Nothing

 Nothing

The apostle Paul writes,

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:38,39.

The apostle Paul is right in saying the above. For those who truly believe in Christ Jesus. For those who truly believe in God, nothing including death will ever separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

Evil men may try to destroy those who love God. But they cannot destroy Gods love for his people. Simply because they cannot destroy God.

Quite the contrary in the book of Ecclesiastes we read a warning to all people. Especially those who would try to fight God and his people. 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 judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.

Please think about it.

The Lord is

  The Lord is

The psalmist writes,

"I love you, O LORD, my strength. 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. 

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, 

my stronghold." 

                                Psalm 18:1,2.

I write these blogs primarily to believers. Thus I would ask the question of those believers who are reading this is The Lord truly;

your Strength,

your Rock,

your Fortress,

your Deliverer,

your Shield,

your Salvation,

your Stronghold,

Or are the things of this world more important?

Please think about it. 

Are you willing?

  Are you willing?

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  

Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38

Are you willing to follow Jesus? Be careful how you answer that question. 

Jesus makes it clear what is expected of a true follower of him. In the words of Jesus, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Now that may not mean we will suffer for believing in Jesus but in may. There are millions of believers in Christ Jesus around the world today that are being persecuted, physically attacked, having their homes destroyed, put in jail and even murdered. All because they believe in Christ Jesus.

What amazes me about those persecuted Christians is that they continue to believe despite living in areas where they could suffer and die for believing. They are not ashamed of the being associated with Jesus. They are an example to all of us who live in freedom in the western democracies.

If you are reading this blog and live in the western democracies ask yourself, Am I willing to take up my cross and follow Jesus? Am I willing to suffer and possibly die for Jesus sake?

Please think about it.

Post script.

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, remember those brothers and sisters in the Lord, who are suffering persecution. Brothers and sisters in the Lord  who live in dangerous neighbourhoods where being a Christian can get you beaten up, kidnapped, or tortured.  Brothers and sisters who are in prison and labour camps around the world for simply following Christ Jesus.

It is Possible

  It is Possible

The apostle Paul writes,

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18.

Never have these words meant so much as today. There is a lot of unrest in our world today. Hatred and violence it seems dominate the news. We even hear those espousing to be Christians proclaiming hate. This should not be so.

The key I believe to living at peace with those around us whether we agree with them or not it the love of Christ. Unconditional love. 

The apostle Paul defines love this way,

“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 we as believers in Christ Jesus put the Love of God into practice into our daily lives, then it is possible for us to live at peace with those around us.

So the question becomes; Are you showing the love of Christ to those around you?

Please think about it. 

The Christian Pledge

  The Christian Pledge

For sometime I have watched with disgust men and women particularly during the recent American election demeaning others, yelling racial slurs, and openly lying about those who oppose them. 

What makes it worse for me is that men and women calling themselves Christians. Some calling themselves Christian leaders, have supported those who have done this. 

Not only that in the time since the U. S. election I have not heard of one Christian leaders or other Christian apologizing for those negative actions. Actions that are far from the Christian ethic of love and peace.

Thus I wrote the following I’m simply calling “The Christian Pledge”, hoping at least in a small way it would help Christians think about their obligation as believers in Christ Jesus.

Jesus said,

“So in everything, do to others 

what you would have others do to you

for this sums up the law and the prophets.” 

                                                              Matthew 7:12.

Thus as a believer in Christ Jesus,

I pledge...

To Love.

I Pledge...

As far as it depends on me...

To live at peace with all people.

I Pledge...

Never, Never, Never! To attack anyone...

Physically, or verbally.

Even if I vehemently disagree with them in any way.

I Pledge...

Never to demean anyone.

No matter their race, their ethnicity, 

their religion, or their lifestyle.

I Pledge...

As far as humanly possible,

To uphold the dignity of all whom I come in contact with.

I Pledge...

To obey the words of Christ Jesus who said,

“So in everything, do to others what you would have others do to you

for this sums up the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12.

Please don’t just think about it. Do it!

The way I see it.

  The way I see it.

The Bible opens with the statement,

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

It does not open the existence of God for debate it simply states there is a God who created the heavens and the earth.

The way I see things is we can either believe in God or not believe in God. There is no middle ground.

Admittedly to believe in God takes an act of faith because we cannot see God. But believe we must. The writer of the book of Hebrews telling us,

“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.

The way I see it God asks us to have faith that He exists because having faith in anything particularly something or someone you cannot see is very hard for most people.

It is doubly hard I think for people to believe in a God who “seemingly” has been silent for several millennium. 

That being said the true believer longs to see God. As the psalmist puts it,

 “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5  

Do you believe in God?

Please think about it.

All it takes

  All it takes.

The apostle Paul writes,

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

live at peace with everyone.”

                                                   Romans 12:18.

Do you do your best to live at peace with those around you?

All it takes to live at peace with those around you is to obey these words of Jesus,

Jesus said,

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 22:37-40.

Jesus also 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.

Thus the question becomes; Are you obeying these words of Jesus.

Please think about it.

For everyone

 For everyone

The apostle Paul writes,

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone...” 1 Timothy 2:1.

If you claim to be a Christian do you pray for everyone around you? Do you pray for your family members, friends, neighbours, enemies, government and religious leaders? The apostle Paul says you should. So do you?

Please think about it.

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.