Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus?
The apostle John writes,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” 
John 1:1-4,14
Who is Jesus to you?
In the above scripture the apostle John states that “The Word” (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. That all things were made by him. And that “The Word” became flesh.
Thus according to the apostle John, Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh.
The writer of Hebrews states,
"The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3 
This backs up what John stated.
John’s gospel also records this incident where the Jews gathered around Jesus and asked him who he was. John records,
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”  John 10:24-33
For the Jews in the day of Jesus making ones self equal to God was blasphemy. Thus the question becomes if Jesus was not telling the truth. Why would he say such a thing? He knew the potential consequences of saying such a thing.
C. S. Lewis the great Christian commentator said,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Thus the question you the reader must ask yourself is, Who is Jesus?
Please think about it.

Your Choice

Your Choice
Luke’s Gospel records,
“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.  
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” 
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:32-43.
Today is Good Friday 2018. The day Christians the world over recognize as the day Jesus was crucified.
As we look at the crucifixion of Jesus we see all of mankind represented.
We see the Jewish leadership who refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah. Who seen him as a threat to their political authority and wanted him out of the way.
We see political secular authority in the form of the Roman governor. Who actually found no guilt in Jesus deserving of death. Yet out of political expediency had him flogged and put to death.
Both of these groups could have prevented Jesus from dying but didn’t.
We see the gentile (non-Jewish) world represented by the Roman soldiers who it could have cared less about who Jesus and cast lots for his clothing.
We seen the average person standing around watching the events unfold. Their rulers sneering demanding proof he was the Messiah saying,
“He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
God was also there that day. He was showing mankind how far he would go in human terms to point us to heaven. He showed vividly in the crucifixion the choice we all must make. Luke records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
The one criminal demanded proof Jesus was the Messiah by saving them. That man thought only in terms of this world. Getting off the cross and going free.
The other however recognized Jesus was who he said he was, The Messiah. The Saviour of mankind. That he did in fact have the power to save him.
This man admitted he was a sinner and asked only that Jesus remember him when he came into his kingdom.
This man did what we all must do, believe that Jesus is the Saviour of mankind. The suffering Messiah who takes away the sins of the world.
That man confessed his sins to Jesus and thus entered into Paradise (Heaven) with Jesus.
To the natural man this seems like total foolishness but then the apostle Paul admits this he said,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
That being said the choice is up to you the reader. Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind or not?
Please think about it.

The Clowns Sermon

The Clown’s Sermon
The pastor with a sigh arose and took the pulpit to addressed the assembled congregation.
“Today.” he said “today we have something special just for you.”
As he spoke the words soft and true.
A clown moved to take the stage.

He stumbled, tumbled, fumbled and bumbled.

Sallied and quipped and cracked a pun.

They snickered and giggled and laughed out loud.

He was truly amusing the crowd...

Then he stopped!

His buffoonery over he took the stand. 

Standing strait and tall....

The clown, became serious before all...

“For a moment their you laughed and giggled and snickered at me.’

Said he, 

“You seemed to like my buffoonery.... 

After all I’m a jester, a buffoon,  

A joker, a comic, a wit, a wag.

A purveyor of nonsense and senseless stuff.

Which for me is not that tough.

But here’s a thought from and Apostle Paul,

Words to you all,

1Corinthians 1:20-31 says,

“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? 

Where is the philosopher of this age? 

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom

 did not know him, 

God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached 

to save those who believe.  

Jews demand miraculous signs 

and Greeks look for wisdom,

 but we preach Christ crucified: 

a stumbling block to Jews 

and foolishness to Gentiles, 

 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, 

Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom,

 and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

  Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.

 Not many of you were wise by human standards; 

not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; 

God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--

and the things that are not--

to nullify the things that are, 

so that no one may boast before him. 

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, 

who has become for us wisdom from God--

that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 

Therefore, as it is written: 

"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

The quote complete he looked about, and softly said,

“I’m a Jester, a Buffoon...

A Pierrot!

But I’m also a believer,

A follower of “The Way”.

A follower of Gods foolishness,

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom,

 and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength”

A preacher of Christ crucified, descended, resurrected... 

And ascended. 

“a stumbling block to Jews 

and foolishness to Gentiles,”

And if this clown may be so bold.

I offer to you what is from old.

Salvation that cannot be bought or sold.

For it is by grace we are saved Paul tells us.

Not of works.

It is God’s free gift to you...

To me.

So will you join this Jester this buffoon 

this clown...

And here at the alter...

Lay your burdens down.

Commit your life to the one who wears the victors crown.

And give praise to God on high.

Give praise to Adonai!

Please think about it.

Please excuse us.

Please excuse us
Please excuse we who believe in Christ Jesus when we get a little excited about what we believe and want to tell you about our beliefs. You see we believe we have a message from God. A most important message about the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said of this message,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” Matthew 13:44-46.
You see we who believe in Christ Jesus just want to tell you how we believe you get to heaven.
First of all be believe Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
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 Paul wrote,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
We believe you get to heaven by the grace of God. Through belief in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul tells us,
“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.
We believe the words of the apostle John who wrote,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13.
And yes an honest believer in Christ will tell you that believing these things can seem foolish but they are true. The apostle Paul writes,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
C. S Lewis points out,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis
It all comes down to what you personally believe. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                           Hebrews 11:1

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists

 and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

                                                                    Hebrews 11:6.

Please think about it.

God, Jesus, & Creation

 God, Jesus & Creation
“He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.” Job 26:7
Job got it right.
In the above photographs, one taken by Apollo 17 from the vantage point of the moon we can see that the Earth is indeed suspended over nothing.
The second picture backs this up. It was taken by the space probe Voyager billions of kilometres from earth, as it left the solar system.
The Voyager picture also shows how small and potentially insignificant earth looks to be in the vastness of the cosmos.
The late Carl Sagan who convinced N.A.S.A. to take this picture said,
“From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it's different. Consider again that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.” Carl Sagan.
Sagan is right if you think in strictly human terms that “mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam” is all we have. But it is not all we have. There is more.
There is a God who created it all.
Physicist Dr. Paul Davies who once promoted Atheism, after examining the evidence around creation said,
“[There] is for me powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all it seems as though somebody has fine-tuned nature’s numbers to make the Universe. The impression of design is overwhelming”Dr. Paul Davies.
Stephen Hawking by far one of the greatest minds ever to live, commenting on how the universe began said,
“It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us,” Stephen Hawking.
These men have looked into the heavens and come to the same conclusion as the Psalmist who wrote,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 

                                                                                      Psalm 19:1-3.

The Apostle Paul speaking the learned men in Athens said,
“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:22-32.
The book of Acts then goes on to note how those who had listened to Paul reacted. It noted,,
“When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others”Acts 17:22-34.
Thus my question to you the reader becomes if you were listening to the Apostle Paul that day which group would you be in?
Would you sneer at the thought of the resurrection? Would you want to hear more on the subject? Would you, do you believe what Paul said?
The choice is yours. Please think about it.

The Christian Life,

The Christian Life,
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans tells believers in plane language how they are to live. I place it hear without commentary for you to read for yourself. What I would ask is, is what Paul outlines here reflective of your life, Paul writes,
“‘Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.  
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  
Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  
Live in harmony with one another. 
Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. 
Do not be conceited. 
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. 
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."Romans 12:9-21.
So if you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus is this how you are living.
Please think about it.

What would you say?

What would you say?
The writer of Proverbs states,

“For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, 

and he examines all his paths.” 

                                              Proverbs 5:21

I am a firm believer that one day God will judge each individual.
       True Christians believe we are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, through the grace of God.
       Still God will judge each individual  Thus no matter who we are or our position in society we will have to give an account for our actions.
While we may get away with many things in this world we will not get away with them when we stand before God.
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“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.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
Jesus told this story,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19-31.
We will be held accountable for our actions with respect to our fellow man.
James the half brother of Jesus writing to believers in Christ Jesus wrote,
“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  
Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  
Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  
You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.” James 5:1-6.
Scripture shows us that God is interested in the individual and our interaction with others. Half of the ten commandments are about how God expects individuals to act toward there fellow man.
And like it or not we are to help others in any way we can. The book of Leviticus states,
“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.’ ” Leviticus 23:22.
James the half brother of Jesus writes,
“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.
While the Talmud is not a Christian book it tells of a scenario that I can imagine might just happen it states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual? 
“He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?” The Talmud.
God does not have to ask us any questions he knows all things. However I can see God in his wisdom giving the individual one last chance to make an honest statement as to how they themselves feel they dealt with their fellow man.
Question when you stand before God. If he does ask you the question,  “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?” What would you say.
Please think about it.

Controversial Statements

Controversial Statements,
As a believer in Christ Jesus there are several statements in the New Testament that I and other believers in Christ believe that can be seen as controversial. I lay them out here for you the reader to decide for yourself whether or not you agree with them.
1/ Jesus is God incarnate and the creator of the world.
The apostle John states,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14.
2/ Jesus is the exact representation of God who cleanses us from sin.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3 
3/ Jesus is the way to God the Father. The Way to heaven. The apostle John records this statement made by Jesus to his disciples
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:16.
4/ Jesus speaking of himself states,
“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.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. John 3:16-18.
C. S. Lewis made this statement,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis.
Thus the question I have for you the reader is Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, God in the flesh, the Saviour of mankind?
Please think about it.

Have you?

Have you?
The apostle Paul writes,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”Philippians 4:12,
I’m not sure who said it but someone once said,
“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. And, believe me, rich is better.”
Most would I think agree they would rather be rich, and there is nothing wrong with being rich. There are many rich believers in Christ Jesus who donate some of their wealth and time to serving the Lord.
The key for the believer in Christ Jesus is where is your true wealth. Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21. 
Matthew’s gospel records this incident between Jesus and a rich young man. Matthew records,
“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 
“Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’’” 
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Matthew 19:16-22.
The young man in this incident had put his faith in his earthly wealth, not in God.
The true test of our faith is not in the good times, but in the bad times. It is in times of trial that our faith in God is tested.
The apostle Paul underwent many tests. Everything from being shipwrecked to being stoned to being put into jail. As he said in the verse I quoted above,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”Philippians 4:12.
Paul goes on to say,
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13.
If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, can you say what Paul says? Have you learned to be content in every situation?
Please think about it.

Forgive

Forgive
The apostle Paul wrote,

“In your anger do not sin” : 

Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,” 

                                                               Ephesians 4:26.

In my previous blog I quoted James the half brother of Jesus as writing,
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ” James 1:19, 20.
That being said we all get angry from time to time. However when we get angry we need to turn to God right away and ask Him to calm us down.
We above all should heed the advice of the apostle Paul.

“In your anger do not sin” : 

Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,” 

                                                               Ephesians 4:26.

It is easy to sin when you get angry. Quite often someone who get angry is not thinking rationally. They throw caution to the wind and do things they regret later on. Thus the need for taking a time out and turning to God in prayer.
The apostle Pauls advice to “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” is especially relevant.
From a purely practical point of view going to bed angry may cause us to loose sleep. I’ve even heard doctors say being angry can cause health problems. Thus even more reason to turn to God and get rid of the anger.
My wife and I firmly believe in what the apostle Paul said.
From the days before we were married we have never let the sun go down on our anger. If we have a problem with each other we come together and talk it out. We do not go to bed angry. Ultimately we forgive any wrong that has been done to us. It’s not always easy but it works.
It’s the same when someone else upsets us. We go first to God in prayer asking for His wisdom in how to deal with the situation. Then if appropriate approach the person in love and try to discuss the problem with the person.
No matter what the situation is however we always forgive the individual.
I admit sometimes this approach does not always work. Some individuals simply don’t want to listen to you. Still if you can in all sincerity forgive the person you personally will feel much better and I believe will be in right standing before God.
Jesus in teaching his disciple to pray noted,
       “And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us....
     For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:12,14,15
Please think about it.

Slow to Speak

Slow to speak
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ” James 1:19, 20.
James here is speaking to believers in Christ Jesus. So I ask the question to believers in Christ Jesus. Do you get easily upset? Do you lash out in anger? If you are a true follower of Christ Jesus this should not be so.
The writer of Proverbs tells us,
“ A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1.
There is a lot of things in this world that can and do get us upset but we should never lash out in anger against anyone.
I was given some good advice many years ago. I was told when someone makes us angry we need to take the whole incident to the Lord in prayer right away. Even if it’s only a quick prayer. We need to ask the Lord to calm us down and bring us peace.
We need to heed the words of James when he said,
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
Whether you like it or not if you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus people do expect you to live your life differently.
As believers in Christ Jesus our lives should be founded on love. Love for God, Love for our neighbour and even love for our enemy.
  We need to nurture the fruits of the Spirit as expressed by the apostle Paul who wrote,
“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.
If we nurture these fruits our lives will be much better, and, ultimately these fruits will open doors to present the word of God to those around us.
Please think about it.

Render to Caesar

Render to Caesar
“Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.  
They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.  
Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?  Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius,  and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” 
“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 
When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.” Matthew 22:15-22.
Here the Pharisees and the Herodians were trying to trap Jesus into saying something against Rome. That would cause Jesus to be jailed or put to death. Instead Jesus turned it to his favour and gave Christians an example to live by.
They asked Jesus is it right to pay taxes to Caesar. For Jesus to say no would be against Roman law. To say no could have brought a charge of insurrection against Jesus.
To say yes would be to possibly loose favour with the people who followed him.
Instead Jesus turned things around on them. He noted the head on the coin. The head being Caesar’s and said, “Give (or render, give back to) Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”
This is how we as Christians must be today. We are not citizens of this world our home is in heaven. However we live in this world and must follow the laws of the land in which we live.
It is only when the law of the land requires us to break God’s laws that we must disobey the law of the land and follow God’s law.
That being said, as long as the nation and government in who’s jurisdiction we live in does not casus us to violate God’s law, we must obey the laws of that nation.
The apostle Peter states,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
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.
Please think about it.

Costly

Costly
Jesus told this parable,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46.
If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus how precious is your faith to you? How precious is God’s Grace to you?
The other day a friend on Facebook noted she’d been at a sporting event when a friend of hers seeing her son do something wrong said, “O my G___”. This person was suppose to be a believer in Christ Jesus yet she was taking the Lord’s name in vain. It shocked my friend.
Sadly many of who go to church and claim to be believers in Christ Jesus do take the name of the Lord in vain.
Christianity has in many circles become a culture in which God and Jesus are simply a part.
Many come to church to socialize. They come because in their social circles going to church is the thing to do. Such people know the right things to say in church. They know how they are expected to act. Sadly however many do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Still others while they have a personal relationship with Jesus, they fail to see the true cost of their salvation. The true cost of the grace that brought them salvation.
Dietrich Bonhoefer a German Cleric wrote,
“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. 
It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. 
It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.    Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price', and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. 
Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. 
Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship.
Please think about it.

Watch Out

Watch out
Jesus said,
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 1:15.
Never has such a warning been necessary as in this century.
We live in a multimedia world. Where anyone with a smart phone can post there views on anything. This is especially true it seems when it comes to speaking about God. There are many people claiming to be Christians that are not.
They may seem to be. They may string a few scriptures together that makes them sound good but a closer look will see that they are not teaching the truth about Jesus.
The apostle Paul warned,
“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.”  2 Timothy 4:3,4
The apostle Peter warned,
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. 
Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” 2 Peter 2:1-3.
  Such teachers were around in the time of the apostles and are very much around today.
Now I know within the Christian world there are differences of opinion on minor things.
However in order to be a follower of Christ Jesus we must agree on the basics.
The apostle creed while not written by an apostle of Christ is the baseline as to what I believe you need to believe in order to be a follower of Christ Jesus. It reads,
1.I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth
2. I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.
3. I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary
4. I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.
5. I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.
6. I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
7. I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost
9. I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,
10. I believe in the forgiveness of sin.
11. I believe in the resurrection of the body.
12. I believe in life everlasting.
What do you believe?
Please think about it.

Well Meaning but Irrelevant

Well meaning but Irrelevant
The apostle Paul writes,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:9-13.
I’ve been a follower of Jesus Christ since I was nineteen. I’m now sixty-four. Over the years I’ve heard many well meaning believers say many things.
For instance when a person made a confession of faith. They were immediately told they were expected to do certain things. Things quiet often that mattered little to their salvation. The classic being men had to wear a suit to church. Women were expected to wear dresses or skirts to church. Pants were not considered acceptable for a woman to wear.
In some churches they had to follow a set of rituals. There were even written prayers they were expected to recite.
None of which made sense when it came to the individuals relationship with Jesus.
I’m fairly sure Jesus and the early church didn’t have a dress code for those who attended their meetings. I’m fairly sure they didn’t have much ritual to follow.
In fact there was a debate in the early church about whether or not gentiles (non-Jews) who came to know Christ should be circumcised or not. The book of acts records,
“The apostles and elders met to consider this question.  
After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.  
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.  
He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.  
Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?  
No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 15:6-11.
While the church today does not, for the most part debate circumcision and other laws set out in the Old Testament. Laws that mean little to our salvation It still does debate other irrelevant things.
Peter pointed out,
“...We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 15:11
The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
When the debate ended the council of Jerusalem put few rules on how a believer in Christ should act. It sent a letter to the churches that said,
“The apostles and elders, your brothers, 
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: 
“Greetings. 
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.  
So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—  men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.  
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:  
You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.” Farewell. Acts 15:23b-29.
When it comes to a persons salvation no one can tell for certain if another person is truly saved. An individual’s salvation is between them and God.
What we as a body of believers can do however is provide a good and safe place for a believer in Christ to grow in.
Question: Does your church congregation provide a good place for a believer to grow in.
OR,
Does your congregation place on individuals a lot of well meaning but irrelevant rules on how believers are to act and even dress in church? 
Please think about it.

God and Creation

God and Creation
The Bible written to believers in God makes a simple statement,

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” 

                                                                         Genesis 1:1

There are debates in Christian circles as to whether God created the universe and everything in it in six twenty-four hour days, or over the space of millions of years.
For me personally it matters little to my faith as to how God created the universe. He’s God and he could have done it either way.
That being said I would like to quote what some scientist are saying about creation. I got these quotes from a video by Dr. Huge Ross an Astronomer and Astrophysicist who is also a creationist.
In his video “Journey Toward Creation” he states for life to evolve as we know it, more than 200 characteristics must be present. He notes,
“The probability of all these known parameters randomly coming together would be one chance in 10 to the 215th power a probability so incredibly tiny that statistically speaking is impossible. This probability is becoming more remote with every scientific discovery.” 
Since the video came out The number of characteristics believed to be necessary for life is now considered to be in excess of 800. As more have since been discovered since the video’s release.
In his video Ross goes on to quote several prominent scientist,
Physicist Dr. Paul Davies Professor of Natural Philosophy in the Australian Centre of Astrobiology at Macquarie University who formally promoted Atheism said,
“The Laws of Physics seem themselves to be the product of exceedingly ingenious design.[There] is for me powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all it seems as though somebody has fine-tuned nature’s numbers to make the Universe... The impression of design is overwhelming” Dr Paul Davies
Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics said,
“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 
Stephen Hawking is quoted as,
“It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us,” Stephen Hawking.
Those quoted above are very will educated men. Men who have studied and continue to study carefully how the universe was created.
They have looked into the heavens and concluded there is a God who created the universe. They have proven what the Psalmist said,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 

                                                                        Psalm 19:1-3.

Please think about it.

Judgement and Mercy

Judgement and Mercy
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.
Let me make a statement here first. When it comes to judgement it is acceptable to judge another person when it come to our personal safety. We should never blindly follow anyone. We need to use wisdom in all our dealings with people.
Where we are not allowed to judge people is with respect to where they will spend eternity. We do not know what goes on in the hearts and minds of another person. We do not know what makes a person do what they do. Thus we cannot judge them.
Tony Campolo the American Evangelist said,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.” Tony Campolo.
James the half brother of Jesus writing to believers in Christ said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
If we are truly followers of Christ Jesus we must show mercy and forgiveness to those around us and not judge them.
Rather than judging a person we must reach out in with the Love of God and show those around us the way to heaven.
Please think about it.

Meaningless

Meaningless
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
If all we have is this world as Atheist believe I think it would be such a waste. To my mind there has to be more. And the writer of Ecclesiastes also comes to that conclusion he states,
“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 
There are many people out there looking for meaning in life. Some look for it in drugs and alcohol. Others in material things, fine houses, cars and other possessions. Some follow various philosophies. Many no matter what they do find no fulfilment in life.
To them C. S. Lewis states,
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” C.S. Lewis.
Thomas Aquinas said

If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go,

 take Christ, 

because He Himself is the way.

                                     Thomas Aquinas

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.
As a believer in Christ I can say the words of Jesus are true. That’s not to say everything will be smooth sailing. Storms and troubles come up in everyone’s life.
Having Jesus in one’s life however makes even the worst storms and troubles easier.
When it comes to Jesus however, each person who is truly looking for meaning and peace within one’s life needs to pray. Then read the New Testament and decide for themselves who Jesus is.
Please think about it.

Judged by the Law

Judged by the Law
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus do you act as one “who (is) going to be judged by the law that gives freedom”.
Remember James here is writing specifically to believers in Christ. His call is to make sure believers are living the life Jesus would want them to live.
Jesus made several statements that all who believe in Him must do. Jesus 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 neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Prior to him saying that Matthew quotes Jesus as saying,
“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,...” Matthew 4:43,44.
In telling us to love God, our neighbours, and our enemies. Jesus is telling us to love all people unconditionally. Jesus summed this up in one sentence, saying,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
Put this way Matthew 7:12 means,

If you are

demonstrating against anyone. 

You are telling them 

they can demonstrate against you.

If you are 

speaking out and trying to restrict the rights of others 

given to them by the lawfully elected government.

You are telling others 

they can try to restrict your rights.

If you are 

imposing your morals however good they may be on others.

You are telling them 

they can impose their morals on you, 

even if they are not as good as yours.

If you are 

trying to impose your faith on others rather than presenting your faith.

You are telling others 

they can impose their faith on you.

If you are

judging others.

You are telling others 

they can judge you in the same way.

If you 

are telling the world you are a Christian

You should be telling the world 

I love you as Jesus loves you,...

unconditionally. 

To quote the warning of James to Christians once more,

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  

because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.

Please think about it.

Salt

Salt
Jesus speaking to believers said,
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 
It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matthew 5:13.
Here’s something to think about, about salt,
First of all while our body cannot produce it, we cannot survive without salt.
Salt does not break down.
It is a cleansing agent.
It is a preservative.
It can also be used to cleanse wounds.
It enhances flavour.
Jesus when he made the analogy comparing believers to salt he was probably noting that the world needs the word of God to ensure a just and safe society. It is a preservative of society.
Remove God’s laws and morals from society and society will ultimately sink into a dark abyss.
As for the message of Salvation believers in Christ are to present to the world it will never break down.
The message of salvation is a cleansing agent that cleanses individuals from their sins. Additionally it can and does heal emotional and spiritual wounds.
And it enhances society making it a better place to live.
That being said Jesus also issues a warning to those who would call themselves Christians. He states,
“But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”
In the day’s of Jesus salt was not as refined as it is today. It was mixed with  many impurities. Quiet often the salt would become useless because the salt would be washed away leaving only the impurities.
What Jesus is reminding those who believe in him is to stick to his teachings. Don’t let impure teachings slip into your life.
The apostle Paul states,
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.
In order to do this we need to be studying the scriptures. Reading them carefully so that we know what is right and wrong.
We need to live a life like Jesus lived.
We need to present the Love of God to all those around us in a positive non-judgmental way. We need to heed the words of the apostle Peter who said,
“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 2:12. 
Please if you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus think about it. 

What do you think?

What do you think?
The apostle Paul writes,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
For many in the world, what believers in Christ Jesus believe is foolishness. Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate and for many this seems like an improbable scenario. Yet the apostle John stated,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14
Christians believe Jesus came to earth to save each individual who would believe in Him from their sins and grant to them eternal life in heaven.
The apostle Paul writing,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
The apostle John quoting Jesus speaking of himself as 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.
The apostle Paul speaking in Athens expressed what all believers in Christ Jesus believe when he said,
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:24-31.
Thus the question is, What do you believe about Jesus.
Please think about it.