An instrument of Gods love

 An instrument of Gods love

The apostle Peter writes,

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

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:11,12.

Francis of Assisi wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, 

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; 

to be understood as to understand; 

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 

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

                                                                              Francis of Assisi

What the apostle Peter and Francis of Assisi is saying here is something all Christians should practice. People should see us as peace makers. Those who show love to all those around them. Family, friends and foe alike.

Can you say in truth what Francis of Assisi is saying here?

Please think about it.

Keep your house clean

  Keep your house clean

The apostle Paul wrote,

“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.

This I think here in North America is one portion of scripture that is difficult to practice because many false teachers and heretics hide behind freedom of speech and libel laws.

Additionally those who would pervert the meaning of scripture say it is their interpretation which they are entitled to. 

While I agree there is various interpretations of some portions of scripture. The core doctrines of the Bible must be adhered to. And those who would misinterpret these basic doctrines should be expelled from the church.

For me the Apostles creed, while not written by an apostle of Christ, states the basic Christian principles. It reads,

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

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

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

4. I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.

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

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

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

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost

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

10. I believe in the forgiveness of sin.

11. I believe in the resurrection of the body.

12. I believe in life everlasting.

Do you believe this?

Do the pastors and evangelist you listen to believe this?

Please think about it.

Advice from Jesus

  Advise from Jesus

Jesus said,

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

When people see the deeds you are doing what do they see. Do they see good things or bad things? When they hear the words you speak, do they hear good things or bad things.

If you are a Christian you should be doing your best to glorify Christ in word and in deed that people may see your good works and want t know Jesus.

Francis of Assisi said,

"The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                              Francis of Assisi.

So what are your words and deeds saying about Jesus today?

Please think about it.

A Christians obligation

  A Christians obligation

The apostle Paul writes,

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5,6.

Are you wise when you deal with those around you, especially when it comes to your faith. 

I have found over the decades that I have been a Christian that there are many claiming to be Christians who are not wise.

They are as one friend aptly put it “bible thumpers”. They point out the sins of the world. They point to any groups they disagree with and call them sinners. Worse yet they try to take away or restrict the rights of some groups they disagree with. This should not be so.

Screaming and yelling at people telling them they are sinners is a waste of time. It will only push people away from God. Trying to restrict or take away rights of those you disagree with will push them away from Christ closing all dialogue completely. Not only that it may lead to a backlash that will cause the rights of Christians to be restricted.

No one wants to be told they are a sinner. And most non-Christians I know would not admit to being a sinner. Simply saying they are as good or better than some Christians they know.

Frankly I don’t believe it is our job as believers in Christ Jesus to tell people they are sinners.  

It is our obligation to present the gospel of Salvation to those around us and let God work in their lives from there.

Billy Graham the American evangelist once said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                                  Billy Graham.

So are you showing the unconditional Love of Christ to those around you?

Please think about it.

It's hard but we have to

  It’s hard but we have to

Jesus said,

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.'  

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

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  

And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" Matthew 5:43-48.

Do you love your enemy or those who persecute them. Jesus said we should. He didn’t say we should love the things our enemies of persecutors do. But rather we are to love the person.

It is the Christians duty to love those who dislike him.

The late great American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. said,

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; 

only light can do that.

 Hate cannot drive out hate; 

only love can do that.” 

                                                        Martin Luther King, Jr.

So the question becomes do you love your enemies and persecutors?

Please think about it.

Do you truly Love?

 Do you truly 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.

This is true Christian Love. So the question I pose to anyone who calls themselves a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus is; 

Do you truly love?

Please think about it.

Are you a Servant?

  Are you a Servant?

Jesus speaking to his disciples said,

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35.

The world thinks he who comes first is the greatest. But Jesus turned that on its head. He told his disciples that if you want to be first you must be servant of all.

It takes a lot to be a servant. It means at times being looked down on.

I knew a caretaker once who worked at a major university. Students and some staff looked down on him and others like him as uneducated only capable of doing menial work. But this man was proud of what he did. 

Not only that what the students and others who looked down on him didn’t realize was because of his work they could come to school. With out him and others like him the toilets wouldn’t be cleaned. The desks would left dirty and sticky and the garbage not removed. The result of which would mean the department of health shutting the school down.

This is what Jesus meant. Without knowing it this caretaker was one of the most important people in the school.

As believers in Christ Jesus we must be willing to serve all those around us. No matter who they are.

Are you a servant?

Please think about it.

Like an Olive Tree

  Like an Olive tree

The psalmist states

“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; 

I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. 

I will praise you forever for what you have done; 

in your name I will hope, for your name is good. 

I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”

                                                                      Psalm 52:8,9.

If you claim to be a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus, can you say what the Psalmist is saying here.

         Are you like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God?

Do you trust Gods unfailing love?

Will you praise God forever?

Is your hope in God?

Will you take time now to praise God?

Please think about it.

Egg or God Incarnate?

 Egg or God incarnate? 

In the gospel of John we read,

"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.

As I said in my previous blog I believe God created the universe and everything in it. That being said this is what I also believe.

I believe that the God that created the universe in the form of His One and Only Son entered the world He created. And he did this in order to show mankind how much He cared for them. How far He would go in human terms to show them the way to heaven.

Jesus is the Son of God the Christ who knew that sin, which is falling short of Gods ideals for our lives separated us from God. That’s why He came to earth. 

As the apostle Paul notes,

“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.

If Jesus was not the son of God. The Saviour of mankind. Then he must have been at the least delusional. Or as C. S. Lewis put it,

"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.

So what do you think?

Please think about it.

Not by chance

 Not by chance

In the book of Genesis we read,

"In the beginning 

God created the heavens and the earth." 

                                                           Genesis 1:1.

I believe this for one simple reason. When I look at the universe we live in from the largest galaxy to the smallest sub-atomic particle. I see them all working in perfect harmony to create life as we know it. Only God can do this.

I do not have enough faith to believe that life as we know it happened by chance.

What do you believe?

Please think about it.

To save individuals

  To save Individuals

The Psalmist writes,

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." Psalm 139:7-10.

This is written from the stand point of a believer who believes God will be with him no matter where he is.

That being said it is telling non-believers that God is everywhere. And the way I see it at this point in time God wants everyone to come and know Him on a personal level. 

Jesus 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.

God loves each and every person and he wants each individual to come into a personal relationship with Him both here on earth and in heaven. 

The choice however is yours. You can choose to follow God. To follow the teachings of the Bible, or not.

The choice is yours.

Please think about it.

So you please God?

  Do you please God?

The writer of Hebrews makes this statement,

"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 see this as a logical statement. How can we please God if we fail to acknowledge Gods existence? 

Believing in God means following his rules. Not your own or manmade rules.

A true believer will always follow by faith the rules God has laid down them. This I firmly believe pleases.

So do you have faith in God?

So do you please God?

Think about it.

Not an easy thing

  Not an easy thing

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

To have faith in something you cannot see can be very difficult for many people. Let’s face it is easy to believe in something you can see, hear, and touch.

I think that’s why God wants us to have faith He exists.

Additionally I believe people of faith are the strongest of followers.

Scientist use faith a lot. They postulate a theory based on what they see and then make a leap of faith saying that such and such a thing must be true.

Albert Einstein had faith in many things. He predicted that various things were happening in the universe around him and believed in the theory until his death even though he couldn’t prove it in his lifetime.

So it is with God. God asks we believe in Him by faith. That being said it is not blind faith. The psalmist states,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands."   

                                                      Psalm 19:1.

God simply asks us to look at the universe around us.

Robert Brault said,

“God left so many fingerprints at the scene of Creation that you wonder — does He want to be found, or does He want to be stopped?” Robert Brault.

So the question becomes. Do you have faith that God exists?

Please think about it.

Praise God with voice instruments and dance

  Praise God with voice instruments and dance

The psalmist writes,

“Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD.” 

                         Psalm 150

I love this psalm. It is a call to praise God. In praising God especially when times are hard it helps us to see what God has done for us. 

One of the best times in my life was when I was touring with an amateur gospel group. We were good at what we did. We chose not to go professional.

Still when we were together we led churches and other gatherings in praise. We did so as the psalmist said here in psalm 150. We worshipped God with instruments, voice and dance. 

In doing so our souls were lifted up and we were filled with the peace of God.

Why don’t you take sometime to praise God today. For in doing so I firmly believe you not only glorify God. But God fills you with His peace.

Please at least think about it. 

Live such good lives

 Live such good lives

The psalmist states,

“Trust in the LORD and do good;

 dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.”

                                                             Psalm 37:3.

The apostle Peter writes,

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:11,12.

If you are a true believer in Christ Jesus. You have a duty before God to live a good life before the people around you. In doing so you will be able to live in peace while at the same time glorifying God.

Are you living at peace with those around you? How can you use this peacefulness to glorify God?

Pleases think about it.

Extol, Boast, Rejoice, Glorify!

 Extol, boast, rejoice, glorify!

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.

A challenge for today. Take time to “extol” The Lord. Make it a habit to praise The Lord at all times. Take time to even boast in what The Lord has done for you. Take time to Glorify and exalt The Lord today.

Please don’t just think about it do it.

Simple faith

  Simple faith

The Psalmist declares,“You are my refuge and my shield; 

I have put my hope in your word.” 

                                             Psalm 119:114.

My faith is simple. I believe in God. In God I have put my hope. 

Where is your hope?

Please think about it.

Where's you trust.

  Where’s you trust

The psalmist writes,

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." 

                                                                       Psalm 20:7.

In this world people put their trust in many things. Money, politicians, celebrities, the stock market, even high profile evangelist, pastors among others.

Sadly none of these worldly things last. Money is easily lost or spent, celebrities, pastors and evangelist fall, as does the stock market.

The only thing one can truly trust in is God who does not fall. God whom the Psalmist states,

“He will not let your foot slip— 

he who watches over you will not slumber; 

 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

                                                                                                 Psalm 121:3,4.

So who do you trust?

Please think about it.

Rejoice in God your maker

  Rejoice in God your maker

The Psalmist writes,

"Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; 

let the people of Zion be glad in their King. 

Let them praise his name with dancing 

and make music to him with tambourine and harp. 

For the LORD takes delight in his people; 

he crowns the humble with salvation. 

Let the saints rejoice in this honour 

and sing for joy on their beds." 

                                                           Psalm 149:2-5.

If you consider yourself as a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus, are you doing what the Psalmist is saying here?

When was the last time you praised God with dancing either publically or privately?

God truly does delight in His people. That’s why we should be spending more time praising God.

Please think about it.

Your rock and salvation

  Your rock and salvation

The Psalmist writes,

For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, 

my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. 

                                                         Psalm 62:1,2 

“My soul waits in silence” states the Psalmist. 

Does your soul wait in silence? When was the last time you took time to be alone with God, pray and hear what He has to say to you?

Is God truly you rock and salvation, your fortress?

Please think about it.

Gods praise

Gods praise

The psalmist writes,

"I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; 

before the "gods" I will sing your praise.” 

                                                                            Psalm 138:1.

I firmly believe that we live in a society filled with demigods. Materialism perhaps being the most worshipped. Although there are more secular gods than that.

Because we in the twenty-first century are surrounded by so many gods. It is important that we worship the one true God publicly. 

If you consider yourself a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. Are you taking time to praise God. Does your life and lifestyle show that you are a follower and worshipper of the Lord God Almighty?

Please think about it.

In the presence of the saints

 In the presence of the saints

The psalmist writes,

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. 

I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” Psalm 52:8,9.

If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus can you say what the Psalmist is saying her. Can you praise God forever for what he has done?

Please think about it.

A dangerous claim

  A dangerous claim

John's gospel records this incident in the life of Jesus. John writes,

"Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade.  

"The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.  

I and the Father are one." 

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." John 10 22-33.

To claim to be God as Jesus did was a very dangerous claim in His day. Note Jesus states 

“I and my Father are one.” the people who heard this said, they were stoning Him because Jesus was in their minds committing blasphemy for his claim to be God.”

C. S. Lewis states,

"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.

     Please think about it

Shine

 Shine

Jesus said,

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

Francis of Assisi said,

"The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                                          Francis of Assisi.

So what are your deeds saying to the world around you? Are they reflecting Gods Love?

Please think about it.

Acts of Charity

  Acts of Charity

In the book of acts we read,

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.” Acts 9:36.

When people see your life will they see your acts of charity? Do you even do acts of charity and good works?

I firmly believe that it is the duty of all who believe in Christ Jesus to help the poor. In proverbs we read,

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done." Proverbs 19:17

"The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9.

The way I see it the borders between nations we have today are man made. Gods love has no borders.

I think helping to poor must extend not only to those within the borders of the nation we live in but to those refugees that come to our borders and beyond.

Please think about it.

New Life

 New Life

John’s gospel records Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman.

“Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." John 4:10.

Living water is water that is in motion, rain water, river water for example. It is the water that washes away dirt. In a spiritual sense the living water Jesus offers takes away our sins.

Many in the world today are looking for something more than this materialistic world offers. People are looking for meaning in their life.

Some, many, do not see “organized religion” as the answer to finding meaning in their life. Quite the opposite. They are turned off organized religion in all its forms.

What these individuals are looking for is new life that only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can offer. 

Living water that washes away their sins and fills that longing for meaning in their heart.

Are you longing for meaning in your life? 

Take some time to read the New Testament see what God offers you through Christ Jesus. 

Please think about it.

Who are you serving?

  Who are you serving?

In the book of Joshua we read,

“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.

We all have a choice in this life. To follow the gods of this world or to follow the one true God. Maker of heaven and earth.

It is a choice we all must make especially when we are presented with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Why not take some time to read at least the New Testament and see what those who knew Jesus personally thought him to be. Then make a decision as to who you will follow.

Please think about it.

Is it too hard for you?

  Is it too hard for you?

 “The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."...”

                                                     Psalm 53:1a

Anyone that I have met that says point blank there is no God, generally has a bias. Usually they have come to the conclusion that they can’t see or hear God therefore He doesn’t exist. Sadly many leave it there. They will not be persuaded no matter how much proof you show them.

Robert Brault wrote,

"God left so many fingerprints at the scene of Creation that you wonder — does He want to be found, or does He want to be stopped?" Robert Brault.

While we can’t see, hear or touch God we only have to look around. The world, the universe and everything in it is specifically designed so that life exists as we know it. 

For me it takes more faith to believe life as we know it simply came about randomly than it does to believe in a Creator God.

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.

The writer goes on to say,

"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 I believe the reason God wants us to believe He exists by faith is because people who have faith in anything are the strongest followers.

Additionally I firmly believe to have faith in anything especially something you cannot see, hear or touch is a hard thing for many people.

The question therefor arises is having faith in God to hard for you?

Please think about it.

In the presence of your saints

  In the presence of your saints.

The Psalmist writes,

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; 

I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. 

I will praise you forever for what you have done; 

in your name I will hope, 

for your name is good. 

I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”

                                                                        Psalm 52:8,9.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus. Can you do as the Psalmist says in Psalm 52:8,9?

How often do you take time to praise God?

Please think about it.

Inheritance

  Inheritance

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, 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.

As believers in Christ Jesus we have a living hope. An inheritance that can never perish spoil or fade, kept in heaven for us.

No matter what the world throws at the believer in Christ Jesus we have an inheritance that no human can take from us. 

The apostle Paul wrote,

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10.

Paul suffered a great deal for his belief in Christ Jesus. Yet he could say he delighted in weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties.

I’m sure Paul didn’t like going through those hardships but he could look back and see that it was all for the cause of Christ. For presenting the gospel message to those around him.

As a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus we may not endure hardships. But whether we do or not our life should be a testament for Christ Jesus. 

As Francis of Assisi wrote,

"The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                                Francis of Assisi.

The apostle Pauls words and deeds at times got him into trouble with those around him. Yet he continued preaching the gospel knowing all the time he had an inheritance that could never be taken away from him.

Where is your inheritance?

Please think about it.