Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord
The book of Exodus records,
“When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.  
Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.  
Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.” 
              Exodus 15:19-21.
Dear Christian do you praise the Lord after a victory?
In Exodus we see the children of Israel being protected by God. Pharaoh’s armies being destroyed. It was a great victory.
We may never see such victories in our lifetime but we do have small personal victories. In my own life I can praise God that I survived cancer and my wife survived a major health problem also. Both conditions could have killed us. The two of us can also praise God for other victories in our life big and small.
I believe it is important from time to time to simply praise God for all He has done for us in our lives.
Take a moment to take stock of your life and ask God to show you victories in your life. We all have them.
Sing with the Psalmist who 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.

Please take time to just praise God!

God Knows you

God knows you
The Psalmist writes,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16.
The way I read the above quote is God knows all about us right down to our genetic code. He knows why we are the way we are and why we do what we do. That is why I believe God did not want men judging men when it comes to getting into heaven.
Jesus made it clear saying,
“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.
The apostle Paul tells Christians,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?”1 Corinthians 5:12.
The only reason Christians can judge those inside the church is because they share a common value system. It is also essential for Christians to judge one another to ensure that what someone claiming to be a Christian, is actually teaching the beliefs of Christians correctly.
However Christians as Paul states cannot judge those outside the Christian community.
To judge someone is to say you know what motivates them. Know human can truly do that.
I have met many Christians over the years that have made a blanket statement that various groups or individuals will not go to heaven. The question I always ask is how do you know?
I believe in a God so loving that He entered this world in the form of His One and Only Son Jesus to show man how far He would go to reconcile man to himself.
It also served another purpose. In coming to earth Jesus experienced all there was to be a man. He experienced the mundane things like the sun and rain on his face. The smell of the earth after a rain storm. The love of friends and family. He also experienced the pain of being accused of crimes he didn’t commit. As well as a merciless beating and the death on the cross.
As a result we can never say when we stand before him “you don’t understand what it is to be human” because He does.
Thus when you stand before God, He can judge you honestly and justly.
Please think about it.

The fear of The Lord

The fear of The Lord
The Psalmist writes,
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” Psalm 11:10.
When man forgets there is a God, or denies His existence or perverts God’s truth to justify his own actions society goes wrong.
On a large scale we can see this happened during the reign of Hitler and his henchmen in Germany during and just before World War two. We see it happening today on a large scale with terrorist groups lacking the fear of God and perverting God’s laws to justify what they are doing and thus causing strife around the world.
We see the lack of fear of the Lord on a smaller scale with street gangs in various cities killing people. We see people stealing on a small scale such as a pick pocket or on a grand scale such as a white collar criminal who steals millions from innocent victims.
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“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.
When people do not believe this then the road is open for them to do as they wish.
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.
God set for all humanity a set of basic laws that I believe is on the hearts of all men. Universal laws that are enshrined in the ten commandments.
The book of Exodus records,
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 
“You shall have no other gods before me. 
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,  but showing love to a thousand  generations  of those who love me and keep my commandments. 
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.  
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 
“Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. 
“You shall not murder. 
“You shall not commit adultery. 
“You shall not steal. 
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” 
Exodus 20:2-17.
These laws be you Jewish, Christian, Muslim or of other faiths are universal laws we all can understand.
These are universal laws, if you will “God basic principles for living”, that if practised correctly allow our society to function in the way God intended.
Sadly today there are many around the world that have lost their fear of God and His righteous judgment. The result is suffering and death.
It is time for our society as a whole both here in North America where I live and around the world to turn back to God’s basic principles for living.
Please think about it.

God is

The Psalmist wrote,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 

Psalm 19:1-3.

I believe there is a God who created the universe and everything in it. I believe the psalmist who said the heavens declare the glory of the Lord.
I cannot believe the universe simply assembled itself randomly.
George Washington Carver said,
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” George Washington Carver.
Above I have posted three photographs one was taken by the Hubble Telescope of the Eagle Nebula. There is a microscopic look at the red blood cell the most common cell in the human body. Then there a microscopic view of a potato stoma. All are connected.
Mathematics is showing that there is a formula for everything in creation. We may not have all of them yet but they are working on it. I believe if science is done right they will find those formulas and even one linking all of them.
I know some say our world simply evolved from the big bang. It’s possible, but I believe we will one day find that it was God that created the big bang, setting in motion processes that has resulted in the perfect environment for life as we know it. Be it in six days or billions of years, it makes no difference God created the heavens and the earth.
I believe the Psalmist cry  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
I believe the writer of Genesis who said,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
My question to you is, Do you?
Please think about it. 

In Truth

In truth
Henri Nouwen said,
"One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives."- Henri Nouwen.
Jesus said,
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23,24.
How do you worship God?
Do you simply go to church to feel good? Do you go to church for the music and to fellowship with friends?
Sadly many go to church to feel good. They go because they like the music and can meet their friends there.
It’s only a small percentage of people who attend church that do most of the work. Every church big or small has a need for more workers.
And perhaps, just perhaps, if the truth be known only a small percentage of those attending a church are truly Christians.
I was once told by a pastor that the people that were brought up in the church are the hardest to reach.
They have made going to church a lifestyle. They know what to say and when to say it. They know all the rules of the church and all the ritual. They even know a good bit of scripture. They may even say, and sincerely think they have Christ in their lives but they do not.
They believe there is a God but they do not put their faith in Him.
The writer of Hebrews tells us we need to have faith in God, writing
“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.
He defines faith as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1.
Faith for a Christian is believing in God and serving Him. It means worshipping God as Jesus said “in spirit and in truth”.
One of the definitions the Oxford dictionary gives for spirit is, “...the real meaning or intention of something as opposed to its strict verbal interpretation.”
We as Christians have to really mean what we are doing as opposed to simply praying because it’s the thing to do. When we sing praises to God we have to truly mean what we are singing as opposed to singing because we feel good.
Faith in God and a sincerity of worship is essential in the Christian life. We have to be willing to give our whole life to God. As Henri Nouwen said,
"One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives."
That’s what true faith in God is all about. Giving up control of our lives to God. Allowing God to work through us to complete His work on this earth.
Please think about it.

A Talk

A talk

“For the word of God is living and active. 

Sharper than any double-edged sword, 

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; 

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. 

Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him 

to whom we must give account.” 

Hebrews 4:12,13

C. S. Lewis said,
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
Lewis is right, you can say there is no God, but that dose not change the fact there is a God and that he one day will judge everyone. Someone once wrote,

A Conversation

A man:

”you can’t be!”

God: 

“but I am”

A Man: 

“You don’t exist!”

God, 

“I do.”

A Man: 

“But I couldn’t see you.”

God: 

“I know I asked you to have faith. Through Hebrews I told you,

 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope

 for and certain of what we do not see.”  

Hebrews 11:1

A Man: 

“if only I could have seen you.”

God: 

“You could have seen all I did. The Psalmist told you 

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the  skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Psalm 19:1. 

Didn’t you look?

A Man:

 “Of course I looked. 

I seen evolution!”

God,

 “So you seen an orderly universe and thought 

it just dropped perfectly into place

 randomly? 

You didn’t think I could do it be it that way or any other way 

I felt like doing it?”

A man: 

“But I didn’t believe you existed.”

God: 

“so you never had faith in me?”

A Man: 

“I didn’t.... 

I don’t...

 I must be delusional.”

God: 

“No I am really here and through the words of Hebrews I warned you saying, 

“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.

Man:

“So what will happen to me?”

God:

“The Apostle Paul wrote,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith

and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 

 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 Ephesians 2:8,9 

Did you accept my free gift of Grace?

Dear reader
Please think about it.

The heart of existence

The heart of existence
“Love is the heart of existence.”  Author unknown.
A natural disaster strikes a world away and people unaffected do everything they can to send aid. Someone is murdered or killed and not only family but strangers come to console the relatives of the victim.
Fire destroys a neighbours home or a child or loved one is hurt and those around go out of their way to help the family even if they don’t know them.
Why because deep inside everyone there is love. Love planted there by God.
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“...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.
The apostle Paul wrote,

“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 Gospel of John tells us,
“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.” John 3:16.
Love is something atheist cannot explain. Why would someone feel love for someone thousands of kilometers away who have undergone hardship and wish to help? After all they are not affected?
The answer is love. Love is fundamental to human existence. Without love the human race would have become extinct long ago.
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 took love 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.
Love is selfless.
Francis of Assisi wrote,

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.

                                                                                      Francis of Assisi.
Are you showing Love?
Please think about it.

Without Love Without God

Without Love Without God,
“The world is trying to get by without God and is doing a miserable job without Him.” Author unknown.
Abba Hillel Silver said,
“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.
As I look around society today. I see especially in the United States a society in crisis. In the America the spectre of racism has raised its head it seems higher than ever. Police harassing and killing innocent black men. Misguided individuals killing police. It all resembles the early years of the 1960's and the civil rights movement.
I don’t remember much about the civil rights movement in the United States. I wasn’t even a teenager and I didn’t live in America at the time. All I remember was my father praising Dr. Martin Luther King jr. for his non-violent stance in the face of such injustice.
Dr. King was a Christian who believed in Love.
Dr. King said two things that are as important today as they were then. He said,

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; 

only light can do that. 

Hate cannot drive out hate; 

only love can do that.” 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr King made it clear,

“Love is the only force capable 

of transforming an enemy into friend.” 

Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The early civil rights movement attained what it did because they refused to let hate rule. To quote King again he prayed,

“We thank thee, O God, for the spiritual nature of man.

We are in nature but we live above nature.

Help us never to let anybody or any condition pull us so low as to cause us to hate.

Give us strength to love our enemies 

and to do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us.” 

Martin Luther King jr.

Leaders like Dr. King realized that hate begets hate. He realized the words of Jesus who 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.
Who also 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.
I admit I am a white man living in Canada and cannot fully understand what most people of colour in the United States have to put up with. Still I can understand what injustice is.
I also realize that unless people turn back to God society is in trouble.
I believe it is time for all churches. All who claim to be Christian to stand against injustice everywhere.
If ever there was a need for God in society it is now and not just in the United States but around the world.
Hate is everywhere in the world today and it is only through the love of God that we can truly overcome it.
Please think about it.

You, God, and Faith

You, God, and Faith
Raphael Simon said,
“To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances; to seek him, the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” Raphael Simon.
Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
The book of Deuteronomy states,

Love the LORD your God

 with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  

Impress them on your children.

 Talk about them when you sit at home

 and when you walk along the road, 

when you lie down and when you get up.  

Tie them as symbols on your hands

 and bind them on your foreheads.  

Write them on the doorframes of your houses 

and on your gates. 

                                                                              Deuteronomy 6:5-9
To know Jesus as one’s personal Saviour. To allow Christ into one’s life and fall in love with God is indeed the most incredible thing an individual can do.
The writer of Proverbs tells us,
“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.
God indeed loves us. The Apostle Paul writing to the Romans states,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
God loved us so much that He in the form of His one and Only Son Jesus entered the world to point us to Himself.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
God exists and God loves all people.
Most people in the world today believe there is a God. However they do not have faith in Him. Something God asks of all people.
In my previous Blog post I quoted the writer of Hebrews as 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 is something that has been exercised by all of God’s prophets in the Bible. The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.”Hebrews 11:8,9

Abraham believed God existed, but he didn’t stop there he exercised his faith in God by doing what God told him to do even though he couldn’t see what his actions would bring about. 
The writer of Hebrews defines faith, saying,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.” 

 Hebrews 11:1.

This what Abraham did. He was sure of what he hoped for and certain that God would bring about what he could not see. Abrahams faith was not simply intellectual.  He truly believed.
Do you simply believe intellectually that God exists or do you have actually have faith in him as the writer of Hebrews defines faith? I ask this question because it is by faith that we get to heaven.
The apostle Paul tells us,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith

—and this not from yourselves, 

it is the gift of God—  

not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

Ephesians 2:8,9.

Getting to heaven is a free gift of God. It is by His grace we get there. Still it is only through faith that we can receive that grace.
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.
Speaking to Martha Jesus gave us all a question we must answer saying,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” John 11:25,26,27.
So my question is do you simply believe intellectually there is a God and leave things at that. OR do you truly have faith in God and that Jesus is His one and only Son who died for your sins.
Please think about it. 

Chasing after the wind?

Chasing after the wind?

The writer of Ecclesiastes states.

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; 

all of them are meaningless, 

a chasing after the wind.” 

Ecclesiastes 1:14.

I have met many people who agree with Ecclesiastes. They have in some cases reached the height of fame. And there is nothing wrong with being successful in any field of endeavour. But many have become very successful in industry, commerce, sports or entertainment only to find that they are still empty inside.
United States General George S. Patton wrote,
"For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honour of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeteers, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting." Gen. George C. Patton.
Patton is right all fame is fleeting. Just because we achieve fame and fortune in this world doesn’t mean we will be satisfied.
Many who seek to be successful are looking for fulfilment in life few truly find it. Many move on from one project to the next only to find they are still empty inside.
People search to find fulfilment in various ways. Some like I said try to find peace through being the best they can be in sports, business, and other pursuits. Others look to alcohol and drugs. All to no avail.
C. S. Lewis said,
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” C.S. Lewis.
Blaise Pascal said,
“There is a God-shaped vacuum in every heart.”Blaise Pascal.
Pascal is right and we try to fill that vacuum with every material thing this world has to offer yet we can’t seem to fill it. We can’t fill it because only God can do that.
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“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.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
Unfortunately too many choose to ignore God. They may believe He exists but refuse to have faith in him. And faith is the one thing God asks of us.
Faith is defined by the writer of Hebrews who said,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.”  

Hebrews 11:1.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God,

 because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

Hebrews 11:6

Do you believe in God? If so, do you have faith in God?
There is a big difference between believing God exists and putting your faith in God.
Martin Luther King jr. said,
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”Martin Luther King, Jr.
Do you believe in God?
Do you truly have faith in God?
Please think about it.

Your Treasure

Your Treasure
“Then he (Jesus) said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  
He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  
And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15-21.
I know many men who work long and hard for the so called “American dream” and there is nothing wrong with having riches in their place. However when those riches begin to take first place in your life there can be problems. the apostle Paul points out,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
If we concentrate so much on becoming wealthy in this world and neglect our spiritual life with God we will enter heaven, if we enter heaven at all, spiritually broke.
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:26.
Wealth in this world is meaningless. It is only what we do for Christ that will last.
Look around at some of the wealthiest men that have ever lived. Their riches are still in this world in the hands of others. Their names even lost to eternity. After all how many people remember the who the richest men of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were. They are gone known only to God, judged by Him.
Yet millions remember the apostles Peter, Paul, and  John, the prophets Isaiah, and Jeremiah as well as Moses. People even remember a poor old woman who gave two small coins to the service of God, centuries, millenniums, after their death. All of these people were faithful servants of God.
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  
But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”Matthew 6:19-24.
As I said there is nothing wrong with material wealth in its place. There are many faithful servants of God who are wealthy and do His work.
However material wealth should never have first place in your life. In a choice between material wealth and serving God. God must always come first.
Jesus said,
“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Matthew 8:36.
To the Christian I would ask where is your treasure?
I also know there are some who are reading this that say there is no God. Therefore I can do what I like in this world. After all I can’t take it with me. That’s their choice. However I would ask them to consider this statement by Peter John Kreeft who said,
“Atheism treats people cheaply. Also, it robs death of meaning, and if death has no meaning, how can life ultimately have meaning? Atheism cheapens everything it touches, look at the results of communism, the most powerful form of atheism on earth.
And in the end, when the atheist dies and encounters God instead of nothingness he had predicted he’ll recognize that atheism was a cheap answer because it refused the only thing that’s not cheap the God of infinite value” Peter John Kreeft ph.d.
For me personally knowing  God, knowing that there is a place in heaven waiting for me gives me hope. Serving God enriches my life and gives me peace no matter what I am going through.
I have found the words of Jesus to be true when he said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
Someone said,
“No God, no peace. Know God, know peace.” Author Unknown.
This I have found is a true statement.
Please take some time to at least read the New Testament for yourself and see what God offers you.
Please think about it.

The Lukewarm Church

The lukewarm church
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true describe, the ruler of God’s creation.  
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.  
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.  
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelations 3:14-22.
Here we have what Christ describes as a lukewarm church. One that is neither hot or cold. This the church at Laodicea was wealthy materially and they it seems to equate material wealth with spiritual wealth. They felt they needed nothing.
Christ however describes them as “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” spiritually.
There are many churches like this today. I think of the false doctrine circulating referred to as the “name it claim it” some at the extreme edge of this doctrine go as far as saying if you are not healthy, and wealthy you are sinning. They are completely wrong.
As Christians we need to be careful that we do not get sucked into such doctrines. We need to make sure we do not especially become lukewarm thinking we have “made it” spiritually.
Just because the congregation we attend it is growing doesn’t necessarily mean we have made it. Just because we feel we fully understand the word of God and are working for Christ doesn’t mean we are not lukewarm.
As Christians we should be growing everyday. We need to be studying the word of God not just at church but in our home also.
We need to realize that when we go off track God will quiet often correct us as any loving father would correct a wayward child.
We need to follow the council of Christ who said to the Laodicean church
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”
We can only do this if we truly love God. We should be like anyone who is in love wanting to spend all our time with the person we are in love with.
This is the secret of becoming on fire for Christ.
Take a few minutes to reflect on you life for Christ. Take a look at the church congregation you attend is it lukewarm, or is it on fire for Christ?
Please think about it.