Advice to Christians

Advice to Christians
The Apostle Peter writing to believers in Christ gave this advice,
“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:  
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.  
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  
To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1Peter 5:1-11
Peter makes several important points here. First to the older men in the Church he states,
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
The older presumably better educated in the word of God and the knowledge of Christ are to be shepherds. To serve as overseers.
Overseers are there to see that those under them are correctly following the word of God not going astray. They must do this by example not by lording over people and trying to force them to do what is right.
They must also do it because they want to do it, not for money. Peter says they should “not be greedy for money” “but rather eager to serve”. 
To the younger men he states,
“Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Young men can be very eager to serve the Lord. As some one has said some young Christians “want to serve God and they want to server now! without waiting to learn about the ways of God and Christ.”
Young men need to humble themselves, Pray, study the scriptures and learn all they can about the ways of God and the teachings of Jesus. Then wait on the Lord and in due time God will lift them up.”
Young men need to go to those who are older than themselves for council and teaching. Then when they are ready use their youth in the service of God.
We are called to cast or anxieties on Jesus. To be self-controlled and alert. To resist the devil and stand firm in the faith. No matter the circumstances we are in.
Thus the questions are;
If you are older and in a position of trust within the Church are you leading others by your example? Are you correctly teaching the word of God to those entrusted to you?
If you are younger, are you humbling yourself before God and learning from those who are older in the Lord?
And no matter who you are, are you correctly teaching the word of God?
Please think about it.

Advice to Christians

Advice to Christians
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Gandhi I believe saw too many people who were Christians in name only.
Here is some advice from scripture of what Christians are suppose to do.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans during the reign of Nero one of the worst persecutors of Christians in history. He said,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”Romans 12:18.
Writing to Titus the apostle Paul said,
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,  to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” Titus 3:1,2.
To the Galatians Paul wrote,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22,23.
The writer of Hebrews tells Christians,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14
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.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”  1 Peter 2:9-12.
Our Lord Jesus when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 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.” Matthew 5:43-45.
When it comes to how a Christian should act Jesus put it in a nut shell saying,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
If we follow these simple pieces of advice we will be well equipped to do what Jesus called us to do when He 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.
There is a prayer by Francis of Assisi that I think Christians should take to hart in their day to day lives. Francis wrote,
Francis of Assisi while not an Apostle of Christ gave some excellent advice when he wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy 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;

And 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.

Please think about it.

Advice to Christians

Advice to Christians
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”
Gandhi I believe saw too many people who were Christians in name only.
Here is some advice from scripture of what Christians are suppose to do.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans during the reign of Nero one of the worst persecutors of Christians in history. He said,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”Romans 12:18.
Writing to Titus the apostle Paul said,
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,  to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” Titus 3:1,2.
To the Galatians Paul wrote,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22,23.
The writer of Hebrews tells Christians,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14
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.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”  1 Peter 2:9-12.
Our Lord Jesus when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 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.” Matthew 5:43-45.
When it comes to how a Christian should act Jesus put it in a nut shell saying,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
If we follow these simple pieces of advice we will be well equipped to do what Jesus called us to do when He 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.
There is a prayer by Francis of Assisi that I think Christians should take to hart in their day to day lives. Francis wrote,
Francis of Assisi while not an Apostle of Christ gave some excellent advice when he wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy 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;

And 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.
Please think about it.