now go to a Protestant or non-Catholic church in Charlotte, NC. Michael Houdmann, Founder and CEO of GotQuestions.Org writes that a major difference between the two boils down to believing in the Bible alone as God's word verses believing that God's word plus man's input as the divine inspired word of God.

WHAT DO PROTESTANTS BELIEVE?

A major difference is the issue of sufficiency and authority of Scripture. While Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of God's special revelation to mankind, it also speaks to everything we need to understand as necessary for our salvation from sin.

Protestants view the Bible as the STANDARD for Christian morality and ethics which governs our behavior. This is called sola scripture and is one of the five Solas in Christianity. (Solas meaning "alone" in Latin. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 makes clear that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

WHAT DO CATHOLICS BELIEVE?

Catholics do not believe in sola scriptura hence do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They see both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition as equally authoritative and binding on the Christian. While not all Catholics hold to doctrines such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc., the Catholic doctrine hold to them even though they have little or no mention or basis in the Bible. In truth, these doctrines are based on Roman Catholic traditions based on the Catholic Church's insistence that the Bible and tradition are equal in authority. The problem with this is that it undermines the sufficiency, authority, and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many, if not all, of the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

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