With thanksgiving in your heart

  With thanksgiving in your heart

The Psalmist writes,

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4,5.

There is a song we use to sing. Called He has made me glad by Leona Von Brethorst based on Psalm 100:4 and 118:24. The word are,

“I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter His courts with praise. I will say this a day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.” Leona Von Brethorst.

Do you take time during your busy day. To enter in to the courts of God with thanksgiving in your heart?

Please think about it, 

In whom you hope

  In whom you hope.

In Psalms we read,

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4,5.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus do you go to the Lord and as him to teach his path? Do you ask him to guide you in his truth? Do you ask God to teach you what he wants to do in your life?

Is God truly your Saviour in whom you hope?

Please think about it.

My God

  My God

In the book of Psalms we read,

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

         Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 118:28,29.

As Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus. I think sometimes we forget to give thanks to God. Our prayers constantly ask him for things. And there is nothing wrong about asking God for things we need. But amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life we need to take time to stop and thank him for all we have. We need to thank the LORD for his goodness toward us. Remembering Gods love lasts forever.

Do you think you think you give thanks to God enough?

Please think about it.

What John and Josephus thought

 What John and Josephus thought

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

Here is a statement from the apostle John who spent a great deal of time in person with Jesus. It’s a statement that you either believe or you don’t. You can’t sit on the fence.

John and the other apostles knew Jesus intimately. They spent three years under his teaching and were certain Jesus was the Christ. The Saviour of all who believed in him.

Flavius Josephus a Romanize Jewish historian (not a Christian) writing in 98AD In one reference he wrote:

“About this time arose Jesus, a wise man, who did good deeds and whose virtues were recognized. And many Jews and people of other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. 

However, those who became his disciples preached his doctrine. They related that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Perhaps he was the Messiah in connection with whom the prophets foretold wonders.” [Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVIII 3.2.

Still I can quote scripture all day long and give secular references all day long but it comes down not to what I believe but you the reader believes.

What do you believe about Jesus?

Please think about it. 

Why Jesus came

 Why Jesus came

In the apostle John’s gospel we read,

"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.

Notice verse 17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

This is the reason Jesus came into the world. God knew that man could not live a life good enough for us to live in heaven. We all sin and fall far short of Gods ideals for our life. The apostle John writing,

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

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

That is why in love God reached down to us in the form of His One and Only Son. To die for our sin.

The apostle Paul writing to the Romans wrote,

"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. 

The apostle Paul also wrote,

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:13.

Have you called on the name of the Lord? Have you let Jesus into your life?

Please think about it.

What do you believe about Jesus?

  What do you believe about Jesus?

Jesus speaking to Martha,

"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?"

"Yes Lord" she told Him, "I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world," John 11:25,26,27.

Who do you think Jesus is? 

Napoleon Bonaparte said of Jesus, 

"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power."

"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."

"I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.  Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary." Napoleon Bonaparte.

So who do you think Jesus is? A mad man? A good man? Or The Son of God, God incarnate? Saviour of all who would believe in Him?

Please think about it.

What do they see in you?

 What do they see in you?

The apostle Paul wrote,

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  2 Corinthians 5:18-20.

Paul writing to the Romans wrote,

“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.

Teresa of Ávila states: 

"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours; yours are the eyes through which to look at Christ's compassion to the world, yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which he is to bless us now." Mother Teresa of Avila.

As believers in Christ Jesus we are ambassadors for Christ. We represent Christ in this world. It is through our words and deeds that the world sees Christ.

Question: When someone sees your life and lifestyle what does it tell them about Christ Jesus?

Please think about it. 

To us who are being saved

 To us who are being saved

"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 Christianity if not true is perhaps the worst lie in human history. We just have to look at the apostles creed, which while not written by an apostle of Christ says what Christians believe. It states,

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

These are incredible claims. Which if not true would destroy Christianity. Yet close to thee billion people in the world today believe it.

I leave the choice to believe it or not up to you the reader.

Please think about it.

Fix your eyes on the unseen

  Fix your eyes on the Unseen

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Jesus said,

“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:24.

We cannot see God. We worship him in faith. And 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 faith we follow is not blind faith. Scripture tells us,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

                                                       Psalm 19:1.

More and more science is showing that the earth had a creator.

Dr. Arno Penzias 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 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics 

William Philips wrote,

“I believe in God more because of science than in spite of it" William Philips Nobel prize winning Physicist.

God asks us to believe in Him by faith because I believe a person of true faith is someone who will go to their grave for what they believe.

Do you have such faith?

Please think about it.

Approved

 Approved

In the gospel of John we read Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman and saying,

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.  

God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:23,24.

The apostle Paul writes,

"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. 2Timothy 2:15.

Are you doing your best to follow God in spirit and in truth? 

Do you correctly handle Gods word correctly?

Please think about it.

God and your Brothers

  God and your Brothers

“We love because he first loved us.  

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

And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1John 4:19-21.

This says it all. Do you love your brother? You should. The apostle John makes that crystal clear. If we love God we must also love our brothers. There is no room for hate for those who love Christ Jesus.

So the question to you dear reader is, Do you truly love God and your brothers?

Please think about it.

Not only to your own interest

  Not only to your own interest

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests,

 but also to the interests of others.” 

                                                                 Philippians 2:4

Here Paul is telling us to lookout for others as well as ourselves.

In the book of James we read,

“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.” James 2:14-18.

So are you looking out for your own interest or others as well?

Please think about it.

The lifestyle of a Christian

 The lifestyle of a Christian

In the book of Colossians we read,

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:12-17.

So what is a Christian called to do? The apostle Paul tells us we are to,

clothe yourself with,  

                                 Compassion,

Kindness,

Humility,

Gentleness,

Patience,

Forgive whatever grievances you have against other believers

“Put on love which binds them all together”

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Giving gratitude to God in your hearts. 

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through him”

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, are you doing this?

Please think about it.

In all circumstances

  In all circumstances 

Rejoice always, 

pray without ceasing,

give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

                                                              1Thessalonians 5: 16-18.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus do you,

Rejoice always, 

Pray without ceasing, 

Give thanks in all circumstances

When I read this portion of scripture I think of Paul and Silas praising the Lord in prison.  The book of Acts telling us,

“... "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16:25 

They were in a bad situation. Roman prisons were not good places yet they were praising God with the other prisoners listening to them. Paul and Silas turning a bad situation into a opportunity to witness for Christ.

The other things we are called to do is rejoice always pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances. Things that can be hard to do sometimes yet if we look to God and train ourselves to do these things when things are going well. We will instinctively do it when things are going bad.

So the question becomes if you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus do you Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances?

Please think about it.

How are you living?

 How are you living?

In the book of Galatians we read,

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

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 5:19-23.

Here the apostle Paul tells us how we should be living. 

He notes the sinful nature as being,  

sexual immorality, 

Impurity and debauchery; 

idolatry and witchcraft; 

hatred, discord,

 jealousy, fits of rage, 

selfish ambition, 

dissensions, factions 

envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

The fruit of the spirit being

        love,

        joy,

         peace, 

patience, 

kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness,  

gentleness 

self-control. 

Telling us “Against such things there is no law.”

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus what are the fruit in your life? What are the fruit people see in your life?

Please think about it.

Abiding in Christ

 Abiding in Christ.

In the Gospel of John Jesus is recorded as saying,

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4,5.

Here is the simple explanation.

In order for the Christian to bear fruit we must abide in Jesus. A relationship characterized  by trust, prayer, obedience and joy.

Without abiding in Jesus we cannot do anything of eternal value. I would go as far as to say, a person who is not in a right relationship with Christ Jesus, is not a Christian at all.

So the question remains, are you in a right relationship with Jesus?

Please think about it.

How should Christians live?

 How should Christians live?

The apostle Paul writes,

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited" Romans 12:16

Here Paul is telling Christians how we are to live with one another. There should never be a class structure within the Church. All are equal and as such we should welcome one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

The apostle Paul also tells us,

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 

live at peace with everyone.” 

                                                      Romans 12:18

If you consider yourself a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus, are you doing this.

Please think about it.

No one can stop us

  No one can stop us

The criminal crucified with Jesus is recorded as saying, 

“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”

                                                                                                Luke 23:42,43

The following is a an inscription found on the linen wrappings of the Egyptian Mummy Thothmes II 1493-1479 B.C.

“Hail to thee, O my father Osiris, I have come and I have embalmed this my flesh so that my body may not decay.”

For thousands of years mankind has believed in an afterlife and a God or gods. Today if surveys are correct the majority of people around the world still believe in an afterlife.

The Egyptians created great pyramids for their kings laying in them vast amounts of grave goods thought to be needed in the afterlife.

About four thousand seven hundred years ago the Bronze age Beaker people buried their dead in the crouched position accompanied by grave goods that included food and drinking vessels and body ornamentation and even weapons.

In middle Iron age Britain some bodies were even laid along side carts to speed them into the afterlife. 

We all must die as Seneca the Younger said in 65A.D.

“Anyone can stop a man’s life, but no one his death: a thousand doors open onto it.”

The question is where will we spend eternity. I as a Christian do not believe we can live a life good enough to stand before a holy God.

Isaiah said,

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”   Isaiah 64:6

I believe God knew this that is why he reached down to us through his one and only Son Jesus Christ.

I believe Jesus when he said,

 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6

I don’t think God cares too much about our way of life, or whether we are a pauper, prince or king.

I believe God only care for us as individuals. The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians 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.

At the beginning of this article I quoted a conversation recorded in the book of Luke between one of the criminals crucified with Jesus and Jesus. He said

““We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:41-43

That man did what I as a Christian believe all men must do. He recognized that Jesus was innocent of what he was being crucified for and that he was the Son of God. He then confessed his sins to Christ, who forgave those sins.

Jesus making it clear saying “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

At this point Jesus was either lying or telling the truth. 

If he is telling the truth and I believe he is. Then he must be the one and only Son of God. For only God can forgive sin.

If he is telling the truth then what the John states,

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

 And what I have quoted from John 14:6 is true,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”   John 14:6

No other faith in the world makes that claim. No other founder of any faith in the world makes that claim.

Therefore it comes down to the individual. Do you believe the claims of Jesus or not.

Think about it.

To him be glory forever

 To him be glory forever

I was challenged the other day to make a positive statement about God in less that two hundred words. The Apostle Paul made it easy for me.

This is what I wrote or rather what I borrowed from the Apostle Paul,

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 

“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36.

Think about it.

The Laodicean church

 The Laodicean Church

The book of Revelations records Christ speaking to the Church at Laodicea. A Church referred to as the Lukewarm Church.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.  

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.  

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.  

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelations 3:14-22

Here Jesus addresses a church that thinks it is doing well. It is a rich church that thinks it needs nothing. In reality it is as Jesus puts it, it is, 

“Wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

As someone once told me Laodicea was “in deep need of spiritual healing.” 

The call of Jesus is to turn to Him that they may receive that healing.

Churches and individuals today especially I find here in North America think they are rich. They may be in a material sense rich. They are however if you look closer at them spiritually “Wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” They need deep spiritual healing.

They need to turn to God. To pray and study God’s word as often as they can. They need to take the teachings of the Scriptures to heart. 

Jesus tells us,

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelations 3:20.

One thing I have learned over the years is that no matter how close we think we are to Jesus we can get even closer. We must never think because we appear to be rich that we are.

Just because we may appear to be rich especially in a material sense does not mean we are spiritually rich.

Our cry to God should always be “Draw me closer to you Lord.”

Please think about it.

The Philadelphia church

 The Philadelphia Church

In the book of Revelations we see Jesus speaking to the church in Philadelphia saying.

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  

I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.  

I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.  

Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.  

Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.  

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelations 3:7-13

Here we have what scholars call the faithful church. Jesus says to this church,

“I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelations 3:8

The message of Jesus here to faithful believers is,

1. That those who oppose them will one day fall at the feet of the faithful believer and acknowledge that Christ has loved them.

2. That the true believer will be kept from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the world.

3. That the true believer will become a pillar in the temple of God. The strongest part of the temple. 

4. That they will never leave it.

5. That Jesus will write on the faithful believer, the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; He will also write on him my new name.

The question is are you such a believer?

Many in the Christian world would like to think that they are like the church at Philadelphia but in reality are not.

The key however here is to know that we can be like the church of Philadelphia. In order to do so we must put Christ first in everything we do. 

Jesus acknowledged that the Philadelphia church had little strength yet they remained faithful. Thus if they can do it. We can also.

Please think about it.