Do Not

Do not
Jesus said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”Matthew 7:1,2
These are the words of Jesus not mine. As Christians we cannot afford to judge people. We must love people.
The late American evangelist Billy Graham said,

It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge

 and my job to love, 

                              Billy Graham

James the half brother of Jesus said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
The American civil rights leader Martin Luther King jr., said,

Love is the only force capable 

of transforming an enemy into friend. 

                                            Martin Luther King, Jr.

We as believer in Christ Jesus are the representatives of Christ in this world. As a result we must love, God, our neighbour, our family and our enemy.
We must do this because the eternal resting place of someone we meet might depend on our actions.
If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus...
Please think about this. 

Christian Principles of Living #1 Love

Christian Principles for Living #1 Love
There are some very important precepts within Christianity that all true believers in Christ Jesus I believe must be following. The first is Love.
Jesus said when asked the question,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Earlier in Matthews gospel we hear Jesus taking this concept of love one step further. He said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” Matthew 5:43,44.
When it comes to Love the Apostle Paul made clear what Christian Love should be. He wrote,

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast,

 it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                    1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

What these Scriptures from the New Testament say needs no interpretation. They make clear that believers in Christ Jesus should love unconditionally, God, their neighbour, and even their enemy. And The should be praying for those who persecute them.
If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus do you show this kind of Love to those around you?
Please think about it. 

Love your Enemies

Love your enemies
Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”  Matthew 5:43-47.
Do you love your enemies?
Martin Luther King jr. at the height of the civil rights movement in the United States when African Americans were being persecuted and attacked said,

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

                                                                                    Martin Luther King, Jr.

The apostle Paul defines love this way,

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, 

it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: 

faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                         1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

Thus the questions I would ask you the reader are,
1/ Do you Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?
2/ Is the love you show to those around you friend and foe alike the same love that the apostle Paul defines when he wrote to those in the Corinthian church.
Please think about it.

A Sacred Trust

A Sacred Trust
The Apostle Paul writes,

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ 

and stewards of the mysteries of God. 

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

1Corinthians 4:1,2  

As believers in Christ we are not just servants of Christ but “stewards” of the mysteries of God.
A steward was someone who administered all the affairs of his masters house. Joseph was Potiphars steward in the book of Genesis (Genesis 39:2-19).
Stewards must be loyal and faithful to their master.
As stewards of “the mysteries of God” we must stay true to the word of God. We must manage the message of Christ correctly. To do less is to betray our master Jesus. To betray God.
The consequences for not doing so could be eternal. For ourselves and those around us.
A great light shines on the believer in Christ. If we believe the words of Jesus recorded in the gospel of John,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
If we believe the words of Jesus who 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.
We must be presenting the love of God in spirit and in truth to all those around us. We cannot as someone has said, “mess with The Message”.
Jesus when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
     Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
     This is the first and greatest commandment.  
     And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Jesus also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous...”Matthew5: 43-45.
Love is the key to the Christian life. As Martin Luther King jr. the great American civil rights leader said,

Love is the only force capable of transforming 

an enemy into friend.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

God knew this that is why He sent Jesus. The apostle Paul writing to the Romans states,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” Romans 5:8-11
This is the Message we as Christians are to take to the world. The Love of God through Jesus Christ that leads to Salvation.
Jesus told his disciples and through them us,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
We must present this message in love to all who will listen to us.
We must be presenting it in spirit and in truth as presented in the Scriptures. To do anything less is unacceptable.
Please think about it.

The Christian Life

The Christian life.
“If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.” Thomas Aquinas.
Jesus said,
“...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6. 
The call of Jesus to the world is,
“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.
All too often living here in North America I hear non-Christians saying Christianity is a bunch of do’s and do not’s. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Christianity is as much a lifestyle as it is a faith. It is living by a set of moral values set down by God in the Bible.
Following the moral rules for Christian living is no different than if you are playing a football game.
In a football match one needs to follow the rules in order to have good honest and fair game for all participating.
So it with Christian living. God lays out a set of moral rules for us to live by so that all can have a good life.
The call of Jesus is to Love God, your neighbour, your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.
Jesus when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment. 
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Making things even simpler 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 what Christian living is all about.
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.
This is what it is to live a Christian life.
Please think about it.

The Heart of Christianity

The Heart of Christianity
John records Jesus stating clearly why he came,
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him  should not perish but have everlasting life.
“For God did not send His Son into the world  to condemn the world,  but that the word through Him might be saved.”
John 3:16,17
If we are true followers of Christ we will not speak out condemning the world. We will not judge the world. That is not what God would have us to do.
The Apostle Paul wrote,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                  1 Corinthians 5:12,13
While we may dislike the actions of those in the world and some of the laws past by our governments. Still we have no right to condemn them providing they don’t restrict our rights or the rights of others.
Romans 13:1,2 clearly states
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. 
The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”                                                                                                                                                 Romans 13:1,2
Remember Paul wrote those words when the emperor Nero ruled. One of the greatest persecutors of Christians. If we wish to truly do the work of Christ we must love the world. If we fail to do
so, this can have eternal consequences.
Paul when writing to the Romans said,
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the LORD, rejoicing in hope,  patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things,  but associate with the humble. 
 Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” 
                                                                                                  Romans 12:9-21.
We cannot live at peace with all men if we are constantly criticizing their life or lifestyle. We have no right to show even a hint of judgment toward those who are not a part of the body of believers in Christ Jesus.
Remember what Paul said about love,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  
                                                                                                     1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Matthew records Jesus being asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
                                                                                     Matthew 22:37-40
He also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
Matthew 5:43-46.
The more I read the Bible the more I see God’s Love throughout it. The New Testament proclaims that love on virtually every page.
The reason for that love is mentioned in John 3:17
“For God did not send His Son into the world  to condemn the world,  but that the word through Him might be saved.”
                            John 3:17.
We as Christians need to take a careful look at how we are witnessing to others. Asking ourselves are we judging them? Are we loving them? Do the people whom we are witnessing to see our actions as love because if they don’t our witness is to no avil.
The Talmud while not a Christian book gives an interesting story about Abraham it states,
“An aged man, whom Abraham hospitality invited to his tent, refused to join him in prayer to the one spiritual God.  Learning that he was a fire-worshipper.   Abraham drove him from his door.      That night God appeared to Abraham in a vision and said: ‘I have borne with that ignorant man for seventy years: could you not have patiently suffered him one night?
                                                                                                                                The Talmud .
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails....” (Paul to the Corinthians)
It is only through Love that we will win souls for Christ.
Please think about it