You and God

You & God

In the book of Proverbs we read,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make your paths straight. 

                                                   Proverbs 3:5,6.

Faith in God, for some, perhaps even for most people, is something that is difficult to have. Especially in something unseen. Yet God requires his followers to have faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,

“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

Martin Luther King Jr. the American civil rights leader said,

Faith is taking the first step 

even when you don't see the whole staircase.

                                                        Martin Luther King, Jr.

God essentially asks each individual to take that first step even though they can’t see the whole stair case.
Have you taken that first step of faith with regards to believing in God?
The apostle Paul tells us,

“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.

Put simply we get to heaven by putting our faith in the Grace of God.
Writing to the Romans the apostle Paul states,
“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.
What Christianity asks the individual to believe by faith is expressed in what is called the Apostles Creed. While it was not written by an apostle of Jesus. It does express the core beliefs of Christianity. It reads,

I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth

I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.

I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary

I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; 

That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.

I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.

I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost

I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,

 I believe in the forgiveness of sin.

I believe in the resurrection of the body.

I believe in life everlasting.

Do you believe this?
Please think about it. 

Shepherd

 Shepherd

The Psalmist writes,

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters, 

he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” 

                                                                      Psalm 23.

Is the Lord your shepherd?
Do you trust God in the dark times of your life?
Do you honour God when your life is good?
Is it only when you are in trouble that you turn to God?
Do you praise God for the good times you have?
Psalm twenty-three is a psalm of trust in God.
In the ancient world the word Shepherd was quite often used to denote kingship. So what the Psalmist is saying here is the God is the sovereign of his life.  That he trusts God to be with him in the good times and the bad times.
That by trusting God he will dwell in Gods house forever.
So I ask the question, is God truly sovereign in your life?
Can you honestly say that you trust God no matter the circumstances?
Can you say that you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever?
Please think about it.

A Parental Imperative

A Parents Imperative
The writer of Proverbs tells us,

“Train a child in the way he should go, 

and when he is old he will not turn from it.” 

                                                 Proverbs 22:6

As believers in Christ Jesus it is imperative that we teach our children not only about the arts, about literature, the sciences and such. We must also teach them about our faith and our values.
    As good as knowing all the world has to offer with respect to education, if there is no positive value system behind that, knowledge can and quite often will be use for evil.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” C. S. Lewis.
In Deuteronomy we read a portion of scripture that I believe Jews refer to as, Shema Israel. It reads,
“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk to them when you sit in hour house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up
     You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
Jesus in the gospel of Mark is quotes this when asked,
“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.’”  Mark 12: 28-30
Jesus goes on to say,
"The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31
As believers in Christ Jesus we need to teach our Children this, in word, and in deed. For in doing so we will put them on not only a good moral road in this world, but on the path that leads to eternal life with God in heaven.
Please think about it.

A Checklist for Love

A Checklist for Love,
Matthew’s gospel records this,
“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.
Jesus also 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,...” Matthew 5:43,44
For me the best definition of Love ever written about love was written by the apostle Paul. It is a checklist for true love. The apostle Paul 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.

Is this your definition of Love? If so do you put this definition of Love into practice in word and in deed?
Please think about it.

The Narrow or The Wide Gate

The Narrow or the Wide Gate
Jesus said,
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13,14.
There are many in the world today that say there are many ways to heaven. Believers in Christ Jesus do not believe this. We believe Jesus when he said,
"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
Even the apostle Paul admitted that what believers in Christ believed seemed to be foolishness. Paul wroting,
“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.
That being said all of the disciples of Christ including Paul and every other believer in Christ to modern day believe Jesus is the way to heaven.
Individuals must understand that God does not do things the way man does things.
I’m certain most individuals would say the best way to show God exists and show mankind the way to heaven is by God coming out of heaven in a miraculous way. For God to show Himself in all his might and power.
The apostle Paul however notes,
“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 1:20-25
God wants individuals to have faith in Him because God knows that people of faith are the truest followers. Followers who will literally go to the grave for what they believe in.
The writer of Hebrews states,

“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.

Ultimately it all comes down to you the individual and what you believe. You have the choice to believe there are many ways to heaven, or you can believe Jesus is “The Way” to heaven The choice is yours. However remember this the writer of Proverbs states,

“There is a way that seems right to a man 

but in the end it leads to death” 

                                         Proverbs 14:12.

Thus I would ask the question, How firm are you in your beliefs?
If you were to die today do you believe you would go to heaven?
Please think about it.

On a Donkey

On a Donkey
John’s Gospel records what happened to Jesus on what we call Palm Sunday. The Sunday prior to his resurrection.
“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.  
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!’” 
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” 
“Blessed is the King of Israel!”  
Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, 
“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.” John 12:12-16.
The entrance into Jerusalem by Jesus fulfilled the Prophecy of Zachariah9:9. However it would not be until after the resurrection of Jesus that his disciples would realize the significance of this entrance.
Very often today Christians fail to see the significance of Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem.
Look at what he is riding. Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, a beast of burden. Not the horse of a conquering king.
Jesus will one day return to earth as a conquering king but that has not happened yet. Thus we as believers in Christ Jesus must see the significance of Him riding a donkey.
Jesus did not enter Jerusalem to over throw the established political order or to conquer the nations of the earth by force.
Jesus entered Jerusalem with the express purposes of showing the Love of God the Father.  By taking the sins of mankind upon himself.  By suffering and dying on the cross.
Jesus when he entered Jerusalem that day he knew he would be fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah who wrote,

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, 

and by his wounds we are healed.” 

                                                Isaiah 53:5.

Napoleon the late emperor of France said of Jesus,
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”Napoleon Bonaparte.
I as a firm believer in Christ Jesus believe Christians should never attack people we disagree with either physically or verbally. Jesus never did.
As believers in Christ Jesus we should be showing the Love of God to our neighbour, our family and even our enemy. Only by doing this will we win the world for Christ.
Please think about it.

What you say

What you say
James the half brother of Jesus and leader of the early church in Jerusalem writes,
“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.  
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,  but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." James 3:1-10.
Here is a warning to anyone who would want to be or considers themselves to be teacher. That they will be judged more strictly.
James goes on to tell all believers in Christ to watch what they say. That out of their mouth can come praise to God and the cursing of men.
Over the years I’ve see way to many men and women claiming to be Christians condemning other faiths and lifestyles. Something Jesus never did.
I believe, believers in Christ Jesus have been given a sacred duty to proclaim the Love of God to all who will listen. To proclaim God’s saving grace to all mankind.
People however will not listen to you if you are speaking out against their faith or their lifestyle.
Jesus set for us an example. Jesus is recorded as sitting down with what the pharisees called “sinners and tax collectors” (Mark 2:16,17). People the pharisees rejected.
Sadly today there are many claiming to be Christians who by not “taming their tongue” are turning people away from Jesus. Potentially sentencing them to a Christless eternity.
While you might disagree with another persons faith or lifestyle we as Christians have no right to judge them. Billy Graham the great American evangelist said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge 

and 

my job to love, 

                     Billy Graham

As believers in Christ Jesus we need to watch what we say and reach out with the Love of God to all who will listen to us.
Please think about it.

Of Faith, Deeds and The Christian

Of Faith, Deeds & the Christian
James the half brother of Jesus and leader of the early church in Jerusalem wrote,
“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.
I’ve seen people look at this portion of scripture and say it’s salvation through works. Contradicting what the apostle Paul says when he states,
“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.
This is not so. We are saved by faith. However our faith in Christ Jesus, our faith in God should spur us on to doing good works.
As believers in Christ Jesus the Spirit of God’s Love should show in our lives. The apostle Paul telling 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.
Note kindness and love is very much a part of the Holy Spirits work in the life of a believer in Christ Jesus.
Jesus said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:34-40.
As believers in Christ Jesus perhaps one of the best ways to show God’s love to people is through good works. I like what the American Evangelist Tony Campolo said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo
  Question: Do you do what you can to help those in need?
Do you present the Love of God in word and in deed?
Please think about it.

Christian?

Christian?
Jesus said,
“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 7:22,23.
Not everyone who says they are Christian is a follower of Christ Jesus. Just because someone goes to church does not make them a true follower of Christ. Just because someone is a minister or speaks from the pulpit be it in a church or in the media does not make them a true follower of Christ.
As I quoted Jesus saying,
“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 7:22,23.
Living in North America I see many people in the media and in church, who call themselves Christians but are not. A quick look at what they teach shows they are not true followers. A quick look at their lives shows they are far from Christ.
They may claim they are prophesying, driving out demons and performing miracles but are they really?
It’s hard to tell if such things are truly happening especially through the lense of the media. The media be it the internet, television or radio can hid the truth.
I always say while the media is a good way to proclaim the message of Christ Jesus one should always be careful. There are a lot of false teachers out there.
I believe it is imperative that first of all, all believers in Christ pray and read the Bible for themselves. To ask God for guidance and show them the truth.
I believe also it is equally imperative that all believers in Christ Jesus should be a part of a church congregation near where they live. This way you get to know who the pastor and teachers within the congregation are. You see their lives and see if they are truly following the teachings of Christ Jesus in word as well as in deed.
Please think about it.

For the time will come

For the time will come
The apostle Peter states,
“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.
Sadly as in the day’s of the disciples there are many today who proclaim to be followers of Christ Jesus who misrepresent him.
That’s why we must study the Bible for ourselves and even question those who teach us as to why they believe what they believe. That is especially true if we believe what they say is contrary or seems to be contrary to what the Bible says.
The purpose in the writing of the New Testament is to steer true believers away from false teachers. The purpose of the scriptures is,
1/ to proclaim God’s saving grace that comes through Christ Jesus.
2/ to teach new converts how to live their life for Christ Jesus.
3/ to rebuke and correct wrong teaching.
God knew there would be false teachers arising, that I believe is one of the many reasons He inspired the writing of the Bible.
In writing to Timothy the apostle Paul writes,
“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.
As believers in Christ Jesus we need to pray and ask God to show us His truths. To study the Bible for ourselves and with others. To find a good church congregation that believes the Bible is the inspired word of God and presents it correctly.
We need to always remember that when there is a difference of opinion between the teachings in the Bible and the teachings of men, the Bible is the ultimate authority.
Please think about it.

You, Jesus & God

You, Jesus & God
The Apostle Paul wrote,
“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.
If you think about it we who believe in Christ Jesus are asking the world at first glance to believe in foolishness.
The apostle John wrote,
“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.... 
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  
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. 
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 1:1-3,11-14
We Christians believe Jesus is God incarnate. God in the flesh. That He came to earth to show mankind the way to heaven.
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.

Christians believe that no one can live a life good enough to stand before a Holy God. That we sin. Sin is failing to do what God wants us to do consciously or otherwise. The apostle Paul tells us,

“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.

The apostle John noting,

“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.” 

                                                              1 John 1:9,10.

The apostle Paul tells us,
It is by faith we get to heaven, by the grace of God. We cannot work our way to heaven.,

“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

Faith defined by the writer of Hebrews as,

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.” 

                            Hebrews 11:1

The same writer noting

“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

C. S. Lewis said of Christianity,

"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 becomes, How important is Jesus to you?
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind?
Please think about it.

All we Have

All we have
The Prophet Isaiah wrote,

“A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” 

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

because the breath of the LORD blows on them. 

Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of our God stands forever.” 

                                                         Isaiah 40:6-8.

Someone said to me today “All we have is today.” He was not quite right the truth is, all we have is this moment. The moment we live in. This life can end in a heartbeat.
When it ends all we have in this world is meaningless. The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote,
“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.
No matter how rewarding our labours are in this world it is ultimately meaningless without God. Without an eternity to look forward to.
There’s an old saying that states,

“We have only one life. 

It will soon be past. 

Only what is done for God will last.”

                                   Author unknown.

Thus my question to you the reader is. Do you even believe in God, in Christ Jesus?
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.
Please think about it.

Is your faith real?

Is your faith real?
Matthew’s gospel records this incident between Jesus and a rich man,
“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. 
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:16-26.
Let me make something clear here. Having wealth is not wrong. The apostle Paul wrote,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
Notice Paul states it is “the the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”. Money in itself is neither good or bad it can be used for both purposes.
Jesus in the above incident is not telling the rich young man his money is evil. He is asking the young man what is his faith truly in, God, or his wealth. As it turned out it was his wealth because he was unwilling to give it up and put all his trust in God.
Jesus tells us,
“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.
Our faith needs to be entirely in God. Not our wealth. The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“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.

The writer defines faith as,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and 

certain of what we do not see.”  

                                          Hebrews 11:1.

That rich man believed there is a God. He’d obeyed the law of Moses.  However he did not have the faith in God to provide for all his needs.
Question one: Do you truly have faith in God to provide for all your needs?
Question two: If God were to ask you to give up all your wealth and ask you to totally depend on Him, could you do it?
Please think about it.

To Account

To Account
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.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
Jesus told this parable,
“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.
These two passages of scripture one from the Old Testament and one from the new, are warnings to all people be they rich or poor. What is being said here is we will be held accountable for our actions. That I believe is doubly so if we claim to be followers of Christ Jesus.
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“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.
If we claim to be true believers in Christ Jesus then we are called to do all we can to help our fellow man.
I think even if you do not believe in Jesus, to help those in need is at the very least is the humane thing to do.
Thus my question for you the reader is, Do you do what you can to help your fellow man? I say this because 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.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
Please think about it.

The Greatest Commandment

The greatest commandment
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 Jesus saying that Matthew records 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 5:43,44.
Martin Luther King jr. said,
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
                                                                              Martin Luther King, Jr.
Do you love?
The apostle Paul defined love as,

“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.

As I write this I see in the media wars, ethnic cleansing, terrorism and demonstrations against a myriad of things by both nations and individuals all around the world. So much so it would be easy to say love is lost in the turmoil.
  That being said in that same media I see humanitarian groups of all types showing love in very practical ways such as food and medical aid among other things.
As believers in Christ Jesus this is what we must do. We must show our love toward others in whatever way we can.
We must as Jesus said,
“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.
Are you?
Please think about it.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness.
Jesus when teaching his disciples how to pray in what we call the Lords prayer said,
“Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.” Matthew 6:12.
Do you forgive?
Martin Luther King Jr. said,
“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, in a sermon on December 22, 1940 just a little over a year into the second world war said,
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate.
Love is always a refuge.  Hate is never a refuge.  Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates.  But love is the enduring sanctuary of life.  Life may rob you of many things.  It often does.  But it can never bereave us of love itself.  That remains.” Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver.
Love is a universal thing everyone of every one of every faith, even atheist understand. It is a universal truth that can and does bring people together.
But in order to truly love someone we must be willing to forgive any wrongs they may have done. That is especially true if you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus.    Matthew’s gospel records this conversation between the apostle Peter and Jesus.
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew18:21,22
Jesus here was speaking figuratively. He meant we are to forgive people without keeping track of many times we’ve done it. The apostle Paul reminding us in 1Corinthians 13:4 Love “...keeps no record of wrongs.”
C. S. Lewis points out,
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” C.S. Lewis
Mahatma Gandhi had a valid point when he said,

“The weak can never forgive.

 Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

                                                     Mahatma Gandhi.

The way I see it as a believer in Christ Jesus. A believer in Almighty God I and indeed all Christians must forgive and show love to all we come in contact with. We must heed the words of the apostle John who wrote,
“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.  
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11.
Please think about it.

Why Not?

Why not?
The Psalmist writes,

“Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;

 it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 

Praise the LORD with the harp; 

make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 

Sing to him a new song; 

play skillfully, and shout for joy.” 

                                           Psalm 33:1-3.

In our very busy world even believers in God I think quite often forget to take time to praise God. We pray and ask God for various things. We thank God for what he has done for us but we forget to take time to specifically praise Him.
So here is a simple suggestion for this moment. Why not spend the next few minutes and lift your voice in praise of God.
Please think about it.  

A Time is Coming

A Time is Coming
The Psalmist writes,

“Be still, and know that I am God; 

I will be exalted among the nations, 

I will be exalted in the earth.” 

                                            Psalm 46:10.

Here the Psalmist tells us that ultimately God will be exalted among the nations. That God will be exalted throughout the earth.
There are many in the world today both individuals, and governments, who refuse to accept the fact that God exists. Ultimately this means nothing. As C. S. Lewis states,
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
There are many in the world today who would say why hasn’t God shown Himself to mankind. The answer is simple. He has. The Psalmist tells us,

“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.

That being said God wants us to have faith in Him. The writer of Hebrews states,

“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.

Faith in someone or something unseen, as I have written in previous blog posts can be very difficult for some people. Yet God knows people who have faith in anything are the strongest followers.
Having said that everyone in the world will one day see God face to face. In the meantime He is simply giving each individual the opportunity to believe in Him.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,
“The Bible says today is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation... But there will come a time when it will be too late for you." Billy Graham
  The apostle Peter wrote,
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” 2 Peter 3:9,10.
Question: Do you believe in God?
The choice to believe in God or not is yours. No one can, or should, impose their beliefs on you. You have a freewill to choose what you wish to believe.
All I would ask is that you at least take time to read the New Testament and decide for yourself if God is real.
Please think about it.

Belief

Belief
The Apostle Peter writes,
“First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  
They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”  
But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  
By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.  
By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”2 Peter 3:3-10
Peter here warns the church that in the last days scoffers will arise ridiculing what believers in Christ Jesus believe. They will mockingly ask where is Christ. Why hasn’t he returned. Such things are happening today.
Peter however points out that it’s not that Jesus will not return or that God does not exist. It is because God is patient. He wants to give everyone a chance to receive the saving grace that comes through Jesus Christ.
The key to accepting the grace of God is that you must first be looking and acknowledge that God exists. That takes faith.
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.

For some people having faith in something they cannot see, especially when it come to God is a very difficult thing.
It is easy to believe in something you can see feel or smell. It is much harder to believe in something you cannot see.
Still God does show us He is around. 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.

Even science is starting to show us that the Universe was indeed created.
Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics stated,
“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.”
The late Stephen Hawking one of the greatest minds of our generation 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.
Sadly however no matter how much proof is given to some people they still will not believe in God. That however is their choice. A choice given to them by God.
It is a choice you the reader must make. For there will come a time when Christ will return.
If the apostle Peter is right and I believe he is “...the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” 2 Peter 3:10
The question thus becomes if Christ were to return today where would you be?
Please think about it.

The Debate

The Debate
In the book of Acts we see a debate within the early church as to what a believer must do upon being saved.
At this time Christianity was part of Judaism and some of the Pharisees who had become believers in Christ Jesus said that Gentile (non-Jews) who believed in Jesus had to be circumcised. In order to settle the debate the apostles and leaders of the early church convened a council to address this issue.
The book of Acts states,
“Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” 
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 15:5-11.
Thus after the discussion the book of Acts tells us the elders sent a message to the churches that read,
“...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 15:23-29.
Notice the council at Jerusalem made things very easy for the new convert. Peter makes it clear that,
“...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 church in Ephesus 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.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans states,
“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
Salvation is an act of faith. It is believing by faith that Jesus is indeed is the Son of God, The Saviour of mankind, The Messiah.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.

Sound Doctrine

Sound Doctrine
The apostle Paul writes,
“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.
This is a warning not just for Paul’s day but for every generation of believers. Sadly too many people in the Christian community only listen to what they want to hear. This does not necessarily lead to the truth.
St. Augustine said,
“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” St Augustine.
From time to time I believe we need what we believe questioned. We should not live in a bubble. We should do as Paul writing to Timothy 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.
At the same time we need to discuss our beliefs with others. Even question what we believe.
It was by questioning their own beliefs, by questioning what they had been taught, that Martin Luther and John Calvin realized that some of what they believed was not scriptural. This triggered what we know today as the Reform or Protestant movement.
Those who believe in Christ Jesus. Those who are truly rooted in the truth of Christ’s teachings need not fear their faith being questioned.
Quite the contrary if what we believe is true, questioning what we believe will only make us stronger in our faith.
So the question I would ask you, if you espouse to be a believer in Christ Jesus do you from time to time question what you are being taught? Or, Do you simply blindly trust those who are teaching you?
Please think about it.

In Full View

In full View
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.

As I look around the world. I find there is a great deal of injustice in this world. I suppose it’s always been the same. The difference now is that in our multimedia world injustice is seen more easily.
Sadly in this world those who are unjust. Those who take advantage of other people or are deliberately evil quite often escape the judgement in this world. That being said anyone who is guilty of wrong doing will eventually stand trial 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.
James the half brother of 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.
These are warnings anyone in power or has any kind of responsibility over others need to take seriously be they in government or in private industry. God will one day judge them fairly. Thus it comes down to how will God judge you?
If you are in government, if you are a politician, or in a place of power in private industry are you treating those under you fairly?
Jesus said,
“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.
Are you doing this?
Would you want to be treated in the same way you are treating others?
Please think about it.

Your Fruits

Your Fruits.
The apostle Paul writes,
“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.
Over the years I have heard a lot of criticism of Christians. The criticism ranges from Christians are judgmental to Christians are bigoted and much more.
Speaking as a Christian a believer in Christ Jesus I can see how such criticism can be seen as justified. It seems especially here in the United States and Canada that Christians are known for what they are against.
Christians are seen by many as trying to impose their beliefs on those around them.
Many Christians sadly labour under the delusion that the United States and Canada are Christian nations. Thus their govenments must uphold Christian beliefs.
The United States and Canada are not Christian nations by any stretch of the imagination. They are no more Christian than the Roman empire in the time of Christ was.
      They are very much secular nations, with governments that do what they believe is in the best interest of everyone. Christians need to understand this.
Think of this Jesus and his disciples and indeed the first century believers in Christ Jesus never voted, spoke out against any law the Roman government enacted, and they never demonstrated against anything. Yet within a century the Gospel of Jesus Christ had spread throughout the Roman Empire.
The late American evangelist Billy Graham speaking about Christ’s followers said,
“The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.” Billy Graham.
The Book of Acts speaking of those early believers tells us,
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  
All the believers were together and had everything in common.  
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47
Those early believers showed the fruits of the spirit. The apostle Paul stating,
“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.
Today in the twenty-first century we as a body of believers in Christ Jesus need to be exhibiting these fruits. We need to be known as individuals who exhibit Love, Joy Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. For in doing so we will reach more people for our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus than any demonstration could ever do.
Please think about it.