Known For

 Known For

Jesus said,

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34,35

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,

"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," Matthew 5:43,44

Love is the key to the Christian life. Love for God and love for your neighbour and even your enemy. The definition of love written by the apostle Paul when he wrote,

“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 consider yourself a Christian is this the kind of love you are showing to those around you?

Are you known for your love?

Please think about it.

Value Others

  Value others

The apostle Paul wrote,

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3,4.

We are living in unprecedented times. Nothing within my lifetime at least equals the Covid crisis we are going through. Yet many Christians in North America are forgetting these words of the Apostle Paul. “Value others above your self” “look to the interests of others”.

I think in terms of the Covid crisis this means wearing a mask, taking the vaccine if you can. Follow the science. It can’t hurt you. But it may save the life of someone else.

Please think about it.

A Statement of Belief

 A statement of belief

The apostle Paul wrote,

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

Romans 10:9-13.

This in a nutshell is what those who believe in Christ Jesus believe. This is what I believe.

It is a belief I cannot force on anyone. It is a statement made by the apostle Paul that each individual must decide for themselves whether it is true or false.

Thus I place it here for you to decide for yourself if it is true or false.

Please think about it.

I Will Praise

  I will Praise

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.

As a believer in Christ Jesus I believe this is what I must do. If you consider yourself to be a true believer in Christ Jesus are you doing this also?

Please think about it.

Faith Saves Us

  Faith saves us

Isaiah the prophet wrote,

“And will say in that day:

Give thanks to the Lord call upon his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples,

proclaim that his name is exalted.

Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously

let this be made known in all the earth.”

                                                                       Isaiah 12:4,5.

As a believer in Christ Jesus I believe I have an obligation to God to present His message to the world. That message being,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—

and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  

not by works, so that no one can boast.”

                                                         Ephesians 2:8,9.

It is our faith in God that saves us not our works. 

In Hebrews chapter eleven we read how Abraham and the patriarchs were commended and saved by their faith in God. Thus in the same way they were saved so are we.

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.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

Can never spoil perish or fade

  Can never spoil perish or fade

The apostle Peter wrote,

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you” 1Peter 1:3-4

I believe this. I believe if we truly believe in Christ Jesus we have an eternal reward that cannot perish, spoil or fade. An inheritance waiting for us in heaven.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

A Mist

 A mist

In the book of James we read,

“Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."  

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:13,14.

Life is short and unpredictable. We have seen in the last few years tens of thousands die of Covid. But covid aside thousands die of medical problems, car crashes, and a myriad of other things every day.

The key to my way of thinking is are you ready to enter eternity? 

As a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus, I believe we can be ready.

The apostle Paul speaking to his jailor said,

“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  

He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:30,31.

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.

The question is do you believe this?

    Please think about it.

Who do you love?

 Who do you love?

The Apostle Paul wrote,

"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.

Jesus said,

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24.

So who do you love? Who do you serve? God or Money which comes first in your life?

Now there is nothing wrong with being wealthy. The trouble comes when you love money so much it becomes your god and turns you away from God.

Every Christian must answer this question for themselves. Do they love God or money. Do they love the things of this world or the things of God?

Thus the question I have for you the reader; If you consider yourself a Christian do you love God more than the things of this world?

Please think about it.

Ears Open or Closed?

Ears open or closed?

Here from the book or Proverbs and the mouth of Jesus is something to think about.

“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor 

will himself call out and not be answered.” 

                                                          Proverbs 21:13.

Jesus said,

"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 

"They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 

"He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."  Matthew 25:41-46.

Please think about.

Do Gods Work

  Do Gods work

In the book of proverbs we read,

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8,9.

All too often I think the church, particularly the evangelical church here in North America fail to follow what is said here in Proverbs 31:8,9. 

While there are a lot of Churches that do reach out and help the poor, and destitute. There are also way too many who do not. Churches, evangelist and pastors who are focussing so much on the ills of society that they are seen by secular society in a negative way. 

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

I like what the American Evangelist Tony Campolo 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.

As Christians our faith must urge us on to help the hungry, and the oppressed. In this way we will I believe win favour with God and man. And not only that see souls won for Christ.

Please think about it. 

Please Pray

  Please pray

The Psalmist writes,

“For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, 

my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” 

                                                                 Psalm 62:1,2.

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus can you say what the Psalmist is saying here? 

I know for sure there are men and women around the world who are persecuted and placed in prison for their belief in Christ Jesus that believe in this. Who trust in God no matter the circumstances they are in.

These persecuted Christians should be an inspiration to those of us in the western democracies who have the luxury of freedom to worship as we wish. 

And it is for these persecuted believers in Christ Jesus we who enjoy freedom should be praying for every day. 

Are you?

Please don’t just think about it. 

Pray for all those believers in Christ Jesus who are in prison, and persecuted daily for their belief in Him.

My Trust

  My Trust

In the book of Psalms we read,

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, 

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” 

                                                                     Psalm 20:7.

One of my favourite quotes about believing in God comes from Blaise Pascal. It reads,

“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.

Thus my question to anyone reading this is where do you place your wager.

Please think about it.