No other gods

  No other gods

In the book of Exodus we read God as saying,

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 

"You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2,3

Billy Graham the late American Evangelist said,

"Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ, and seek to follow Him every day. Don't be swayed by the false values and goals of this world, but put Christ and His will first in everything you do." Billy Graham.

As Christians we must heed the words of God in Exodus. It is absolute. Anything we put ahead of God, is a god, be it a person an organization or thing. This should not be.

The writer of Hebrews states,

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:2.

Jesus paid an horrific price for us. Jesus showed how far God would go in human terms to show us the way to heaven. We should never forget that.

Thus I would ask you the question; If you are truly a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus do you put anything before Christ?

Please think about it.

Impress them on Your Children

  Impress them on your children

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

"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.

The late American evangelist Billy Graham wrote,

“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” Billy Graham.

As believers in Christ Jesus we need to heed the words of Deuteronomy to impress our love of God upon our Children. We need to live our life for God in full view of our Children. We need to teach them all we can about our faith in Christ Jesus. We need to talk about our faith in God frequently.

When I say this I don’t mean force our faith upon them or as one of my friends said “figuratively bash our Children over the head with the bible.” this turns our children away from God.

We need to present the pure teachings of Jesus in word and in deed to our children.

If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus with children, are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Love not Judge

  Love not Judge

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 neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." 

                                                                                                    Matthew 22:36-40

Jesus also 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.

I read an article the other day the article was on the church, in the United States. It noted how especially evangelicals have wandered well into the field of politics at the cost of their Christian principles.

What the whole article boiled down to was that the church needed to;

“Get back to the business of loving your neighbour instead of judging your neighbour.”

I would agree. Even here in Canada where I live I see many especially in the evangelical wing of the church passing judgement on those outside the church. And while many within the church do truly love others that love is masked by those who would judge anyone they disagree with.

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.

What Paul is saying here is simple. We are not allowed to judge those outside the church that is Gods job. 

Our job as believers in Christ Jesus is to see that what those inside the church are teaching is correct and lines up with the scriptures.

We have no right to say where anyone will spend eternity. 

Billy Graham the late American evangelist said it best when talking about Christians he said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge

 and my job to love.” 

                              Billy Graham

Thus my question to you. If you consider yourself a Christian. A Follower of Christ Jesus do you love or do you judge?

Please think about it.

Let Us

 Let us

The Psalmist writes,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet 

and a light for my path.” 

                                 Psalm 119:105.

As 2021 begins, let all of us who would call ourselves followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look to the word of God for guidance in our lives.

May all believers in Christ Jesus take time to study the Holy Scriptures and truly learn what it is to be ambassadors for Christ. Let us be attentive to the words of the Apostle Peter who said,

"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. 

Please as this year of our Lord 2021 begins to unfold Thin

Praise God

 Praise God

The Psalmist writes

“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

To day is New Years eve 2020 here in Canada and I for one am going to take a few minutes to praise God. If you consider yourself a Christian why not take time to praise God for all he has done for you.

Please think about it.

The Absence of Love

  The absence of Love

The apostle Paul writes,

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

Some say "if God created everything, then He created evil, which means God is evil.”

Not so. God set down some basic rules to live by as noted in the ten commandments. At the same time God gave each individual the freedom to do as they wish. Which means they have the freedom to follow what God commanded or not to follow what God commanded. 

Here is something Albert Einstein said about evil,

“Does cold exist?

In fact, cold does not exist. According to the laws of Physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.

Does darkness exist?

Darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light.  Light we can study, but not darkness.

Evil does not exist. It is just like darkness and cold. God did not create evil.

Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart.”Albert Einstein.

Please think about it.

Christian Love

 Christian Love

The apostle Paul gives what has to be the most perfect definition of 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.

If you claim to be a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus you must be showing the kind of love the apostle Paul is talking about here. 

So I would ask; Are you showing true love to those around you?

Please think about it.

Live at Peace

  Live at peace

The apostle Paul wrote,

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 

live at peace with everyone.”

                                                         Romans 12:18.

Do you live at peace with those around you? If you claim to be a Christian you should. As Christians we should not be causing trouble for anyone whether you agree with them or not. 

In Matthews gospel we hear Jesus responding to this question,

 "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 neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40

Earlier in Matthews Gospel we read,

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour 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.

If we are truly loving those around us be they family, friend or foe then we will find ourselves living at peace with those around us.

So my question is; are you truly living at peace with those around you?

Please think about it.

In the Shelter of the Most High

 In the Shelter of the Most High

The Psalmist writes,

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

 will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

I will say of the LORD, 

"He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 

                                                                                    Psalm 91:1,2.

Here is a simple question to all who call themselves Christians; 

Is God your refuge, your fortress, the one in whom you trust?

As Christians we should be trusting in God at all times. I know it’s easier said than done still it can be done. That being said it requires discipline. 

It requires us to go to God in prayer each day even if we don’t feel like it.

It requires us to thank God and praise Him daily.

We need to do this because it develops our trust in God so that in the bad times we go to Him instinctively knowing He will be with us in those bad times in the same way He is with us in the good.

Please think about it.

Incomprehensible but true

  Incomprehensible but true

The apostle Paul wrote,

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.

We have just celebrated Christmas the moment in time when we believers in Christ Jesus. When we Christians believe God entered the world He created in the form of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

The soul purpose in coming to this earth was to show in human terms just how far God would go to show each individual on this earth the way to heaven.

As incomprehensible as it may seem God became man, walked this earth and experienced everything it is to be human. Everything from the love of his parents, family and friends, to the daily mundane things like rain on his face, the smell of dust, to attending social event and more.

He also experienced what it was like to feel the worst of what one man can do to another. To suffer an inhuman beating and the death on a cross for a crime he didn’t commit. 

He did this all for you, for me and for every human being that has ever existed. C. S. Lewis said,

"He 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.

I know it is not what many would expect of an almighty God but it is true. Still to accept that truth takes an act of faith on our part and the writer of Hebrews states,

"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.

Question; do you have the faith to believe that Jesus died for your sins?

Please think about it. 

A Christmas Question

  A Christmas Question

Jesus speaking to Martha said,

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes Lord" she told Him, "I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world," John 11:25,26,27.

To day is Christmas day the day when billions of believers in Christ Jesus celebrate the birth of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

It is also a day when believers and non-believers must ask themselves just who they believe Jesus is.

Jesus claimed to be God. He claimed to be the Jewish Messiah. It is a claim we are asked to accept by faith.

The writer of Hebrews stating,

"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.

Thus today we Christians around the world celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour I would ask the question of anyone reading this who is not a Christian: 

Who do you think Jesus is?

Please think about it.

I will praise God

 I will praise God

“I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; 

I will tell of all your wonders. 

I will be glad and rejoice in you;

 I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” 

                                                                  Psalm 9:1,2.

Today is Christmas eve. The day we Christians believe is the eve of our Saviours birth. For that reason today and tomorrow especially I will sing praises to the Lord God Most High.

I will thank God for loving me and all on this earth enough to enter the world He created in the form of his One and Only Son Jesus Christ.

If you consider yourself a Christian a follower of Christ Jesus will you join me in this tonight and throughout the coming year?

Please think about it.