Live at Peace

Live at peace,

"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.

Here is a story for anyone who calls themselves a Christian to think about. It’s 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 go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?
Is this man showing love?
Is this man judging another? 
Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world for Christ, of which a percentage are homosexual?
Is this man even a Christian?
Two questions 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, and how can I reach them for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, "Lord guide me give me wisdom this day. Let me make the right decision on this law."
It is the duty of anyone who claims to be a true follower of Christ Jesus to live at peace with all who are around them. Even if we disagree with their faith or lifestyle.
It is a believer in Christ Jesus’ obligation to obey the words of Jesus who 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.
The only way we can do this is if we live at peace with all men whether or not we agree with them or not. We have an obligation to 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.
And we as Christians would not want people judging us or protesting our lifestyle would we?
Please think about it.

Even Though

Even though

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart

 and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make your paths straight.” 

                                                  Proverbs 3:5,6

Here is a quick thought. All too often in life things happen to us that we don’t understand. We get sick even though we have a healthy lifestyle. We come into conflict with people about our faith, even though all we are doing is presenting it in a non-threatening way.
The fact is, sadly, we live in a fallen world and things at times don’t go our way. It is then especially that our faith should kick in. It is then we should go to God and praise Him for the good things he’s given us. And ask Him to hold our hand through the hard times.
We should remember all of Job’s problems and be able to say with him,
“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;...”  Job 13:15.
Please think about it.

Pay Attention

Pay attention
The writer of Hebrews states,
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.  
For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,  how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”  Hebrews 2:1-3.
If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus Christ then here is something you should consider. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”
As Christians we have a duty to present to the world the truth about Jesus and the salvation God offers through Him. Our message must be as pure as we can make it.
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.
The call of Jesus is to go into all the world and tell people about him and the way to heaven.
Jesus also 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.
That to me means telling people about the love God has for them, because you would want to know it.
It also means if you see someone in need of food or clothing or a home to live in, or in need of medical help. You are to do what you can to help that person because you would not want to be hungry, in need of clothing a roof over your head or medical attention.
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.’ 
“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.
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“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
While we as Christians believe that we are saved by faith, through the Grace of God. I believe true faith in God spurs us on to do good works in His name.
The apostle Peter tells us,
The apostle Peter tell us,
  “I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
For me living a good life in this world is Loving God, our neighbour and even our enemy. It is helping the poor and needy in whatever way we can.
Francis of Assisi wrote a prayer I believe every Christian needs to consider. He wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” 

                                                                     Francis of Assisi

Please think about it.