Most Christians don't

  Most Christians don’t

The Psalmist writes,

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4,5.

Over the years I’ve met many Christians that I don’t believe study the Bible. They may read it but they don’t study it.

Many times I’ve asked the question to fellow Christians “why do you believe what you believe” only to get the reply “well such and such an evangelist, or pastor said it was that way”

This should not be so. We need to study the scriptures for ourselves to truly understand what they mean. To see if the evangelist, or pastor we are listening to is truly presenting the scriptures correctly.

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. 2Timothy 2:15.

We can only do this if we are studying the word of God for ourselves to see if what we believe and have been taught is indeed correct.

Please think about it.

Is everything meaningless?

  Is everything meaningless?

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read,

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour. 

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.

If there is no God then the above statement is true. “everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind;...”

Some atheist say when we die we will live on in the memories of others. A statement that is not completely true. Perhaps if we have made a great discovery we may be remembered in some history book. But most of us will be forgotten within a generation or so.

Ask yourself, where was your great, great, great grandmother or father born? What was the colour of their eyes? What was their favourite piece of music? Where is their grave? What was their greatest achievement? Few people can answer these questions.

So my question to anyone who does not believe in God is where is the purpose in life if we are forgotten within a few generations? If all our achievements are only remembered in some dusty history book?

The way I see it without God life is meaningless. God’s existence makes life worthwhile. God gives us something to look forward to when this life is over.

The writer of Ecclesiastes comes to this conclusion,

“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 judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14.

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 statement of Jesus if right, and I believe it is, it is God’s offer to each individual of eternal life with Him. But only if we accept it. Only if we believe in God.

Thus my question to you; Do you believe in God?

Please think about it.

Are you?

  Are you?

In the book of Jeremiah we read,

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”                                                                                                                         Jeremiah 29:13

Someone has said,

“Maybe the atheist cannot find God f

or the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.”

                                                                         Author Unknown

I think such a statement has merit. Many atheist I’ve met are more determined to show people where the Bible mistakes are than looking at it with an open mind.

In order to find God you have to truly be seeking God with your whole heart. If you simply want to find fault or try to disprove Gods existence you will never find God.

Thus my question to you; Are you truly seeking God?

Please think about it.

Who do you think He is?

 Who do you think He is?

John’s gospel records this incident in the life of Jesus. John writes,

“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.  

“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 22-33.

Jesus here admits he is the Son of God. Jesus was not stupid. He knew what the penalty for claiming to be God, yet he told those around him that he was Gods Son a violation of the law.

I like what C. S. Lewis says about 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.”

So who do you believe Jesus to be?

Please think about it.

Are you making

 Are you making

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.

The Apostle Peter who wrote,

"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 2:11,12.

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.

I know we are all human, make mistakes and fall short of what God wants for our lives. That being said however, if we are truly followers of Christ Jesus we should be at least trying to make the above scriptures active in our daily lives.

Thus my questions to you. 

Are you trying to live at peace with all those around you? 

Are you trying to live a holy life? 

Are you doing your best to abstain from sinful desires? 

Are you living a good life?

Are you making every effort to treat those around you the way you would have others treat you?

Please think about it.

Responding to Divine Love

  Responding to divine love

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.

I believe how we respond to Gods love in sending Jesus to this world determines where we will spend eternity. 

The choice is simple. You either believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The Saviour of mankind or you do not.

Please think about it.

"Does it matter?"

  Dose it matter?

The Bible tells me,

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.

The Bible doesn’t debate the issue of Gods existence because it was written to believers. And anyone who believes in God needs no explanation.

One question I find that comes up quite often is did God make the heavens and the earth in six twenty-four hour days or did He take millenniums? My answer is always does it matter?

All that is important is God exists, and He created the universe as we know it. And yes God could have used the Big Bang to do so.

The thing that does matter however is do you believe in God?

Before you answer that question however I would ask that you at least read the New Testament and perhaps visit a church and talk to the pastor. It can’t hurt and it just may convince you that God exists and loves you.

Please think about it.

You have a choice

  You have a choice

In the book of Joshua we read,

“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24: 14,15.

It is a choice we in the twenty-first century also have because even in our day and age we have gods we worship. Those gods range everything from material possessions, money, political and religious leaders. Even atheist, while they may not admit it, worship their belief that God does not exist.

Thus every person in the world today has a choice as to who they will worship. And I firmly believe that what or who we worship determines where we will spend eternity.

So the question becomes who do you worship?

Please think about it.

We Must Remember

 We must Remember

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.

Tony Campolo the American Evangelist said,

"We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do." Tony Campolo.

Campolo is right. It is not our place to judge others especially non-Christians. 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.” 1Corinthians 5:12,13.

Living in North America I see that Christians here are quick to point out the evils of the world around them but slow to expel the wicked in their midst. This should not be so. This kind of behaviour turns non-Christians away from Christ.

We as believers in Christ Jesus have an obligation to present the word of God in the purest form possible. It is therefore I believe incumbent on us to remove from our midst those claiming to be Christians that are not teaching the true gospel message.

At the same time we must be careful not to judge the people around us, especially non-Christians. Billy Graham the late American evangelist said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                                    Billy Graham.

We must remember the words of Jesus who said,

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16.

  Please think about 

An Obligation

 An Obligation

The Psalmist writes,

“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.

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.

As a believer in Christ Jesus I firmly believe we have an obligation to follow the commandment of Jesus to go and make disciple of all nations. 

In order to do that we must tell of Gods love and greatness. We must tell of his wonders, rejoice in Him and praise His name.

I do not believe there is room for negativity when we are telling the world about God. 

All to many people claiming to be Christians over the centuries have made God out to be an old man carrying a big stick to hit us with when we do wrong. Quite the contrary God is a God of Love. 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.

Thus our obligation to God and to the people of the world is to proclaim Gods love to them.

Question; If you consider yourself a follower of Christ Jesus, are you proclaiming Gods love to the people around you?

Please think about it.

Proclaiming Gods Glory

 Proclaiming Gods Glory

The Psalmist writes,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1

Henrich Heine said,

“The grandeur of the Universe is always commensurate with the grandeur of the soul that surveys it.” Henrich Heine.

I have on my studio wall a picture of a young boy looking out over a large pond surrounded by trees (The picture above) contemplating the beauty around him.

When I look at the picture I am reminded that God created the heavens and the earth. And as the Psalmist states, 

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” Psalm 19:1. 

I could go on writing pages on why I believe God created the heavens and the earth but suffice to say, that the way I see it, everything from the largest galaxy to the smallest subatomic particle works in harmony to create this earth on which we live. I as such I can’t believe that these things have come together by chance.

I believe that behind it all is a God who created it. 

Thus the question to you the reader is; do you believe this?

Please think about it.

What's to lose?

  What’s to lose?

The Apostle Paul writes,

"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.

Just for the record I believe what the Apostles Creed. Although not written by one of Jesus’ apostles it sums up what I and most Christians believe. It states,

1.I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth

2. I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.

3. I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary

4. I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.

5. I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.

6. I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

7. I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost

9. I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,

10. I believe in the forgiveness of sin.

11. I believe in the resurrection of the body.

12. I believe in life everlasting.

To some who do not believe in God the not only the Apostles Creed but everything the New Testament especially states looks like foolishness. 

Even if it is what’s to loose? Blaise Pascal wrote,

“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. Blaise Pascal.

Please think about it.