Offensive ways

 Offensive ways

In the book of Psalms we read,

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; 

test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

 See if there is any offensive way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting". 

                                                 Psalm 139:23,24.

No one is perfect. We all fall short of Gods ideals for our life. In the book of Romans we read,

"for all have sinned 

and fall short of the glory of God," 

                                             Romans 3:23.

Sin is falling short of Gods ideal for our lives. That being said we need from time to time spend some time alone with God and ask God to search our hearts and show us something that may be offensive to God. After which we need to repent and ask Gods forgiveness.

The apostle Paul writing,

"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.

Will you take sometime today to be alone with God asking him to show you were you may have fallen short of what he wants for your life.

Please think about it.

Other gods

 Other gods

The Psalmist writes,

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

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

                                                                  Psalm 138:1.

Here in the twenty-first century we have many gods. Some people may not admit it but we do. Money is perhaps the big one. But there are other. Sports, gambling, even our political beliefs and many more. 

A god is anyone or anything that pulls us away from the Lord God Almighty or causes us to compromise our beliefs.

Why not take a few minutes now to pray and ask God to show you if there are any gods in your life.

Please think about it.

A Simple Blessing

 A simple blessing.

The Psalmist states,

“May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, 

bless you from Zion.” 

                                   Psalm 134:3.

The above quote from Psalm 134:3 is a blessing I would like to give you the reader. My prayer for you is that you will, (if you haven’t accepted Christ as your saviour), accept Christ into your life.

Jeremiah the prophet wrote,

“You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me with all your heart.” 

                                                            Jeremiah 29:13.

Accepting Christ into your life is as simple as praying,

Dear Heavenly Father.

I believe in You and I believe in the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus.

Please forgive my sins and come into my life today.

Amen

Please if you haven’t accepted Christ as your saviour consider doing it today.

Please think about it.

I am with Him

  I am with Him 

The apostle Paul wrote,

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:38,39.

There’s a saying that is going around the church lately. It states,

“ If I die I go to be with God. If I live God is with me”

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.

We cannot evade God. Thus we should get to know Him. Jesus saying,

"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.

The apostle Paul reminding us,

"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

Do you know God and the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus?

If you were to die today would you go to heaven?

Please think about it.

God knows us

 God knows us

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.  Hebrews 4:14,15.

When we stand before God we can never say “you are divine and don’t understand what it is to be human. Thus you can’t judge us.”

We can’t say it because Jesus does know. 

Jesus was born to human parents. His family had to flee to Egypt to avoid being murdered by Herod. He lived a normal life. He felt the sun on his face. He felt the rain. He knew what it was to celebrate a marriage and other common events.

He also knew what it was to be tempted. He knew what it was for the ruling powers to speak out against him. And he knew what it was to be betrayed by one of his disciples. He knew what it was to be falsely accused beaten and crucified. 

So when we stand before God He can say I do understand what it is like to be human.

And the question becomes do you believe in Christ Jesus and all he did for us. The apostle Paul writing,

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

Please think about it.

Your treasure and you

  Your treasure and you

In Matthews Gospel we read,

"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.  

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 16:19-21.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. Where is your treasure?

In Luke’s gospel we read,

"A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.  

You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother.''" 

"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. 

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."Luke18:18-22  

           So where is your treasure? 

Are you willing to give it all up to follow Christ?

Now while God may never tell you to give up all you have. I think it’s important that we be willing to give it all up.

Here in North America where I live. We live in a very materialistic society. As a result losing all our material possessions can be devastating. 

Are you willing to give up all you have to serve Christ?

Please think about it.

Drawing near to God

  Drawing near to God

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:22,23

Drawing near to God. To me this means coming daily to God in prayer. Studying and meditating on the scriptures.

It means making prayer and studying the scriptures a daily habit.  It means searching the word of God to see what I can learn from it about God and what He wants for my life.

Do you do this?

Please think about it.

Knowing Gods voice

  Knowing Gods voice

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.  

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” Hebrews 11:8-10.

I can only imagine what it must have been for Abraham to take that step of faith. Martin Luther King jr. the American civil rights leader said,

Faith is taking the first step 

even when you don't see the whole staircase.

                                                              Martin Luther King, Jr.

And Abraham was taking an enormous step of faith. 

I think its obvious that Abraham knew the voice of God when he took that first step. And I think we need to know the voice of God so that we can be sure we are we are doing Gods will.

In order to do that we need to study the scriptures carefully so that when we hear Gods word we know it is Him and noone else.

Do you study the scriptures daily? If God was to speak to you today would you know for certain it was God speaking to you?

Please think about it.

Grace, Love, and Faith

  Grace, Love, and Faith

The apostle Paul writing to Titus wrote,

"But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour 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.

We Christians believe that we can’t work our way to heaven.

C. S. Lewis put it this way,

“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.

The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians 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 

The Christian walk is also a walk of faith.

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.

Our God is a God of love who simply asks us to have faith in him. The writer of Hebrews stating

“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

The writer defining faith as,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1.

When I look at this. When I look at what faith is. I think for many people it is a very hard thing to do. Which is why I believe God asks us to have faith in him

Do you have faith in God?

Please think about it.

God of Salvation

 God of Salvation

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity." Proverbs 96:10.

As Christians we believe God reigns and that he will one day judge all people. 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.

The good news is in Romans we read,

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6.

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

In his gospel John 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.

Do you believe in God and the salvation that come through belief in Christ Jesus?

Please thin about it.

Let us love

 Let us love

The apostle Paul writes,

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John4: 7-10.

God loved us so much He sent his one and only son to take away all our sins. In the Gospel of John we read Jesus speaking of himself saying,

"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 .

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.

The apostle Paul writing to the Romans 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.

Sin is falling short of Gods ideals for our life. And we all sin. Thus we need to confess our sins to God. 

The apostle John writes,

"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.

Especially if you claim to be a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus we need to confess our sins directly to God.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

The fool

 The fool

"The fool says in his heart, 

"There is no God." 

                                Psalm 14:1.

The way I see things is when a government or society turn its back on God or fails the recognise there is a God, society spirals down to the abys. We only have to look at Nazi Germany under Hitler. Tens of millions of innocent men women and children dead simply because they were considered less than human.

Abba Hillel Silver wrote,

"Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority." Abba Hillel Silver

Blaise Pascal wrote,

“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. Blaise Pascal.

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read a warning that we all should take to heart. He writes, 

"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." Ecclesiastes 12:13,14. 

Where do you stand? Do you truly believe in God?

Please think about it.

I am convinced that nothing can separate us

  I am convinced that nothing can separate us

The apostle Paul wrote,

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:38,39.

As believers in God. As believers in Christ Jesus nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

Corrie ten Boom Wrote,

"There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still".

Take a look at Romans 8:38,39 again. Paul is clear writing, 

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:38,39.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus do you truly believe this?

Please think about it.

Seeking and finding God

 Seeking and finding God

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.

An unknown author wrote,

“Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.” Author Unknown.

We have to be searching for God in order to find him. Most atheist I’ve met simply say I don’t believe in God and leave it at that. Still others don’t give God a second thought. Thinking this life is all there is.

The question I’m asking here is do you believe in God? If not why not?

The Psalmist writes,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 

                                                            Psalm 19:1.

Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics

"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.

Proof of God’s existence is all around us.

Werner Heisenberg wrote,

“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 father of Quantum Mechanics Nobel prize in physics.

The bottom line here is do you want to find God or not? 

As the scripture I quoted at the beginning says.

“You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me with all your heart.”

                                                     Jeremiah 29:13.

Are you truly seeking God?

Please think about it.

Commitment to God

  Commitment to God

In Marks gospel we read of Jesus speaking with teachers of the law. Mark records,

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.  

To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Mark 12:28-33.

If you claim to be a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. Do you truly love God with your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?

Is Jesus taking first place in your life?

Please think about it.

About False Teachers

 About false teachers

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.

The church has been around a long time as a result many calling themselves Christians are not. The apostle Paul even warned,

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4

The apostle Peter warned,

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  

Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  

In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” 2 Peter 2:1-3.

We as Christians must be carful not to follow false teaching, not to listen to false teachers. The only way we can do such a thing is to read and study the scriptures for ourselves. We should also do our best to become apart of a good bible believing church congregation.

We can as believers wanting to make sure the truth is spoken in the name of Jesus, jump up and down, yell and criticize those we believe are not presenting the word of God correctly. That however will just wear us out and produce nothing.

There will always be false teachers in the church. And do what the Apostle Paul tells us to “....“Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:13b. 

      That being said we should not engage in witch hunts. Such things do not produce followers of Christ.

We need to concentrate on producing good spiritual food for those around us. We need to do as Paul writing to Timothy said,

“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.

Please think about it.

Trusting and believing in Jesus

 Trusting and believing in Jesus.

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  

(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  

And everyone went to his own town to register. 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:1-7.

Jesus is the most influential person in all of history.  

William Durant, popular American modern historian and philosopher (1885-1981) When asked what he felt the apex of history was he replied, “the three years that Jesus of Nazareth walked the earth.” 

Napoleon Bonaparte said of Jesus,

“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."

  Jesus is all he said he is. He is the one and only Son of God. The Saviour of mankind. 

Jesus is God reaching down to mankind and saying I love you. Saying...

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest.”

                                     Matthew 11:28.

C.S. Lewis said of Jesus,

"He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less." C.S. Lewis.

Do you believe in Jesus and the salvation he brings to all who will believe and put their trust in him?

Please think about it.

God will Judge

 God will judge

       In the book of James we read,

"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

In Ecclesiastes we read,

"I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 1:14.

To read these two scriptures it would seem there is little hope. That is if this life is all there is. If this life is all there is it means there is no justice. Men like Hitler, Pol Pot and other vicious dictators got away with the evil they did. But this life is not all there is. We as individuals live on through eternity where there will be justice. 

The writer of Ecclesiastes writing, 

“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.

It doesn’t matter who we are we will one day stand before God and give account for what we have done.

What will God say to you when you stand before him?

Please think about it.

Not everyone who says

 Not everyone who says

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.

The church has been around a long time as a result many calling themselves Christians are not. The apostle Paul even warned,

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4

The apostle Peter warned,

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  

Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  

In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” 2 Peter 2:1-3.

We as Christians must be carful not to follow false teaching, not to listen to false teachers. The only way we can do such a thing is to read and study the scriptures for ourselves.    We must also remember that there will be minor differences between true Christians. It’s the major differences we should worry about.

The basic beliefs of true Christians are found in the Apostles Creed. While not written by one of the apostles states what are if you will not negotiable parts of our beliefs as Christians. 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.

Please think about it.

A Christian call to live a Godly life

 A Christian call to live a Godly life.

The apostle Paul writes,

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 

Honor one another above yourselves.  

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; 

bless and do not curse.  

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud,

 but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 

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

live at peace with everyone”. 

                                                       Romans 12:9-18

Words for Christians to live by.

So if you claim to be a Christian do you live by them. Is your love for all people sincere or dose it come with conditions? Do you cling to what is good? Are you willing to associate all People?

Take a few minutes to look at Romans 12: 9-18 and ask yourself are you doing what the Scriptures are commanding you do?

Please think about it.