To dwell in the house of God

 To dwell in the house of God

The Psalmist writes,

"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." Psalm 27:4.

If you claim to be a Christian do you seek to dwell in the house of the Lord forever?

Can you say with the Psalmist,

“The LORD is my shepherd, 

I shall not be in want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters, 

he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

                                                                            Psalm 23.

Please think about it.

Enter His gates

  Enter His gates

The Psalmist writes,

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving 

and his courts with praise; 

give thanks to [God] and praise his name." 

                                                                Psalm 100:4

If you consider yourself a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus, take some time right now to praise the Lord. To give thanks to God for all that He has given you.

Please do not just think about it. Do it.

Do you have Peace?

  Do you have peace?

The Psalmist writes,

“You have searched me, Lord,

 and you know me.”

                                          Psalm 139:1

When we read the above portion of scripture. We can either read it and be at peace with the knowledge God understands why we are the way we are, and that we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour. 

OR 

we can read it and be afraid of God’s judgement. Knowing that we have not accepted Christ as our Saviour and that the good in our life may not outweigh the bad things we have done.

Christians do not believe that when you stand before God on the day of judgement that He will put the deeds of your life on a scale and if the good outweighs the bad you will get to heaven. 

Quite the contrary. Christians believe that we cannot be good enough to stand before God. C. S. Lewis wrote,

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us."  C.S. Lewis.

The apostle Paul said,

"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."  Romans 10:9-11.

The apostle Peter said,

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" Acts 2:21

The apostle John wrote,

"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 the question becomes; Do you have peace in your heart that you have had your sins forgiven and are on your way to heaven?

Please think about it.

The Great Equalizer

 The Great Equalizer 

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“People are destined to die once, 

and after that to face judgment.”

                                                    Hebrews 9:27

Someone has said death is the great equalizer. Which is true. One day the richest man alive and the poorest man alive will die and stand before God.

The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us about that day. Saying,

"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.

How will God judge you? Will you enter Heaven?

The apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23.

Sin separates us from God. Which means if there is sin in our life we will not get to heaven. That being said. The apostle John states,

"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.

The apostle Paul states,

“...(We) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:24.

And in John’s gospel we read,

"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.

As Christians we believe you cannot work your way to Heaven. It is by believing in the saving grace of God that comes through Christ Jesus. Believing that He died for your sins.

In the book of Ephesians we read,

"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.

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.  

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 the choice is yours. 

Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, The Saviour of all who believe in Him or not?

Please think about it.

If you confess

 If you confess

The apostle Paul wrote,

"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.

What the apostle Paul wrote here is I believe self explanatory. 

If we confess Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead. You will be saved.”

So the question becomes do you believe this?

Please think about it.

If we are wrong

 If we are wrong

In the book of Lamentations we read,

"The LORD is my portion" says my soul, 

"therefore I will hope in Him" 

                                             Lamentations 3:24

According to the Oxford dictionary one definition of portion is a persons destiny. 

So is God your destiny? As you go through life do you see your ultimate destiny as being with God?

Are you sure you will be with God in eternity?

As Christians we believe what the apostle Paul wrote,

"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.

We believe what the writer of the book 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

We believe in what the apostle Paul said as recorded in the book of Acts,

“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  

He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved...” Acts 16 30,31a.

As believers in Christ Jesus we believe the words of Jesus who 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 we who believe in Christ Jesus are wrong there is no need to be worried. If on the other hand we are right. There is a lot to at the very least think about.

Please think about it.

By the Grace of God

  By the Grace of God

The apostle Paul writes,

"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.

Writing to the Romans the apostle Paul states,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  Romans 3:23,24.

Christians believe that God in the form of His Son Christ Jesus, reached down to mankind offering each individual who believes Him the way to heaven.

We believe Christ paid the price for the sins of each one who would believe in Him. 

The apostle Paul writing,

"But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:4,5.

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.  

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.

Do you believe in God? Do you believe that God sent His one and Only Son into the world to pay the price for your sins? 

Have you accepted the saving Grace that come from God through Christ Jesus?

Please think about it.

To all who believe in Him

  To all who believe in Him

The apostle Peter writes,

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you" 1Peter 1:3-4.

There are a lot of things in this world that we can loose. Our wealth, our possessions, our health, even our friends and family.

That being said, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour we are given a “new birth into a living hope”. With this comes an inheritance that can never perish. One kept in heaven.

Jesus said,

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

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.

Do you believe in God? 

Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God a Saviour to all who believe in Him?

Please think about it.

Your eternal resting place

 Your eternal resting place

In the book of Galatians we read,

"Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Galatians 3:6.

Do you believe in God?

The apostle Paul wrote,

"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

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.

So I ask the question again, Do you believe in God?

Are you willing to risk your eternal resting place on what you believe?

Please think about it.

A Journey

 A Journey 

The Psalmist writes,

"Where can I go from your Spirit?  

Where can I flee from Your presence?  

If I go up to the heavens, 

You are there; 

if I make my bed in the depth,

 You are there. 

 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 

if I settle on the far side of the sea, 

even there Your hand will guide me.  

Your right hand will hold me fast."

                                                                               Psalm 139:7-10

C. S. Lewis put it this way,

“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God.” 

                                                                                                    C. S. Lewis.

Do you believe in God? Perhaps a better question is are you willing to risk your eternal resting place on what you believe?

From the moment we are born we start a journey toward eternity. I believe that throughout that journey God places sign posts directing us to him. All we have to do is read them correctly and do what they say. If we do not we are bound for destruction.

Please think about it.

Enter through the Narrow Gate

  Enter through the Narrow Gate,

Jesus said,

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13,14.

As a Christian. As a follower of Christ Jesus. I believe the path to heaven is narrow. I believe that there is only one path to heaven. 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.

I know there are many people in this world that will disagree with me. Many believe there are many ways to heaven. Which is fine. Everyone has the right to believe what they want to believe.

Likewise I believe God will judge everyone justly by what they know of Him. 

That being said. If I am wrong in my beliefs then no one needs to worry. 

On the other hand if I am right then at the very least those who hear about the saving grace that come from God through Christ Jesus, have a lot to think about.

Please think about it.

To all who receive Him

To all who receive Him

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.

We don’t know what will happen to us tomorrow or for that matter in the next moments of our life. Whether we will live or die. But we can know were we will spend eternity.

In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul writes,

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8.

The apostle John writes,

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." John 1:12,13.

Do you truly believe in The Lord Jesus Christ?

Do you know where you will spend eternity?

Please think about it. 

Let the morning bring

 Let the morning bring

The Psalmist writes,

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,

for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.” 

                                          Psalm 143:8.

No matter the circumstance we find ourselves in each morning. It is good to hear of God’s steadfast love. It is Good no matter where we find ourselves to know God is there for us. 

At the same time we should call on God each morning to show us the way we should be going. To direct us throughout the day, the week and beyond.

The Psalmist stating, 

“I lift up my eyes to the hills— 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD, 

the Maker of heaven and earth.” 

                                                 Psalm 121:1,2.

Does you help truly come from The LORD, Maker of heaven and earth?

Please think about it.

A question asked

 A question asked.

In the book of James we read,

“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 4:14.

Is there a meaning to life? 

Is this life we are living all there is?

Is the sole duty of men and women to have children then die?

Paul Gauguin asked,

“Where Do we Come From? What Are We? Where Are we Going?”

The writer of Ecclesiastes states,

"I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 1:14

The writer of Ecclesiastes however comes to the conclusion,

"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.

Martin Luther King jr. prayed to God saying,

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

Whether we want to admit it or not. Life does go on into eternity and what we do here in this life determines where we will stay in eternity.

The book of Acts record this incident in the apostle Paul’s life,

“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  

He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:30,31.

Question. Do you know where you will spend eternity?

                 Do you believe in God?

                          Do you believe in the Salvation that comes through the Lord Jesus?

Please think about it.

You and Eternity

 You and Eternity

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 remember reading an article entitled “where will you spend eternity?”. I don’t remember the details but the title says it all. 

In James we read “you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Well we do vanish from this world. But we don’t just vanish into oblivion. We simply pass from this world into the presence of God.

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 will you be happy when you pass into the presence of God?

You can know here and now if you will be happy. Jesus speaking of himself said,

“For God so loved the world that He gave is only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

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.

So do you believe in The Lord Jesus Christ?

Are you certain of an eternity in Heaven?

Please think about it.

Sharon's Story

 Sharon's Story

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.

We as human beings are fragile. We don’t know what will happen to us in the next few minutes let alone over the next years.

My closest friend Sharon died in March of this year. She had lived about, 2,124,576,000 seconds on this earth. In the last week or so of her life she knew she was about to pass into eternity. There was nothing medical science could do for her. She had gone through a lot.

In the end she was lucid and although weak was talking with us. When we told her there was no hope. She turned to us and simply said, “I want to be with Jesus”. With that we gathered the family around her along with our pastor. She sang amazing grace with us. We prayed, and life support was removed. 

Shortly after which Sharon passed into eternity.

That day Sharon taught us all what it was like to trust in Jesus. Sharon had no doubt as to where she was going to spend eternity. An eternity without pain. An eternity in the Love of God.

How many of us can truly say we know where we will spend eternity? How many of us are prepared to pass into eternity? 

       Life as James states is a mist. And while we all know we will one day pass into eternity are we prepared to do so? Are we prepared to pass into the presence of God?

Sharon believed the words of the apostle Paul who said,

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

She believed the words of the apostle Peter when he said,

“....Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins...”Acts 2;38a.

She believed the words of Jesus who speaking about 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.

She believed the Bible and what it says about God, Jesus, and Salvation.

Thus my question to you dear reader is do you believe in the saving grace that comes from God through Christ Jesus?

Are you prepared to pass from this life into the presence of God?

If you’re not sure. I would ask that at the very least you read the New Testament and see what Jesus and those who knew him best said about Him and eternity.

Please think about it.

God Loves us

  God Loves us.

Jesus 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.” John 3:16.

God loves us and He showed that in the most human way possible. He sent His Son to the earth He created to show us the way to heaven. He allowed His one and Only Son to go to the cross for our sins. In order that all who believe in Him would go to heaven.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

Life is eternal

 Life is eternal

In Ecclesiastes we read

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11.

C. S. Lewis stated,

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."  C.S. Lewis.

Lewis was right. Life is eternal. This life is just the beginning of a journey that continues on through eternity. 

This life however determines where we will spend eternity. 

As a Christian I believe following Christ leads us to an eternity in heaven. That being said it is up to each individual to decide for themselves if my beliefs are right or wrong.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it.

The reason Christ came

  The Reason Christ came

Matthew’s gospel tell us of this incident in the life of Jesus,

“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.

Jesus had one reason for coming to the earth He created and that was to show each individual the way to heaven. 

God knew we could not live a life that was good enough to get us into heaven. Thus He sent Jesus to show us the way by going as far as humanly possible and dying in a most horrendous way. 

Does this seem odd? Yes it does. But as the apostle Paul pointed out

"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.

God’s ways are not our ways. Believing in a Saviour who died for our sins takes quite an act of faith which is what God wants.

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.

I think the reason God requires faith is that people who have true faith in anything will go to their graves for what they believe.

Which is what a true believer in Christ Jesus will do.

Please think about it. 

A Question from Jesus

  A Question from Jesus

In John’s gospel we read,

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” John 11:25,26,27.

While this question was asked to Martha it is a question we all must answer when confronted with Jesus.

Do you believe Jesus is the Christ the Son of God who has come into the world to offer eternal life to all who would believe in Him. 

Do you?

But before you answer please take some time to read the New Testament and see what those who knew Jesus best believed about Him.

Please think about it.