Are you?

 Are you?

Obadiah the prophet issues a warning,

“The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your head.” Obadiah 1:15.

The apostle Paul after telling the Athenians about Jesus 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.

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read,

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14.

I have no doubt that one day God will judge the world but at this moment in time everyone living on this earth has a choice to make.

Jesus speaking of himself said,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.

The apostle Peter said,

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Acts 2:21

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.

Thus my question to you the reader; Do you believe what is written above and if so are you willing to put your trust in Jesus?

Please think about it.

Are you?

  Are you?

In the book of Jeremiah we read,

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”                                                                                                                         Jeremiah 29:13

Someone has said,

“Maybe the atheist cannot find God f

or the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.”

                                                                         Author Unknown

I think such a statement has merit. Many atheist I’ve met are more determined to show people where the Bible mistakes are than looking at it with an open mind.

In order to find God you have to truly be seeking God with your whole heart. If you simply want to find fault or try to disprove Gods existence you will never find God.

Thus my question to you; Are you truly seeking God?

Please think about it.

Are you?

  Are you?

In the book of Revelations we read Jesus as saying,

"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." Revelations 16:15.

The apostle Paul writes,

“Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1,2.

It is said Martin Luther while hoeing weeds was asked the question, “What would you be doing if you knew Christ was returning today?”

He replied “I’d be hoeing weeds.”

When I first read that I thought how natural a reply. The garden needed tending to so he was doing it.

Luther didn’t know when Jesus would return. He understood it would be a surprise. As a result I’m sure Luther was ready to meet Christ. 

All who profess to be Christians, believers in Christ Jesus, should be ready at all times to meet Christ. 

Are you?

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.

Are you?

Are you?
The writer of Hebrews states,

“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.

Sadly from my perch here in Canada I see many Christians who are not following what the writer of Hebrews is saying here.
Many are mixing their faith with politics something Jesus and the apostles never did. Many are speaking out against any group they disagree with. In some cases they are even trying to remove or restrict the rights of others given to them by a lawfully elected government.
Doing this is not an act of holiness. Nor is it living at peace with all men.
When we try to restrict the rights of others. We are turning them against us. 
If we as Christians as followers of Christ Jesus truly believe the words of Jesus when he said,
“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” Luke 6:31.(NASB).
Then by trying to restrict the rights of others we are saying to them they have the right to do that to us.
Sadly here in North America where I live and particularly in the United States people like to say “I have my rights” “I have the right to do as I wish”.
That may be so. But doing as ‘you’ wish may not win souls for Christ. In fact it might do just the opposite.
The apostle Peter reminds us,
"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.
Living good lives among none believers means living with people who’s belief system or way of life may be different from our own. It may be living with a government who gives rights to those with whom we disagree.
Certainly the apostle Paul, all the disciples and even Jesus lived in a world in which the government gave rights to those with whom they disagreed.
Paul for example went to Corinth a city know for it’s temple prostitutes and other abhorrent lifestyles. He stood in the Areopagus in Athens and preached the word of God. A city that had temples to dozen of Gods that Paul would have thought appalling. Yet neither he or any of the apostles spoke out against the religious practices or lifestyles of those around them.
Quite the contrary Jesus and the apostles sat down with those they disagreed with and presented the word of God in peaceful, loving manner.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said of the disciples,
“The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.” Billy Graham
Thus my question to anyone who claims to be a Christian a follower of Christ Jesus; is your heart right side up?
Are you living at peace with those around you living as holy life as you possibly can?
Please think about it. 

Are You?

Are you?
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 what Christians call the great commission. Christ telling his disciples and through them all believers in Christ Jesus to make disciple of all nations.
In order to do this effectively we must follow the teachings of Christ.
1. We must love. 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 neighbour as yourself.'  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40.
2. We must not judge anyone especially if they are not believers in Christ Jesus, Jesus said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
“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.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                       Billy Graham

3. We must obey the words of Jesus 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" 

                                                            Matthew 7:12.

It is only by remembering these three things that we can be effective witnesses of Christ.
   It is only by making these three scriptures active in our daily life that we will win souls for Christ.
If you claim to be a Christian are you living the truths of these three scriptures in your daily life?
Please think about it.

Are You?

Are you?
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.
The American evangelist Tony Campolo wrote,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo
Sadly I think the church especially here in North America where I live has fallen short of what God wants it to do. Many Christians today mix their politics and their religion. Which is not a good combination.
Someone once said,
“Mixing politics and religion is like mixing gasoline and water. The water in undrinkable, the gasoline unusable and the whole mixture explosive.”
I couldn’t agree more. Christians while they should vote and even participate in politics should never mix their politics with their faith.
Jesus and his disciples never voted in an election. They never run for political office. They never spoke against anyone outside of their faith.
Additionally they lived in a multicultural society that had many things within it they would have found morally abhorrent. Yet within a century of Christ’s death the gospel message had reached the know world.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,
“The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.” Billy Graham.
This is the kind of followers Christ needs today. Men and women who’s hearts are right before God. Men and women who proclaim the gospel message in as pure a form as is humanly possible.
Are you one of those people?
Please think about it. 

Are You?

Are you?
Jesus told His followers
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16.
If you claim to be a Christian are you truly the light of the world? Are you presenting the word of God to all who will listen in word and in deed.
Francis of Assisi wrote,
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”
If you claim to be a Christian your life should be different than the world around you. People should see your way of life, your lifestyle and be attracted to it.
Billy Graham the American Evangelist stated,
“Those outside the church expect followers of Christ to live differently, yet today many in church are chasing after the world - not to win them, but to be like them.”Billy Graham.
Is your life different from the world around you?
All too often through the years I’ve heard the phrase “Why should I become a Christian. I know some Christians, and I live better than that.”
Sadly in many cases it’s true. Those claiming to be Christians are acting worse than those in the world around them.
As Christians we can’t take our place in the world lightly. Jesus said to his apostles and through them us,
“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.
Christ’s call to his followers is to Love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. We are called to tell everyone about God’s saving grace that comes through Christ Jesus.
The apostle Peter says,
“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.
If you claim to be a Christian are you doing this?
Please think about it.