Let us love

 Let us love

The apostle Paul writes,

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John4: 7-10.

God loved us so much He sent his one and only son to take away all our sins. In the Gospel of John we read Jesus speaking of himself saying,

"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 .

C. S. Lewis wrote,

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us."  C.S. Lewis.

The apostle Paul writing to the Romans wrote,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:23,24.

Sin is falling short of Gods ideals for our life. And we all sin. Thus we need to confess our sins to God. 

The apostle John writes,

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1John 1:9-10.

Especially if you claim to be a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus we need to confess our sins directly to God.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

The fool

 The fool

"The fool says in his heart, 

"There is no God." 

                                Psalm 14:1.

The way I see things is when a government or society turn its back on God or fails the recognise there is a God, society spirals down to the abys. We only have to look at Nazi Germany under Hitler. Tens of millions of innocent men women and children dead simply because they were considered less than human.

Abba Hillel Silver wrote,

"Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority." Abba Hillel Silver

Blaise Pascal wrote,

“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. Blaise Pascal.

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read a warning that we all should take to heart. He writes, 

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13,14. 

Where do you stand? Do you truly believe in God?

Please think about it.

The Psalmist says,

 The Psalmist says,

The Psalmist writes,

“Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; 

praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; 

praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

 praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, 

praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals,

 praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD.” 

                                        Psalm 150.

Psalm 150 tells us how we can praise God. Why not take a few minutes right now to praise God? Remember there is no good or bad time to praise God. All God asks is that we praise Him.

Please think about it.

Walking in Gods council

 Walking in Gods council

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm1:1-3.

Take a few minutes to examine your life. Does the scripture quoted above resemble your life?

Do you delight in the law of the LORD?

Do you meditate on Gods law day and night?

Please think about it.

Instructions for Christian living

  Instructions for Christian living

In the book of 1Thesalonians we read

“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, 

but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 

Be joyful always;  

pray continually;  

give thanks in all circumstances, 

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;  

do not treat prophecies with contempt.  

Test everything. Hold on to the good.  

Avoid every kind of evil.” 

                                                      1Thesalonians 5:15-22.

Here are simple instructions for living the Christian life. They are at times things we forget to do. Do you follow these instructions?

Please think about it.

I am convinced that nothing can separate us

  I am convinced that nothing can separate us

The apostle Paul wrote,

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:38,39.

As believers in God. As believers in Christ Jesus nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

Corrie ten Boom Wrote,

"There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still".

Take a look at Romans 8:38,39 again. Paul is clear writing, 

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:38,39.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus do you truly believe this?

Please think about it.

Seeking and finding God

 Seeking and finding God

In the book of Jeremiah we read,

“You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me with all your heart.”

                                                     Jeremiah 29:13.

An unknown author wrote,

“Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.” Author Unknown.

We have to be searching for God in order to find him. Most atheist I’ve met simply say I don’t believe in God and leave it at that. Still others don’t give God a second thought. Thinking this life is all there is.

The question I’m asking here is do you believe in God? If not why not?

The Psalmist writes,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 

                                                            Psalm 19:1.

Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics

"Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with a very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural') plan." Dr. Arno Penzias.

Proof of God’s existence is all around us.

Werner Heisenberg wrote,

“The first gulp from the glass of natural science will make you an atheist,

but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you" Werner Heisenberg father of Quantum Mechanics Nobel prize in physics.

The bottom line here is do you want to find God or not? 

As the scripture I quoted at the beginning says.

“You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me with all your heart.”

                                                     Jeremiah 29:13.

Are you truly seeking God?

Please think about it.

First in our life

 First in our life

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."  Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Jesus put it this way. 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 22:36-40.

This is what all Christians are called to do. God should be first in our life. 

Do you put God first in your life?

Please think about it.

Is your light Shining?

  Is your light shining?

In the Gospel of Matthew we read,

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16:

Is your light shining for Christ? Jesus said,

“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. 

Do you tell people about your faith in God and the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus?

Doing so is a part of Christian life. We are to take the good news of Christ to the world around us.

As Christians, and true followers of Christ Jesus we need to pray for the Lord to open doors for us witness to all we come in contact with.

That’s not to say we overpower them with scripture, or as one pastor told me. Never hit someone over the head with the Bible. It will only turn them off. We should always be respectful. Respecting the person even if they have different views from us.

We should never judge them especially when it comes to where they will spend eternity. The apostle Paul wrote,

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?" 1 Corinthians 5:12.

All we are called to do is present our beliefs in Christ Jesus and let them decide for themselves if what we are saying is true.

So if you are a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus are you letting your light shine to those around you?

Please think about it. 

Love the greatest of these

 Love the greatest of these

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

 bind them around your neck, 

write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favour and a good name

 in the sight of God and man."

                                                            Proverbs 3:3,4

In this verse of scripture we see a call from God to love. 

The late civil rights leader Martin Luther King jr. said,

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

                                                                                          Martin Luther King, Jr.

To be a Christians one must love. The apostle John writing,

"If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  

And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1John 4:20,21.

The apostle Paul gives us the definition of true Christian love when he writes,

"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.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. Are you truly loving God and those around you?

Please think about it.

Exalting God

  Exalting God

The Psalmist writes,

You are my God, and I will give you thanks; 

you are my God, and I will exalt you. 

Give thanks to the LORD, 

for he is good; his love endures forever. 

                                                              Psalm 118:28,29.

If you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. Do you take time each day to thank God? Do you exalt God on a daily basis. Do you lift God up in praise daily.

In the book of 1 Chronicles we read

"Give thanks to the LORD, 

call on his name; make known among the nations 

what he has done. 

Sing to him, sing praise to him; 

tell of all his wonderful acts. 

Glory in his holy name; 

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 

Look to the LORD and his strength; 

seek his face always. 

Remember the wonders he has done, 

his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,..." 

                                                                    1 Chronicles 16:8-12

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Commitment to God

  Commitment to God

In Marks gospel we read of Jesus speaking with teachers of the law. Mark records,

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.  

To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Mark 12:28-33.

If you claim to be a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. Do you truly love God with your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?

Is Jesus taking first place in your life?

Please think about it.