Trust

Trust
In Proverbs we read

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make your paths straight."

                                                         Proverbs 3:5,6

Let us face it we are in extraordinary times. What we are going through is far from normal. If ever there was a time to put our trust in God it is now.
We as believers need to take to hart the words of the apostle Peter who wrote,

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, 

that He may lift you up in due time. 

Cast all your anxiety on Him 

because he cares for you.” 

                               1 Peter 5:6,7.

One thing I am certain of is bad times either draws someone closer to God or pushes them away. Thus the choice is yours.
Are you in these uncertain times drawing closer to God or moving away from Him?
Please think about it.

The thoughts of the wise

The thoughts of the wise
The Solomon the writer of Ecclesiastes writes,
“Better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for all are destined to be mourned; the living should lay this to heart.” Ecclesiastes 7:2.
Here Solomon points out that entering a house of mourning a house grieving the loss of a loved one is better that entering a house that is celebrating.
The way I see it Solomon is right.
Not so long ago my wife’s younger brother died suddenly he was only in his early forties. Young by any standards. One of the common, for lack of a better expression phrases I noted from those who attended the funeral was “he was so young. It just goes to show you, you never know when death will happen.”
Solomon notes,
“The thoughts of the wise are in the house of mourning, but the thoughts of fools are in the house of pleasure. Ecclesiastes 7:4.
The way I see it is the death of someone should cause us to think about out mortality. Everyone knows that we will one day die. Yet it seems in our society especially here in the western nations we don’t plan for death. We live in “the house of pleasure”.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this - when you die, will you be happy when everybody else is crying?” Tony Campolo.
Thus my question to you the reader. Upon your death will you be happy?
I as a believer in Christ Jesus believe you can know whether or not you will be happy upon your death. 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.
Please think about it.

Your Sermon

Your sermon
Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
If you claim to be a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus are you doing this?
If you claim to be a Christian you are whether you like it or not representing Christ Jesus in your words and deeds.
Francis of Assisi rightly said,

"The deeds you do 

may be 

the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                            Francis of Assisi.

So what is your sermon saying to the people around you?
Are you showing the love of Christ to those around you no matter who they are?
Do you correctly represent Christ to those around you?
Are you evangelizing and telling people about what should be the most important thing in  your life?
Are you dealing honourably and faithfully with those around you?
The Talmud while not a Christian book tells this story that I can see happening. It states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”The Talmud.
On the day you stand before God, if he were to ask you that question, “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?” What will you say?
Will God say your sermon truly reflected His unconditional love to all you came in contact with?
Please think about it.  

Because

Because

Because...

“...He (God) first loved us.”

       1 John 4:19

I will...love God

Because...

“...God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whoever believes in Him should not perish 

but have everlasting life.”  

John 3:16

I will...have faith in Christ, faith in God

Because...

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

I will...love my God and my neighbour.

Because...

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,” 

Matthew 5:43,44

I will...love my enemies and pray for my persecutors.

Because...

“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.”  

1Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

I will...I will love unconditionally.

                   Dear Reader
                   Will you do the same?
                                       Please think about it.

Christians and Atheist Agree

Christians and Atheist Agree.
I came across the following interesting statement the other day it said,
“The one thing Christians and Atheist agree on is that we will not get out of this life alive. Where they differ is what happens after this life is over.” author unknown.
That being said if the Atheist is right then Christians have nothing to fear. If on the other hand the Christian is right in believing 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.
Then the Atheist has a lot to fear. As C. S. Lewis put it,
“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.
Please think about it.

The Peace of Christmas

       May all who reads this today, Christmas day 2016, truly find the hope, peace and everlasting life with God, that Jesus brings to all who would believe in Him.
May you with the like Simeon be able to say
“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:30-32
May you be able to rejoice with the Psalmist who wrote,

Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

 praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, 

praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD. 

Psalm 150

Yours in Christ, 

Neal W.