To Save

To save
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1Timothy 1:15,16.
This is why Jesus came into the world to offer eternal life in heaven with God. 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.” John 3:16,17.
The job of all Christians is to tell people of God’s love and offer of salvation Jesus saying,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
The Christians duty is to make disciples.
Christians have no right to judge people,
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 us,
“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.
Our sole purpose is to share our faith.
However our faith should also spur us on to doing good works. James states,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?   Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.  
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”James 2:14-26.
Those calling themselves Christians need to be careful. They need to see that their actions are reflecting the love of Jesus.
Francis of Assisi said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
 Francis of Assisi.
People are watching Christians to see if they are practising what they preach. Mahatma Gandhi once noted,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him.” Mahatma Gandhi.
He obviously had seen Christians who were not following the teachings of Jesus in their daily life. Sadly this is happening today.
As Christians we need to be vigilant. We need to watch what we say and how we act. A bright light is shining on the Christian and the eternal resting place of those we come in contact with may be determined by our actions.
Please think about it.

Warning to Christians

Warning to Christians
The apostle Paul wrote,
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”2 Timothy 3:1-4
Later in chapter four of 2 Timothy he writes,
“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.
People in Paul’s day were deviating from the truth about Jesus. People were twisting God’s word to suit their own agenda. It is happening today. Such things are made even worse by the electronic age we live in.
Christians in the twenty-first century need to be vigilant more than ever. We need to question pastors, evangelist and teachers about what they are teaching. We need to be studying the word of God ourselves.
When we hear a sermon don’t take it at face value. Study it. Check the scriptures to see if they are taken in context. If you have any questions ask the person who gave the sermon. If they won’t answer you or don’t answer you correctly have nothing to do with them.
Don’t give to a ministry until you have checked them out. Ask them for a full accounting If you are uncertain about them don’t send a penny to them.
Here in Canada where I live our Church is required to give a full accounting to the members at least once a year. That includes listing salaries of all workers for the church. All ministries should do that.
The bulk of the money given to a Christian ministry should be going to the work of the ministry to spreading the word of God. Not into salaries.
Remember the words of Jesus who 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.
Included in those Jesus talks about will not only be those sitting in the pew but pastors, evangelist and teachers.
Thus the word to Christians is the same as the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, saying,
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.
Please think about it.

Christian actions

Christian actions.
Mahatma Gandhi said,
"Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians - you are not like him."
Mahatma Gandhi.
I am convinced Gandhi seen many people who said they were Christians but were not. He met Christians that will one day hear the words of Jesus who said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
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 7:21-23.
When I look at the world around me here in North America I see tragically, all to often Christians being known for what they are against. Not what they are for.
Christians particularly so called “born again Christians” or “Evangelical Christians”, here in the United States and Canada are seen quite often as closed minded, Judgmental, bigoted, even as people who spew hatred against those they disagree with.
When I hear these things I feel ashamed at being a Christian. True Christians are not those things. True Christians follow the teachings of Jesus to Love God, Love their neighbour, Love their enemy and pray for those who persecute them.
True Christians follow the teachings of Jesus who 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.
Who obey the words of the apostle Paul who said,
“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.
Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus or the apostles tell Christians to demonstrate against the government. Nowhere in the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles do they tell Christians to speak out against anything they disagree with.
Quite the contrary the apostle Paul said,
“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....” Romans 12:18-20b.
The writer of Hebrews tells 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.
Those who claim to be Christians and are speaking out against and protesting against things they disagree with should rethink what they are doing. Only God can judge righteously. For only God knows what is truly in the hearts of the individual.
The job of the Christian on this earth is clear. Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
We will not win one soul for Christ if we continually judge and protest against those we disagree with.
You cannot win a soul for Christ if you are know for what you are against.
If you consider yourself a Christian reading this take stock of your actions. Francis of Assisi made an interesting point when he said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
 Francis of Assisi.
What are your deeds telling those around you?
Please think about it. 

In Full View

In Full View
“For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.” Proverbs 5:21.
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.
I believe it doesn’t matter who you are, or whether you believe in God or not, everything you do is done in front of God. He examines your paths. He knows why you do what you do. The Psalmist wrote,
“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 what the Psalmist is saying is God knows us right down to our genetic code. That is why he has the right to judge us, because in knowing our genetic code he knows why we do what we do.
That being said our genetic code only accounts for part of what we do. In creating man God gave each individual complete freedom do believe and do as they like.
It is in how we exercise this freedom, that God will hold us accountable for. Should we choose to murder, steal, or do anything that is contrary to what God wants, we will, if we are unrepentant be punished by God.
If on the other hand we do as God wishes us to do, we will go to be with Him in heaven.
I also believe God made it as simple as possible for us to go to heaven. He in the form of his one and only Son Jesus entered this world to point us to heaven. The writer of Hebrews stating,
“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 understands that man is far from perfect. That every person that is living or has ever lived falls short of his ideals. That man sins. Sin is falling short of God’s ideal for ones life.
The apostle Paul writes,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
The Apostle Paul tells us,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  Romans 10: 9,10.
The key is having faith in God. The apostle stating,
“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.
Faith is something many people stumble over. The writer of Hebrews tells us.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
It’s easy to believe in someone or something you can see, feel and touch. It is infinitely harder to believe in something or someone you can’t see. That I believe is why people don’t believe in God.
That is also why I believe God asks for faith because God knows someone who has faith in Him is a true believer.
So do you truly believe in God?
Please think about it.

Whisky bottle and the Bible

Whisky bottle and the Bible
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)....” Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.
What Harper Lee wrote is to me, a Christian true. Through out the centuries we have seen the bible misused and abused by those claiming to be Christian.
If the truth be known it is probably one of the most misused books in history. People have used it to justify the crusades, slavery, and antisemitism. They have used it to condemn, rock and roll music, even Elvis’s gyrating hips.
Those claiming to be Christians have used the bible to judge and condemn anything they disagree with. Yet within it are two clear statements,’
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.
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.
We as Christians are not allowed to judge non-Christians. We are to keep their own house clean.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”  Romans 12:18.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
We cannot live at peace with anyone if we are constantly judging them and condemning them. We must live at peace with all people, presenting the gospel of Christ in a respectful way as God gives us the opportunity.
Only by living holy lives, lives that are acceptable to God are we able to reach those around us for Christ.
God has given every person on this earth complete freedom. That freedom extends to them living a life and lifestyle they wish. It extends to what they wish to believe even if it is contrary to what God wants. It even extends to them not believing in God. Christians have an obligation to respect this God given right.
Here’s something to think about.
A man with a Whisky bottle may get drunk. He may even die because of overindulgence in the contents of the bottle. Never the less he is only disgracing and  injuring himself.
A man misusing the Bible brings disgrace not only on himself but on God, Christ, and other Christians.
Not only that his actions may turn people away from God and effect the eternal resting place of the non-Christians around him.
Please think about it.

Christians?

Christians?
“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.
As I look at what passes for Christianity here in North America where I live I sometimes shake my head. I especially cringe when I hear people calling themselves born again Christians or evangelicals who are not.
I see the Bible, God, and Jesus used wrongly. Some evangelist, pastors, and even those who sit in the pews seem to treat Jesus as a cosmic bell boy to do their will.
They only pray when they need help. Some only give money to the work of God because some evangelist or pastor has told them if they give they will get ten, fifty, or a hundred fold back on what they give. As if God is a “cosmic banker” giving outrageous returns on and investment.What a bunch of garbage. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Others claim to have cast out demons or healed people in the name of Jesus. They claim fantastic miracles. Few however are willing to give independent proof of such things happening.
These are the men and women Jesus was talking about when he 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.
In North America it is “Christian beware!”
The freedoms our society offers us here in Canada and the United States is a double edged sword. It allows us to practice our faith freely while at the same time under the name of freedom of speech allows charlatans deceive people.
If you are a Christian you need to be looking at anyone you support who claims to be a Christian and that does not just extend to pastors, evangelist, and churches. It should extend to politicians and others who claim to be believers in Christ.
There is a simple standard I think we can hold all who claim to be Christian up to. Simple scriptures that express in a nutshell Christian values.
 Jesus who said 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.  Matthew 22:36-38
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 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.  
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.
Again Jesus who said,
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42.
The James the half brother of Jesus writes,
“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.
Jesus tells us,
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 us,
“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.
The writer of Hebrews echos Pauls words to Christians writing,
“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,
These are all attributes of a true Christian. These are just a few key Scriptural standards we as Christians need to hold all those who claim to be Christians up to, be they evangelist, Pastors, politicians or anyone else.
The apostle Paul gives Christians this word of advice 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
We as Christians have the right to judge other Christians in order to make sure they are teaching and conducting their lives correctly. If they are not then we have the right to expel them from the Church. To have nothing to do with them.
Christians are to love, God, our neighbour, our enemy. To help those in need. We are not allowed to judge those outside the Church. We are to live at peace with all people and live holy lives.
This is what it is to live a true Christian life.
As the apostle Paul put it.
“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.
Please think about it.

An Amazing Christian Belief

An Amazing Christian Belief
The book of Genesis states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
We Christians however take things one step further the apostle John stating,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14.
We Christians believe the God that created the heavens and the earth actually entered his creation in the form of His one and only Son Jesus Christ.
The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3.
I as a Christian believe there was several reasons in God entering the world. One was to point man to God and show mankind how far He would go to reconcile His creation to Himself. To provide purification for our sins.
The other was I believe just as necessary. I believe God had to enter the world and acted nothing more than a man in order to be able to justly judge man.
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.
In order to judge man justly, God had to experience everything it is to be a man. In entering the world in the form of Jesus. God experienced all there was to be a man. Everything from the mundane things like the sun on his face. The rain. Having friends and enemies. Going to events like weddings.
Through Jesus God experienced both the best in man and the worst in man. He was loved by friends and family and was beaten and crucified by his enemies.
Thus when we stand before God on judgement day we cannot say you don’t understand what it is to be human, because he does.
In coming into the world God made it as easy for man to get to heaven as he could. The apostle Paul said,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  Romans 10: 9,10.
We Christians believe one must have faith in Christ to enter heaven. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
Our faith in Jesus, in God saves us. Not our works. The apostle Paul writing,
“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.
Please think about it.

A Living Sacrifice

A living sacrifice
The apostle Paul writes,
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1,2.
Dear Christian are you a living sacrifice for God?
By that I mean is your life wholly given over to God? Is God’s love reflected in your life and lifestyle.
Becoming a living sacrifice to God is not becoming a fanatic. It is not hitting people over the head with the bible and heaping condemnation on them. It is living a life that shows the world you believe in God and live by the values Christians hold most dear.
Values Christ told us to live by, Love God, Love your neighbour, Love your enemy, pray for those who persecute you. Do not judge those around you. Do good works.
Our faith in Christ should produce good works. James the half brother of Jesus said,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?   Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.  
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:14-26.
This is what it is to be a living sacrifice to God.
Francis of Assisi wrote this prayer Christians should take to heart. He said,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

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

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

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

                                                                                       Francis of Assisi
This is how we should live our lives.
Please think about it.

Christian do you fear God?

Christian do you fear God?
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” Psalm 111: 10.
I write this directly to Christians here in North America where I live. There are many who claim to be Christians here, who are Christians in name only. God, Jesus and going to church are just part of their lifestyle. They don’t fear God. They don’t do what God would want them to do.
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.
If we claim to be Christians we should be living up to that statement. Further more if we claim to be Christians we should be holding all those who claim to be Christians up to that standard. That not only includes our religious leaders but politicians and others that claim to be Christians.
Sadly as I said many, especially those who claim to be “born again Christians” or “evangelical Christians” do not follow the teachings of Jesus. It’s simply a lifestyle.
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 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.
There are many in the trangender and LGBT community, even among Muslims and other groups, that do not see this love. All they see is bigotry and judgement of their lifestyle, 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.
When the apostle Paul wrote,
“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.
According to Paul at least Christians cannot judge those outside the church. They should expel those who are teaching false doctrine or doing things contrary to the Word of God out of the Church.
Christians must remember when God created man he gave man complete freedom to do as he wished. That is a freedom we Christians must honour. Not protest against.
We Christians should not be protesting against anyone or for that matter against the government. Provided they are not passing laws that restrict our freedoms or the freedoms of others.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1.
That means he allows secular governments to rule and put in place laws we as Christians may not agree with.
Think about it when Paul made that statement he was living under the rule of the emperor Nero who was one of the worst persecutors of Christians. Who put Paul to death. Yet Paul could write that.
The job of the Christian is stated clearly when Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Matthew 28:18-20.
In order to do that we must refrain from judging anyone period. Likewise we should not be protesting against anything. We should be known what we are for not against.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
Sadly there are those claiming to be Christians who will not do this. They will be part of a scenario spoken of by Jesus in Matthew,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
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 7:21-23.
On the day you stand before the Lord what will he say to you?
Please think about it.

Ten Points Christians Should Live by

Ten points Christians should live by.
The apostle Paul wrote,

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.  

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  

Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  

Romans 12:9-18.

The apostle Paul says it all when it comes to how a Christian must act.
1. Our “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Sincere love is essential in the Christian life. The apostle Paul defines love when he writes,
“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.
This is the kind of love we must practice at all times.
2. “Honor one another above yourselves.”
Sadly too many in the church do not honour those around them above themselves. They put themselves ahead of their brother in Christ. This should not be so. We must build each other up and not be exalted above others in our own eyes. As Jesus humbled himself so should we.
3. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
Everyone who serves the Lord has their spiritual fervor ebb and flow. Thus we should be pressing into God. Studying the scriptures, and praying continually especially when we are in a low spot in our walk.
4. ”Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Prayer here is the key. We will go through many things in life good and bad but if we are faithful in our prayer life God will help us and sustain us even through our worst days on this earth. Keeping our hope alive.
5.  “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
As Christians we should be doing all we can to help our brethren who are in need. We should also be practicing hospitality. Inviting people to our home showing love to them.
6. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
Here is a true trait of a Christian to pray blessings on our persecutors and love our enemies.
7. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
As Christians it is important that we show sympathy to those around us in whatever circumstance they are going through be it good or bad.
8. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 
We as Christians must never be conceited or proud. Never be unwilling to associate with anyone. We must as far as it is possible live in harmony with those around us. If we do not we will not be able to reach people for Christ.
9. “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.”
We must live a good life. Never repaying evil for evil. But doing our best to always do what is right, morally, ethically and legally.
10. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
The Writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
These are ten points Christians should live by.

You and God

You and God
The writer of Hebrews states.
“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.
The Bible is the Word of God. It sets down for all of mankind God’s ideals. It tells each individual what God requires of them. How God expects them to live morally and ethically. Within the Bible are God’s moral absolutes without which mankind cannot survive.
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.
As one reads the Bible it is possible to see just how far we fall short of God’s ideal. We cannot live a life that is good enough to stand before a Holy God. That is why in the Old Testament God called for the sacrifice of animals to cover the sins of man.
With the coming of Jesus however the sacrifice of animals became unnecessary as Jesus paid the price for all our sins.
The Apostle Paul tells us,
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.”1 Corinthians 15:3.
That’s why God  entered the world he created in the form of His one and only Son Jesus. To point mankind to Himself offering each individual eternal life.
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.
C. S. Lewis points out,
“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.
The Bible call us to turn to God. To confess our sins directly to Him.
In the New Testament the apostle John tell us,
“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.” 1 John 1:9-10.
God understands what it is to be a mortal man. He in the form of His one and only Son Jesus Christ walked the earth. He knew what it was to grown up as a child. He felt sun and rain against his face. He attended weddings and other events. Knew what it was like to be tempted. To be accused of a crime he didn’t commit. To be beaten unmercifully and executed in a most hideous way. And he did it all for us. That by His sacrificial death we can obtain eternal life.
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. 
All we have to do is accept by faith all Jesus did for us.
The apostle Paul tells us,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:9-13.
I know to the non-Christian this can sound strange. Even the apostle Paul notes,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
God does not however do things the way we necessarily would do them. God does things his way and asks us to have faith in Him.
The writer of Hebrews 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.
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1.
Are you willing to put your faith in Jesus? You faith in God?
Please think about it.

Love in Action

Love in action
James wrote to the Church,
“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.
I had a pastor onece ask “does your faith have legs?” It’s great to say we have faith in Christ. Faith in God. But we need to do more than that. We need to if you will put legs on our faith and work for Christ.
I’m fond of quoting from the Talmud while not a Christian book it is a Jewish one, and Christian and Jewish thought is quite similar in many respects. With respect to the poor and good deeds the Talmud gives this explanation.
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.” The Talmud.
As Christians we have a duty to our fellow man to help those who are in need. To simply pray for them is not enough.
 As James states,
“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?”
We need to do what we can to help the poor and those in need. Far too many Christians do not do this. Yet this is what Christians are called to do in addition to spreading the gospel message.
Jesus said,
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42.
Everyone can do something for the poor.
Years ago when I taught Sunday School we had the Children take home a simple egg bank and asked them to collect change for missions. For children who were less fortunate. Those children collected hundreds of dollars. All of which went directly to helping others.
If children can do this adults can do so. It doesn’t take much. It just take a willingness on the individual to do so.
As a Christian reading this are you willing to take time and help those less fortunate than you? Are you willing to put your Love of God into action?
The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi is something I believe all Christians should remember. It states,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

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

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

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

                                                                               Francis of Assisi
Please think about it