Do you Love?

Do you Love?
The apostle Paul writes,

"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

Words for Christians to live by.
 So if you claim to be a Christian do you live by them. Is your love for all people sincere or dose it come with conditions? Do you cling to what is good?
Take a few minutes to meditate on each line of the above scripture. There are dozens of questions that come out of it.

Do you honour others above yourself? 

Are you zealous in serving God? 

Are you joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer? 

Do you help people in need? 

Practice hospitality? 

Bless those who persecute you? 

Rejoice with those who rejoice? 

Mourn with those who mourn?

Are you willing to associate with people from all positions in life 

even if that is a person living on the street,

 a drug addict,

 or simply a person of poor estate? 

Are you conceited thinking you know best in all situations? 

Do you repay evil for evil?

Do you do what is right in the eyes of everybody? 

Do you as far as depends on you live at peace with all people?

If you claim to be Christian you need to be asking yourself these questions. You need to be asking yourself do others see Christ’s love reflected in me?
Jesus made things very simple when He 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.

You should never be doing something to anyone that you would not want done to you. If you claim to be Christian you need to truly love. The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians 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.

This is I believe God’s ideal for love. I also believe although we may fall short of God’s ideal, it is possible to practice the kind of love the Apostle Paul is talking about here.
Showing such unconditional love to all people is I firmly believe, one step toward a holy life and as 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.

Please think about it.

The Christian Life

The Christian life
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.
Here’s a note to anyone who claims to be Christian. If you claim to be Christian you will be judged as a Christian. You may say “I am a Christian. I have confessed my sins to God. I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Therefore I am saved by grace” It is very easy to say those words but do you really mean it?
When you stand before God will you hear,
“His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:21.
Or will you hear,
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41.
True we are saved by grace but if we are truly saved we will want to become more Christ like.
Jesus told this parable,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-46. 
This is what it is to be Christian to minister to the material and spiritual needs of those around us. That includes family, friends, neighbours, and even our enemy.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.
He is right. To be Christian is to show unconditional love to all people. To extend the hand of fellowship to all.
Our faith in Christ should result in action.
Francis of Assisi reminds us,
“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 about you,... about Christ?
Please think about it.

Of Christians and Others

Of Christians and Others
If you are a Christian are you sitting with sinners?  If not you should be.
Matthews gospel records
“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.
Question, as a Christian would you be as Jesus was asked to sit with those outside your faith?  Would people who know you disagree with their lifestyle of faith ask you to sit down with them for an open discussion?
Quite often I have heard Christians being called judgmental and closed minded. People not willing to listen to the opinions and beliefs of others. This I know to be true. Yet in order to be true to the teachings of Jesus we need to be known as people who are open to talk to others.
We can talk to others of different faiths and lifestyles without compromising our faith. The apostle Paul while in Athens did just that.
Paul upon entering Athens would have been surrounded with pagan temples. People who’s lifestyle was far different from that of his own. Yet he was asked by the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers to come and speak to them. The book of Acts records,
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.   Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”  
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others” Acts 17:17-34.
Paul set the example for all generations of Christians as to how to witness.
Paul did not judge them. He did not criticize their gods. He simply told them what he believed and let them decide for themselves.
The result was some believed, some scoffed, but more importantly some wanted to hear more about what he said.
This is how we living in the twenty-first century need to present the gospel. If we do so it will open far more doors for us than anything else we can do.
Please think about it.
  

Anyone

Anyone
The Apostle Paul writes,
“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.
Paul makes it clear here if you “confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raise him from the dead you will be saved.
Paul writing to the Ephesians states,
“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.
It is by the grace of God we get to heaven. We cannot be good enough to stand before a holy God.
C. S. Lewis states,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”  C.S. Lewis.
Christians believe God reached down in the form of His one and Only Son Jesus to offer us forgiveness of sin and eternal life with God.
We Christians believe is Jesus incarnate. God in the flesh. That he provided purification for our sins. 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  
Through Jesus God offers us a choice. Jesus speaking of himself stating,
“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.
Thus the choice in yours, who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it. 

A Caution to Christians

A Caution to Christians
“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” 2Timothy 2:16.
Godless chatter, do you engage in it? Godless chatter is teaching wrong teaching. We need to be very careful about what we teach. False teaching can spread like wildfire through a congregation and have disastrous consequences. It can turn people away from God.
Paul in 2 Timothy gives an example saying,
“Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,  
who have wandered away from the truth.....”  2 Timothy 2:17,18a.
  We as Christians must hold those who teach the scriptures to a high standard. The apostle Paul states,
“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.
While we as Christians have no right to judge those outside the church. We as Christians have the right to Judge those who claim to be Christians because they by calling themselves Christians are saying “I believe as you do”.
Likewise if they are not teaching correct doctrine then we have the right to expel them from the body of believers.
Christians must remember,
“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.
As Christians we must be studying the word of God for ourselves. We must be questioning those people who are teaching the word of God if we perceive they might be in error. Asking them to explain more fully from the scriptures what they believe.
We must check to see that all scripture is used in its correct context not simply used in such a way as to deliberately or otherwise lead people astray.
The key thing is for Christians to be on guard. Pray and ask God for direction. Study the scriptures for yourself and as Paul says to Timothy,
“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. 

Walk in Truth

Walk in truth
The Psalmist writes,

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked 

or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, 

and on his law he meditates day and night.” 

Psalm 1:1,2.

Where do you walk? Take a look at your life. Who do you take counsel from? Do you let your views on politics guide you? Do you let a certain philosopher, pastor, or evangelist direct what you believe?
The Psalmist makes it clear we as believes in God should be delighting in “the law of the LORD”. We should be studying the word of God. Doing what God wants us to do.
Over the years I’ve seen many calling themselves Christians who have followed a specific evangelist, pastor or teacher, only to fall away from God, when the one they were following was found to be a fraud or was caught in sin.
We as Christians should be following the example of Jesus and the apostles. We should be delighting in the ways of God. Not some for lack of a better term “formula for living”.
The formula for living is in the Bible. We should as Christians be at the very least studying the New Testament directly.
At the church I attend we have a mid week bible study group that does just that. We study the Bible. We encourage people to bring different versions and we use several commentaries that help us understand some of the background of the scriptures.
What we do not do is rely on the interpretation of one person or one commentator. We believe that it is important to look at scripture from various points of view and in the context of the day it was written.
Sadly all to many people today read scriptures from the point of view of their culture and the values of their society. They pick and choose what they want to believe. You cannot do this.
Someone once said “if you pick and choose only what you want to believe in the bible then you are only listening to yourself not to God.”
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states,
“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.” 2Timothy 2:15.
This is what all Christians should be doing.
Please think about it.

The Royal Law

The Royal Law
James writes,
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.  
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 
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 2:8-13.
Sadly I see and hear many Christians who judge and in whom mercy is not seen.
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 writes,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
The way I see it we as Christians have no right to judge those outside the church. We can judge those inside the church to ensure that they are teaching sound doctrine but that is as far as it goes.
We as Christians have no right to judge others because we do not know what is in their hearts and minds. We do not know why they are the way they are. Only God know that.
Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all people. He did not tell us to judge anyone. Which sadly too many Christians do.
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.
We as Christians MUST! remember this.
A great light is held upon the Christian. The eternal resting place of those we come in contact with may rest upon our actions. We cannot take our actions and our faith lightly.
Francis of Assisi wrote,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” Francis of Assisi.
The writer of Hebrews tell 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.
Please think about it.

The Christian and Judgement

The Christian and Judgement
Hear is something for Christians to think about.
The Bible states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
It does not debate whether there is a God or not. The Bible makes it clear that there is a God who created the heavens and the earth. I as a Christian believe this. There is no middle ground.
I as a Christian also believe what 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. 
God will ultimately judge everyone for their actions.
Now I know the Talmud is not considered an inspired book by Christians but it has truths that line up with Christian thought. Here is one we need to consider.
The Talmud 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.
Everyone will be judged by God, and the question I can see Him asking us is, “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow man?”
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.
So my Question is, if you consider yourself a Christian, are you doing to others what you would have them do to you?
As Christians we need to be thinking about this carefully.
James writes,
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.  
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 
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 2:8-13.
Please think about it.

Freedom of Judgement

Freedom of judgement
“It is imperative that freedom of judgment should be granted, so that men may live together in harmony, however diverse, or even openly contradictory their opinions maybe.  In proportion as the power of free judgment is withheld, we depart from the natural condition of mankind.” Baruch Spinoza.
I as a Christian believe God has instilled in each and every person a freewill to do as they wish. That freedom even extends to whether the individual believes in God or not. Each individual must have the freedom to judge for themselves what they believe.
God did not make robots. God crated human beings with a free will.
I believe that no matter who you are Christian, Muslim, Jew, or those of other faiths, even Atheist must have the right to choose what they believe.
I also believe it is important to be able to sit with those of different philosophies and faiths and discuss openly our opinions without fear.
I as a Christian do not fear may faith being questioned by others. I know what I believe and I am convinced that I am right. I welcome others who wish to present their faith to me. I welcome exchanges in ideas. This I believe is the way God intended it to be.
Jesus when on this earth spoke to those outside his faith. Jesus had contact with Romans, Samaritans, and others. He sat down with those looked down upon by religious leaders of His day.
This is what I believe Christians should be doing today. Jesus tells us,
“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 cannot do this if we are not willing to accept the differences in our society and reach out to them in love.
The writer of Hebrews tells Christians,
“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.
Part of living at peace with all men involves listening to them allowing them to judge for themselves what they believe without fear or reprisal or judgement from anyone.
Please think about it. 

Favour with God and Man

Favour with God and Man
The writer of Proverbs states,
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 
Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3:3,4.
Love by far should be the most important thing in a Christians life. It was Jesus who told us to love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. Our love should be unconditional love. Which for many people if not most is a very hard thing.
The apostle Paul defined love as,

“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.

Think about this. Francis of Assisi wrote this prayer. It is a prayer I think all who consider themselves Christians need to consider taking to heart and praying once in a while. 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

Learning to truly love God, neighbour and even our enemy is one of the important steps on the road to living a peaceful and holy life. And 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.
Please think about it.

The Christian Life

The Christian Life
Jesus spoke 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.
I am speaking here to Christians. How do you treat people. The above parable tells of a rich man that treated a poor man badly.
Many Christians can be accused of this.
From a spiritual point we are treating others badly by not telling them about the salvation Jesus brings.
In a purely practical way if we are not showing love to those around us, even if we disagree with them we are like that rich man.
If we by our actions are turning people away from God, we are like that rich man.
If we own a business and are not paying our workers a fair wage and benefits, we are like that rich man.
Christianity is not just a faith, it is a complete lifestyle. In the book of James we read,
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.  
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 
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! 
“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 2:13-20.
If we are in a position to help our fellow man we must be it a physical need or a spiritual need.
While I know the Talmud is a Jewish book not considered the inspired word of God by Christians some of what it says has relevance to Christians. Here is one instance.
“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
Think of it this way. A Christian knows God is real. Thus when he stands before God the above scenario could possibly happen.
The writer of Hebrews tells us in a nutshell how Christians should live. It 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.
If we are living a holy life our words and our deeds will line up with those of Jesus. People will see the love of God reflected in our life and be drawn towards Him.
Please think about it.  

A Note to Parents

A Note to Parents
The writer of Proverbs states,
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6.
The Talmud states,
“Whoever teaches his son teaches not alone his son but also his son’s son, and so on to the end of generations.”  The Talmud
The writer 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.”  Deuteronomy 6:5-7.
Do you do this? Do you teach your children to Love God? By teaching them to love God I do not mean to beat them over the head with the Bible.
I’ve seen far to well meaning Christian parents use the Bible and God’s name to correct their children. They have without realizing it forced their faith on their children.
No one has the right to force their faith on anyone. We must present our faith in word and in deed to all those around us. Especially our children.
We must live our faith in full view of our children friends and family. They must know that our faith in God and in Christ is paramount in our lives.
It is only when we teach by example that our children will see that our faith is important. Francis of Assisi wrote,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
 Francis of Assisi.
We need to heed this as our children and indeed the world is watching us.
Please think about it.