Gods instrument

 Gods instrument

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

There are many Christians who will tell you, you are saved by faith. That is true. However James here make it clear our faith needs to be accompanied by works. Good deeds.    If we indeed have true faith in Jesus it well spur us on to good deeds. Simply believing in God should never be enough for the believer in Christ Jesus. We need to put our faith into action.

Francis of Assisi wrote,

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is discord, harmony;

Where there is error, truth;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

                                                                   Francis of Assisi

When people look at you are they seeing as an instrument of Gods Love?

Please think about it.

Fruits of a Christian

 Fruits of a Christian

The Apostle Paul writing to believers in Christ Jesus tells us,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

Here is a simple test a check list, to see if anyone calling themselves a Christian is actually a Christian. Are they exhibiting the fruits of the spirit?  

love, 

joy, 

peace, 

patience, 

kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness, 

gentleness, 

self-control.

Ask yourself am I exhibiting the fruits of the spirit in my life at all times? 

Please think about it.

Abstain from sinful desires

  Abstain from sinful desires.

The apostle Peter telling us.

“Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

Dear friends,

 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.

We must remember that as Peter tells us we are “aliens and strangers in this world” Thus we must do our best to, as Peter tells us “to abstain from sinful desires”. 

We must live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse us of doing wrong, they may see our good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

When people look at you what do they see?

Do you do your best to abstain from sinful desires? 

Please think about it.

Wants one to help the other

  Wants one to help the other

The apostle John writes,

"This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.... 

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:11,17,18.

The Bible is full of admonitions to the believer to help those in need. 

Now while the Talmud is not a Christian book. It states something that is in line with scripture. It states,

“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.

Are you making the world around you a household of Love?

Please think about it.

In Gods image

 In Gods image

The Book of Genesis states,

“So God created man in His own image; 

in the image of God He created him; 

male and female He created them.” 

                                              Genesis 1:27.

That being said many people today claiming to be Christians consciously or subconsciously make God in their image.

They do this I believe because they are not truly committed to God. They do it because they think God should conform to their will. As one person has put it they see God as a cosmic bell boy. Who is their do their bidding when nothing could be further from the truth.

The apostle Paul writes,

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."Ephesians 2:10.

Are you doing Gods work?

Do you truly believe you are created in the image of God?

Please think about it.

About Judging

 About Judging

 Jesus said,

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1,2.

An important element of Christian life is never to judge anyone other than for our personal protection or to correct a person claiming to be a Christian who is not teaching sound doctrine. 

The apostle Paul telling us,

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.

We especially should not judge a person with respect to where they will spend eternity.

The late evangelist Billy Graham once wisely said,

"It is the Holy Spirits job to convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love," 

As a duty to present the word of God to those around us and not judge them. 

Please think about it.

We Christians

 We Christians.

Matthews gospel records Jesus as saying,

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.

This is the duty of a Christian. The way I see it we are to present our beliefs to others and not force them on anyone. We are to simply say “this is what I believe” then leave it at that. 

God has given each person the freedom to choose to believe or not to believe.

That being said the key portions of scripture that we Christians build our faith on are,

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 

    Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8 and...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6.

These may be controversial in some circles but they are what we believe. It is therefor up to anyone who reads these scriptures to decide for themselves whether to believe in them or not.

Do you believe what is said here?

Please think about it.

The LORD and your Neighbour

 The LORD and your Neighbour

Jesus who when asked,

 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 

Jesus replied: " ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  

This is the first and greatest commandment.  

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40

Do you have the same kind of love Jesus is talking about in this portion of scripture? Do you love God and your neighbour?

It is only through loving and showing that love to those around us that we will win souls for Christ. God set that example by sending Jesus to die for our sins.

Jesus speaking of himself said,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16,17. 

The apostle John wrote,

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  1 John 3:16-18.

Please think about it.

Even those who persecute you

 Even those who persecute you

Jesus said,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45.

This can be hard, especially from a Christian stand point where true love as defined by the apostle Paul is,

"Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, 

always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: 

faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love."  

                                                           1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

Are you loving those around you, even those who persecute you?

Please think about it.

Not everyone will enter the kingdom

 Not everyone will enter the kingdom

Jesus said,

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'  

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' "Matthew 7:21-23.

The Church has been around a long time and like with any institution or group that has been around for millennia false teachers have entered the Church.

Unfortunately especially it seems when it comes to those who espouse to be in the evangelical church there is no policing. Preachers in North America in particular can say what they want to say. Which is a good thing in one respect. It's called freedom of speech. With such freedom  however comes a responsibility to teach the truth. And puts the onus on believers to police themselves.

The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy said,

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."  2Timothy 4:3,4.

For those calling themselves Christian but are not presenting sound doctrine. The apostle Paul tells the church,

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.

That’s not to say we throw everyone out of the church that we disagree with. From time to time we will have disagreements among ourselves.

That being said however. We need to be vigilant and expel those who are not teaching sound doctrine.

A Way out

 A way out

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Some time ago I came across a book written by John B. Harrington published in 1958. Entitled “Essentials in Christian Faith it could have been written yesterday.

It opens with this quote from Paul Gallico in Esquire Magazine in 1948. It states,

"A writer in a popular magazine has written the following words; 'We are all, if you will pardon the expression, Headed for Hell in a handbarrow. If, ever the people of the world stood in need of a spiritual revival, it is now. We are beginning to poison the face of the earth with our miserable presence. The brakes are off. The cart of the world is sliding down the way greased with hatred, ambition, lies, self-seeking and avarice toward the pit.’"

Harrington notes that Gallico makes no pretense of being "a religious man" noting that  “...for him it is precisely religion in its organized forms which has in part caused the situation he deplores. He is careful to state that it is not "religion" for which he is looking. For in his opinion, religion throughout the history of our culture has advanced its control over human beings by the investment of bigotry and persecution. 

Yet, out of despair over the current human situation he says; ‘The voice for which my heavy spirit is yearning must reach us all... For if it is not heard, we are lost. Something beyond our material enrichment and lust for power and position, some rewards founded on good will, selflessness, and the innate dignity of the human spirit...honour, humility, decency courage."

Another Paul writing to a member of the first century church wrote the following,

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" 2 Timothy 3:1-4

If Paul Gallico is right and I believe he is, mankind is considerably nearer the bottom of that slope than it was in 1948. Moreover at the bottom of that slope is a very deep lake filled with brimstone.

   But there is away out of that lake. Jesus said,

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.

Are you willing to cast your burdens upon Jesus?

Please think about it.

A Christian pledge

  A Christian pledge 

"So in everything, do to others what you would have others do to you

for this sums up the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12.

I’ve listened with interest and disgust over the last little while at the debates in political circles. Circles in which Christians or at least people calling themselves Christians are being drawing into. Sadly his is very visible in the United States. A country in which many identify as Christian. 

With that in mind I felt prompted to write this the Believers Pledge.

As a believer in Christ Jesus,

I pledge...

To Love.

I Pledge...

As far as it depends on me...

To live at peace with all people.

I Pledge...

Never, Never, Never! To attack anyone...

Physically, or verbally.

Even if I vehemently disagree with them in any way.

I Pledge...

Never to demean anyone.

No matter their race, their ethnicity, their religion, or their lifestyle.

I Pledge...

As far as humanly possible,

To uphold the dignity of all whom I come in contact with.

I Pledge...

To obey the words of Christ Jesus who said,

“So in everything, do to others what you would have others do to you

for this sums up the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12.

   Please think about it.