A blessing for today

 A blessing for today.

In the book of Numbers God gives Moses this blessing to say over the Israelites,

"The Lord bless you and keep you;

 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 

the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace" 

                                                                            Numbers 6:24-26

Today this blessing is spoken by many pastors over the congregation. It is as relevant today as it was then. It is a blessing I would like all those who read my blogs to accept today. 

"The Lord bless you and keep you;

 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 

the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace" 

                                                                            Numbers 6:24-26.

May God bless all who read this blog today,

                                                            Neal

Do you believe it?

 Do you believe it.

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“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.”  Hebrews 1:1,2.

Here is if you think about it, is an incredible claim. The writer of Hebrews is saying, Jesus is the Son of God through whom the universe was made.

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.

John walked and talked with Jesus. So if anyone could know the truth about Jesus it was John.

Thus anyone reading what John wrote must make the choice. Is John telling a lie or is he telling the truth. There is no middle ground.

Who do you think Jesus is?

Please think about it.

Enter with thanksgiving

  Enter with thanksgiving

The Psalmist writes,

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to [God] and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4

When you pray and worship God do first enter Gods gates with thanksgiving and praise? Quite often when we approach God we approach Him with “a shopping basket of requests”. 

Now there is nothing wrong with asking God to help you. In the book of Philippians we read,

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And they peace of God , which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7.

The way I see it we should all approach God with thanksgiving. We should thank God for all He is and all He has done and will do for us.

So when you pray do you approach God with thanksgiving in your heart?

Please think about it.

When people cry

  When people cry

The prophet Isaiah wrote,

"A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" 

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:6-8.

We humans are fragile beings. We live but a handful of years in this world before moving on to eternity.

The American evangelist Tony Campolo wrote,

"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

So how would you answer Tony’s question?

Are you certain you will be happy when everyone else is crying?

Please think about it.

All are equal before God

  All are equal before God.

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26-28.

Here in Galatians we see that all people are equal before God. No person is above another person. There is no hierarchy within the church. There is no political affiliation for Christians. 

     We are bound together not by race, occupation wealth or lack of wealth. All, men and women are one in Christ. Our faith in Christ is our unifying force.

Please think about it.

Living your faith in word and deed

 Living your faith in word and deed

The apostle John writes,

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  

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.” 1 John 3:16-18.

Here is a very simple Christian life principle. We are to show our faith by our actions. It couldn’t be simpler than that.

So the question is, if you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus are you living your faith not just in words, but in your actions?

Please think about it.

A note for Valentines day

  A note for Valentines day

The apostle Paul 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.

This is the description of true Godly love. It is something we as Christians need to but into action every day of our life.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace

  Pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace

The apostle Paul wrote,

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” 2 Timothy 2:22.

Here Paul is telling his readers to get your heart right with God. Get rid of those evil desires you have. Pursue,

Righteousness,

Faith,

Love, 

Peace,

Doing this pleases God.

So are you pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace?

Please think about it.

A Warning to the rich

  A warning to the rich

In the book of James we read,

“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.” James 5:1-6.

Now there’s nothing wrong with being rich and having a lot of material possessions. The apostle Paul tell 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.

It’s what you do with your wealth that is the problem. Do you use it selfishly on yourself or do you use at least a portion of it to help others.

The warning here is clearly to those who use their wealth selfishly. Those who have no compassion on the poor.

So my question is... Do you use at least a portion of what you have to help the poor?

Please think about it.

Prove your repentance

  Prove your repentance

In the book of Acts we read,

"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.

Here is a sure fire way of knowing someone has truly accepted Christ as their Saviour and Lord. They will turn from their evil ways. 

In the book of James we read,

"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." James 14-17.

A true Christian will do their best to help others, whether it’s by simply giving a few dollars to someone who’s homeless living on the street. Or through donating to agencies and churches that help the poor. Or by volunteering to work with food banks and those agencies who help the poor. Or by seeing someone be it within or outside the church who just needs a hug and a loving word.

If you claim to be a Christian are you showing the world by your love of God by the deeds you are doing?

Please think about it.

Listen Now

  Listen Now

In the book of James we read,

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  

   Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:13,14.

I know that most people reading this are Christians. That being said Christians from time to time need to rethink their priorities.

I think at times we believers in Christ Jesus become complacent. We just let life carry us along. We make plans assuming “we will have a tomorrow”. But tomorrow in this world is not guaranteed.

As a result we need to take time daily to pray to God for wisdom and guidance in all that we do. 

We also need to consider what C. T. Studd a missionary to China, India and Africa (1860-1931) wrote,

“We have only one life it will soon be past. 

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

                                                           Charles Thomas Studd.

Please think about it.

The Lord is my Helper

  The Lord is my helper

In the book or Hebrews we read,

“So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:6

In the book of Psalms we read,

“The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1.

As Christians. As true believers in Christ Jesus we have confidence that no matter what happens to us, God will be with us.

In the apostle Paul goes as far as stating,

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21.

If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus you need to embrace the above scriptures. For in doing so it gives us peace of mind that God is in control.

Please think about it.

Where will you place your bet?

  Where will you place your bet?

In 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.

I try not to debate the existence of God. For me God exists and that’s all there is to it. If you are willing, you can find proof about the existence of God through science. There are many Nobel prize winners in various areas of science that believe in God because of the work they have done in science.

William Philips Nobel prize winner in Physics said,

“I believe in God more because of science than in spite of it" William Philips Nobel prize winning Physicist.

Werner Heisenberg father of Quantum Mechanics Nobel prize winner in physics

"The first gulp from the glass of natural science will make you an atheist,

but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you” Werner Heisenberg.

Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics

"Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with a very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural') plan." Dr. Arno Penzias

The list goes on and on.

That being said. I can quote from hundreds of well educated, brilliant men and women who believe in God and it wont matter if you the reader do not believe in God. 

Jesus speaking about himself gives us both hope and a warning when he 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

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.

Where will you place your bet?

Please think about it.

True Christian Love

 True Christian Love

Jesus said,

"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

So what is 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.

If you call yourself a Christian and are not loving people this way, you must ask yourself, am I truly loving as Christ loved?. Is the Love of God truly in my heart?

Please think about it.

Fact Check

  Fact Check

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24: 14,15.

This is a message the church today needs to listen to. 

Over the years the church has sadly gained a lot of spiritual and material baggage God never intended it to have. As such we must take care and assess whether or not the Church congregation or denomination is truly teaching the word of God. We must ask the question whether or not the evangelist or pastor we support is truly teaching the word of God.

The apostle Paul writes,

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2Timothy 4:3,4.

We are in the time Paul is talking about. As such we need study not just read the Bible. We should never simply take the word of any man or woman who is teaching the word of God. We should be asking ourselves “are they teaching sound doctrine?”

If you claim to be a Christian, have you ever fact checked what the pastor or evangelist you listen to? If not why not?

Please think about it.

As for me and my house

 As for me and my house

In the book of Isaiah we read,

“Give attention to me, my people, 

and give ear to me, my nation;

for a law will go out from me,

and I will set my justice for a light ot the peoples.

My righteousness draws near,

my salvation has gone out,

and my arms will judge the peoples;

the coastlands hope for me,

and for my arm they wait.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens vanish like smoke,

the earth will wear out like garments,

and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;

but my salvation will be forever,

and my righteousness will never be dismayed.”  

                                                                    Isaiah 51:4-6

One commentator I read said this about the above passage,

“...the truth of the Lord is going out to the nations with a saving power that will outlast the universe.”

The late American civil rights leader once said in a prayer,

“... help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity.” Martin Luther King jr. 

God has sent his word throughout the world. Thus everyone who hears the word must make a decision as to believe what God tells us in Bible or not.

This world will not last forever. We however are crated to last forever. As a result we must decide where we will spend eternity.

As for me personally I like what Joshua said,

"...as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15b.

Will you serve the LORD?

Please think about it.

A Basic Christian Belief

  A Basic Christian belief

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.

The apostle Paul makes it very clear how you get to heaven.

“Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.”

As a result anyone reading this has a choice. Is what the apostle Paul writing true of false?

The choice is yours.

Please think about it.

A lot to think about

  A Lot to think about

The apostle Paul writes,

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

The way I see it we cannot hope to reach God even by doing good deeds. The prophet Isaiah 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.

God knew this. That is why He reached down from heaven and sent His One and Only Son Jesus Christ to live a perfect life and die for our sins.

I know it sounds foolish. Even the apostle Paul notes,

"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." 1Corinthians 1:18.

But then Gods ways are not our ways.

For the Christian those who truly believe in Christ Jesus the only way we get to heaven is by faith. The writer of Hebrews stating,

"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.

John the Baptist states,

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 3:36.

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.

If what John the Baptist said is not true then no one has anything to fear. That being said. If they are right then at the very least you have a lot to think about.

Please think about it.

A Thorn in the flesh

  A thorn in the flesh

The apostle Paul writes,

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."     Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2Corinthians 12:7-10.

Sadly I’ve heard many preachers throughout the years say God wants you to be “healthy, happy and wealthy.”

While God wants the best for us, He does let us go through difficult time. Case in point the scripture above penned by the apostle Paul who had “a thorn in the flesh.”.

We are not told what it was and that is unimportant. What is important here is that the apostle Paul had asked God three times to take away the thorn. And God made it clear it was His (Gods) grace that was sufficient for Paul. That God’s power was made perfect in weakness.

It is especially in those times when we are at our weakness that we should be drawing close to God. Asking God for help and insight as to what we can learn from our hardships.

Please think about it.

Do your best for God

  Do your best for 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.

Here is a simple question. 

If you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus.

Are you doing your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed? A person who correctly handles the word of truth?

Please think about it.