Will you?

 Will you?

In the book of  Ecclesiastes we read,

“Better to go to a house of mourning 

than to go to a house of feasting, 

for all are destined to be mourned; 

the living should lay this to heart.” 

                                                  Ecclesiastes 7:2.

At first glance this would seem to be unusual. Why after all is it better to be in a house mourning the passing of someone, than in a house feasting.

The way I see it, if you attend someone’s funeral, it should at the very least be a wake up call for you. You should take a few moments to ask yourself where you will be spending eternity. Which is the ultimate question.

The American evangelist Tony Campolo wrote,

When you were born, you cried 

and everybody else was happy. 

The only question that matters is this - 

when you die, 

will you be happy

 when everybody else is crying?

                                                Tony Campolo.

Thus my question to you.

When you die will you be happy?

Please think about it.

Do you turn to Christ?

  Do you turn to Christ?

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

 and I will give you rest.”

                                      Matthew 11:28.

We are not promised a life without trials and tribulations. Problems in life come and go. That being said if your trust is truly in The Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what you are going through you can find rest.

In the very next line we hear Jesus say,

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29.

If we look at the early apostles especially Paul we see that he went through some horrific things. He was shipwrecked, beaten, thrown in jail and ultimately murdered for his faith. Yet his faith in Christ never wavered. If anything it seems to have made him stronger.

As a Christian I find comfort in knowing that no matter what trial or trouble I am going through Jesus is there with me giving me the strength to go through it.

When you go through troubles do you turn to Christ?

Please think about it. 

Are you sitting?

  Are you sitting?

Marks gospel records,

“When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:16,17.

We as Christians must be willing to sit down with those who do not believe as we do, and engage them in open discussion. To tell them what we believe and listen to them. That is our duty to Christ Jesus.

You can’t win a soul for Christ if you are not willing to sit down with those you disagree with.

So my question to you; If you consider yourself a true believer in Christ Jesus are you sitting down with those you disagree with and engaging them in open discussion? Are you presenting the gospel of Christ to anyone who will listen to you?

Please think about it.

Where is your heart?

  Where is your heart?

Jesus said,

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.

Where is your treasure? Now there is nothing wrong with having wealth in this world. The apostle Paul however reminds us,

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10.

The key to what Jesus is saying here is where is your heart. Is it in this world trying to build an impressive fortune, or is it with God?

There comes a time I believe in every Christians life when we must ask ourselves, Where is our heart. Is it with Christ or this world?

Please think about it.

Judging never wins souls

  Judging never wins souls

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.

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 need to remember this. Especially if we judge those outside our faith. Judging a person we will never win a soul for Christ. It is more likely to turn people away from Christ.

We do not have all the information as to why a person is the way they are or, why they believe what they believe. Only God knows that.

Thus my question to you is; Do you judge others?

Think about it.

Are you doing right?

  Are you doing right?

In the book of James we read,

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbour as yourself," you are doing right.” James 2:8.

The way I see this its cut and dry. We must love our neighbour as we love ourselves. We must treat our neighbour the way we want to be treated.

It all coming back to the words of 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.

So are you doing right? Are you loving others in the same way as you love yourself?

Please think about it.

How would you answer?

  How would you answer?

Jesus said,

"Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

This is a verse of scripture that even non-Christians know. Even though they may not know where the quote originates. 

In Matthews gospel we read that Jesus says it this way,

"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.

Do you treat people the way you want to be treated?

The Talmud while a Jewish book, and not Christian has many truths Christians can agree with. The following is one quote,

"When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, "Have you believed in God?"  Or "Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  "He is asked: "have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?" The Talmud.

Think about it when you stand before God He wont have to ask you if you believe in him. Your standing right in front of him. As for praying and observing the ritual; Those things have their place but the most important thing is “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow man”. And I think God while He knows the answer, just might offer you a chance to explain your actions. He just may want to hear what your honest assessment of your interaction with your fellow man is.

If you are dealing honourably with your fellow man you are showing the love of God in word and in deed. If you are not perhaps you are not a true believer in Christ Jesus. 

The apostle John wrote,

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:7,8.

So when you stand before God how would you answer the question if God asked,

"have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?" 

Please think about it.

Poor and Needy

  Poor and needy

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

“If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour… Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.” Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.

Jesus said,

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:34-40.

Helping the poor and needy is a common theme throughout the scriptures.

Now works alone will not save us. Our salvation comes through faith in Christ Jesus. That being said our faith should spur us on to do good works.

Question; If you consider yourself a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus is your faith spurring you on to do good works?

Please think about it.

Evildoers

 Evildoers

Jesus 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.

Now I write these blogs several weeks in advance. That being said, as I write this there is an outcry that will not go away nor should it go away soon. It’s about what amounts to genocide conducted by the Roman Catholic church here in Canada. 

This is a church organization that claims to be Christian. With a Pope who is known for his good works among the poor. Yet it will not offer a sincere apology or reach into it’s coffers and live up to the agreement they made to pay indigenous people compensation for what happened.

All that aside one has to wonder about the teacher, men and women who directly run those schools. Are these people truly Christian? From their actions I think not. 

I also think unless those who are still alive and committed these atrocities fail to repent, they will ultimately be judged by God and hear the words “away from me you evildoers”. 

Please think about it.

Dear Friend

 Dear Friends

The apostle John writes,

“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1John 3:17,18

Actions mean a lot. Francis of Assisi wrote,

"The deeds you do may be the only sermon 

some persons will hear today" 

                                                         Francis of Assisi.

As Christians like it or not we will be judged by those around us by what we do and say. It’s as they say, “very easy to talk the talk but much harder to walk the walk”. And we as Christians are called to walk as Jesus walked. Love and act as Jesus did.

If it’s within our power to help anyone we should. Even something as simple giving a cold bottle of water to someone on the street helps. If you can’t do that consider contributing to a food bank, or a reputable charity that helps the poor. 

Please think about it.

Accept one another

  Accept one another

The Apostle Paul wrote,

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”Romans 15:7.

Back in the late sixties and early seventies I was part of a movement within the church called “Jesus freaks” essentially the hippy movement of church. The movement brought many young people, teens and such into the church. People within the movement met in small groups in houses generally. 

It was a group that accepted you at face value. If you said you believed in Jesus they believed you. They without probably knowing it at the time lived what Paul was saying in Romans 15:7.

At a time when the traditional church expected you to come to church in your “Sunday best” suits and ties for the gentlemen. Conservative dresses for women. Short hair for the men.  You could come as you are. Tee shirts and jeans, mini skirts, long hair. All that was important was that you came to worship in spirit in truth.

Worship consisted of lively music, in both the folk, rock and traditional genres. Music was made on whatever was available guitars, piano, tamborine  or anything that could make a joyful noise to the Lord. Even dance that at the time was taboo in many churches.

There were sadly, many church congregations that turned their back on us. I think those churches lost a lot by not welcoming us. While those who welcomed us were blessed.

While the church has come a long way since then. There is much that can be learned from what happened back then.

I think it serves as a reminder to churches today that we must embrace those who are “different”, or “out side the norm” for lack of a better description. 

It all comes down to what 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.

Which I believe means meeting people where they are at, showing them the Love of Jesus and teaching them all Jesus has taught us.

Please think about it.

In who do you place your faith ?

  In whom do you place your faith?

In the book of Chronicles we read,

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”1 Chronicles 16:11.

Do you look to the Lord and His strength? OR Do you rely on your own strength?

I think for most people especially here in North America where materialism is rampant, it can be hard to look to God for all our needs.

In the book of Matthew we read,

"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." 

"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, " ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honour your father and mother,' and ‘love your neighbour as yourself.''" 

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" 

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth." Matthew 19:16-22.

I think at times whether we have great wealth or not we need to ask ourselves the question. Am I relying on God or my own strength to get me through life?

Certainly the man that approached Jesus was relying on his wealth. His faith was in his wealth and not in God.

Thus the question becomes, In whom or what do you place your faith?

Please think about it.