He will. Not you

  He will. Not you.

the Psalmist says of God,

"He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth."

                                                                                                      Psalm 96:13b. 

Here is a very important point lost on many Christians. Or at least those who call themselves Christians. The Psalmist makes it clear “HE, (God), will judge the world...”   

Jesus quoted in the Gospel of Luke,

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:7.

In Matthews Gospel Jesus is quoted as saying,

"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 stated.

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                         Billy Graham

We will never win souls for Christ if we are even perceived as judging them. As Billy Graham stated it is our job to love.

Jesus made it clear what His purpose in coming to earth was for 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.

These words should always be on our minds when we speak about Jesus, “ God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”.

Is this the message you are presenting to the world?

Or are you in the habit of judging those in the world around you?

Please think about it.

Ascribe

  Ascribe

The Psalmist calls to the nations of the world to,    

"Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, 

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 

"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

 bring an offering and come into his courts. 

Worship the LORD in the splendour of his holiness;

tremble before him, all the earth." 

                                                      Psalm 96:8,9.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus are you doing this. Even more importantly are the people around you seeing this. For if you are not doing as the Psalmist states, how can you expect people around you to do it?

Francis of Assisi made two very important points when he said,

“Preach the Gospel at all times 

and when necessary use words.”

AND

"The deeds you do may be the only

 sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                        Francis of Assisi

When people look at the sermon that is your words and deeds, what will they say?

Please think about it

The Lord reigns

  The Lord reigns

The Psalmist states,

"Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns.

" The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; 

He will judge the peoples with equity. 

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

 let the sea resound, and all that is in it; 

"let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. 

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; 

they will sing before the LORD, for He comes, 

He comes to judge the earth. 

He will judge the world in righteousness 

and the peoples in His truth."

                                                               Psalm 96:10-13. 

As believers in God. Believers in Christ Jesus we are told to “Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns”. We are to warn them that God will one day Judge the people of this world in righteousness. 

In Ecclesiastes we read,

"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." Ecclesiastes12:13,14.

Believing in God is a choice. When God created the world and everything in it. God gave man a freewill to believe what he wants to. That includes not believing in God. 

However God offers us hope in the form of Christ Jesus. Jesus referring to 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.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son". John 3:16-18.

Thus the question becomes do you believe this?

Please think about it.

Sing, Proclaim, Declare

  Sing, Proclaim, Declare

The Psalmist proclaims,

“Sing to the LORD a new song; 

sing to the LORD, all the earth. 

Sing to the LORD, 

praise His name; 

proclaim His salvation day after day. 

Declare His glory among the nations, 

His marvellous deeds among all peoples.”

                                                           Psalm 96:1-3.

If you are a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus. 

Do you take time to praise God? 

Do you proclaim His salvation to those around you? 

Do you declare Gods glory to those around you? 

Do you declare Gods marvellous deeds among the people?

If not. Why not?

Please think about it.

Family, Friend, and Foe alike.

 Family Friend and Foe alike

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!'" Matthew 7:22,23.

Mahatma Gandhi said,

"Jesus is ideal and wonderful, 

but you Christians - you are not like him."

                                                                     Mahatma Gandhi.

I'm convinced that Gandhi (and many people here in North America today) do not see true Christians. He saw people who claimed to be Christians. People who were not practising what Jesus taught.

The key message of Jesus can be put into one statement,

"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.

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 22:37-40.

When it comes to the definition of Christian love the apostle Paul wrote,

When it comes to Christian love the Apostle Paul defines it 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 a person claims to be a Christian and does not show unconditional love for those around them. I would doubt if they are Christians.

Thus my question to you; If you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus, are you showing unconditional love to those around you, Family, friend and foe alike?

Please think about it.

Ask, Seek, Knock, and Find

  Ask, Seek, Knock and Find

Jesus said,

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7,8.

I believe those words of Jesus quoted above. I believe that anyone who is truly looking for God will find Him.

I believe that provided we believe there is a God we will find him.

Ben Zion Bokser wrote,

"I have not seen the robin but I know he is there because I heard him singing through my window from the tree-top outside.

I have not seen God.  But I have looked at my child's eyes, and have been overwhelmed by the miracle of unfolding life.

I have watched the trees bedeck themselves with new garbs of green in the spring, and have been stirred by the miracle of continual rebirth.

I have looked at the stars, and have been overcome by the miracle of the grandeur and majesty of the universe.

I know that God exists, because I have heard the song of His presence from all the tree-tops of creation." Ben Zion Bokser

For me it is inconceivable that the universe we live in was not made by God.

The Psalmist said,

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

 the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

                                                                Psalm 19:1.

Do you believe this?

Are you wise?

 Are you wise?

The apostle Paul writes,

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5,6.

Are you wise when you deal with those around you, especially when it comes to your faith. 

I have found over the decades that I have been a Christian that there are many claiming to be Christians who are not wise.

They are as one friend aptly put it “bible thumpers”. They point out the sins of the world. They point to any groups they disagree with and call them sinners. Worse yet they try to take away or restrict the rights of some groups they disagree with. This should not be so.

Screaming and yelling at people telling them they are sinners is a waste of time. It will only push people away from God. Trying to restrict or take away rights of those you disagree with will push them away from Christ closing all dialogue completely. Not only that it may lead to a backlash that will cause the rights of Christians to be restricted.

No one wants to be told they are a sinner. And most non-Christians I know would not admit to being a sinner. Simply saying they are as good or better than some Christians they know.

Frankly I don’t believe it is our job as believers in Christ Jesus to tell people they are sinners. That is the job of the Holy spirit. 

Billy Graham the American evangelist once said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                                  Billy Graham.

So are you showing the unconditional Love of Christ to those around you?

Please think about it.

Did you fill the world with love?

   Did you fill the world with love?

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.

When I was in my teens I watched a musical called Goodby Mr. Chips. I watched it a few years before I accepted Christ into my life. The theme tune of this movie (in the morning of my life) still resonates in my life today. It says,

In the Morning of My Life

by Leslie Bricusse 

In the morning of my life

I will look to the Sunrise

At a moment in my life 

When the world is new.

And the Question

I shall ask only God can answer.

Will I be brave and strong and true,

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

In the evening of my life

I will look to the sunset

At a moment in my life 

When my life is through.

And the question I shall ask only I can answer 

Was I brave and strong and true.

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

                                                Leslie Bricusse   

                                                         From the Musical Good by Mr chips.

When you come to the end of your life and you stand before God will you honestly be able to tell God, you filled the world with Love your whole life through?

Please think about it.

Christians and money

  Christians and money

Matthews gospel records this interaction between Jesus and a rich young man.

"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.

Now there is nothing wrong with having money. It’s what place it has in our life. It should never come before God or other people.

In the story Matthew relates we see that the rich man put his money ahead of everything. He was unwilling to give up his wealth and follow Jesus. Which brings us to the question; 

Are you willing to give up all you have to follow Jesus?

Do you think those preachers and evangelist you support would be willing to give up their wealth and still follow Christ?

Please think about it.

Are these attributes yours?

  Are these attributes yours?

In the book of James we read,

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" James 2:12,13.

You will be judged. The writer of 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 judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." Ecclesiastes12:13,14.

Yes your faith in Christ saves you. But if you are truly saved you will be merciful, you will refrain from judging people. You will exhibit what the apostle Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit. Paul in the book of Galatians stating,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22,23.

So are these attributes yours?

Please think about it.

Could I

  Could I

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, war 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 and I don’t mean by just saying the sinners prayer.

The late evangelist Leonard Ravenhill said,

“The sinners prayer has sent more people to hell than all the bars in America.” Leonard Ravenhill.

The sinners prayer can give a false sense of security. 

Anyone who truly wants to get to heaven must truly believe in Christ Jesus. 

We should never make our decision to follow Christ in the heat of the moment. While we are in that feel good moment. We must count the cost.

We must I believe take a close look at the New Testament and what God is saying through it before making our decision. By looking at the New Testament we can see what the happened to the apostles. The trials and tribulations they went through. Trials and tribulations that potentially all Christians can go through.

Then we must ask ourselves with Gods help could I go through what they went through.

Please think about it.

Is this you?

  Is this you?

Jesus told this parable,

"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.

This is a very simple question. Are you one of the people Christ describes here?

Are you doing what you can to help those less fortunate around you?

How can you help those less fortunate around you?

Please think about it.