Is Christ in you?

 Is Christ in you?

In John’s gospel we read,

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 

"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.  

I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:20-26.

Is Christ in you?

Here are some questions to think about before you answer that question.

1. Do you love as Jesus loved, unconditionally? Family friend and foe alike? Whether you agree with their faith, or lifestyle?

2. Do you refrain from judging others as Jesus told us in Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged."?

3.Does your life exhibit the fruit of the spirit as described by the apostle Paul who said, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

Please think about it.

Dwell in you

 Dwell in you

The apostle Paul writes,

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:16,17.

As Christians, as believers in Christ Jesus we must do what the apostle Paul is saying here. And the only way we can do it is to study the Bible.

Study the Bible and not just take the word of some evangelist, pastor or teacher without question. 

Now there are a lot of good men and women of God who are presenting the word of God correctly. The trouble is sometimes you can’t tell the good ones from the bad ones. That is why we should pray and study the Bible for ourselves. Then if we have a problem with some evangelist, preacher or teacher we can approach them and ask them about what appears to be an error. A good pastor will never turn you away or discourage you from asking questions about what he teaches or believes.

Another thing I have seen to be true when the word of God is dwelling in a person, is that they start to exhibit the fruit of the spirit. The apostle Paul saying,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

So if you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus. Is the word of Christ dwelling in you richly? 

And are you exhibiting the fruits of the spirit to those around you?

Please think about it.

Watch out

  Watch out.

Jesus warned,

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  

Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20.

Someone has said, 

“the devil is not destroying the church by attacking it. He is joining the church and destroying it from within.”

Jesus warned about this when he said,

"Watch out for false prophets. 

They come to you in sheep's clothing, 

but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

                                                               Matthew 7:15.

Sadly we cannot always tell how good or bad an evangelist, pastor or others in authority in the church are. Sometimes it’s because of a code of secrecy. Sometime it’s simply because we only see them in the media and have no idea what they do other that what we see in that media.

  Still we must be on guard even in a local church congregation against those who would lead us astray. 

That’s why we must take time and study the scriptures for ourselves. We must take time to understand what we believe and why we believe it. And we can only do this by taking time to read the holy scriptures, the Bible, for ourselves, praying and asking God to guide and direct us.

We need to pray asking God to lead us to a pastor and a church that we can trust.

We need to look for a church who shows good fruit. that shows the traits the apostle Paul talked about when he said,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

We must see first hand these attributes Paul described because they not only show an individual is following Christ but a Church congregation, is following Christ also.

Question; Are these qualities exhibited in your church Congregation, in your Pastor, in you? 

Please think about it.

Do you Walk with God

Do you walk with God?
The Psalmist writes,

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked 

or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, 

and on his law he meditates day and night. 

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, 

which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. 

Whatever he does prospers.” 

                                              Psalm 1:1-3.

With whom do you walk? Do you walk in the counsel of the wicked or with God?
You can tell when someone walks with God. They exhibit the fruit of The Spirit of God. The apostle Paul telling us,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.
So do you exhibit these fruits? These attributes?
Please think about it.

The Christian and Anger

The Christian and Anger

“My dear brothers, take note of this: 

Everyone should be quick to listen, 

slow to speak and slow to become angry, 

 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” 

James 1:19,20.

I have listened with alarm at those calling themselves Christians who get angry at anything that they feel God does not like.
I see and hear Christians particularly in the United States getting angry at as they would say the “homosexual” community and same sex marriage as well as same sex washrooms and it seems a myriad of other things connected with the LGBT community.
They get angry at elected government officials for passing laws that they object too. Saying God does not like such a thing.
They presume to know the mind of God and are trying to do his job when the apostle Paul specifically states,

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? 

Are you not to judge those inside?” 

1 Corinthians 5:12.

Jesus 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

We live in a democracy that by its very nature must be inclusive irrespective of what one group may think. The apostle Paul wrote,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  
Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”  Romans 13:1,2.
Thus according to non other than the apostle Paul governments are allowed to govern by God and by rebelling against a lawful, and especially, in my mind democratic government, we are rebelling against God.
James the half brother of Christ wrote,

“My dear brothers, 

take note of this: 

Everyone should be quick to listen, 

slow to speak and slow to become angry,  

for man’s anger 

does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” 

James 1:19,20.

Those who claim to be Christians and are getting angry at the government for passing laws that don’t harm them or restrict their rights or the rights of others should take stock of what they are doing.
Getting angry as James said, “dose not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
What brings about a righteous life and brings people to know Christ is expressed by the writer of Hebrews who said,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; 

without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 

Hebrews 12:14.

The apostle Paul writes,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is 

love, joy, peace, patience, 

kindness, goodness, 

faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control. 

Against such things there is no law.” 

Galatians 5:22,23

You can’t win anyone to the Lord with a fist in their face. Which is what your doing in trying to restrict the rights of anyone or demonstrating against them.
However if you are exhibiting the fruits of The Spirit you will win people to Christ.
As Christians we cannot do anything less than extend the hand of friendship to our neighbour, and even to our enemy. Only by doing so will we truly reach people for Christ.
As the writer of Hebrews tells us,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; 

without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 

Hebrews 12:14

Is your life and actions exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit?
Are you living in Peace and living a holy life acceptable to God?
Please think about it.