Are you one of those?

 Are you one of those?

The apostle Paul wrote,

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:1-6.

Here’s something to consider. No church congregation, or denomination is one hundred percent Christian. There are however true Christians. True believers in Christ Jesus, in all church congregations and denominations.

Thus the question becomes are you one of those true believers in Christ Jesus?

Please think about it.

Tell

  Tell

Jesus after healing the demon possessed man in Mark 5:1-20 said to him,

"Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." Mark 5:9.

I think it is important here to note Jesus told the man to go and tell his family what the Lord as done for him.

I firmly believe that we should never force what we believe on others. I am very much against the so called “hell fire and brimstone” preachers. I think it accomplishes little. After all if someone doesn’t believe in God, they probably don’t believe in hell, therefore they will not be afraid of hell.

I think the best way to evangelize people is to present the gospel in a respectful manner. Meeting a person where they are at. Listening to what they have to say, then telling them, what The Lord has done for you.

This is what the apostle Paul did we see it when he is before king Agrippa (acts 26) and when he speaks to in Athens (acts 17).

In Acts 17 we know that at least some who listened to him came to know the Lord.

For anyone reading this who is not a Christian a believer in Christ Jesus. The following, known as the apostles creed, while not written by an apostle of Christ is in a nutshell what I believe. I put it hear for you to consider.

1.I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth

2. I believe in Jesus Christ God's on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.

3. I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary

4. I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.

5. I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.

6. I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

7. I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost

9. I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,

10. I believe in the forgiveness of sin.

11. I believe in the resurrection of the body.

12. I believe in life everlasting.

If you wish to know more about Jesus I would ask you to take time to read the New Testament. It tells what those who knew Jesus personally, and the first century church believed about Jesus.

Please at least think about it.

God or...

 God or...

The Psalmist writes,

“Trust in the LORD and do good;

 dwell in the land 

and enjoy safe pasture.” 

                                                    Psalm 37:3.

Today I’m writing to those who claim to be Christians, followers of Christ Jesus in North America and also in the democracies of the west.

Here in North America we enjoy safe pasture. We have freedoms the world can only dream of. That being said I think at times those freedoms stop us from fully trusting in The Lord. 

When you are prospering and living in safety it is easy to ignore God. It’s easy to put your trust in other things rather than God.

Jesus told this parable,

"Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 

"Then he said, ‘This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  

And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 

"But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 

"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:15-21.

Now let me say being wealthy is not wrong. There are many wealthy Christians today who but their trust completely in God. 

The problem with wealth is the emphasis you put on your wealth. 

Thus my question to you; who do you trust more, God or your wealth?

Please think about it.

Lunatic or God?

Lunatic or God?

John’s Gospel records,

"The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.  

I and the Father are one."

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."  John 10:24-33

Jesus claimed to be God. He claimed that He and The Father were one. Was He?

C. S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity put things this way,

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. 

You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

Thus the question becomes who is Jesus to you? Is he a good man, a great moral teacher, God incarnate, or a poached egg?

Please think about it.

The Eleven O clock Prayer

 The Eleven o clock prayer

     Jesus 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.

This is one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith. Treating others the way you want to be treated. That being said I leave this story with you to think about. Its called the eleven o clock prayer.

“It's eleven o clock. Inside the court house a judge is about to make his ruling. A community, a nation, waits. 

Will the new law be legal? 

Outside the court house men and women with placards chant. 

On one side of the street stand a group of gay men and women. All in favour of the new law.

On the other side of the street separated by a line of police stand radical evangelicals, denouncing the new law.

One man among them screams angrily . "HOMOSEXUALS ARE GOING TO HELL!!!"

Approached by the media he says it again, "homosexuals are going to Hell." 

From my office window I watch asking myself the question, ‘is this man an Christian?"

Wasn't it Christ who told us not only to love our neighbour but our enemy also?

Wasn't it Christ who told us not to judge, lest we be judged likewise?

Wasn’t it Christ 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" 

Wasn't it Christ who said go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?

Is this man showing love?

Is this man judging another? 

Would this man appreciate being told he’s going to Hell?

Is he going to Hell? 

Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world for Christ, of which a percentage are homosexual?

Is this man even a Christian?

A question keeps rolling through my mind for which I know the answer, "Can we truly know what is in someone else's head?

Do we really know why a person is like they are?"

For a moment I stare down at the crowd. All the time asking myself who is on the way to Hell this day?

Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, "Lord guide me this day. Let me make the right decision, the wise decision, on this law. Let me do to others as I would have others do to me.”

Please think about it.

God Incarnate

  God incarnate.

The writer of Hebrews states,

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  Hebrews 1:1,2.

Here we have a key belief of Christians. Jesus is the Son of God. He is appointed as heir of all things, and through Him the universe was made. Jesus is God incarnate.

C. S. Lewis stated,

    "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

Thus the question becomes; who do you think Jesus is?

Please think about it.

Became flesh

Became flesh
The apostle John writes,
“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.
Here the apostle John who knew Jesus personally refers to Jesus as “The Word”. He tells us that,
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
Which means John at least believes that Jesus is God the creator of the world. This was the belief of all of the apostles of Christ. It is the belief of all those who truly believe in Christ Jesus to this day.
Now either this is a fallacy or it is the truth. That however is up to you to decide. Was John and the other disciples mistaken? Or were they correct in their beliefs.
Please take some time to read the New Testament and make an educated decision for yourself.
Please think about it.

Gods way

God's way
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.
The apostle Paul wrote,
"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.
Christians do not believe we can live good enough lives to get to heaven on our merit. We believe that God in His mercy reached down to mankind from heaven in the form of His one and only son Jesus to die for our sins and to show us the way to heaven.
While it may sound foolish it is what we Christians believe. The apostle Paul explaining,
"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.  
For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." 
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
God does not do things the way man thinks things should be done. He does things his way as is his right.
If we as humans do not want to believe what God has set before us that is our right. For God in making mankind did not make robots. He made individuals with the freedom to do whatever they wish.
Thus the choice is yours do you believe Jesus is the Saviour of mankind or not.
Please think about it. 

Seek Him

Seek Him

"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, 

you will find him 

if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul."  

                                                                                            Deuteronomy 4:29.

I truly believe this. Anyone who has an open mind will find God. The reason many Atheist don’t believe in God in my opinion is that they have closed minds. They have made their decision that God does not exist and refuse to admit they just might be wrong.
Someone once said,
“Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.” Author Unknown.
To say adamantly there is no God an individual would have to have been everywhere and know all things. Which is an attribute of God. Thus the Atheist would be God. Meaning God exists. Defeating their argument.
We as mere mortals cannot know all things. The universe and everything in it is too vast for us to comprehend.
Not only that to be absolutely sure God does not exist one would have to have gone beyond the gave and returned to tell us.
We know no one except Jesus has gone beyond the grave and He tells us God exists.
Ultimately belief in God comes down to the individual. Each individual must have faith that God exists.
The writer of Hebrews tells us.
"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.
God however does not ask for blind faith as such. He shows Himself in the world around us. The Psalmist saying,
“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.
We only have to look at the world around us to see God’s handiwork. The earth and the Universe in perfect harmony from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest galaxy all in perfect harmony, to allow life as we know it to exist.
Still as I said belief in God is the choice of each individual. God in making the universe did not make robots. He made human beings giving each individual the freedom to choose what they believe.
So it is up to you, do you believe God exists or not?
Please think about.

Believe it or not

Believe it or not
The apostle Paul writes,
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.”1 Timothy 2:5,6.
Paul also wrote,
“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.
In Matthews gospel we read of Jesus saying,
“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
The apostle Paul telling us,
"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.
These statements are the basis of Christianity. If these statements are untrue then no one has anything to fear when they stand before God. If on the other hand they are true it becomes a much different matter.
C. S. Lewis said,
"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." C. S. Lewis.
Thus my question is to you is; do you believe what is said above.
Please think about it.

Your Choice

Your Choice
The Gospel of Matthew records,
"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  
The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.  
Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." 
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  
Suddenly Jesus met them."Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him.  
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Matthew 28:1-10.
Flavius Josephus, (Born: 34AD died 98 A.D.), a romanized Jewish historian. Wrote,
"About this time arose Jesus, a wise man, who did good deeds and whose virtues were recognized. And many Jews and people of other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. However, those who became his disciples preached his doctrine.    They related that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Perhaps he was the Messiah in connection with whom the prophets foretold wonders [Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVIII 3.2]
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is something each person when presented with the life of Jesus must choose to believe or not. There is no middle ground here. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the cornerstone of Christian belief. You cannot be a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus and not believe in His resurrection.
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.
Thus my question to you is do you believe what Matthew and Paul are saying?
Please think about it.

I believe

I believe
The Gospel of John states,
"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 Bible does not debate the existence of God. It was written to believers. And when it comes to Jesus the New Testament writers truly believed that Jesus was the Son of God. God incarnate.
Just what I believe is in a nutshell symbolised by the Apostle’s creed. This statement of belief is first believed to appear in the third century A. D. I place it here for you to think about,
Apostles Creed
I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth
I believe in Jesus Christ God’s one and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.
I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary
I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.
I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.
I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost
I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,
I believe in the forgiveness of sin.
I believe in the resurrection of the body.
I believe in life everlasting.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.

It seems Outrageous

It seems Outrageous
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.
Those words written by the apostle John are either the truth, or one of the greatest lies in all of history. Those words tell us that the God that created the heavens and the earth entered the very thing he created. God became man. Jesus Christ is God in bodily form.
The apostle Paul wrote,

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” 

                                                                                  Colossians 2:9

The writer of Hebrews wrote,
“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.
It these words are wrong. Then they are of no consequence as C. S. Lewis said,
     "Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important."C. S. Lewis.
So my question to you, the reader.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, God incarnate or not?
Please before you give your answer at least read the New Testament.
Please think about it.

Did You?

Did you?
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.'" Matthew 25:34-40.
St. Augustine wrote,

"A Christian is: a mind through which 

Christ thinks, a heart through which

Christ loves, a voice through which

Christ speaks, and a hand through 

which Christ helps" 

                              St. Augustine.

If you claim to be a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus are you letting Christ work through you.
While it is true we are saved by our faith in the saving grace that comes from God through Christ Jesus, our faith must spur us on to doing more. The 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. James 2:14-17
So what are your works saying about you? When you stand before God will you here the words I quoted at the top of this writing or will you here these words of Jesus who said,
“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 25:41-46.
Please if you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus,
Think about it.

Christian principle #2 Deeds

Christian Principles of Living #2 Deeds
James the half brother of Jesus states,
“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.
There are many Christians who will tell you, you are saved by faith. That is true. However James here make it clear our faith needs to be accompanied by works. Good deeds.    If we indeed have true faith in Jesus it well spur us on to good deeds. Simply believing in God should never be enough for the believer in Christ Jesus. We need to put our faith into action.
Jesus made this clear when he 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.
If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus are you putting your faith into action?
Please think about it.

How would you vote?

How would you vote?
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16.
Every now and then I like to poke Christians and others with a pointy stick this is one of those days. Thus I present to you the story of Margaret Elizabeth.
“That morning, Margaret Elizabeth got up extra early, readying herself for the day.  She would get only one chance to make an impression.  To that end, she applied her makeup with extra care.  Chose the black ankle length wraparound skirt, white turtle neck top and black jacket, her children had given her as a gift, while in hospital.  She limited her jewelry to a simple pair of diamond studied earrings, that had been her grandmother’s and small bracelet given to her by her daughter-in-law.
Leaving that office, to walk to the pulpit was the hardest step, she ever had to make.  Her heart pounded and by the time, she stood behind the pulpit she was visibly shaking.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Margaret Elizabeth Williamson and just before Christmas, I underwent Sexual Reassignment Surgery.” she said relief surging through her body, as silence engulfed the assembly.  
I know that many of you, maybe uncomfortable with that.  That is why I have asked to speak to you, to give you my testimony and then allow you to ask questions.
I have felt like a woman trapped in a man’s body for my entire life.  I was married for over thirty years to a wonderful and accepting woman, who died several years prior to my coming to this assembly.  I have a wonderful family, all of whom support me and are here today.
Believe me, I did not choose this course of action lightly.  I did so after much personal anguish and a great deal of prayer.
For a little over two years prior to my complete transition, I have lived my life as a woman: I was doing so when I came to this church and I think I did it well enough that no one knew.  If so they did not commented.
I have no apologies to give for what I did, or who I am, because I do not believe I did anything wrong.
I accepted Jesus as my Saviour over thirty-five years ago, and asked Him to remove from me what at times, has been a difficult burden.  He has chosen not to and thus, I have accepted that I am what I am.  A child of God, who knew me according to the Psalms in my mother’s womb.
I have no intentions of preaching a sermon here today, only to ask you to accept me as I am.  In fact, the only reason I stand before you today, is because I was asked to come onto the staff of this church and wish to be completely honest with you.
Now, I will open the door to all questions and endeavor to answer them to the best of my ability.  Nothing is off limits. After the questions, pastor will ask for a vote and abide by your decision.”
There were many questions. Finally however, the question answered, the pastor came to the front.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now time to take a vote.”  He said.  “If you wish Margaret Elizabeth to become a part of our pastoral staff, please rise to your feet.”
Thus my question to you the reader. How would you vote?
Please think carefully and prayerfully about it.

Can

Can
John’s gospel records this conversation between Jesus and Martha.
“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.
The other day I was asked if I believe a gay man can get to heaven. I answered with the words of the American evangelist Toni Campolo who said,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.”Tony Campolo
Jesus 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.  
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.
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.  Romans 10: 9,10.
The psalmist writes,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16
Only God knows why we are the way we are. No one can truly tell what is in the heart and mind of another person. No one knows an individual as well as God does. Thus we have no right to Judge other people when it comes to where they will spend eternity.
Jesus told his disciple and through them 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.
He did not tell those who believe in him to judge people with respect to where they will spend eternity. He told them to go out and show the world how they can spend eternity in heaven.
Please think about it.

The Hardest

The Hardest
The writer of Hebrews states,
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.  
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:8-10.
I think of all the things we can ask anyone to do is to have faith in something especially if it is something they cannot see. Yet that is exactly what God asks of everyone.
The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“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.

God fully understands that anyone who has faith in any cause will quite literally go to the grave for their beliefs.
And when it comes to God you either have faith He exists or you do not. There is no middle ground.
Please think about it.

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus?

The apostle Paul writes,

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. 

                                                                           Colossians 2:9.

Jesus is God incarnate. God in the flesh. You either believe this statement or you do not. That being said if you do not believe Jesus is God you cannot be a true believer in Christ Jesus.
Matthews gospel records this conversation between Peter and Jesus,
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:,15,16.
In John’s gospel we are told of this conversation between Jesus and Martha.
“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.
The book of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
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 1:1-3.
John’s gospel notes,
“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” John 10 22-33.
Note here even when faced with stoning Jesus does not deny who he is.
Thus the question becomes. Who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.

Because of His Mercy

Because of His mercy
The apostle Paul wrote,
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior 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.
Writing to the Romans Paul states,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
C. S. Lewis put what Christians believe this way,
“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.
Christians believe individuals cannot work your way to heaven. The prophet Isaiah saying,
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6
The apostle Paul noting,
“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.
It is our faith in the saving grace of God that comes through Jesus Christ that saves us. Not our works.
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.
The writer of Hebrews defining faith as,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

 and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                                 Hebrews 11:1.

Do you believe this?
Please think about it.