Our deeds shown in our faith

  Our deeds shown in our faith

In the book or Ecclesiastes we read,

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty of man. 

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." Ecclesiastes12:13,14.

This should serve as a warning, particularly to those who claim to be Christians. To those who claim to be true followers of Christ Jesus. We all one day will stand before God and answer for what we have done.

True as Christians we believe we are saved by the grace of God. Through our faith in Christ Jesus. In the book of James however we read,

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."  James 2:17,18. 

So is your faith in God seen in the deeds you do?

Please think about it.

Let love never leave you

 Let love never leave you

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man." Proverbs 3:3,4.

So just what is true Christian love? The apostle Paul writes,

"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.

When people see your life is this the kind of love they see?

Please think about it. 

Worshiping God

 Worshiping God

In John’s gospel we read Jesus saying,

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24.

Do you believe in God? Is that belief simply intellectual? Acknowledging God exists. Or is your belief a deep spiritual belief?

Do you worship God in spirit and in truth? For this, according to Jesus, is what God is seeking.

Where do you stand when it come to Jesus and to God?

Please think about it.

Taking time

  Taking time

The Psalmist writes,

"Give thanks to the LORD, 

for he is good; his love endures forever. 

Let Israel say: 

"His love endures forever." 

Let the house of Aaron say: 

"His love endures forever." 

Let those who fear the LORD say: 

"His love endures forever." 

                                                  Psalm 118:1-4.

This is something all who believe in God should be doing. Praising God. 

All to often as we go through our daily routines we forget to praise the Lord. We forget to thank him for all that he as done for us.

God at times seems to be in the background of our lives. Someone we praise at night before bed. When we should be taking time throughout our day to at least praise Him.

How about you do you do take time throughout your day to praise God?

Please think about it.

Moral Attributes

  Moral Attributes

                        The Psalmist writes,

"Your word is a lamp to my feet 

and a light for my path." 

                                                             Psalm 119:105

Man needs moral attributes for us to live by. The Bible provides those morals.  If we do not have moral absolutes, society will slip into a lawless abyss. 

We only have to look at world war two, where men and women did not obey the moral laws of God, caused tens of millions men, women and children to be murdered in death camps.

It is therefor imperative that we study the Bible and learn the laws God set down in order for society to function correctly.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it. 

Have you accepted?

  Have you accepted?

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.

This is the soul reason Jesus came to earth. He came to show each person the way to heaven. The Christian message is that simple.

Later in John chapter 6 we read,

“For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:40.

God wants everyone to turn to Him and accept the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus.

Have you accepted the salvation and eternal life that comes through Jesus?

Please think about it.

With Trusted Teachers

 With Trusted teachers

The Apostle Peter states,

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

Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute."2Peter2:1,2  

This is happening today. There are many around the world who claim to be Christian but are not. These people deliberately twist the word of God for their own gains. Thus we must be well informed when it comes to the scriptures.

The apostle Paul telling us,

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."  2 Timothy 2:15.

In order to handle the word of God correctly we need to study it for ourselves and with trusted pastors and teachers.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Starting and Ending

  Starting and Ending

The Psalmist writes,

"Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,

for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul." 

                                          Psalm 143:8.

It is my belief we should start each day with prayer to the Lord. Asking God for a good day. A day where he gives us direction. A day in which we lift up our soul, our very being to Him. Likewise we should end our day praying to God. Thanking him for all he has done for us.

What about you? If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus are you starting your day praying to God? And as you end your day are you praying to Him?

Please think about it.

Face to Face

  Face to Face

In the book of Psalms we read,

“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4.

For me especially if I’ve had a hard day. This verse of scripture gives me hope and rest for my soul.

I am looking forward to the day when I will see the LORD in person. So what about you? If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus. Are you waiting for the day you will meet God face to face?

Please think about it. 

To save the Lost

  To save the lost

In the gospel of Luke we read,

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." 

                                                                                                      Luke 19:10.

Here as we would put it in industry today is Jesus’ job description. 

The apostle Paul writing,

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

Earlier in Romans 3: 23,24 Paul tells us,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:23,24

We cannot live a perfect life. We all fall short of what God wants for our life. That’s why the apostle Paul tells us,

“For our sake he made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:20.

We Christians believe we cannot work our way to heaven. In the book of Ephesians we read,

“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.

Thus we must humble ourselves before God. Confess our sins and ask God to come into our lives.

Have you done this?

Please think about it? 

God raised Him

 God raised Him

The apostle Paul states,

"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.

At first glance this statement seems simple enough. Believe in Jesus and you shall go to heaven. But is it? Many people have problems believing in someone or something they cannot see. So perhaps it’s not as easy as it seems.

So my question to you dear reader is do you believe in Christ Jesus and that God raised him from the dead?

Please think about it.

A prerequisite

  A prerequisite

Here is for many people a very hard thing. Many people can’t believe in anything that they cannot see or touch. Yet in the book of Hebrews we read,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see." 

                                                                  Hebrews 11:1

In Hebrews 11:6 we read,

"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.

Faith in God is a requirement to getting to heaven. Yet many refuse to believe. 

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.

So do you believe in God and the salvation that comes through His Son Christ Jesus?

Please think about it.

Spurred on

 Spurred on

Jesus said,

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:34-40

While our faith saves us. We are called to do more. As the above words of Jesus notes. 

In the book of James we read,

"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:20.

Our faith must spur us on to do good deeds.

So the question becomes. If you consider yourself a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus. Is your faith spurring you on to do good works?

Please think about it.

Test Everything

  Test everything

“Test everything. Hold on to the good.” 

                                                    1Thessalonians 5:15.

As Christians we are called to test everything. We should never follow by blind faith. We need to look at what is being taught. We need to question the pastor or evangelist that is speaking to see if he or she is properly teaching the word of God.

The apostle Paul writes,

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2Timothy 2:15.

We need to question anyone calling themselves a Christian leader to see if they are correctly handling the word of God. There is nothing wrong in doing this. The apostle Paul writing,

"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.

Do you from time to time question the pastors, and evangelist you follow to see if they are teaching the word of God correctly?

Please think about it.

There will come a time

  There will come a time

In the book of Obadiah we read,

"For the day of the LORD is near upon all nations.

As you have done, it shall be done to you;

your deeds shall return on your own head" 

                                                                Obadiah 1:15.

I like this quote from Billy Graham it states,

“The Bible says today is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation... 

But there will come a time when it will be too late for you.” 

                                                                                             Billy Graham.

Are you prepared to meet God? Have you acknowledged by faith that there is a God who sent His One and Only Son to save our souls? Have you confessed your sins to God and accepted the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus?

The apostle Paul telling us,

"...Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

 will be saved." 

                                                Romans 10:13.

So have you called upon the name of the LORD and confessed your sins to Him?

Please think about it.

Taking up your cross

  Taking up your cross

Jesus said,

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." Mark 8:34,35.

Here Jesus warns what following him means. Put simply it means it means putting our trust entirely in Gods hands. As one commentator put it “it means letting go of self-determination and replace it with obedience and dependence on God.”

That’s a big step and I know many believers around the world are doing just that. However there are many here in North America where I live are not or are reluctant to deny themselves. Trying to have a foot in both the world and in heaven.

Jesus however said,

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 16:24.

Where do you stand? Have you taken up your cross and following Jesus?

Please think about it.

God's Anvil

 God's Anvil

In the book of Acts we have this account of the apostles being brought before the Sanhedrin,

"Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people."  

At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. 

Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.  

"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 

Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!  

The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.  

God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.  

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." 

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death." Acts 5:25-33.

Then a Pharisee named Gamaliel spoke,

 “A Pharisee named Gamaliel a teacher of the Law an honoured man, standing before the Sanhedrin as they were presiding over the trial of Christ’s apostles said,

“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  

But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38,39.

There’s a poem by an unknown author that I’ve always liked it reads,

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed - and hammers gone.

                                                                Anonymous      

 Gamaliel and the poet were right. The Gospel message is of God. As a result today Christianity is the largest religion in the word and all who have tried to destroy it have failed.

Please think about it.

Calls on the name

 Calls on the name

The apostle Paul writes, 

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:23,24.

Sin is falling short of the mark. Falling short of Gods expectations for us.

Isaiah the prophet writes,

“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

God knew we would always fall short of his expectations. That's why he sent Jesus to us.

Writing to Titus Paul states,

"But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:4,5.

Writing to the Ephesians 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.

We cannot work our way into heaven. It is only by accepting Gods grace that comes through Christ Jesus that we can enter heaven. The apostle Paul writing,

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:9-13.

Do you believe Jesus in Lord the Saviour of all who trust in him?

Please think about it.

God's showed you

  God’s showed you

In the book of Micah we read,

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Here the prophet Micah tells us what has to be the most basic actions believers in God, believers in Christ Jesus has to do.

Act justly

Love mercy

Walk humbly with God.

If you claim to be a believer in God. A believer in Christ Jesus. Are you doing these things?

Please think about it.

Principles for living #7 Trust in The Lord

  Principles for living #7 Trust in The Lord

The writer of Proverbs tells us,

“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.

If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus do you trust God completely? Is your faith squarely in Him. The writer of Hebrew tells 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.

I have learned first hand that trusting in God really does work. 

Yes there have been times when I thought things would not work out. Still I committed the situation to God and left it there. Ultimately the situation did work out, although sometimes not in the way I thought it would work out.

The apostle Paul said,

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

And Paul should know he went through a lot for his faith yet it all worked out in the end. Even though he was ultimately martyred for his faith he had the opportunity to share that faith throughout the Roman empire. He stood before everyone from rulers to slave and told them about his faith before leaving this earth for heaven.

So the question becomes, if you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus do you put your trust fully in Him? And do you share your faith?

Please think about it.