A daily thing

  A daily thing

“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.

Here is something we as believers in Christ Jesus need to be praying daily. It’s a simple request to God to lead us into truth.

In a world filled with half truths, and out and out lies both from outside the church and from those espousing to be Christians we need God guidance daily.

We need to be praying and reading the word of God daily so that we know the paths God is leading us in.

Are you spending to quality time in the word of God?

Are you taking quality time to pray and ask God of guidance?

Is your hope truly in God?

Please think about it.

Doing Good

  Doing Good

Isaiah the prophet said,

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” Isaiah 1:17.

Sadly I feel here in North America there are many Christians who do not follow what Isaiah is saying here. This has been especially true during the last four years in America. Compassion for the poor, fatherless, widows and oppressed has been lacking. 

Politicians calling themselves Christians and even some calling themselves Christian leaders  have refused to use their position to help those in need.

I like what 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.

This is what we as believers in Christ Jesus should be doing. For in showing the love of God in very practical ways we will win souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

Love says it all

  Love says it all

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.

In the book of Proverbs we read,

“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 says it all. If we are faithful and love God. The love of God will radiate through us to those around us. 

As a result of our love and faithfulness to God as the proverb states, we will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Thus my questions to you; 

Are you faithful to God? 

Is the love you have in your life the unconditional love of God?

Do you show this Love to the world around you?

Please think about it.

What Shall I Cry?

  What shall I cry?

Isaiah the prophet wrote,

"A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" 

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:6-8.

Let’s face it you are not going to live forever. No matter how good your health is you will one day die. So the question becomes, where will you spend eternity?

If you’re an atheist you might say you just cease to exist. You don’t live on in eternity. But what if the atheist is wrong as I believe they are?

In order to know for sure that God does not exist and that you don’t live on into eternity. You have to have all knowledge and have been everywhere. And we know that no one in this life has come back from beyond the grave to tell us what it is like.

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.

That belief in God however has to be true belief. Not just an intellectual belief. The writer of Hebrews states,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope 

for and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                                Hebrews 11:1.

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.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it.

What are you doing?

  What are you doing?

The apostle Paul wrote,

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  2 Corinthians 5:18-20.

If you consider yourself a Christian are you truly an ambassador for Christ?

An ambassador is someone who represents his or her nation or king. It is through the lense of the ambassador that people see their nation.

Paul here tells us that through us God is making His appeal to those around us.

Francis of Assisi wrote,

Preach the Gospel at all times 

and when necessary use words.

                                          Francis of Assisi

He also wrote,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                         Francis of Assisi.

If you claim to be a Christian a follower of Christ Jesus then people are watching not only your words but your deeds also.

Your deeds and words have the power to bring people to Christ or push them away. 

So what are your words and deeds doing? What are you doing?

Please think about it.

Are you presenting the Word of God correctly?

  Are you presenting Gods word correctly?

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.

If you espouse to be a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus, is what the above portions of scripture describing, describing what you believe?

I believe that we must believe the above. We must believe that the kingdom of heaven and all the scriptures tell us about God and Jesus is so precious to us that we do not want it to be mistreated or misrepresented in any way.

We have an obligation to speak out against those who claim to be Christians but are presenting the scriptures wrongly. 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.

Paul makes it clear that we are not to judge those outside the church but we are to expel those who are not presenting the word of God correctly.

That being said are you personally presenting Gods word correctly?

Please think about it. 

Will you be one of these?

  Will you be one of these?

The writer of Hebrews notes,

“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 the writer is in echoing the words of Ecclesiastes that 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.

I believe this is not just a warning to the world around but to those who claim to be Christians especially. Lets face it, it is most likely that the people who read these two passages of Scripture the most are Christians.

As a result I believe if you believe in Christ Jesus you must examine yourself to see that you are truly in right standing with God.

Is your faith purely intellectual? Do you acknowledge God exists but don’t truly have a spiritual commitment to God? Are you truly doing what God wants you to do; The way God wants you to do it?

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!’” Matthew7:22,23.

Will you be one of these?

Please think about it.

That covers a lot

  That covers a lot

The apostle Peter 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

This is something Christians particularly in North America don’t completely understand. They live in democracies that offer freedoms many in the world could only dream of.

Sadly many calling themselves Christians use that freedom wrongly.

The apostle Paul wrote,

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13.

What is the sinful nature Paul is talking about here. I believe it’s disobeying the worlds of Jesus. Jesus 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.

That covers a lot. 

I believe this means we must alway show unconditional love to all we come in contact with even if we disagree with them in any way. For it is only in showing unconditional love to those around us that we will win souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

Our job our duty

  Our job our duty

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.

Jesus never told his disciples to go out and judge anyone. He never told them to get involved with political parties. Jesus never told us to condemn people for who they are or what they believe.

Jesus said to make disciples of all nations. To teach them everything he taught them.

Jesus made it clear why he came to earth saying,

“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 what we as believers in Christ Jesus must do. Present the love of God to all who will listen to us.

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

As believers in Christ Jesus we must always remember this. Our job our duty is to love those around us the way God loves those around us; unconditionally.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

It's incumbent

  It’s incumbent

The apostle Paul writes,

“For the message about 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.

People say that the Christian message is not logical. Why would God in the form of His one and only Son enter the world? 

My answer would be why wouldn’t He? There’s no rule forbidding God from entering the world He created.

Jesus however sums up why God in the form of His one and only Son entered the world when he 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.

The world we live in is degenerating into the abyss. Going down a path that leads to hell. We only have to look around the world to see this. Wars, riots, civil disobedience, governments putting people who disagree with them in jail, labour camps or murdering them. We have politicians around the world who are believing and propagating lies.

There are even men and women claiming to be Christian leaders that are not.

The apostle Paul writes,

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

We are living in such times. Thus I believe it is incumbent on all those who truly believe in Christ Jesus to pray and reach out with the love of God to all those around them. To present the Love of God in Christ Jesus to anyone who will listen.

Please think about it.

Do you agree?

  Do you agree?

The Psalmist writes,

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; 

his love endures forever. 

Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” 

Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” 

Let those who fear the LORD say: 

“His love endures forever.” 

                                                    Psalm 118:1-4.

Do you agree with this statement? If so why not take a few minutes right now to sing or say words of praise to God?

Please think about it.

Where's your hope?

  Where’s your hope?

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.

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus is this true of you? Do you pray and ask God to teach you His truths? Is your hope truly in God? OR Is you trust in some pastor, preacher or evangelist?

Do you even take time to study the word of God for yourselves? Do you take time not just to read the scriptures but about biblical history the customs of the people in Christs time?

These are questions only you can answer.

Please think about it.