There is one man

 There is one man

The apostle Paul wrote,

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.”  1 Timothy 2:1-6.

Paul makes it clear here that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. It is through Jesus that we are saved. It is Jesus who died for our sins. 

Jesus himself said,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

This is an incredible statement for anyone to make. Saying He is the only way to heaven.

I like what C. S. Lewis said about Jesus in Mere Christianity. 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

Please think about it.

Do you have eternal life?

  Do you have eternal life?

The apostle John writes,

“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.” 1 John 5:11-12.

Here John makes a simple statement. If you believe in Christ Jesus you have eternal life. 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.

In the book of Romans we read,

"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 in God and the saving grace that comes through Christ Jesus?

Please think about it. 

Handling the word of God

 Handling 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." 2 Timothy 2:15.

I feel we as Christians at times become so familiar with the scriptures that we take them for granted as a result we handle them without due care.

As believers in God. As believers in Christ Jesus. We must realize that the Bible is the inspired word of God. As such it must be handled with care. We must quote the scriptures in the context they are written.

We must never take scripture out of context in order to prove our point of view. We as the apostle Paul states,

"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.

Do you and the pastors and religious teachers you listen to handle the word of God correctly?

Please think about it.

About the miracles of Christ

  About the Miracles of Christ.

In the book of Luke we read,

“Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.  

As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.  

When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” 

Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”  

The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 

They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”  

This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.” Luke 7:11-17.

I am always amazed at the miracles Christ did. I’m amazed because it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is God incarnate.

I’ve heard that some don’t believe Jesus did miracles. My answer, “If he didn’t do them why would the writers of the Bible include them?”. Including untrue miracles would be lying and disprove the very thing they are trying to prove. For that matter why would any of Jesus’ claims be true if the miracles were false.

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.

Please think about it.

Look after...

  Look after...

In the book of James we read,

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27.

Here James makes it simple. As Christians God expects our faith to be pure and faultless, “to look after orphans and widows”.

AND to keep ourselves “from being polluted by the world.”

In Zechariah 7:10 we read,

“...do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, let none of you devise evil against another in your heart” Zechariah 7:10.

In Deuteronomy we read,

“He (God) executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:18.

These are clear scriptures telling Christians to help the less fortunate in whatever way they can.

So if you consider yourself a Christian, are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Do you confess and believe?

  Do you 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.”  Romans 10: 9,10

Here is a simple question in light of what the apostle Paul wrote.

Do you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart Jesus is Lord?

Please think about.

Between God and man

 Between God and man

The apostle Paul writes

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.”  1 Timothy 2:5,6

Jesus said,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6.

This is what Christians believe. We accept these two statements by faith. It’s that simple. I know it is a radical statement, but we Christians believe it to be true.

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.

That being said for most people having faith in anything especially God can be a very hard thing.

Which I believe is why the scriptures tell 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.

Because those who truly believe in someone or something are the strongest believers.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it.

An Adulterous generation

 An adulterous generation

In the book of James we read,

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."  James 4:4

I live in North America a part of the world where materialism is king. People are encouraged to buy the latest car, the latest smart phone, the latest designer clothing, the big beautiful house with all that goes with it and of course they are trying to get all the money they make.

Now there is nothing wrong with all of these things on their own. There’s nothing wrong with being rich and having the finer things in life.

The apostle Paul tells us,

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10.

Riches can pull us away from God. There are many preachers here in north America that say God wants you to be healthy and wealthy. If your not they say you have sin in your life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Preachers that say these things have been lured away from the true gospel message to enrich themselves with the things of this world.

But false preachers aside each person is responsible for themselves. We have to decide where our friendship lies. Is it with God or this world.

So where does your friendship lie?

Please think about it.

Who is Jesus really?

 Who is Jesus really?

"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?

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."  John 10:24-33

Is Jesus God incarnate? From what the apostle John records here, it seems Jesus is saying that. And that at a time when saying you are God could get you stoned to death. Which is what John records in the above passage of scripture.

I think C. S. Lewis put it best in his book Mere Christianity, when he 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.

Thus anyone being told about Jesus must make a choice. Is he like Lewis states, a lunatic, a poached egg, a devil demon a fool, a madman or God incarnate.

The choice is yours.

Please think about it.

Faith without works

  Faith without works

The apostle John writes,

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

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

James elaborates on what John is saying,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

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

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.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20

This says it all. If you see someone in need and don’t help him or her to the extent you can, the love of God is not in you. 

And there are many ways you can help those in need give and even volunteer at a food bank. Give a few dollars to someone begging on the street. Give to charities that help the poor.

What are you doing to help those in need?

Please think about it.

Being openhanded

  Being open handed

Jesus said,

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

In Deuteronomy we read,

"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour… Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land." Deuteronomy 15:7,11

I like what is practised in Judaism. It’s something called Tzedakah. The simplest definition I can find is this I got this from a Jewish website,

"The word "tzedakah" is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due."

  Being open handed doesn’t necessarily mean giving large portions of your money to the poor, but rather what you can afford. 

So are you open handed to the poor?

Please think about it.

A Call to Love

 A Call to love

  The apostle John wrote,

We love because he first loved us.  

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  

And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1John 4:19-21.

Do you love those around you? Do you show the kind of love God shows to you, unconditional love to all you meet, even those you disagree with?

The apostle John says you should.

The apostle Paul writes,

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6.

So my question to you dear reader is, do you love all you come in contact with, family, friend, or foe?

Please think about it.

Every hidden deed

  Every hidden deed

In the book of 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." Ecclesiastes 12:13,14. 

Do you fear God and keep His commandments? 

Have you tried to hide things from God?

Have you sinned against God?

If so have you confessed these sins to God?

Sin if falling short of Gods ideal for your life. Doing things that are against Gods commandments.

And if you have, (and we all, if we are honest have) then there is hope for you.

The apostle John writes,

“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.” 1John 1:9-10.

So where do you stand with God?

Please think about it.

Light

  Light

Jesus said,

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16.

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

With that in mind as a true follower of Christ you need to watch what you do. As I said in my previous blog. If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus. Then it is through your words and deeds that people will see God.

At the same time a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus, is responsible for following what Jesus said when he 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.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

We are Christs ambassadors

  We are Christs ambassadors

The apostle Paul writes,

“We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20.

Here is an important fact all Christians, all believers in Christ Jesus need to understand. We are Christ’s ambassadors. 

Which means in is through the lense of our words and deeds that people will see God. If your actions and words are not showing love then people will think God is not a God of love. On the other hand. If your words and deeds are showing the unconditional love of God then people will see God as a God of love.

So my question to you is, when people look at your words and deeds what do they see?

Please think about it.

Mercy Judgement Forgiveness

  Mercy Judgement, Forgiveness 

Jesus made it clear,

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37.

In the book of James we read,

"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.

So the question becomes, Do you judge people or do you show mercy toward those around you?

Do you obey the words of Jesus who 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 neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:36-40.

Please think about it.

Call to the rich

 Call to the rich

The apostle James writes,

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  

Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  

Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  

You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  

You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." James5:1-6.

Let me make it clear being rich is not a sin. The apostle Paul writes,

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10.

When it comes to wealth it’s what priority do you put on it. Many wealthy Christians have helped the church over the centuries.

What James is doing here is calling out the wealthy who have failed to pay there workers. Who have “condemned and murdered innocent men who were not opposing (them)”.

It is a call to wealthy men and women who are sinning. Even committing crimes.

It is a call to them to repent of their sins and turn to God.

Where do you stand with God?

Please think about it.

Don't be led astray

 Don' be led astray

The apostle Paul speaking to king Agrippa said,

"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.  

First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.  Acts 26:19 20.

The apostle John wrote,

"Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.  

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.  

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.  

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:7-10.

In North America where I live love at times seems to be in short supply. We have people claiming to be Christians supporting a person who is cutting needed aid to their countrymen. Who is forgetting the poor. While scripture clearly says,

"A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge." Proverbs 29:7.

Where do you stand?

Please think about it.

Love the Christian way

 Love the Christian way

The apostle Paul writing on love states,

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

Love is the key to a Christian life. Love is what motivated God to send Jesus into this world. Perhaps the best known verse in the Bible is in the Gospel of John where Jesus is quoted, talking about himself and 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.” John 3:16,17. 

True love can be costly. After all it cost Jesus His life. The apostle Paul telling 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 Paul also defines Christian 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.

Loving according the Paul’s definition is difficult and we all fall short from time to time. Still it is to this definition we as true believers in Christ Jesus must live up to.

Is the kind of love you show to others in line with this definition of love?

Please think about it.

How's a Christian to act?

 How's a Christian to act? 

"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 the one verse everyone who claims to be a Christian should think carefully about.

Put this way it means;

If you are

demonstrating against anyone. 

You are telling them 

they can demonstrate against you.

If you are 

speaking out and trying to restrict the rights of others 

given to them by the lawfully elected government.

You are telling others 

they can try to restrict your rights.

If you are 

imposing your morals on others

however good they may be.

You are telling them 

they can impose their morals on you, 

even if they are not as good as yours.

If you are 

trying to impose your faith on others 

rather than presenting your faith.

You are telling others 

they can impose their faith on you.

If you are

judging others.

You are telling others 

they can judge you in the same way.

If you 

are telling the world you are a Christian

You should be telling the world 

I love you 

as Jesus loves you,...

unconditionally.

                   Please think about it