Quiescence

Quiescence

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  
                                                                                     1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Love is the essence of Christianity. You cannot be a Christian and hate you must love.
Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
Matthew 5:43-46.
We must be different from the world. Our love should never be contingent on anything someone does or doesn’t do for us or to us.
God set the example by sending Jesus into the world while we were still sinners. The apostle Paul telling the Romans,
“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 
Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 defines clearly what true love is,

Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, 

it does not boast, 

it is not proud.  

It is not rude, 

it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, 

always trusts,

 always hopes,

 always perseveres. 

Love never fails...”

Is this the kind of Love you have?
Think about it.

Blameless

Blameless among

“The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.  
The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.  
So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”  
But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD. 
This is the account of Noah. 
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” 
                                                                                                                                     Genesis 6:5-9
“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” Could God say this about you?
Noah judging by the account lived in a world of incredible sin. So much so God decided to wipe it out. Such a world may have been far worse than today. Yet Noah scripture tells us, walked with God.
Someone once told me our world is no different from the time of Abraham, Moses, David or any other society that has ever existed. There was sin all around. The only difference is sin is delivered to us in a high tech way.
Today in the twenty-first century we live in a world surrounded by sin. Not only that, but thanks to technology it comes directly into our homes.
As a result we need to turn to the Lord each and every day. To read the scriptures meditate on them. To spend as much time as we can in prayer.
We need to encourage our fellow believers in Christ to lift them up in prayer also.
We need to be aware of any sins we commit and turn to God and confess them as soon as we realize we’ve done them.
Christians do sin, we are not perfect. Just progressing.
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.
A pastor once told me that at the very least each night we should spend twenty minutes or half an hour alone with God. Asking him to search our hearts and show us where we have fallen short and where we could have done better.
At the same time we should be praising and thanking God for all he has done for us.
Scripture tells us Noah walked with God. This is what we should be doing.
We should be talking to God throughout the day also. Praising him and asking for his wisdom in all that we do.
Think about it.

An Interesting thought

An interesting thought
Here’s something for you to think about from the Talmud it says,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
                                                                                                              The Talmud.
Logically to me it makes sense. When you’re before the thrown of God you can’t deny that he exists.
God already knows whether you’ve prayed and observed the ritual. He even knows if you’ve dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow man by his standards
But he want’s your opinion. He wants to know if you feel you have dealt correctly with your fellow man. He wants if you will, you to have your say.
We have a very personal God. He wishes to get to know the individual on a personal level. He requires that all people, but believers in particular to deal honourably with those around us.
James writes,
“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  
Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  
Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  
You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.”
                                                                                                     James 5:1-6.
James make it very clear that God knows the wrongs that people commit and will punish them.
I firmly believe that Christians at all times must deal in an upright and fair manner with all whom we deal.
We must never take unfair advantage of anyone at anytime because God.
Sadly I have heard over the years people who will not deal with those who call themselves Christian businessmen because they do not deal honourably. Which tells me at the very least they are not truly committed to Christ or are not Christians at all.
My wife is fond of saying, if you have to say you’re a Christian even in advertisements for your business they you just may not be a good Christian at the very least.
Francis of Assisi said it best,
“Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” 
                                                                                  Francis of Assisi 
If you are people will notice the difference without you telling them.
Think about it.

A way of Life

A way of life.

“For this reason I kneel before the Father,  from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” 
Ephesians 3:14-19
This  prayer of Paul for the Ephesians is a prayer for all believers.
Christianity is not just a faith it is a way of life rooted in love. A love from God that we as Christians must show to the world at all times.
Pauls prayer is that we grasp how all encompassing  God’s love for us in Christ Jesus is. It is a love that surpasses all knowledge.
Understanding such love is what makes us better Christians. It’s what enables us to reach out in love and pray for even our worst enemies and persecutors.
In order to truly understand the depth of Gods love for us we must read the scriptures and study them in earnest.
We must pray believing that God will show us how to love the way He does. How to reach out to others and lead them to Salvation in Christ.
Francis of Assisi wrote,

The prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your 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;

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.

Think about it.

On Jesus

On Jesus

Kenneth Scott Latourette, former President of American Historic Society
In A History of Christianity, wrote,
“It is evidence of His importance, of the effect that He has had upon history and presumably, of the baffling mystery of His being that no other life ever lived on this planet has evoked so huge a volume of literature among so many people and languages, and that, far from ebbing, the flood continues to mount.”
“As the centuries pass by, the evidence is accumulating that measured by its effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet. The influence appears to be mounting.”
“No other life lived on this planet has so widely and deeply affected mankind.”
I am not a great scholar by any means. I am a simple follower of Christ.
I know there are many people out there who deny there is a God and claim Jesus is a myth.
Still no credible historian today denies that Jesus walked the earth. Quite the contrary more and more archeology is slowly starting to prove more and more how accurate the gospels are.
Sir William Ramsay one of the greatest Archaeologist of the first half of the twentieth century was a liberal who tried to refute to validity of the gospel of Luke. Ramsay however became persuaded that Luke was a scholar of the first order.
He was so convinced that he became an evangelist making arguments for the teachings of Christ based on his readings of the Gospel and his archaeological findings.
Another reputable archaeologist Stephen Neil notes the point that Luke get's all of the titles correct in Acts, all the minor officials in every little localities, even titles which were thought previously to have been wrong archaeology has proven Luke right.
Those who deny that Christ existed are not objective. They are not looking at the evidence that is slowly accumulating from outside the bible by reputable historians and archaeologist both Christian and non-Christian.
Those same people who deny that Jesus existed would not deny Alexander the great existed yet the first records we have for Alexander was 300 years after he died.
It wasn’t until 1961 that archaeologist discovered Pontius Pilate’s name inscribed on block referring to him as prefect of Judea.
In 1990 that an ossuary (bone box) was discovered and has been authenticated with the name of Caiphas the name of the high priest was discovered.
World historian Will Durant notes that no Jew or Gentile from the first-century ever denied the existence of Jesus.
Here’s another statistic,
Within 150 years of Christ’s death there were the same number of secular writers who mention both Tiberius and Jesus.
 Thirty-six thousand complete and partial writings about Jesus have been discovered from the first century.
These are works from outside the bible, but from them you can reconstruct almost the entire new testament.
Such works are within living memory of Jesus which shows he existed.
Throughout history however there have be doubters the difference today is that those doubters have a high tech soap box to stand on.
There is one thing I am certain of in all of this. If I am right, which I am convinced I am, and Jesus and God truly exist, then I have no fears. For I will one day stand before Christ and meet him as my Lord and Saviour. If I am wrong I have lived a good moral and happy life.
To those who would doubt the existence of God and Jesus I would say if you are right you have nothing to fear.
But if you are wrong you have a big surprise coming and will one day prove right the words of Jesus who 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
Think about it.

Draw near to God

Draw near to God

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,  
and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”  
                                                                               Hebrews 10:19-24
Here is a call by the writer of Hebrews to draw near to God,
“...with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”  ”
When we accept Christ into our lives we have our hearts cleansed from the guilt of sin. We are washed and renewed.
Our walk with Christ should be a daily walk. Each and every day we should draw closer to Jesus.
I live with Bipolar affective disorder (manic depression). There is no cure it can only be controlled by medication and even they are not a hundred percent effective. Many with the illness commit suicide. I admit I have contemplated suicide many times.
The thing that has prevented me from doing so is my relationship with Jesus Christ and Christian family and friends.
Each day I get up and am thankful that I have another day to be with my them and to serve my God.
In my darkest hours before the doctors got my medications right, a process that took a number of years I found that I had to draw very near to God.
I found myself constantly seeking God to deliver me from what I was going through. To show me how to live with this problem in my brain.
He did.
I had my family and friends their praying for me and encouraging me to continue on serving the Lord.
The illness far from killing me or putting me in an institution actually drew me closer than I have ever been to God.
Scripture says,
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” 
                                           Romans 8:28
I have found this to be true.
I today speak to secular and Christian groups about my experience with mental illness and am able to testify about the grace of God in my life.
I would not have been able to do this had I not in the darkest times of my life drawn close to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
There is one other thing I must say in all of this. All those who come to the Lord need to lay a solid spiritual foundation.
In my early years as a Christian I was blessed to have some very good pastors and teachers who encouraged me to study the scriptures. Who helped me understand what it was to live a life for Christ.
It was this foundation that I believe saved my life as I was going through my mental health struggles and the other problems I’ve had in my life.
I learned as a young Christian that God was but a prayer away.
I am far from perfect. There are day’s I fall far short of God’s ideal for my life. Never the less I have always known beyond a shadow of a doubt that my Lord and saviour has always been there for me.
I strongly believe that God is there for all believers. That we need to go to Him not just in times of struggle but in good times.
I have never forgotten what God has done for me and I thank Him for all of it.
Dear Christian,
remember that no matter what you are going through God is but a prayer away and he will be there for you.
Think about it.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Sunday

“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,...”                                                                                                       1 Chronicles 16:8-12
Here David is singing praises because the Ark of the Covenant has been returned. He thanking God, praising Him and calling on the Israelites to praise God also. Verse fifteen even says David danced he was that happy.
Here in Canada October 12th 2014 is Thanksgiving Sunday and we have a lot to be thankful for.
We have freedom to worship, freedom of speech we have freedom to be who we are.
Canada is truly multicultural. In the small city where I live we have every ethnic and religious group one can imagine living in harmony.
Such is our freedoms that these groups can even have open and honest discussions with one another with our fear.
Canada is a great country to live in. While my wife and family were born here, I came by choice and have fallen in love with it.
God has truly blessed Canada and I praise him for bringing me here.
Apart from that I can praise God for all He has done in my life. For getting me through everything from a house fire to cancer to blood clots on my lungs that almost killed me, to living with Bi-polar disorder and dozens of other major and minor things I have long forgotten about.
I can especially thank him for my family all of whom are serving the Lord in one capacity or another.
I can thank him for all he has provided me with. While I may not be rich my needs are met and I haven’t gone hungry.
I have a wonderful family and friends most of whom will be celebrating thanksgiving with us as you read this.
I think at this thanksgiving time we need to look to God and thank him for all we have.
The psalmist wrote,

“Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD.” 

                                                                                      Psalm 150

Think about it.

Who do you follow

Who do you follow?

“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.  
My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.  
What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas’”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?  
I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.  
(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.)  
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” 
                                                       1 Corinthians 1:10-17
Here in 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 is something I hear today even within the small church I attend.
I hear people say I listen to (translation follow) such and such a preacher or evangelists teachings, I like what he says. Others say they follow other ministers and evangelist. This should not be so. We must follow Christ.
In our city there was a fair sized church that had eight or nine hundred people at it’s peak it was a breakaway church from a much larger one. This church even opened it’s own Bible school.
Many at the church hung on every word of the pastor. They trusted him implicitly. They never questioned him or his teaching.
Sadly he fell into sin not only that, when he’d originally started the church he placed most of the assets, the equipment the church used in his name. Almost everything except the building itself.
Thus when he left, he left the church in a great deal of trouble.
Not only that many who had followed him fell away from the church and they didn’t go to another church. They simply left the fellowship of believers all together.
They had followed the man and when he fell they were devastated and fell also.
We are never to follow “a man” we are to follow Christ.
At Corinth the believers were following the teachings of various men and obviously debating the teachings of those men to the point it seemed to be dividing them. Paul warned them not to do this. To get rid of the divisions among them.
Just because we are baptized by someone or saved through the ministry of a particular pastor does not mean we have to follow that pastor blindly. We should be following Christ.
The church who’s pastor went off the rails I mentioned earlier is an example of how people follow blindly someone’s teaching.
As Christians we are called to follow the teaching of Jesus.
Yes various men and women and Christian groups vary somewhat in the way they interpret scripture but that I think is human nature.
The key is that despite the various interpretations. These interpretations should neither add to or take away from the teaching of Christ.
The Apostles Creed while not written by the apostles summerize what the basic believes of all Christians are in a simple concise way.
The Apostles Creed
1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:
9. I believe in the holy catholic* church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
11. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting. Amen.
(*Note in this case Catholic means, the true Christian church of all times and all places.)
We are called to let Christ and His teachings be the centre of our lives. As a result we should be reading scripture, as well as sitting under the teachings of good pastors, Christian leaders and teachers.
Think about it.

Of Wisdom

Of Wisdom

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
                                                                                                         Proverbs 2:1-8
Kenneth L Barker a commentator for the Zondervan NIV study Bible notes,
“Wisdom is not just acquired information but practical insight with spiritual implications.” 
(Barker, Kenneth L. Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Fully Revised): James. 1920. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1985, 1995, 2002.) 
The more we read the Bible the more knowledge about our faith we obtain and the more wisdom we receive. Which helps us to better serve the Lord.
There are many excellent teachers out there. Many Excellent ministers and evangelist who preach God’s word eloquently and are truly giving people insight to the word of God.
These men and women are doing so because they have studied the scriptures with a mind opened to God and with no preconceived ideas.
They have prayed and meditated on the word of God asking God for insight. This is what we all should do irrespective of who we are.
Be we the most educated person in our congregation or the least. Even a child can gain insight and wisdom from the Bible.
Read again what Barker states,
“Wisdom is not just acquired information but practical insight with spiritual implications”
Put another way Wisdom is knowing what to do with knowledge in a very practical way.
When it comes to serving the Lord wisdom will show us how to use what we have learned from the Bible and others to best effect.
Read the quote from Proverbs again,
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
                                                                                                         Proverbs 2:1-8.
Think about it.

A Christian Thing

A Christian Thing

  “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 
Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.... 
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
                                                                                        Psalm 32:1,2,5
Here is the central theme that rings through the entire Bible both New and Old Testaments.
The confession of sin and God’s forgiveness of our confessed sin.
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
  The apostle Paul writing to the Romans 5:6-9 explains:
“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. 
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” 
                Romans 5:6-9.
C.S. Lewis notes,
“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
Lewis also said,
“He(Jesus) died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” 
                                C.S. Lewis

In accepting Christ as our Saviour, we are saved from the wrath of God. We as Christians are confident before we shed our mortal bodies that we will be with God.
John writing in his gospel,
“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.... 
       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 1:1-4,12,13
For those outside the Christian faith I know it is hard to believe but it is what we believe.
We believe one can have a personal relationship with God. That you can become a child God. All we must is accept that Jesus is the Son of God, admit we fall short of God’s ideal for our life, confess our sins to him and accept the Salvation He offers freely to every individual.
If we are wrong we as Christians have nothing to fear because at the very least correctly following a Christian lifestyle is a good upright and moral way to live.
However if we are right there is a lot to worry about.
Think about it.

Christianophobia

Christianophobia
Here’s something for people to ponder.
According to the Washington based Pew Forum on Religion and Public life, Christianity is the largest and most widely spread faith in the world, with 2.2 billion followers or 32 percent of the world population.
According to Rupert Short Religion Editor of The Times Literary Supplement and a Visiting Fellow of Blackfriars Hall, Oxford In his latest book is Christianophobia: A Faith Under Attack (2012).
Across the world as a whole, some 200 million Christians (10 per cent of the total) are socially disadvantaged, harassed or actively oppressed for their beliefs.
Yet the secular media are not saying much about it. It is a hidden genocide going on at this minute.
To those critics of Christianity be they atheist or those who claim to be of other faiths, some of whom claim to believe the same God as we Christians I ask the question why is Christianity seen as such a threat?
If Jesus was not who he said he was the Son of God what have those who disagree with us to worry about.
C.S. Lewis a one time Atheist who converted to Christianity 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
A true Christian takes the words of the apostle Paul seriously,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” 
                                                                    Romans 12:18-21.
True we as Christians are told to go and make disciples of all nations and we have been very successful at doing that.
Still Jesus made it clear we are not to force our beliefs on others. We are simply to present them and let the person make the decision.
I know many over the years have called themselves Christians and tried to impose their faith on others by the force and the sword. These people are not Christians. A Christian will not use force to convert anyone.
Jesus said,
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
                                                                                                 Matthew 7:22,23. 
The Bible tells the story of two of Christ’s disciples who were brought be for Jewish leaders for teaching in the name of Jesus. They were going to put them to death but a wise man stood up, giving them a brief history lesson, the book of Acts recording,
“But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.  
Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.  
Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.  
After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.  
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 
                  Acts 5:34-39.
I contend Christianity has proven it is from God. The proof is in the fact it now has reached over a third of the world.
The French emperor Napoleon said,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.”
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
Sadly because people simply disagree with Christians, they are in parts of the world killing us. Something true men and women of God would not ever do.
Unfortunately the killing of Christians is something that has happened from the early days of Christianity starting with the stoning of Stephen by religious leaders of his day, on through various Roman emperors, to other groups, and even governments to this very day.
But as a Pharisee named Gamaliel said, “if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Which I know our enemies are.
To Christians that are reading this I would ask that you pray for the persecuted Church around the world. Even raise the issue with your member of parliament or congressman.
According to an article in Reuters written by Tom Heneghan religion editor Jan 8th 2013 who quotes statistics from Open Doors, a non-denominational Christian group,
North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan as the three toughest countries for Christians last year (2012)
North Korea has been number one for the past eleven years and it is estimated 70,000 Koreans have been sent to labour camps. Their only crime being Christian.
Saudi Arabia is in second place, but Saudia Arabia bans public practice by all faiths except Islam yet still according to open doors, Christianity is spreading in Saudi Arabia.
A more recent threat to Christianity is the rise of Islamic militants such as al-Qaeda and now the Islamic state.
Think about it.

Perhaps, Just Perhaps

Perhaps Just Perhaps we Need to ask God’s forgiveness
          Perhaps, just perhaps, we need to ask God’s forgiveness.

“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.
Matthew 28:18-20 known as the Great Commission. These words encapsulate what we as Christians are called to do. But are we always doing it correctly? Are we usurping our authority?
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.
Do you Judge others?
The command from Jesus himself is not to judge others.
There is a time to judge others but only others within the church, within our own faith, the apostle Paul writing,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                           1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
The reason we can only judge those within our own faith is because we share a common set of moral values.
Even when we judge others within the church we should be very careful and only judge them by rules set down in the Bible.
When we are dealing with those outside the church we are called not to judge but rather love and pray for them. Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”  
            Matthew 5:43-46.
We may not like what our persecutors or our enemies are doing to us but we are still called to love and pray for them.
Pray first of all that our persecutors and enemies will accept Christ into their heart. For only He can truly change their lives.
Pray even that our enemies and persecutors at the very least, leave us in peace.
Jesus said,
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” 
                   Matthew 10:16.
The way I read Matthew 10:16 is that we are to being sent into a very hostile world. Therefore we must be very aware of the world around us and use wisdom in all we do. Above all however be completely innocent in all our actions.
Read Matthew 7:1,2 again,
“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.
I have watched many preachers and Christian groups both in and outside of the media judge those outside the church.
The other day I heard a well known Televangelist preaching against something. I agreed with what he said. He was completely right.
The problem was the group he aimed his comments at were outside the church. He judged them when it wasn’t his place to do so. They didn’t believe in the Bible or that they had to follow what it said.
He was an honest Christian who went about witnessing all wrong.
If you want an example of how to truly witness to non-believers look at how the apostle Paul witnessed in Athens, Act 17:17-34.
Athens was undoubtedly equal to any major city in the world today. It was a city of culture and vast diversity.
Athens had a myriad of temples to various gods. There would have been many things happening, many practices within Athenian society that Paul would not have agreed with. Yet he didn’t criticize them.
He was invited to speak by Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, not Christians, or Jews, to a meeting of the Areopagus , a place where ideas and philosophies were discussed.
It was the way Paul had presented the gospel in Athens itself they wanted to know about his teaching. Thus the invite.
This is how it should be today. We should be preaching the Gospel of Christ in such a way as to make people want to listen to us.
We need to use wisdom in how we speak especially when we are speaking in the media be it a humble blog,  from the pulpit of a large church, or anything in between.
Our job is to reach the lost not judge the world.
The American evangelist Tony Campolo 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
We as Christians need to humble ourselves and pray. We need to ask God if we are witnessing for Him in the best possible way.
We need to ask him if we are judging others more than loving and praying for others.
We need to ask God to show us how the secular world sees us and ask Him how to better reach that secular world.
Think about it.