Acts of Charity

  Acts of Charity

In the book of acts we read,

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.” Acts 9:36.

When people see your life will they see your acts of charity? Do you even do acts of charity and good works?

I firmly believe that it is the duty of all who believe in Christ Jesus to help the poor. In proverbs we read,

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done." Proverbs 19:17

"The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9.

The way I see it the borders between nations we have today are man made. Gods love has no borders.

I think helping to poor must extend not only to those within the borders of the nation we live in but to those refugees that come to our borders and beyond.

Please think about it.

 In the same way

Jesus said,

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."Matthew 5:16.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus is your light showing your good deeds?

The apostle Peter writes,

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

Dear friends,

I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:9-12.

Question; When people look at your life what are the people seeing?

Please think about it.

A Command

  A command

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”Deuteronomy 15:11.

Here God makes it clear that there will always be poor. Which history has proven to be true. Even in the richest nations on earth there are people who go hungry, do not have a roof over their head. People who struggle to make ends meet.

There are a myriad of reasons a person is poor. The reasons are unimportant. The important thing is that we are commanded by God to help the poor.

In the Talmud we read.

Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.” The Talmud.

I think there is an important moral point here for Christians and for that matter all of us. I firmly believe morally we have a responsibility to help the poor. If we own a business we have a moral obligation to pay a living wage to employees.

Likewise there is a case for everyone to support a business that pays its employees well, offers good benefits and a good working environment. 

We should as individuals do our best to support charities that help the poor.

In proverbs we read,

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”Proverbs 19:17.

The gospel of Matthew records Jesus as saying,

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”Matthew 25:44-45.

The Apostle Paul writing,

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”Galatians 6:9.

Please think about it.

Hallmarks of a Believer

Hallmarks of a Believer
Jesus said,
“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.  
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.  
For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:35-37.
Jesus here is talking about the Pharisees. The religious leaders of his day who were not teaching the scriptures correctly. Who were misusing them twisting them to say what they wanted. These men believed in God yet failed to do what was right according to the scriptures.
There is an interesting quote I like from the Talmud spoken to believers in God. 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
We will all one day stand before God irrespective of who we are.
Christians believe what the apostle Paul says,
“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.
While this is a true statement. Christians are called to do much more. Our faith as Christians must spur us on to do good works. That is trait of a true Christian.  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.’ 
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25: 34-46
The apostle James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“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.
It seems from these scriptures and others that one of the hallmarks of a true Christian, a true believer is someone who’s faith causes them to want to do good works.
Doses yours?
Please think about it.

A Living Sacrifice

A living sacrifice
The apostle Paul writes,
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1,2.
Dear Christian are you a living sacrifice for God?
By that I mean is your life wholly given over to God? Is God’s love reflected in your life and lifestyle.
Becoming a living sacrifice to God is not becoming a fanatic. It is not hitting people over the head with the bible and heaping condemnation on them. It is living a life that shows the world you believe in God and live by the values Christians hold most dear.
Values Christ told us to live by, Love God, Love your neighbour, Love your enemy, pray for those who persecute you. Do not judge those around you. Do good works.
Our faith in Christ should produce good works. James the half brother of Jesus said,
“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?   Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.  
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:14-26.
This is what it is to be a living sacrifice to God.
Francis of Assisi wrote this prayer Christians should take to heart. He said,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” 

                                                                                       Francis of Assisi
This is how we should live our lives.
Please think about it.

God and the Christian

God and the Christian
Lenny Bruce said,
“Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God. Really.” Lenny Bruce, "Religions Inc."
What Bruce said, is not entirely incorrect. I as a Christian of now over four decades have seen many churches and those calling themselves Christians here in North America walk slowly away from God. It has been slow and gradual. So slow those it’s happening too have not noticed it.
Many have turned from the true purpose of the Church. The real reason Jesus came into the world.
For many calling themselves Christians church has become a social club. Or a group that protests against abortion clinics, gay rights and anything else they disagree with. This is not what God intended. Such things turn people away from Jesus, away from God.
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.

Jesus speaking to His disciples and through them to us 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.
This is the prime directive of the church to make disciple of all nations and teaching them all Jesus taught us.
Jesus made things clear about our attitudes toward other people when He 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.

The apostle Paul tells us,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” 1 Corinthians 5:12.
We are not the judges of those outside our own faith. That is up to God. We are to judge those within our own faith making sure they are doing what is right according to scripture.
We are to present the good news of Jesus Christ to anyone who will listen to us and present it in a respectful and loving manner.
The other way some calling themselves Christians are falling short of doing what God wants them to do, is in doing good works.
Now don’t get me wrong THE CHURCH MUST DO GOOD WORKS. However that should be an outgrowth of our faith. We should be presenting our faith to the world in word and in deed. The apostle James said,
“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 ?  
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.  
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”James 2:14-26.
Christianity is not a religion as such. It is not a church building we go to once or twice a week. Christianity is a life committed to doing the work of Jesus Christ in word and in deed. It is a lifestyle that should show people the way to eternal life with God.
Francis of Assisi said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” Francis of Assisi.
Question: Are you a true Christian living you life and faith in a way that is pleasing to God?
Please think about it.