A Call to tell the world

A Call to Tell the World

Jesus said to His disciples and through them to us,

"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.

As Christians we have a duty to Christ to go into all the world, be that world our neighbourhood, the nation we live in, or somewhere else in the world, and tell people about Jesus.

I believe the way we should be doing this is by presenting the gospel message in love. By saying “this is what I as a Christian believe. I leave it up to you as an individual to believe what I am saying, or not.

We must never force our faith on anyone. For a good example of how to present the gospel all we need to do is look at what the apostle Paul did in Athens a city filled with temples to a myriad of gods. 

Acts 17:17-31 shows Paul speaking at the Areopagus at the request of non-Christian Epicurean and Stoic philosophers.

Paul didn’t say I am right and you are wrong. He simply presented the gospel message and let them decide.

If you consider yourself to be a Christian take some time to study Pauls address to the Athenians to see how you can present the gospel message better.

Please think about it. 

Teach me

 Teach me

The Psalmist writes,

“Teach me to do your will, 

for you are my God; 

may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” 

                                                                 Psalm 143:10.

Here is a simple truth. In order to know the will of God we need to study the word of God. We need to read the Bible every day. Additionally we need to take sometime each day to pray and ask God for direction in our lives.

Question; If you claim to be a Christians. A follower of Christ Jesus are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Most Christians don't

  Most Christians don’t

The Psalmist writes,

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4,5.

Over the years I’ve met many Christians that I don’t believe study the Bible. They may read it but they don’t study it.

Many times I’ve asked the question to fellow Christians “why do you believe what you believe” only to get the reply “well such and such an evangelist, or pastor said it was that way”

This should not be so. We need to study the scriptures for ourselves to truly understand what they mean. To see if the evangelist, or pastor we are listening to is truly presenting the scriptures correctly.

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy saying,

“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. 2Timothy 2:15.

We can only do this if we are studying the word of God for ourselves to see if what we believe and have been taught is indeed correct.

Please think about it.

The Prime Directive

The prime directive
Jesus 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.
Sadly here in North America many of those who espouse to be Christians, followers of Christ Jesus seem to have forgotten this.
Billy Graham the late American evangelist said,
“Those outside the church expect followers of Christ to live differently, yet today many in church are chasing after the world - not to win them, but to be like them.”Billy Graham
As I look around at those claiming to be Christians here in North America I see people selling lotions, potions, get rich quick schemes, even survival rations that are essentially secular things with Christian names added.
I see Christians getting involved with politics. Something Jesus and his disciples never did. 
As Christians we have an obligation to do what Jesus said,
1/ to make disciples of all nations,
2/ to baptize new converts in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy spirit
3/ to teach new converts to obey everything Jesus commanded us to do.
James the half brother of Jesus tells us what our faith should spur us on to doing when he writes,
“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.
The American evangelist Tony Campolo states,
"These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change." Tony Campolo.
He is right. I think each individual who claims to a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus needs to take a long look at what they believe. They then must look at their words and deeds and see if what they are saying and doing is truly reflecting the teachings of Jesus.
Please think about it. 

Are You?

Are you?
Jesus 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 what Christians call the great commission. Christ telling his disciples and through them all believers in Christ Jesus to make disciple of all nations.
In order to do this effectively we must follow the teachings of Christ.
1. We must love. Jesus when asked,
"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.
2. We must not judge anyone especially if they are not believers in Christ Jesus, 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.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                       Billy Graham

3. We must obey the words of Jesus who said,

"So in everything, 

do to others

 what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" 

                                                            Matthew 7:12.

It is only by remembering these three things that we can be effective witnesses of Christ.
   It is only by making these three scriptures active in our daily life that we will win souls for Christ.
If you claim to be a Christian are you living the truths of these three scriptures in your daily life?
Please think about it.

Coming Soon

Coming soon

“He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” 

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

                                Revelations 20:21 

The second last verse in the New Testament makes it clear Jesus is coming soon.
Thus if he was coming soon when Revelations was written the time of Christ’s appearing is much nearer now.
With all that is happening around the world today Christians seem to be talking more and more about the coming of Christ. The internet is drowning in Christian material from a myriad of sources pointing to the fact that Jesus will be hear soon.
Evangelist and pastors in the media are sorting through every speck of information that is coming in on the news wires and trying to read prophetic significance into it.
I’m sure some of those pastors and evangelist are right about what they say. I am equally sure that just as many, if not more, are wrong.
Some may even be out and out charlatans preying on believers in Christ for their own personal gain, using the interpretation of prophecy to lead people down the wrong path.
When it comes to prophecy we must be careful who we listen to.  Just because it sounds good doesn’t mean it is right.
Now I’ve said all that to say this. While the study of prophesy is nice and the speculation as to what is going to happen is interesting. It is not the responsibility of Christians to worry about prophesy.
When it comes to Christ’s return Jesus said,
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;  and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.  
Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” Matthew 24:36-42.
As believers in Christ Jesus we are to keep watch and do our appointed task. That task is winning souls for Christ. I firmly believe that instead of spending our time speculating on prophesy and buying books and recordings on prophesy we need to spend that time and money on reaching people for Christ.
Jesus 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.
As Christians this is what we should be doing because not doing so could condemn someone to a Christless eternity.
Think about it.

The way they should go

The way they should go
Proverbs states,

“Train a child in the way he should go, 

and when he is old he will not turn from it.” 

                                                 Proverbs 22:6.

If you claim to be a Christian do you bring your children up in the way they should go? My parents did.
My parents were not what some evangelicals would call Christians. Mom was Roman Catholic. Dad was Church of England. Both rejected for lack of a better term “organized religion”. Yet throughout their lives they espoused Christian values and passed them on to their Children.
From as young as I can remember we had discussions on politics, religion and social situations around our dinner table.
As we entered our teen years, we were expected to add to the discussion. Further more our opinions were respected even if our parents disagreed.
It was because of what they taught me that led me to embrace Christianity.
I seen in Christianity moral and ethical values made sense. Jesus when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your disdain 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 neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus also 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.’ Matthew 25:34-40.
Loving all unconditionally. Feeding the hungry. Giving those who thirst a drink. Helping a stranger. Clothing those in need. Helping the sick. Visiting the prisoner. These values while expressed by Jesus are universal values that transcend the Christian faith.
My father always use to say put yourself in the other persons shoes and ask yourself how would you want to be treated. With disdain? With hate? OR With Love?
Jesus put it this way,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12
These are values my wife and I taught to our Children. Values that now that they are adults I see them putting into practice not just in word but in deed. 
These are values all who claim to be Christians should be instilling in their Children.
Please think about it.