On Finding God

On Finding God
The Book of Deuteronomy tells us,
“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  Deuteronomy 4:29.
C. S. Lewis states,
“He shows much more of Himself to some people than to others-not because He has favourites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition.”  C. S. Lewis.
God is always there willing to show himself to anyone who wishes to see him. Sadly the trouble with many people who say God does not exist is that they refuse to look. They have made up their minds and all the proof in the world will not convince them.
You have to be looking for God in order to find Him. Additionally finding God takes faith. And faith is something we all have even atheist.
Atheist have faith in their own knowledge.
The trouble with mortal man is that man can only truly know what is this side of the grave. No one living today has gone beyond the grave and come back to tell about it.
It takes faith to believe there is something beyond the grave. It’s easy to look at the world around you and say “I can’t see God. Therefore He doesn’t exist.”
The thing is God shows his existence in the world around us. The Psalmist tells us,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 

                                            Psalm 19:1.

Everything in the universe is perfect order mathematically. Scientist may not have all the formulas yet but given good science and time I believe science will show there is a definite order in the universe. That everything from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest galaxy is interlinked.
That the universe was designed in such away as for life to exist as we know it on this planet.
 Until that point however we must have faith that there is a God who loves us. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.” 

                                     Hebrews 11:1

“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.

Please think about it.

Jesus is.

Jesus is.
The apostle John writes,
“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.
In my previous blog I mentioned that the Bible makes the statement “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”, Genesis 1:1.
I mentioned that it does not debate the fact God exists and that He created the universe and everything in it. Is simply asks the reader to accept the fact God exists and He created the universe and everything in it.
Christian belief however goes one step further. It asks the individual to believe that God entered the world he created in the form of his One and Only Son Jesus Christ. That Jesus is God incarnate.
Of all the Christian beliefs this is the hardest for many to believe. The apostle Paul writes,
“In Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the God head bodily” Colossians 2:9.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word....”Hebrews 1:3a.
The divinity of Christ is a corner stone of Christian belief.
Henry Ward Beecher states,
“If Christ is not divine, every impulse of the Christian world falls to a lower octave, and light and love and hope decline.”Henry Ward Beecher.
The followers of Jesus believed Him to be the Son of God the Christ. Jesus speaking to Martha said
“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.
Matthews gospel records,
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13-16.
The question Jesus asked Martha and Peter is the same question people today must answer. Who do you believe Jesus is?
Please think about it.

A Fundamental Truth

A Fundamental Truth.
The book of Genesis states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
This statement sums up the first two chapters of the book of Genesis. At the same time it sums up what both Jews and Christians believe. “God created the universe and everything in it.”
When the book of Genesis was written as with all Biblical books it was not intended as a book of science. It was written as a book of faith intended to be understood by all people from the most ancient of days to the present time.
Had the writer attempted to write the book in modern scientific terms the readers prior to our generation and many in our generation would not have understood it.
The book of Genesis simply states “God created the heavens and the earth” how it was created, be it through the big bang, through evolution over millions of years, or in six twenty-four hour days is unimportant.
The only important fact is “God created the heavens and the Earth.”
That being said, the Bible points out that there is evidence of God saying,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech;

 night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 

                                                                         Psalm 19:1-3.

The way I see it is the perfection of the universe from the largest galaxy to the smallest subatomic particle speaks of a divine creator. For we live in a universe that is designed in such a way that it makes it possible for we as human beings to exist. I for one cannot believe this is simply by chance.
Thus the choice is up to you. Do you believe there is a God who created the universe and everything in it or not?
Please think about it.

Rules that prove the fact

Rules that prove the fact
In brief the ten commandments read,

1/“You shall have no other gods before me.” 

2/“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them;...” 

3/ “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” 

4/ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”  

5/ “Honour your father and your mother,” 

6/“You shall not murder.” 

7/“You shall not commit adultery.” 

8/“You shall not steal.” 

9/“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” 

10/“You shall not covet “

                                                                                       From Exodus 20:2-17.
Here to me is something that proves God exists. Quoted above are the Ten Commandments. They were given to Moses by God thousands of years ago and are universally applicable to every man and woman on the planet. These are rules for living that I firmly believe are in the hearts of everyman.
Following these ten basic rules for living makes society a safe and loving place.
Such rules I do not believe simply evolved over the centuries. I cannot believe ancient man simply convened a conference of all the tribes of the earth and agreed on such rules. I believe God himself instilled them in our hearts and minds from the day we were conceived. I believe they are part of our DNA.
The ten commandments tell mankind first of all how God expect the individual to act with respect to God. The first three state,

1/“You shall have no other gods before me.” 

2/“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them;...” 

3/ “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” 

There is only one God to be worshipped and that is the Lord God almighty. We are to have no other Gods. We are not to make and worship idols. We are not to misuse God’s name.
Number four states

4/ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” 

We can work six days a week but on the seventh we are to rest and worship God. Having a day of rest is even accepted by health advocates as a good thing.
The fifth tells us,

5/ “Honour your father and your mother,” 

We are to honour our father and mother. Years ago there use to be a saying around the church that said, “Don’t let your parents down, they brought you up.”
The next commands are what is needed for an orderly society, they state,

6/“You shall not murder.” 

7/“You shall not commit adultery.” 

8/“You shall not steal.” 

9/“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” 

10/“You shall not covet “

As I said I do not believe ancient man could come up with such universally accepted law as the ten commandments. Laws that encompass both mans relationship to God and his relationship with his fellow man.
That being said I leave the decision with you the reader. Do you believe there is a God the creator of heaven and earth or not?
The choice is yours.
Please think about it. 

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus?
Throughout the centuries Christians have asked people to answer the question Jesus asked of Martha when he said,
“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.
Jesus among all the individuals that have ever lived stands alone.
Napoleon Bonaparte said of him,
“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.
H. G. Wells, British writer, (1866-1946) When asked which person left the most permanent impression on history, he replied that judging a person’s greatness by historical standards:
“By this test, Jesus stands first.”
“I am a historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very centre of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.”
“Christ is the most unique person of history. No man can write a history of the human race without giving first and foremost place to the penniless teacher of Nazareth.” H. G. Wells.
The apostle John writes,
“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
What John is saying here is Jesus is God, the creator of the universe. That God in the form of Jesus entered the world he created. Jesus is God incarnate.
The gospel of John tells of this incident in the life of Jesus,
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” John 10:24-32.
Even when faced with stoning and death Jesus did not back down on saying who he was.
The apostle Paul tells us why Jesus came, stating,
“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 5:6,7.
The apostle John stating,
“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.
God sent Jesus to point man to heaven. To provide mankind with a way directly to heaven through faith in Christ Jesus.
C. S. Lewis states,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg, — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
  Ultimately you must decide who Jesus is. Before you do however I would ask that you read the New Testament for yourself. Read what Christians who knew Jesus personally believed about him. Then decide.
Please think about it.

My Shepherd

My Shepherd
The Psalmist writes,

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 

He restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

 I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

 your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” 

                                                                                                         Psalm 23
We as Christians believe we have a personal relationship with our God. A God who loves us unconditionally and wants us to be with him in heaven. Who even entered the world he created to point us to Heaven,
Christians believe Jesus when he said,

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

 I have come that they may have life,

 and have it to the full. 

“I am the good shepherd. 

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” 

                                                                                                    John1:10,11
We believe Jesus is the Son of God. The Saviour of mankind. The “Good Shepherd” who laid down His life for us. The apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 
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 5:5-8.
God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to die for our sins. C. S. Lewis said,
“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.
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.
All of this takes faith. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                                                               Hebrews 11:1

“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
What do you believe?
Please think about it.

Confess and Believe

Confess and Believe
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.
Do you have the assurance that you are going to heaven?
If you were to die tonight would you enter heaven?
The apostle Paul writes,

“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.

Christians believe we get into heaven through our faith in Christ. Through the grace of God.  Not by our works.
Isaiah the prophet wrote,
“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.
We cannot live a life good enough to stand before a holy God that is why God in the form of Jesus God entered the world. To pay the price for our sins. So that we would not have to suffer for them. This is how much he loved us.
The God I know and worship the creator of heaven and earth is truly a God of love.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans tells us,
“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.
Jesus speaking of himself made this statement,
“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.
Belief, faith, in anyone especially someone you cannot see can be very difficult for many people. Yet it is faith God requires of all people as the writer of Hebrews states,

“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.
Do you have enough faith to believe in God. To believe that Jesus died for your sins because Jesus did indeed die for your sins.
C. S. Lewis states,
“He (Jesus) 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.
That is how much God Loves you.
All you as an individual need to do is what the Apostle Paul said,
“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.
Please think about it.

About Jesus

About Jesus
The apostle Paul writes,
“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  1 Corinthians 2:14.
Over the years I’ve met many people who do not understand who Jesus is. Men and women who are of other faiths or are simply atheist. They cannot believe what the writer of Hebrews states,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3.
They find it hard to believe that Jesus is God incarnate The Saviour of mankind.
The apostle Paul explains it this way,
“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  1 Corinthians 2:14.
I respect the beliefs of these people who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God, Saviour of mankind, God incarnate, and I welcome open and honest discussion with non-Christians. It is good to share ones beliefs and views. That is why I write these blogs.
My prayer for anyone with whom I talk about Jesus is that God will open their eyes. That he will reveal himself to them through His Spirit.
Not only that but I pray that the person themself will sincerely pray and ask God to show them truth about Jesus.
I pray they will read at the very least the New testament. That they will read what the writers and followers of Jesus believed him to be.
In order to truly find who Jesus is, the person first and foremost needs to be truly looking for the answer. Otherwise they will not find anything.
Things of God are spiritually discerned thus the individual even if they are not Christians need to ask God for spiritual discernment.  For spiritual insight into what the scriptures are saying.
The apostle Paul speaking in the Areopagus in Athens a place where ideas were discussed openly said,
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
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 17:24-31.
The writer of Acts notes that after Paul said this,
“When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”Acts 17:32-34
My question to you the reader. Which group are you with, the ones who sneered, those who wished to know more or are you willing to become a follower of Jesus?
If you are sincerely interested in finding the truth about Jesus. I would ask you to pray asking God to show you the truth. Then read the New Testament and see for yourself what those who knew Jesus personally believed him to be.
Please think about it. 

Food for Thought

Food for thought
For the last little while now most of what I have written has been aimed at Christians, Christian living, belief and lifestyle. I however want to take this post to look at belief, and faith in God. Listed are several quotes from both the Bible and sources outside the Bible. I put them here for you to think about.
The Psalmist states,

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” 

Psalm 14:1

Voltaire said

“I cannot imagine how the clockwork of the universe

 can exist without a clockmaker.” 

Voltaire

C. S. Lewis said,

“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade,

 the presence of God.” 

C.S. Lewis.

Abraham Lincoln said,

"I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, 

but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens 

and say there is no God."

Abraham Lincoln

     The Psalmist declares,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 

Psalm 19:1.

Billy Graham the American Evangelist said,

I can't prove it scientifically, that there's a God, 

but I believe.

Billy Graham

The apostle Paul wrote,

“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

A person has two choices in life. Either you believe in God or you do not. The choice is yours.
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

Please think about it.

Jesus, God Incarnate

Jesus God Incarnate
The apostle John states,
“Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.  
Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.” 2 John 1:7,8.
Here is another theme John speaks about. He states,
“Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
There were many people in John’s day that preached false teaching.
One group known as Docetism taught that Christ did not actually come in the flesh. That Christ did not have a body but only seemed to have a body and to suffer and die on the cross.
     There is such teaching around today. This is untrue.
John knew Jesus personally. John was a witness to the teachings and life of Jesus. Thus he writes to make it clear teachings like Docetism and other teachings are wrong. John calls them deceivers and the antichrist.
We as Christians need to know what we believe. We need to respectfully, stand up against anyone who would say Jesus is less than divine.
What is known as the apostles creed while not written by an apostle of Jesus states in a nutshell what True 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.
John in his gospel tells us,
“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.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3  
Jesus is God incarnate God in the flesh. There is no middle ground here. Either Jesus is God incarnate or he is not. The choice is up to you.
Please think about it.

We Know

We Know
The Apostle John states,
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1John 5:20,
John here in the concluding remarks of his first letter once again makes definite statements.
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true.”
When we believe Jesus is the Son of God. He gives us understanding so that we may know the one true God creator of heaven and earth.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. Through him we can see God the Father.
John makes it clear,
“And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life”
This statement harkens to John’s statement in his gospel about those who believe in Jesus. John states,
“Yet to all who received him,(Jesus) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13.
As radical and controversial as it may seem in some circles, we Christians do believe we are Children of God called to do his work.
It is something you the reader must consider. Is Jesus the Son of God, God incarnate or is he not?
Henry Ward Beecher stated,
“If Christ is not divine, every impulse of the Christian world falls to a lower octave, and light and love and hope decline.” Henry Ward Beecher
John in his gospel records this conversation between Jesus and his disciples. He records,
“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  
If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:5-10.
Here Jesus make it clear that he truly is one with God the Father.
Thus the question becomes, Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, Saviour of Mankind, God incarnate?
Please think about it.

Believe in the Son

Believe in the Son
The apostle John states,

“Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. 

Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,

 because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.  

And this is the testimony: 

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  

He who has the Son has life; 

he who does not have the Son of God 

does not have life.” 

1John5:10-12

The apostle John throughout his gospel and his letters makes some very clear statements about Jesus and a persons relationship with Jesus.
Here he makes it clear,
1/ God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
2/ He who has the Son has life;
3/ he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
In his gospel John quotes Jesus as 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.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. John 3:16-18.
These are if you think about it radical statements. That if right, as I as a Christian believe they are, they have eternal implications for all who here about Jesus.
Jesus is the one and only Son of God the Saviour of mankind.
C. S. Lewis states,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis.
To those who read this and are not a Christian I would ask that you take time to read the New Testament. What have you to loose.
Blaise Pascal wrote of God,
“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.
The same is true of Jesus. If he is the Son of God as we Christians think then you gain eternity with God and all that goes with it. If what Christians believe is false then you loose nothing.
Please think about it.
Post Script.
If you want a free copy of the Bible there is free download called You Version that is available to all who would want to read about God, Jesus and what the apostles of Christ taught.
It cost nothing to download and nothing to read it for yourself.  

Jesus is

Jesus is.
The Apostle Peter makes this statement.
“We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  
For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  
We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 2 Peter 1:16-18.
Over the years I’ve heard people say Jesus was not a real person. He is a myth.
Jesus is not a myth. If so the apostle Peter and all the other writers of the New Testament have told one of the most monumental lies in human history.
Peter was there with Jesus he witnessed the life of Christ on this earth. He truly believed that Jesus was the Son of God. God incarnate.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
This is what all the writers of the New Testament believed. It is what true Christians in the twenty-first century believe.
Henry Ward Beecher wrote,
“If Christ is not divine, every impulse of the Christian world falls to a lower octave, and light and love and hope decline.”Henry Ward Beecher
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.     He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Each person when presented with Jesus must decide for themselves who Jesus is. No one can decide for you. You must look at what the New Testament writers said about him and make your own decision. That decision can be but one of two things. Either what the writers of the New Testament says is true, Jesus is the Son of God, God incarnate, the Saviour of Mankind or he is not.
Please think about it

A Foolish Message???

A foolish message???
The apostle Paul writes,
“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....”  
“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?...”  
“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” 1 Corinthians 18,20,22-25
Put simply God’s ways are not our ways. God could have come to earth with a lot of fan fair. He could have came out of heaven in a spectacular way, showing his power and might,  showing himself to all mankind at the same time, calling all to worship him.
The result would have been that people would have worshipped him, if for no other reason than out of fear of what he could do to them.
God however did not do such a thing. I for one believe he did not do this because fear of anyone does not produce true followers.
If history has shown us anything is that people will follow a leader, at least in word, if they fear the leader enough. They will give lip service to a person they fear. While inwardly they do not like the person. God does not want these kinds of followers. God wants true followers.
During his time on earth Jesus did perform miraculous signs. Yet people around him refused to believe in him.
As for the wisdom the Geeks “non-Jews”. They were looking for a person who would do things the way they expected. They had put God in a box. One only has to look at the statues of the Greek gods to see what they expected God to be like.
The same is true today as it was in the apostle Paul’s day. Some people expect God to show himself through use of miraculous signs. Some expect God to show Himself physically.
    They have a preconceived idea of what God is and expect God to conform to that expectation or they will not believe in Him.
Many say you must work your way to heaven. That if the good you do, out weighs the bad you do, you go to heaven.
       Christians believe what the apostle Paul said,
“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.
Christians believe God reached down to man in the form of His one and only Son Jesus Christ.  That by accepting the Grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ you get to heaven.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“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
God understands man is imperfect and cannot live a life pure enough to stand before Him. Man sins. Sin is falling short of God’s ideal for our life. Thus God in His wisdom sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins.
The apostle Paul tells us,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
The apostle John states,
“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.” John 1:9-10
This is what God asks people to believe. This is what Christians ask people to believe. If we are wrong then the individual has nothing to fear however if we are right, and I believe we are, then anyone who does not believe the message of Christ, has a lot to fear.
C. S. Lewis said,

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance,

 and if true, of infinite importance. 

The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

 C. S. Lewis.

Ultimately it is up to you the reader that must decide as to the importance of the Christian message.
Ultimately it is up to you to decide who Jesus is.
Please think about it. 

The Same Yesterday, Today, Forever,

The same yesterday today forever
The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings....”

Hebrews 13: 8,9a.  

The writer here makes it clear that Jesus is eternal and unchanging. That believers in Christ should not get carried away with false teaching.
Previously writer of Hebrews tells us exactly who Jesus is and what he has done for mankind. The writer states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
In a nutshell this is what Christians believe of Jesus,
1/ Jesus is God’s Son.
2/ The universe was made through Jesus.
3/ Jesus “...is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.”
4/ Jesus is God incarnate. God in the Flesh.
5/ Jesus provided purification for our sins.
These facts never change. One cannot believe anything other than this and still be a Christian.
Please think about it.

Faith

Faith
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  
This is what the ancients were commended for. 
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.  
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. 
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 
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. 
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.  
And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” Hebrews 11:1-13.
  The writer shows us men of faith, Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham. All these men lived by faith. They did not see in their lifetime the fulfillment of God’s promise. Yet by their faith they believed God would bring about all he had promised them.
James writes,
“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.” James 2:23.
So it is today. The apostle John writes,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13.
As I have said in previous blogs, faith is essential to entering heaven. Yet faith in someone you cannot feel, see or hear is difficult for most people.
This is why I believe God wants us to have faith in Him, because people of faith tend to be the strongest followers. They will follow no matter the circumstances.
Are you such a person. Are you willing to put your trust in Jesus, your trust in God?
Please think about it.

God's Rest

God’s Rest

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12,13.
Here the writer is speaking to all Christians and for that matter non-Christians.
The writer is stating  that God’s word penetrates deep into the soul it judges thoughts and attitudes. Nothing is hidden from God. Everyone will one day have to give account to God himself.
This is not a new concept. The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“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 Psalmist writes of God,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16.
From the moment we were formed in the womb until the day we die God knows all about us. Moreover he knows why we are like we are, and do what we do.
While we might be able to hide things from those around us. We cannot hide things from God. And thus must give an account to Him.
God however in his mercy offers us rest for our souls.
Jesus said,

“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.

Jesus offers rest for ones soul. Eternal life with God for all who would believe in Him. Jesus 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.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. John 3:16-18.
As a Christian I believe you can know here in this world that you will go to heaven. The above quote from Jesus says it all,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, the whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Getting to heaven, eternal life with God is an act of faith in God. The apostle Paul tells 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.
God in his wisdom knew mankind could not live a life pure enough to stand before Him. He knew man was far from perfect and sinned. Sin is falling short of God’s ideal for your life. It is doing what God does not want you to do.
It is because man is prone to do this that Jesus came. The apostle Paul wrote,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
All it takes to get to heaven is accepting the grace that comes from God.
By  faith accepting that Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind.
 Faith however in something can be difficult. It perhaps is the most difficult thing people are asked to do.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1
Believing something you can’t see, feel of touch, can be very hard. However as the writer tells us,
“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 choice therefore is up to you. Are you willing to make take that step of Faith?
Please think about it.

The Question Becomes

The Question becomes,
Matthew’s gospel records,
“Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. 
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.  
Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”  
But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. 
Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.  
At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.  
So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”  
For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. 
While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” 
But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. 
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” Matthew 27:11-24.
The above is Matthew’s account of the trial of Jesus before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilot.
At the trial of Jesus that day we have the world in microcosm. We have the religious leadership of the day, we have the average person in the crowd, and we have the secular Roman governor. We also had God the Father.
The religious leadership had brought Jesus before Pilot to be put to death. They’d trumped up some charges but not having the authority to impose the death penalty themselves the brought Jesus before the Roman governor who did.
The religious leadership could have dropped the charges. Or upon being given the choice between a “notorious prisoner, called Barabbas”, and Jesus, they could have let Jesus go. Instead they chose Barabbas.
The Roman governor who from the text knew what the religious leaders were doing could have released Jesus. Even his wife told him,
“Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” 
The crowd was also given a choice to release Jesus. However they chose to follow the leading of the religious leadership and called for Jesus to be crucified.
God was also present at this trial also. Jesus is the Son of God. God could have in a show of his power sent angels to rescue Jesus. After all what better way to prove who Jesus was. However God’s ways are not our ways.
God asks man to no matter the circumstances to have faith in Him and His ways.
The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1
“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.
Jesus was not the conquering Messiah the Jews of the day were looking for. Jesus is the suffering Messiah described in Isaiah chapter fifty-three that states,
“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 
By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 
Yet it was the LORD'S will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 
After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life  and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors .For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53.
This is the central belief of Christianity. Jesus died for the sins of all who would believe in Him. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways but in these last day he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir to all things and through whom he made the universe.
 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
As I said this is what Christians believe. It is what Christians present to the world.
So the question becomes who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.