What god do you serve?

 What god do you serve?

“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15.

If you are a Christian which god are you following?

Our world whether we want to admit it or not is filled with gods. They may not be graven images but they are still gods. Here in the west materialism is by far the most widely worshipped god. 

Here in North America and indeed the western democracies we are inundated by materialism. The media daily, hourly, minute by minute spews out its message. You must have the latest greatest gadget. If you can’t afford it charge and pay for it later.

Materialism has also infiltrated the church. Here in North America where I live the media is filled with men and women claiming to be Christians who tell people that if they have enough faith God will make them rich. If they give to their ministry God will bless them ten fold, or even a hundred fold. A message that is nothing more than false hope.

Now there’s nothing wrong with having material wealth or having the latest gadget. The problem arrises when the wealth and gadgets take first place in our lives. When wealth and the material things it can buy take the place of God.

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.

Jesus said,

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money Matthew 16:24.

Thus my question to you; Which God are you serving?

Please think about it.

Love and Faithfulness

 Love and Faithfulness

The writer of proverbs states,

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

 bind them around your neck, 

write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favor and a good name

 in the sight of God and man.”

                                             Proverbs 3:3,4.

Here’s a simple question, is love and faithfulness the most important attribute in your life?

When people think of you do they remember you for your love and faithfulness?

Please think about it.

How would you vote?

 How would you vote?

    The Psalmist writes,

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16.

Every now and then I like to poke Christians and others with a pointy stick this is one of those days. Thus I present to you the story of Margaret Elizabeth.

“That morning, Margaret Elizabeth got up extra early, readying herself for the day.  She would get only one chance to make an impression.  To that end, she applied her makeup with extra care.  Chose the black ankle length wraparound skirt, white turtle neck top and black jacket, her children had given her as a gift, while in hospital.  She limited her jewelry to a simple pair of diamond studied earrings, that had been her grandmother’s and small bracelet given to her by her daughter-in-law.

Leaving that office, to walk to the pulpit was the hardest step, she ever had to make.  Her heart pounded and by the time, she stood behind the pulpit she was visibly shaking.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Margaret Elizabeth Williamson and just before Christmas, I underwent Sexual Reassignment Surgery.” she said relief surging through her body, as silence engulfed the assembly.  

I know that many of you, maybe uncomfortable with that.  That is why I have asked to speak to you, to give you my testimony and then allow you to ask questions.

I have felt like a woman trapped in a man’s body for my entire life.  I was married for over thirty years to a wonderful and accepting woman, who died several years prior to my coming to this assembly.  I have a wonderful family, all of whom support me and are here today.

Believe me, I did not choose this course of action lightly.  I did so after much personal anguish and a great deal of prayer.

For a little over two years prior to my complete transition, I have lived my life as a woman: I was doing so when I came to this church and I think I did it well enough that no one knew.  If so they did not commented.

I have no apologies to give for what I did, or who I am, because I do not believe I did anything wrong.

I accepted Jesus as my Saviour over thirty-five years ago, and asked Him to remove from me what at times, has been a difficult burden.  He has chosen not to and thus, I have accepted that I am what I am.  A child of God, who knew me according to the Psalms in my mother’s womb.

I have no intentions of preaching a sermon here today, only to ask you to accept me as I am.  In fact, the only reason I stand before you today, is because I was asked to come onto the staff of this church and wish to be completely honest with you.

Now, I will open the door to all questions and endeavor to answer them to the best of my ability.  Nothing is off limits. After the questions, pastor will ask for a vote and abide by your decision.”

There were many questions. Finally however, the question answered, the pastor came to the front.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now time to take a vote.”  He said.  “If you wish Margaret Elizabeth to become a part of our pastoral staff, please rise to your feet.”

Thus my question to you the reader. How would you vote?

Please think carefully and prayerfully about it.

The Eleven O clock Prayer

 The Eleven o clock prayer

     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.

This is one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith. Treating others the way you want to be treated. That being said I leave this story with you to think about. Its called the eleven o clock prayer.

“It's eleven o clock. Inside the court house a judge is about to make his ruling. A community, a nation, waits. 

Will the new law be legal? 

Outside the court house men and women with placards chant. 

On one side of the street stand a group of gay men and women. All in favour of the new law.

On the other side of the street separated by a line of police stand radical evangelicals, denouncing the new law.

One man among them screams angrily . "HOMOSEXUALS ARE GOING TO HELL!!!"

Approached by the media he says it again, "homosexuals are going to Hell." 

From my office window I watch asking myself the question, ‘is this man an Christian?"

Wasn't it Christ who told us not only to love our neighbour but our enemy also?

Wasn't it Christ who told us not to judge, lest we be judged likewise?

Wasn’t it Christ who said, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" 

Wasn't it Christ who said go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?

Is this man showing love?

Is this man judging another? 

Would this man appreciate being told he’s going to Hell?

Is he going to Hell? 

Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world for Christ, of which a percentage are homosexual?

Is this man even a Christian?

A question keeps rolling through my mind for which I know the answer, "Can we truly know what is in someone else's head?

Do we really know why a person is like they are?"

For a moment I stare down at the crowd. All the time asking myself who is on the way to Hell this day?

Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, "Lord guide me this day. Let me make the right decision, the wise decision, on this law. Let me do to others as I would have others do to me.”

Please think about it.

The work of Christians

 The work of Christian.

Matthews Gospel records,

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

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

The church has a duty to perform. That is presenting the gospel to all the world and to teach new converts all that Jesus taught them. 

If a church or individuals are not doing so they are dead. Thus the  call of Christ to such churches, is to waken up and serve Him to the fullest.

We must always remember that the job of evangelism will not end until Christ returns to earth. That we must continually work for Christ until His return. We must strive to reach people with the message of salvation. 

We must make disciples of people not only on the outside of the church, but those who are inside the church and not saved.

Please think about it.

Do you believe this?

  Do you believe this?

The apostle Peter writes,

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you” 1Peter 1:3-4.

This is what Christians believe. We have a living hope in heaven that can never perish, spoil, or fade.

This is what Christians, believers in Christ Jesus want to tell the world about. It is something everyone who puts their trust in Christ Jesus has. It is a gift from God.

The apostle Paul writes,

“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.

As Christians we believe you cannot live a life good enough to stand before God. God knowing this sent his one and Only Son, Jesus, to redeem us. To save us.

 This redemption is a gift. Like any gift the individual must accept it for it to mean anything. 

It’s like someone offering you the key to a house and telling you its yours all you have to do is accept the key. If you don’t accept the key the house is not yours.

John’s gospel records this conversation between Martha and Jesus. John states,

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25,26.

Martha believed, what Jesus said. Thus my question to you is do you believe what Jesus said?

Will you accept the saving Grace that comes from God through Jesus Christ?

Please think about it.

Social Christians

 Social Christians

The book of revelations speaks of the Church at Sardis. It states, 

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: 

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  

Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.  

Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.  

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.  

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelations 3:1-6. 

Here is a church that appears to be alive but is in fact dead. 

It is possible for a church to seem to be doing all the right things yet not be doing what God wants them to do.

There are many churches that hold great orchestrated praise and worship services. That follow a systematic study of the Bible. That have prayer meetings. Help the poor and much more.

    These churches on the outside look fine but all they are doing is following an empty scripted program. They are ministering to their congregation but not doing what God wants them to do.

That’s true for people to. An individual can seem like they have got it all together. They attend church both on Sunday and during the week. They go to prayer meetings even go to other Christian events. The trouble is they are simply doing it because they feel this is what a person should do. They are not doing what God wants them to do. They are as one person put it “social Christians”. 

I think these were the kind of Christians Jesus talked about when he 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

Please think about it.

Is this you?

  Is this you?

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

 and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                               Hebrews 11:1

Having faith in anyone or any thing is hard. Read again the definition of faith as given by the writer of Hebrews.

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” 

Many people say if they can’t see it, feel it, or hear it, it doesn’t exist. Yet scientist operate on faith all the time. Einstein believed in his theories even though many of them were not proven until after his death and many “experts” in his day disagreed with him.

It takes quite a lot of courage to believe in something you cannot see, feel, or hear. Perhaps that’s why the write of Hebrews said,

“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.

God realizes that people of faith are the most devout. They are people who will put their life on the line for what they believe.

If you claim to be a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus. Is this the kind of faith you have in God. A faith that you will stay with even if it costs you your life?

Please think about it. 

A sign

 A sign

Matthews gospel records,

“The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 

He replied,“When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’  

and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.  

A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.” Matthew 16:1-4.

Here the Pharisees and Sadducees normally enemies had got together against their perceived common enemy Jesus. 

They demanded a sign that he was the Messiah. They had no faith in him which is more than likely why Jesus refused to give them a sign.

He said the only sign they would have was the sign of Jonah. It was something Jesus had spoke of previously. Matthew recording, 

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40.

The religious leaders of his day were against him. I don’t think it would have mattered how many signs Jesus gave it would not have been enough.

The same is true today. 

There are many things that point to Jesus being who he said he was, Lord and God, both inside and outside the Bible. Yet no matter how many proofs are given many will not believe.

I have found over the years that true seekers. People who are truly seeking meaning to life will see the truth about Jesus and accept him as Lord and Saviour of their life.

Think about it

God Incarnate

  God incarnate.

The writer of Hebrews states,

“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.  Hebrews 1:1,2.

Here we have a key belief of Christians. Jesus is the Son of God. He is appointed as heir of all things, and through Him the universe was made. Jesus is God incarnate.

C. S. Lewis stated,

    "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 becomes; who do you think Jesus is?

Please think about it.

 Where is your treasure?

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.  Matthew 6:19,20

Jesus told this parable,

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 

"Then he said, ‘This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  

And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 

"But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 

"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:15-21.

Now there is nothing wrong with being rich and enjoying your wealth. The problem comes if your wealth and pleasure draws you away from God. 

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

Many years ago my pastors wife was fond of saying, 

“We have only one life. It will soon be past only what’s done for Christ will last.”

So where is your treasure.

Please think about it.

Rest

 Rest

The Psalmist writes,

“I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”Psalm 16:2.

As I look back on the six plus decades of my life, I can honestly say the best decision I have ever made in my life is to follow Jesus.

I have been through many triumphs, and sadly many tragedies, in my life and through it all God has been there for me. Had He not been there for me, my life may have been much shorter. And I know others who can say the same thing.

It all comes down to what I learned as a new Christian. The pastor I had at the time pointed me to the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew chapter six that reads,

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:33,34.

And to the word of Jesus in Matthew chapter eleven that reads,

“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.

I have found over the years that no matter how good or how bad the situation is, God is there for me. As He is for anyone who sincerely calls on Him.

Please think about it. 

Maybe

Maybe
The Psalmist writes,

“The LORD lives! 

Praise be to my Rock! 

Exalted be God my Saviour!” 

                                           Psalm 18:46.

C. S. Lewis said,
"Atheist express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist" C. S. Lewis.
This has always fascinated me. Atheist are among the most vocal critics of God. Atheist nations ban the worship of God. Yet they say God does not exist. It doesn’t make sense especially when it comes to Christianity.
Christianity at its heart is Love. Love for God, your neighbour and even your enemy. How can that hurt anyone?
From my perspective as a believer in God the fact Atheist nations and Atheist in general, at least at a subconscious level, believe that there just might be a God.
Perhaps as someone has said,
“Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.” Author Unknown.
Perhaps they just don’t want to admit what they believe is wrong.
Please think about it.

Accept or Reject

Accept or Reject
The Psalmist writes,

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 

Let Israel say: "His love endures forever." 

Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever." 

Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."

                                                                                                Psalm 118:1-4.

Gods love endures forever. His call to all humanity is,
“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.
Jesus tells us,
"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.
That being said God also gave each individual freedom to do as they wish. They can accept that God loves them or they can reject Gods love.
Thus the choice is yours. Will you accept the Love of God or reject it?
Please think about it. 

Mercy

Mercy
James the half brother of Jesus said,
"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement!" James 2:12,13.
Sadly many within the church, especially the evangelical church forget this portion of scripture. They instead judge showing little mercy to those around them especially toward those of different faiths and lifestyles.
Harper Lee in her book To Kill a Mockingbird said,
"Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of another...” Harper Lee.
She was right. Many people have been turned away from the church by those claiming to be followers of Christians.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus. A Christian. Are you or the church congregation you attend responsible for turning people away from Christ?
Would the congregation you attend look down on a gay couple holding hands as they enter church? Would they even be welcome?
Would you or members of your congregation be willing to sit down and talk about your faith with those of a different faith?
Would you and your congregation be willing to listen to those of a different faith tell you about their faith?
I strongly feel that in order to win people for Christ we must be willing to open a dialogue between ourselves and others.
No one irrespective of their beliefs or lifestyle should ever be turned away from our churches.
No one irrespective of their beliefs or lifestyle should ever be denied service by any Christian owned business?
The way I see it no one should ever be denied being shown the Love of God in Christ Jesus. And the only way a non-believer can be shown the love of Christ is if we interact with them as equals.
Failure by anyone calling themselves Christians to show the love of Christ to anyone is to question if they are truly Christians.
Please think about it.

No right to judge

No right to judge
The Psalmist writes,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16
What this portion of scripture tells me is that God knows you intimately. God knows you right down to the DNA level. He knows exactly why you are the way you are. That is why only He can judge you. That is why Jesus tells us,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”  Matthew 7:1
We as mere mortals cannot judge another person especially when it comes to where they will spend eternity, simply because we do not know why a person is as the way they are.
That being said Jesus warned.
“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.
The apostle Paul said,
"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
As Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus we have no right to judge those outside the church. Even when we judge those inside the church it should only be to tell whether or not they are presenting the gospel of Christ correctly.
Where an individual spends eternity is entirely up to God.
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
Do you?
Please think about it.

Became flesh

Became flesh
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.
Here the apostle John who knew Jesus personally refers to Jesus as “The Word”. He tells us that,
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
Which means John at least believes that Jesus is God the creator of the world. This was the belief of all of the apostles of Christ. It is the belief of all those who truly believe in Christ Jesus to this day.
Now either this is a fallacy or it is the truth. That however is up to you to decide. Was John and the other disciples mistaken? Or were they correct in their beliefs.
Please take some time to read the New Testament and make an educated decision for yourself.
Please think about it.

Saved

Saved
The apostle Paul wrote,
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” Titus 3:4,5
To the Ephesians 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.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us."  C.S. Lewis.
From a Christian stand point we cannot live lives good enough to get to heaven. That being said, God understood this and sent Jesus Christ to save us. 
The apostle Paul wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."  Romans 3:23,24.
Paul stating,
"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.
Thus my question to you the reader; do you believe this?
Please think about it.

Praise be to God

Praise be to God
The apostle Peter wrote,
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  1Peter 1:3-5.
This is something anyone who truly believes in Christ Jesus can be thankful for. God through Jesus Christ has given us a “new birth” “a living hope” an “inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade”
No matter what the world may do to us. As believers in Christ Jesus we have the assurance of life everlasting with God when our life on this earth is over.
Do you have this assurance?
Please think about it.

Believe it or not

Believe it or not
The apostle Paul said,
“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 17:30,31.
Here is a simple to the point statement the apostle Paul made to non-believing philosophers and other learned people in Athens. It is a statement that you either believe or you do not.
God will one day judge the world. The question is how will He judge you. 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.  
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.
Are you among those who believe in Christ Jesus or are you willing to take your chance that what the New Testament says about Jesus are not true?
Please think about it.

Are You?

Are You?
The apostle Peter writes,
“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" 1 Peter 2:9.
Here the apostle Peter makes it clear that we as believers in Christ Jesus are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, belonging to God. Who’s purpose is to declare the praises of God.
Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
This is the duty of everyone who believes in Jesus. To make disciples. It’s cut and dry. To teach those new disciples all the scriptures tell us about Jesus.
 There are no gray areas about what Christians are to do. We are to present the gospel of Christ to anyone who will listen to us.
If you consider yourself a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus are you truly declaring the praises of God to those around you?
Please think about it.

Types

Types
Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”Matthew 7:21-23.
In our world today especially here in North America there are two kinds of Christians, “true believers”.
True believers are those who love Gods word. Who do their best every day to follow Christ in word and in deed. Those who’s life is truly centred around living as Christ would have them live.
The other kind of Christians are “social Christians”. Social Christians are men and women who are Christians because it is the thing to do. They may have said the sinners prayer. They may go to church every Sunday and during the week. They may even be pastors, evangelist, and priest. But their life does not reflect that of Christ. They fail to show the love and mercy of God to those around them be they family, friends, or foe.
These are the men and women Christ is talking about in the scripture above. Thus the question becomes what kind of Christian are you?
Please think about i

Louder than words

Louder than words
The apostle John writes,
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.1 John 3:16-18.
Deeds speak louder than words. As believers in Christ Jesus people should know we are a believer by our good works. Our deeds should tell the world that we are different. That we are truly the servant of God in this world.
So my question to anyone who considers themselves a believer in Christ Jesus is; Can the people around you tell you are a Christians by your deeds?
Please think about it.

Pursue

Pursue
The Apostle Paul wrote,
“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” 2 Timothy 2:22.
I think these are words even non-Christians can understand. The pursuit of righteousness, faith, love, and peace are noble pursuits. If more people pursued them the world would be a better place.
That being said it I don’t think you can truly be a Christian and not pursue these things.
Please think about it.

You're a Mist

You're a mist

     James the half brother of Christ wrote,
"Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."  
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:13,14
The above picture was taken in 1990 by the space probe voyager I. At the time it was over four billion miles away from earth. The furthest any space craft today had gone.
It shows if you think about it the potential insignificance of mankind in the vastness of space. Carl Sagan wrote,
"Consider that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, every human being who ever was lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religious, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there- on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam....” From Carl Sagan,(1934-1996) Pale Blue Dot A Vision of the Human Future in Space.
Mr. Sagan couldn't be more right. Further more in light of eternity James is right when he said “...you are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes” Jams 4:14b
Thus from a purely human secularists prospective, from the prospective of an Atheist, if the only reason we have for living is to perpetuate the species before we pass on to oblivion, then life has no meaning.
If on the other hand God and heaven exists we have something to look forward to beyond the grave.
Peter John Kreeft said,
“Atheism treats people cheaply. Also, it robs death of meaning, and if death has no meaning, how can life ultimately have meaning? 
And in the end, when the atheist dies and encounters God instead of nothingness he had predicted he’ll recognize that atheism was a cheap answer because it refused the only thing that’s not cheap the God of infinite value” Peter John Kreeft ph.d 
Deciding whether God exists or not is entirely up the each individual. All I would ask anyone who does not believe in God is to read the New Testament for yourself with an open mind. And even if you don’t believe in prayer, pray and ask God to show you that He truly exists.
Please think about it.

I Believe

I Believe
The apostle Peter wrote,
“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" 1 Peter 2:9.
For me as a Christian I see this advice from the apostle Peter as one of the cornerstones of my faith. Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
It is the job of the Christian of believers in Christ Jesus to tell the world about Him and the saving grace that comes from belief in Christ Jesus.
We are not to force our beliefs or even our morals on others. We are to present the gospel message to anyone who will listen and let them make the decision about Jesus.
   The Apostles Creed while not written by one of Jesus’ apostles sums up what I and other believers in Christ Jesus believe. I present it here for you to consider.

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. 

Thus the question I would ask you is do you believe this?
Please think about it.

Not Blind

Not blind
The writer of Hebrews makes two simple statements,

"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.

I don’t think faith in anything is simple. I think that is why God asks us to have faith in Him even though we cannot see Him.
For many people having faith in something you cannot see is one of the hardest things in the world to do.
That being said God does not want us to have blind faith. God shows himself in many ways principally in the world around us. The psalmist writes,

"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

Greater minds than mine have pointed out that the world appears to be designed for life as we know it to exist.
  Stephen Hawking one of the greatest minds of our time wrote,
“The universe and the laws of physics seem to have been specifically designed for us” Stephen Hawking.
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
William Philips Nobel prize winner in Physics stated,
“I believe in God more because of science than in spite of it"William Philips.
Werner Heisenberg father of Quantum Mechanics and Nobel prize winner in Physics said,
“The first gulp from the glass of natural science will make you an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you” Werner Heisenberg.
The question however comes down to you the individual. Have you the faith to believe God exists?
Please think about it.

A sermon for the ages

A sermon for the Ages
The book of acts records a sermon of the apostle Paul given to the Greeks in the Areopagus. A place where ideas and beliefs were exchanged in Athens. He was invited there by Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. The book of acts states,
"So he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.  
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean."  
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 
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." 
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 17:17-34 
This talk of Paul’s could have been made quite easily at a “Ted Talk” on line today. Pauls Message is one for the ages. It is as relevant to day as it was then.
Even the outcome of what he said happens today when the gospel of Christ Jesus is presented. Some sneer. Others want to hear more. While others believe.
Where do you stand on Christ Jesus?
Please think about it.

It's easy... or is it?

It’s easy...or Is it?
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.
According to Paul, Heaven is open to all who would believe in Christ Jesus. That if a person confesses with their mouth Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead, they will be saved.
That being said it is not easy believing what the apostle Paul is saying. Faith defined is

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

 and certain of what we do not see."  

                                                             Hebrews 11:1

Many people cannot believe what they cannot see, or feel.
Thus the question is; do you dear reader believe in Christ Jesus?
Have you confessed with your mouth “Jesus is Lord”?
Do you believe in your heard God raised Him from the dead?
Please think about it.

Praise God!

Praise God
The Psalmist writes,

"I will extol the LORD at all times; 

his praise will always be on my lips. 

My soul will boast in the LORD;

 let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 

Glorify the LORD with me; 

let us exalt his name together." 

                                               Psalm 34:1-3.

As Christians I don’t think we praise the Lord enough. True we go to church and sing Gods praises there. But how often do we praise God when we are not in Church?
This morning as I was going shopping I was stopped at a stop light and I heard people praising God. They were sitting in a parking lot socially distancing and singing Gods praise.
      It surprised me but I got to thinking what a wonderful thing to do during this pandemic. They were not only praising God but witnessing to the people and cars that were passing by.
I think believers should do more of this. 
Why not take a few minutes right now to raise your voice and praise God right where you are?
          Please think about it.