Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Christians and Freedom

Christians and Freedoms
Martin Niemoller wrote,
“When they came for the Communists, I did not stand up, because I was not a Communist. When they came for the Jews, I did not stand up, because I was not Jewish. When they came for the Catholics, I did not stand up, because I was not a Catholic. When they came for me, there was no one left to stand up.”  Martin Niemoller.
What I am about to say might not be to the liking of some of my Christian readers. Still I feel it must be said.
Jesus gave Christians the divine commission he stated,
“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.
Prior to Him sending his disciples on another “missions trip” he said to them,
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” Matthew 10:16.
If we as Christians are acting in accordance with the wishes of Jesus we will be shrewd (astute) in all our dealings with people. We will be innocent or as one translation of the bible puts it, “harmless” as doves.
We need to be like this in order to effectively reach the world for Christ.
Jesus also made it clear we are to show love to all people. When asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus however did not stop there He 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.” Matthew 5:43-45.
That to me means loving even those we disagree with.
I would go one step further in modern society and say we should stand up for the rights of not only Christians but those we disagree with.
History has shown us that dictators and repressive regimes when they start to repress people they pick first of all on groups that are least liked in society. They then work their way up to anyone who opposes them.
Above I quoted Martin Niemoller an Anti-Nazi an opponent of Hitler who wrote,
“When they came for the Communists, I did not stand up, because I was not a Communist. When they came for the Jews, I did not stand up, because I was not Jewish. When they came for the Catholics, I did not stand up, because I was not a Catholic. When they came for me, there was no one left to stand up.”  Martin Niemoller.
As Christians living in a secular society as we have here in the western nations we must stand up for the rights of all people to live as they wish and express themselves as they wish provided it brings no harm to anyone, even our enemies.
When Jesus said, love God, you neighbour, and even your enemy he was in effect saying love everyone.
Today there is a hot button issue in the church. Things many Christians see as sin, as doing things contrary to the will of God. But then I’m certain Jesus, and the apostles living in the Roman empire seen many things that were not pleasing to God. Yet they didn’t demonstrate and try and restrict or take away the rights of other groups. They couldn’t.
My point here is not whether something or some one is sinful or not. Everyone sins be they the Pope, an evangelist, pastor, or person sitting in the pew.
My point is we must be showing love for our fellow human beings. That at times may mean standing up for someone else’s rights and freedoms whether we agree with them or not.
Martin Luther King jr said,
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” Martin Luther King, Jr. 
In showing love and supporting someone’s right to do as they wish provided they are not hurting anyone builds bridges.
There are a lot of things Christians do not like. I’m sure the apostle Paul did not like the many pagan things he seen in the cities he visited but he never spoke against them. In fact he ministered to them in such away that in Athens he was invited by the philosophers to speak to them at the Areopagus.
Peter sat down and had dialogue with non-jews something not considered right at the time.
Jesus himself sat down with a group that were the pariahs of his day, tax collectors. Matthew’s gospel recording,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.  
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.
Jesus may not have agreed with the actions of tax collectors nor did Paul agree with the actions and lifestyle of many he would have met in Athens. But they respected the freedom the Roman empire gave all people to do and act as they wished.
Not only that they used those freedoms to present the love of God to them.
This is what we as Christians should do.
This is what true Christians do.
Please think about it.

Tuesday, 17 May 2016

Is Man

Is Man
The Poet wrote
Is man but an atom in space?
A mist in time?
A moment in eternity?

What is your life?
Your life or mine?
What of the life of a man?

What is the sum total of Life?
Is it a collection of bobbles bangles and beads.
A collection of artifacts past to the next generation?

Is all there is to life,
A gathering of things.
That you never can keep?

Is it a mans... A Woman’s duty,
to procreate,
Train the next generation,
then pass into oblivion?

Or
is life more?

Is life Eternal?
Destined to continue on through endless days?
At a place of our own choosing?

I believe you have a choice.
The Saviour 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.
That’s what I believe.
Please think about it.

Monday, 16 May 2016

Christian Lifestyle

Christian Lifestyle
Billy Graham said,
“My home is in Heaven. I'm just travelling through this world.” Billy Graham.
The apostle Peter tells us,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 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.
This note is to Christians. What is your life, lifestyle and attitude saying to the people around you.
I know when I speak to many non-Christians they think of evangelical Christians especially those in the United States as having a holier than thou attitude. They see many as bigots and hypocrites who are not practising true Christianity. Who mix their politics and religion in the wrong way.
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.”  Mahatma Gandhi
Billy Graham said,
“Those outside the church expect followers of Christ to live differently, yet today many in church are chasing after the world - not to win them, but to be like them.” Billy Graham.
 We as Christians need to be taking careful stock of our lives. 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.
Sadly all too many people claiming to be Christians are not true Christians. If they are they certainly are not following the teachings of Christ.
The words of Jesus I quoted above says it all, ““So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”.
This to me is crystal clear especially in the secular democracy in which we in the west live. If you want freedom. You must give others the right to their freedom even if you disagree with them. Such is the nature of freedom.
As Billy Graham said,
“My home is in Heaven. I'm just travelling through this world.” Billy Graham.
We as Christians are Christ’s representatives in this world. We are his ambassadors what we show to the world is what they will see Christ as. We must live as holy a life as possible.
The writer of Hebrews said,
“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.
If you are a true believer in Christ you must show it in word and in deed. Our actions must reflect our faith.
James the half brother of Christ said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13
James went on to say,
“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.
Our entire life as Christians must reflect Jesus. Francis of Assisi wrote,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today”  Francis of Assisi.
Question: What is your sermon telling people about you?
Please think about it.

Sunday, 15 May 2016

A fundamental Truth

A fundamental truth.
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate.  Love is always a refuge.  Hate is never a refuge.  Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates.  But love is the enduring sanctuary of life.  Life may rob you of many things.  It often does.  But it can never bereave us of love itself.  That remains.’
-Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, rabbinic leader, from a December 22, 1940, sermon,    quoted in Therefore Choose Life: Selected Sermons, Addresses and Writings of    Abba Hillel Silver, Volume One, edited by Herbert Wiesner (1997)
Hate we see it we see it everywhere. Many look at the acts of terrorist groups around the world and see hate in its extreme.
However hate is prevalent in all nations. We see it in everything from road rage incidents to murders to hate crimes, to various crimes of violence. Even in nonviolent ways where a person simply hates their next door neighbour.
Mankind it seems is good at hating people. Hate is easy. Showing love can be much, much more difficult, especially if someone disrespects you or does something against you. Yet we must love. For if we don’t our society will eventually fall into anarchy.
Jesus set the ideal for all people everywhere. Whether you believe who Jesus was or not you cannot disagree with what He taught.
Jesus when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus however went one step further saying,
“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.” Matthew 5:43-45.
The apostle Paul went on to define what true love is, saying,
“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.
Martin Luther King jr. a leader of the civil rights movement in the United States in the early 1960's said,
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
He was right. If we love God, our neighbour and even our enemy we can bring change to the world. This is what Jesus and the apostles taught.
Napoleon Bonaparte Emperor of France who tried to conquer Europe 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.” Napoleon Bonaparte.
Billy Graham said of the apostles of Jesus,
“The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.”Billy Graham.
Love truly is the only way to change the world. All those who have ever hated and tried to conquer the world have failed and are assigned a note in history.
By contrast Jesus and His followers have showed love to the world and their work continues to this day. Christianity continues to grow even if places where it is persecuted.
Question do you show love to those around you?
What do you consider true love to be?
Please think about it.

Saturday, 14 May 2016

Fruits of

Fruits of
“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:18-26.
In the above scripture Paul makes clear what is unacceptable and acceptable Christian behaviour.
He lists the acts of sinful nature,
“sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies,”
 He then lists the fruit of a life dedicated to Christ,
“the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
He warns us to keep in step with the Spirit of God.
In the world we live in today it is easy to slip into a worldly frame of mind. There is so much negativity around us. Temptations are everywhere.
Everything on Paul’s list of sinful things can be found in the media and in the world around us. No one is immune from the bombardment of sin.
It is therefore up to the Christian to immerse themselves in what is right. To study the Scriptures. To fellowship with other Christians. To attend church, pray and ask God to keep us safe both physically and morally.
Quite often Christians will pray for good health. That’s a good thing. But how often do Christians pray for God to keep us morally pure.
Sadly the immoral things are so common place in the world around us that we hardly pay any attention. They are so common place that we may even participate in some minor or major way without really realizing we are doing so.
To the Christian reading this I would suggest that you take time to assess your life and lifestyle. Pray and ask God to show you if you have any things in your life that He would not be proud of.
Ask God to give you the strength and determination to get rid of the negative things in your life. That you may live a life pleasing to Him .
Please think about it.

Friday, 13 May 2016

Christ's Example

Christ's Example
Matthews gospel records,
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  
The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’’” 
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’’” 
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’’” 
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  
“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’’” 
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”   Matthew 4:1-11.
Here Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he is tempted three times by the Satan. These three temptations serve as an example to Christians as to how to deal with temptation.
The first temptation was to do a miracle outside the Fathers will.
Christians must remember that anything we do must be in accordance with God the Fathers will. Even Jesus just prior to His crucifixion while in the garden said “not my will but yours be done”.
All too many Christians forget about this. They want things done there way and when a it doesn’t happen they get upset.
I know within some church groups they pray for someone’s healing saying “it’s God’s will that everyone should be healthy”, yet the person dies and they can’t understand it.
They never think that it might just be God saying “come home to me where there is no pain and suffering.”
All our actions should be in accordance with God’s will. We are His servants. He is not ours.
In the second one Satan tells Jesus to throw Himself off a tower saying that God will protect Him by sending His angels. This would show who Jesus was through a spectacular act rather than Christ’s righteous works and life.
God want people to recognize who Jesus is by having faith in him. 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.
Faith defined as,
     “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
The third temptation is Satan telling Jesus to bow to him. That if he did he’d give him the world. It would mean Jesus would not have to go to the cross.
Jesus however turned this down saying, “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’’
This should remind us that we should not have any other gods except God the Father. We should not worship the things of this world.
We must only Worship the Lord God Almighty.
Jesus through all of this used Scripture to rebuke Satan.
In order for us to be successful in our walk as Christians we should study the scriptures. We should make the scriptures part of our life and lifestyle. So that we know what God requires of us and thus live a life acceptable to God.
Please think about it.

Thursday, 12 May 2016

A Caution

A Caution
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.
We as Christians live in parlous times. There are those outside the church who would want to see Christ’s message proven wrong. There are even those, extremist, terrorist and others who would want to see the death of all Christians. These people have been around since the dawn of Christianity.
At the same time however there is what I would say is a more dangerous group lurking within Christianity it’s self. These are men and women who claim to be Christians but are not following the teachings of Christ. Men and women who are twisting the teachings of Christ for their own gain. These too have been around from the start of Christianity. The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
It can be very easy to see the threat to our faith by those outside our faith. It however is not that easy to see the threat from within.
A lot of times these false teacher will say they believe in God. They will even lie and say they truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind. But in their heart they do not believe this. They will quote scripture both in context and out of context.
They are out to deceive the believer into following them quite often for personal gain or for power.
That is why I urge all Christians to read their Bible. To study the scriptures. To pray, pray, pray, that God will show them the right path and person to follow.
To find a good church that is following the teachings of the Bible. Beware of those who over emphasise money. Every church and ministry needs money but it shouldn’t be the focus of the ministry. They shouldn’t be constantly spending a great deal of time asking for money.
Remember the apostle Paul said,
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”Philippians 4:19.
If the ministry is of God, God will supply its needs.
Beware of churches or pastors that ask you to follow them blindly or refuse to answer any question you have no matter how seemingly insignificant.
Remember there will be differences in minor interpretations but there should never be on the core issues of the Christian faith.
The apostles creed while not written by the apostles gives the core beliefs that all true Christians can believe in.
The Apostles Creed
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.
These points are not negotiable. They are the core of what all true believers in Christ believe.
To the Christian reading this. I would ask, Are these your core beliefs?
I would ask have you accepted Jesus as the Lord and Saviour of your life? Or, have you only given intellectual consent to Jesus?
Jesus said to 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. 
Dear reader do you believe this?
Please think about it.

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

On Love

On Love

Corrie ten Boom saidm
“Surely there is no more wretched sight that the human body unloved and uncared for.” 
Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place
Miss ten Boom was right and she should know. Corrie spent time in a Nazi concentration camp and seen the worst mankind could inflict on another human being.
Hitler and his henchmen certainly within living memory inflicted more pain and suffering on humanity than any other group, perhaps even in human history.
Rabbi Benjamin Blech said,
“In the aftermath of Nazi Germany we must once and for all understand that culture and crematoria are not mutually exclusive.  Scientific progress does not ensure moral protection, nor can secular humanism produce saints.  People will always find reasons to justify any kind of behaviour.”
-Rabbi Benjamin Blech, congregational rabbi and ancient professor of Talmud, Understanding Judaism.  The Basics of Deed and Creed (1991)
He was right. Even the most cultured nation, the most intellectually advanced nation can do horrible things against its people. Jews have suffered discrimination in all nations throughout history.
It doesn’t stop with the Jews however in the United States segregation of African Americans and restriction on other ethnic groups stands as a blot on their history.
Even in Canada there were laws that restricted some minorities from entering the country. Canada’s record toward it’s indigenous peoples is far from stellar to say the least.
All major western nations from time to time throughout history have embraced slavery and persecuted people be it in their homeland or in their colonies.
Today we point to terrorist and see extreme disregard for the dignity and basic human rights of the individual.
All this proves to me there is a need for the Christian message to go forth to all nations. The need to recognize there is a God who will one day call each person to account.
Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority.”
Abba Hillel Silver
The writer of Ecclesiastes said,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” 
Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
It is when man does not recognize God or loses his fear of God that the society falls apart.  If man has no fear of judgment then many will do as they please. This is true as much for a terrorist, as for serial killer, a thief or for that matter a corrupt politician or preacher or anyone who thinks they can get away with evil.
Jesus when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
                                        Matthew 22:36-40.
Jesus however did not stop there He 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?  
 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?’ Matthew 5:43-47.
The apostle Paul set the standard for love when he said,
“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.
The truth of what Jesus and Paul said is universal. You don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate what they say.
Anne Frank a young Jewish girl while in hiding from the Nazis wrote,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can?  And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!  If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world.  Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.  Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!  No one has ever become poor from giving!”                                                                                      Anne Frank
Anne Frank was right. If we as individuals showed love and kindness to those around us the world would be a much better place.
Why not express love to someone you meet today.
Please think about it.

Tuesday, 10 May 2016

You are Important

You are Important
On February 14, 1990, NASA at a distance of 6 billion kilometres (3,7 billion miles) had the Voyager 1 space probe take a picture of the Solar system. It showed earth as a pail blue dot smaller than the head of a pin.
Carl Sagan said of that dot,
"From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it's different. Consider again that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."
                               Carl Sagan.
Sagan was obviously right. In light of the vastness of the universe earth may not seem all that interesting. Yet it is all we have, that is if you think of it from a purely human prospective.
I believe however we have more. I believe there is life after this one. Life beyond death. I believe there is a God who created the universe and everything in it.
How God created it means little to my faith in God. It means nothing whether God used the “Big Bang” and billions of years or he simply took six days. He is an almighty God and He could have done it either way.
My faith is in God and Jesus Christ, His One and Only Son.
I believe God show He exists in the universe itself the Psalmist states,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1.
Everything from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest object in space is in perfect order. An order so perfect we can use mathematics to discover them and know how they work.
I cannot believe the universe became so mathematically perfect by chance. There has to be a creator behind it all.
At the same time I believe God entered His creation to point our way to Himself the writer of Hebrews speaking of Jesus said,
“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.  
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.” 
Hebrews 1:1-4.
I know it may seem far fetched to non-Christians. Some would ask why would God come to earth in the form of His one and Only Son,
The answer was given by Jesus who when speaking of Himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.   John 3:16-18.
Put simply to God this seemingly insignificant dot in space is not insignificant to Him. God love you and everyone on this Earth. Thus God gives everyone of us a choice. To follow His ways that lead to heaven or to go our own way that leads to destruction.
I believe there is a question we all have to answer it is a question Jesus asked 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.
What is your answer to the question.
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.
The choice is yours.
Please think about it.

Monday, 9 May 2016

A note from Peter

A note from Peter.
The apostle Peter writes,
“His (Christ’s) divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 
Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,  and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 
                                              2 Peter 1:3-11
Here is something all Christians need remember. The apostle Peter lists the things that make a Christian.
1/ Jesus has given us “everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him.”
2. Jesus has given us “great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
 As a result we Christians must,
“make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love”.
If we do these things Peter tells us,
“...if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
 Peter then issues a warning,
“But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.”
However Peter is quick to tell us
“... be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,  and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
While it is true we are saved by faith. Our faith should show in our actions and interaction with those around us. People should see the positive qualities of Jesus in us. As the apostle Paul notes,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  
                                                                      Galatians 5:22,23
The call of the Christian is to love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. We cannot afford to do less. The writer of Hebrews reminding us,
“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.
Francis of Assisi made a very important point when he said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
                                                                                              Francis of Assisi.
What is your sermon telling those around you?
Please think about it dear Christian as your actions may have eternal consequences. 

Sunday, 8 May 2016

Your Actions

Your Actions
Jesus told this parable,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” 
                                     Luke 16:19-31.
Question: How do you treat others? If you claim to be a Christian are you truly exhibiting the attributes of a Christian.
The apostle Paul noted,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  
                                                                  Galatians 5:22,23.
If you are truly a Christian you should be exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit. We should be living a lifestyle that is in keeping with what Jesus would do.
The apostle Peter writes,
“Dear friends, 
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 2:11,12.
So dear Christian do you live a life that shows God to the world? How do you treat the people around you?
If you’re an employer do you pay good wages and benefits? Do you treat your employees with respect and dignity?
You should treat all people equally, with the respect and dignity they deserve even if you disagree with them.
Jesus told us to love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. The way I see that is, we cannot discriminate against anyone even if they are of a different faith, lifestyle or race.
We must show respect to all.
In the above parable Jesus points to the rich man who treated Lazarus badly. The rich man obviously didn’t believe the words of Ecclesiastes who said,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” 
Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
The man may not have even believed in God. OR if he did, did not practice his faith.
The Talmud while not considered an inspired word of God by Christians has truths that I believe can be understood by Christians. One such note states,
“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.
That rich man who mistreated Lazarus more than likely knew there is a God. The society he would have grown up in would have told him that. Yet he failed to fear God and paid the consequences.
As Christians we need to put to memory and bring to mind constantly 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.
If we remember just this verse and do what it says, we will treat others dignity and love because we ourselves would want to be treated not other way.
 And that is something we should not have to think about.

Saturday, 7 May 2016

"How Important?

How Important?
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
As I write this an American has been sentenced to hard labour in North Korea. One of the charges was he was trying to “subvert North Korean society with religion”. A similar thing happened to a Canadian pastor who had visited North Korea openly numerous times and was bringing aid to the country.
North Korea say’s there is no God yet they fear that these Christian pastors will subvert their society? Could it be that the government of North Korea believes there just might be a God and fears Him?
Other countries fear Christianity also. Christianity is considered the most persecuted faith in the world today.
In December of 2013 the United Kingdom parliament heard that one Christian is killed every eleven minutes for their faith.
“MP Jim Shannon said the persecution of Christians is “the biggest story in the world that has never been told”
He said that although the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there are many countries in which these rights are not given.
Shannon alleged that 200 million Christians will be persecuted for their faith this year, while he said 500 million live in dangerous neighbourhoods.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is on record as declaring that Christianity is "the most persecuted religion in the world." 
According to a report in Reuters news the top ten countries in which Christianity is persecuted in are, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Maldives, Mali, Iran, Yemen and Eritrea.
Still despite all of this Christians every day present their message. A message that simply calls mankind to be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Christianity is a faith based on Love. Love of God for His creation and individual. Christians are called to love God, their neighbour and even their enemy.
Jesus making it clear when he said
“... ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus also reminding His followers,
“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,”  Matthew 5:43,44
The apostle Paul telling Christians
“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.
As I said Christianity is a faith based on Love.
And just as importantly Jesus speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. John 3:16-18
This is why we as Christians continue despite the persecution to take our message to the world.
We truly believe that the decision to accept Jesus as ones Lord and Saviour is the most important thing anyone can do. It is a guarantee of eternal life with God.
Sadly in many parts of the world we Christians do this at our peril.
So to the Christian in the west not facing persecution I would ask to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world. For strength and that eventually the persecution they face will end. Pray also for all groups who are persecuted even though they are not Christian because no one deserves to be persecuted.
To all people irrespective of their faith I would ask you to tell your congressman, president, your member of parliament, your prime minister about not only persecuted Christians but about other persecuted groups.
 Ask them to bring up the persecution of Christians and other groups with officials of countries that oppress and imprison anyone.
Please think about doing it today.