The Christian Mission

  The Christian Mission

The apostle Paul also 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 Corinthians5:18-20

The apostle Paul could not have made things more clear. If you consider yourself a true Christian your job is to help reconcile people to God.

Our job is to reach people for Christ. To show the love of Christ Jesus to those around us. To tell them

"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. 

If you say you are a Christian and are doing less than this it is time to reconsider what you truly believe.

Please think about it.

Do they see it?

  Do they see it?

In the book of Ephesians we read,

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

                                                                                                      Ephesians 4:1.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, do you live a life worthy of Him?

When people see your life do they see the fruit of the spirit?

The fruit of the spirit being listed in the book of Galatians as,

love, 

joy, 

peace, 

patience, 

kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness,  

gentleness...

self-control.... 

Galatians 5:22.

Do people see these fruits in your words and deeds?

Please think about it.

Treat others

  Treat others

Jesus 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.

This is something I live by. We must be willing to treat others the way we would like to be treated. By doing so we can reach the world for Christ. If we fail to do so we risk turning people away from Christ.

Question. Do you treat people the way you like to be treated?

Please think about it.

A Believers Pledge

  A Believers Pledge

I’ve listened with interest and disgust over the last little while at the debates in political circles around the world but particularly in the United States. 

Sadly it seems hate and prejudges seems to be flooding into our society from all directions. Even men and women calling themselves Christians are being drawn into it.

With that in mind I felt prompted to write this the Believers Pledge.

As a believer in Christ Jesus,

I pledge...

To Love.

I Pledge...

As far as it depends on me...

To live at peace with all people.

I Pledge...

Never, Never, Never! To attack anyone...

Physically, or verbally.

Even if I vehemently disagree with them in any way.

I Pledge...

Never to demean anyone.

No matter their race, their ethnicity, their religion, or their lifestyle.

I Pledge...

As far as humanly possible,

To uphold the dignity of all whom I come in contact with.

I Pledge...

To obey the words of Christ Jesus who said,

“So in everything, do to others what you would have others do to you

for this sums up the law and the prophets.” 

                                                     Matthew 7:12.

   Please think about it.

You are the light

  You are the Light 

Jesus said,

“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.

This is as clear as it can be. If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus “you are the light of the world”.

The apostle Paul wrote,

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  

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 5:17-20.

We are Christ’s ambassadors. Christ’s representative on this earth. We are the ones who have a duty to spread the salvation message throughout the world.

So my question to you is; Are you telling the world around you in word and deed, about the Salvation that comes from God through Christ Jesus?

Please think about it.

A Call to tell the world

A Call to Tell the World

Jesus said to His disciples and through them to 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.

As Christians we have a duty to Christ to go into all the world, be that world our neighbourhood, the nation we live in, or somewhere else in the world, and tell people about Jesus.

I believe the way we should be doing this is by presenting the gospel message in love. By saying “this is what I as a Christian believe. I leave it up to you as an individual to believe what I am saying, or not.

We must never force our faith on anyone. For a good example of how to present the gospel all we need to do is look at what the apostle Paul did in Athens a city filled with temples to a myriad of gods. 

Acts 17:17-31 shows Paul speaking at the Areopagus at the request of non-Christian Epicurean and Stoic philosophers.

Paul didn’t say I am right and you are wrong. He simply presented the gospel message and let them decide.

If you consider yourself to be a Christian take some time to study Pauls address to the Athenians to see how you can present the gospel message better.

Please think about it. 

Do you Praise The Lord?

   Do you Praise The Lord?

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

I will tell of all your wonders. 

I will be glad and rejoice in you; 

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High." 

                                                                    Psalm 9:1,2

A simple question to believers.

Do you do what Psalm 9:1,2 is saying?

If not, why not?

Please think about it.

Actions and Faith

 Actions and Faith

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.” James 2:14-17

James makes it very clear 

“faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

So my question to you is. Is your faith alive or dead?

Please think about it.

Continue to live in Christ

  Continue to live in Christ

In the book of Colossians we read,

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6,7.

As believers we must remember to continue to live in Jesus. 

In this 24/7 world we live in with all its distractions it’s easy to fall away from Christ. It’s easy to combine teachings of the world with the teachings of the Bible. Quite often we do this without even noticing. The teachings of the world like drips from a tap mingle slowly with the teachings of the scriptures without us noticing diluting the true meaning of Gods word.

We should never mix worldly teaching with the Bible. Rather we should be teaching the Gospel message as pure as we know how to do.

In the book of Jude we read,

“But you must remember beloved the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."  

These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  

Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 

Be merciful to those who doubt;  snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” Jude 1:17-23.

Please think about it.

If possible live in Peace

 If possible live in Peace

    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.

The Apostle Peter who wrote,

"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.

Jesus 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.

I know we are all human, make mistakes and fall short of what God wants for our lives. That being said however, if we are truly followers of Christ Jesus we should be at least trying to make the above scriptures active in our daily lives.

Thus my questions to you. 

Are you trying to live at peace with all those around you? 

Are you trying to live a holy life? 

Are you doing your best to abstain from sinful desires? 

Are you living a good life? Above all are you treating those around you in the same way your would have them treat you?

Please think about it.

Through our words and deeds

 Through our words and deeds

The apostle Paul,

“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 Corinthians5:18-20

Are you an ambassador? 

The Oxford dictionary defines an ambassador as 

“diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country. A representative or promoter of a specified activity.”

As Christians we are Christ’s ambassadors. We are here on earth to promote the Kingdom of God. That is the primary purpose of a Christian. It is through our words and deeds that people will see God.

As part of those duties for God we may be called to feed the poor, heal the sick, among other things. All of these activities should be done in the name of Christ Jesus. Making sure that God gets the glory for our actions.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

A Peacemaker

  A Peacemaker

The apostle Paul writes,

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace 

and to mutual edification.” 

                                        Romans 14:19.

At the end of your life will people call you a peace maker? 

Do you do your best to live at peace with those around you?

Jesus said,

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9.

So are you a peacemaker?

Please think about it.

Do you pray?

Do you pray?

The apostle Paul writes,

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  

This is good, and pleases God our Saviour” 1Timothy 2:1-3.

If you consider yourself a true believer in Christ Jesus do you do what the apostle Paul is saying here? 

Do you pray and intercede for those around you?

Do you thank God for all He has done for you?

Do you pray for all those in authority?

Do you pray that we as believers can live in peace?

If not you should. 

Please think about it.       

Helping

  Helping

Jesus told this story,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog there is nothing wrong with being rich. It’s what we do with that wealth that wealth that can cause a problem.

In the above story Lazarus a beggar was not helped by the rich man. Ultimately however God held the rich man as He will us to account.

The Bible has thousands of verses calling us to help the poor any way we can. That can be as simple as giving a beggar on the street some pocket change, food, a warm coat, gloves, or whatever we have on hand. Even giving to a reputable charity is helping the poor.

So what are you doing to help the poor where you live?

Please think about it. 

Are your ears open or closed?

  Are your ears open or closed?

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor 

will himself call out and not be answered.”  

                                                                   Proverbs 21:13.

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour… 

Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land." Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.

In the book of Leviticus we read,

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

Jesus said,

"Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:42.

Time and time again throughout the Bible we are called to help the poor. This is an obligation of all Christians.

So do you do what you can to help others?

Please think about it.

Called to Service

  Called to Service

In the book of Philippians we read,

"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4.

Do you look out for others?

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:14-17.

So if you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, is your faith alive or dead?

Please think about it.

Dear Christian

  Dear Christian

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, 

do good to those who hate you,  

bless those who curse you, 

pray for those who mistreat you.... 

Do to others as you would have them do to you." 

                                                                             Luke 6:27,28,31.

The message to Christians here is strait forward. Love. Love the way God loves, unconditionally. 

So dear Christian the question becomes....

Do you love those around you the way God loves?

Please think about it.

Love with Actions

  Love with actions

The apostle John writes,

"This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.... 

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:11,17,18.

The Bible is full of admonitions to the believer to help those in need. 

In the Talmud we read,

“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.

Are you making the world around you a household of Love?

Please think about it.

Speak of Gods righteousness

  Speak of Gods righteousness

Speaking about God. The Psalmist states,

"My tongue will speak of your righteousness 

and of your praises all day long." 

                                                               Psalm 35:28.

If you consider yourself a Christian do you speak of the righteousness of God to those around you when you get the opportunity?

By this I don’t mean force your beliefs on someone. I mean tell them softly and in love about what you believe. Engage in an open and respectful conversation in which you listen to them and what they believe also.

For its only in engaging people in respectful conversation that they will listen to us. And the message of salvation we offer them through Christ Jesus.

Please think about it.

Seek and Pursue

  Seek and Pursue

The Psalmist states,

"Come, my children, listen to me; 

I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 

keep your tongue from evil 

and your lips from speaking lies. 

Turn from evil and do good; 

seek peace and pursue it." 

                                                     Psalm 34:11-14.

Do you love life and desire many good days?

Next question. Do you keep your lips from lying?

                Do you turn from evil?

                                Do you seek Peace and Pursue it?

Please think about it.