Peaceful life

Peaceful life
In the book of Hebrews we read,
“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.
The apostle Paul writes,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18
The apostle Paul writing to the Galatians notes peace as being one of the fruits of the Spirit. He writes,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.
The apostle Paul writing to Titus wrote,
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,  to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”Titus 3:1,2.
Paul writing to Timothy states,
"Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" 2 Timothy 2:22.
The Psalmist writes,

“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 

keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. 

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

                                                                          Psalm 34:11-14.

The apostle Peter reminds us,
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:9-12.
It is my firm belief that as Christians we must strive to live in peace with all those around us. To as Peter states,
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1Peter 2:12.
As believers in Christ Jesus it is only by living in peace with those around us that we can effectively present the gospel of Christ.
Please think about it.

The Bible and Science

The Bible and Science
In the Gospel of John we read,
“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.
This is the sole purpose in Jesus coming to this earth. The whole Bible narrative centres around the salvation message. Centres around the way individuals get to heaven.
Sadly many Christians get sidetracked debating evolution and other scientific theories.  Something that is entirely unnecessary. Something that takes them away from the principle purpose of the Bible, how to get to heaven.
Galileo Galilei wisely said,

"The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, 

not the way the heavens go."

                                 Galileo Galilei.

For me it is enough to know that God created the heavens and the earth. Whether he did it in six twenty-four hour days or over billions of years is irrelevant. God is God and could have done things either way.
I feel as a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus, it is imperative that I and all Christians stay if you will, on script. That we proclaim the message I noted above,
“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.
Please if you consider yourself a Christian. Think about it.

At Just the right time

At Just the right time
The apostle Paul writes,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8. 
The apostle Paul makes a statement here that at “just the right time Christ died for the ungodly”. Those ungodly people, are people like you and me.
Paul notes,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. That all is you and me and everyone that has ever lived.
We all fall short of what God would want for our lives. Sin is falling short of God’s expectations for you. It is doing things that God does not want you to do. And we all sin.
The apostle John states,
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1John 1:9-10.
As Christians we believe that as the apostle Paul states we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
We also believe that if “we confess our sin he is faithful just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”.
So my question to you the reader is, do you believe this?
If so would you be willing right now to go to God in prayer, confess your sins to God, and accept the forgiveness that comes through Christ Jesus?
Please think about it.

Who is Jesus

Who is Jesus?
Christmas has just passed. A time when Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
There are however many in the world who do not believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Yet Jesus even when confronted with possible stoning to death never denied he was God. John’s gospel records,
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.”
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”  John 10:24-33.
C. S. Lewis said of Jesus,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.    He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Thus I leave it to you the reader to decide for yourself who Jesus is?
Please think about it.

Let the Peace of Christ Rule

Let the Peace of Christ Rule
The apostle Paul writes,
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15.
Today is the day after Christmas. It is a time I believe we should stop and rest in Christ.
Christmas here in North America has become highly commercial and sadly many Christians have become wrapped up in all of the buying of presents and putting on the perfect meal for family and friends.
It can all be quite stressful. Thus we should, I firmly believe, forget about the boxing day sales and take “some me time with Jesus”.
Take time to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart. To even gather with other Christians and be thankful for all you have, and all Christ has done for you.
To give praise to God.
We should as the Psalmist tells us,

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 

Worship the LORD with gladness; 

come before him with joyful songs. 

Know that the LORD is God. 

It is he who made us, and we are his; 

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving 

and his courts with praise;

 give thanks to him and praise his name. 

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; 

his faithfulness continues through all generations. 

                                                                   Psalm 100

Please if you are a follower of Christ Jesus take time to praise God this day.

Praise God

Praise God
Luke’s gospel records,
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  
Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests." Luke 2:8-14.
Today is Christmas day. The day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The day we acknowledge what the Shepherds heard and saw. Angels bringing them good news of great joy that is for all people.
The day we choose to honour and praise our Lord and Saviour.
In our family first thing in the morning the family gathers together my wife reads the Christmas story and we praise God for all He has done for us.
Thus today I would ask you if you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus to follow the lead of 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

 

John's Testimony

John’s Testimony
John’s Gospel records,
“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.
Here is something that if not completely true means the writers of the New Testament were fooled or trying to fool the world around them. If they were trying to fool the world around them then it is perhaps the biggest hoax in human history.
John here make it clear that
1/ “the Word” (Jesus) was God.”
2/ “That through him all things were made; and without him nothing was made that has been made.”
3/ “That the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
What John is saying here is God the creator of the universe and everything in it, came into the world He created. God became man.
John makes it clear he has seen the glory of Jesus first hand.
John right from the start of his writings makes it clear that he believed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour of mankind.
Not only that he asks anyone who reads his gospel and his three other letters to believe this also.
So my Question to you on this Christmas eve do you believe this?
Please think about it.

Simeon's Testimony

Simeon’s testimony
Luke’s gospel records this incident when Jesus as a new born was taken by his parents to the temple to be dedicated to God. Luke writes,
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,  
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 
"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."Luke 2:25-32.
Here, as Luke puts it, Simeon a devout man of God a man who had been promised by God that he would not see death until he had seen the “Lord’s Christ”, proclaims Jesus to be the Lord’s Christ.
I have always contended that if this is a false statement why is it included in Luke’s gospel? Saying anything false about Jesus at anytime would push people away. Especially saying as Luke records,
“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ”.
Such a statement could seem outrageous.
Thus from my point of view I can only conclude that Luke believed it to be true.
For us in the twenty-first century we have a choice. We can believe Luke or not believe him. There is no middle ground.
Not only that when it comes to the whole New Testament we have the same choice. We can believe what the writers of the New Testament wrote and believed or we cannot.
The choice is yours.
Please think carefully about it.

Thoughts about Atheism

Thoughts about Atheism
In the book of Joshua we read,

“But as for me and my household, 

we will serve the LORD.” 

                                         Joshua 24:15b.

In my previous blog post I noted that there is a God. Not only that but many who worship God are being persecuted around the world. One Christian dying every seven minutes for their faith. For believing in a God many of the governments persecuting Christians don’t believe exist.
C. S. Lewis noted,

“Atheist express their rage against God 

although in their view,

 He does not exist” 

                              C. S. Lewis.

Imagine getting upset or fearful of something that does not exist. Yet many political leaders, dictators and governments around the world throw Christians and other people who believe in God into prison.
Even here in the west there are many prominent Atheist who speak strongly out against something that they say does not exist. Which begs the question if God does not exist how can He hurt you?
Now I speak from a Christian prospective, as I am a Christian. I know there have been many horrible things done in the name of Christ and I firmly believe that those who did such things were Christians in name only.
As Jesus said,
“Many will say to me  on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23
A true Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus, will follow Christ’s teaching of love for not only God, but one’s neighbours and even one’s enemies. They will follow the words of Christ who said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
Sadly I do believe this message has got lost in the cacophony of false teaching that is in the media. Especially here in North America.
Still the message, if someone truly wants to find God, if someone wants to have a relationship with Christ is there. All one has to do is look for it.
I think however many atheist are not looking for it. When it comes to God many have their mind made up and nothing will change that.
Thus my question to you the reader is, are you truly searching for God?
Please think about it.

About God

About God
In the book of Genesis we read,

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." 

                                                                                      Genesis 1:1

Peter John Kreeft ph.d wrote,
"How is it possible that over ninety percent of all human beings who have ever lived usually in far more painful circumstances than we, could believe in God? 
The objective evidence, just looking at the balance of pleasure and suffering in the world, would not seem to justify believing in an absolutely good God. Yet this has been almost universally believed." Peter John Kreeft ph.d 
Christians around the world believe in a loving, caring God. Yet many live as someone has said “in unsafe naighbourhood’s” It is even said that one Christian dies for their faith every seven minutes somewhere in the world. While many more are thrown into jail for doing nothing more than worshipping God.
To my way of thinking if everything said about Jesus is not true then someone would have to be mad to believe in Him. Yet there are around three billion Christians in the world today. Many living under repressive governments and dictators. Having to meet in secret.
For me God exists and all the dictators and repressive governments in the world cannot change that. As C. S. Lewis put it,
“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.” .S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
So my question is do you believe in God?

If you're a believer

If you’re a believer
The Psalmist writes,

“The earth is the LORD'S, and everything in it,

 the world, and all who live in it;” 

                                                 Psalm24:1.

If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus you then have to believe this statement. That not only includes those you agree with but those you disagree which including your enemies.
The apostle Peter writes,
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
Jesus 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.
This is the prime directive of the church. To see that no one perishes. To show each individual in this world the way to heaven.
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.
My point here is if you believe in Christ Jesus you must be willing to associate with everyone around you and present the gospel message in love, without judgement.
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.
Only God knows why we are like we are. Only he knows what is going on inside us. Thus only he has the right to judge us.
Time and time again I am reminded of what Billy Graham the American evangelist said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                       Billy Graham.

So my question to you is. If you claim to be a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus, are you doing your best to love those around you?
Please think about it.

Precious

Precious
Jesus said,
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46.
For me the most precious thing I have ever found is my faith in Christ Jesus. It is to me that hidden treasure, or that fine pearl. As such I want to tell the world about Christ Jesus. Thus the reason for me writing this blog.
At the same time I get upset at men and women who call themselves Christians that by their actions clearly are not.
I firmly believe that many who call themselves Christians here in North America. Many who are called Christian leaders will 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.
I believe many in the church community here in North America are suffering what one person said was “freedom”.
They use that freedom to attack other groups they disagree with. Which should not be. James the half brother of Jesus said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
It was Billy Graham the great American evangelist that said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                                   Billy Graham.

Sadly many Christians especially within the so called evangelical community are judging the world around them. 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 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.
Sadly those claiming to be Christians do the opposite of what Paul tells them to do. They judge those outside the church and do not act against those who have done wrong or are not teaching sound doctrine within the church.
Please think about it.