Are you there yet?

Are you there yet?
In Luke’s gospel we read,
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:  
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14.
So I ask,

Are you there yet?

            Or

Are you still too proud and self-righteous?

The apostle Paul writes,

“for all have sinned

 and fall short of the glory of God,” 

                                               Romans 3:23.

That all means everyone, you, me, the pope, every priest, pastor, evangelist, political leader, every person that has ever lived. All of us have sinned. Not only that we sin and fall short of what God wants for our lives every day.
It is only when we admit this can we ever draw closer to and be effective for God.
The apostle Paul one of the greatest men in Christian history said,
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”1Timothy 1:15,16.
It is only when we truly humble ourselves before God and admit that we are sinners that we can become effective for God.
In order to be effective for Christ we must realize how far we have come. We must look back as the apostle Paul did, and humbly admit to anyone who will listen we were the worst of sinners. And that, if Christ can save us, He can save anyone.
So my questions to anyone who claims to be a Christian is,

Are you confident of your own righteousness, 

someone who looks down on everybody else? 

Or

Are you humble enough to admit you are the worst of sinners?

Are you there yet?

Please think about it.

God will

God will
The psalmist records,
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10.
Throughout the world today there are many who say God does not exist. Many ask if he does exist why hasn’t he shown himself. To which I answer he has, in the form of his one and only Son Jesus Christ.
In the gospel of John we read,
“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
The writer of Hebrews speaking of Jesus states,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”  Hebrews 1:3
Beyond all of this however God asks individuals to have faith that He exists. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“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.
God knows that anyone that has true faith in anything will believe no matter what happens. They will go to their grave holding to their belief.
The reward for those who believe in God is eternal life in heaven.
Jesus speaking of himself told everyone who would listen they have a choice, 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.
Thus my question to you is; do you believe this?
Please think about it.

A Time is Coming

A Time is Coming
The Psalmist writes,

“Be still, and know that I am God; 

I will be exalted among the nations, 

I will be exalted in the earth.” 

                                            Psalm 46:10.

Here the Psalmist tells us that ultimately God will be exalted among the nations. That God will be exalted throughout the earth.
There are many in the world today both individuals, and governments, who refuse to accept the fact that God exists. Ultimately this means nothing. As C. S. Lewis states,
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
There are many in the world today who would say why hasn’t God shown Himself to mankind. The answer is simple. He has. The Psalmist tells us,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 

                                                                                   Psalm 19:1-3.

That being said God wants us to have faith in Him. The writer of Hebrews states,

“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.

Faith in someone or something unseen, as I have written in previous blog posts can be very difficult for some people. Yet God knows people who have faith in anything are the strongest followers.
Having said that everyone in the world will one day see God face to face. In the meantime He is simply giving each individual the opportunity to believe in Him.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,
“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
  The apostle Peter wrote,
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” 2 Peter 3:9,10.
Question: Do you believe in God?
The choice to believe in God or not is yours. No one can, or should, impose their beliefs on you. You have a freewill to choose what you wish to believe.
All I would ask is that you at least take time to read the New Testament and decide for yourself if God is real.
Please think about it.