Turning from

 Turning from

The Psalmist writes,

"I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;

 before the "gods" 

I will sing your praise.”

                                     Psalm 138:1.

Whether we like to admit it or not there are a lot of gods in twenty-first century society. Money, possessions, even adoration of sports, entertainment, and political figures to name a few.

As believers in Christ Jesus. As true Christians we need to shun these gods. 

We need to be praising our God. The LORD of lords and King of kings. The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. 

Are you doing this? 

Are you turning from the gods of this world and praising THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY?

Please think about it.

Come Praise the Lord!

  Come Praise the Lord!

The Psalmist writes,

“Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD 

who minister by night in the house of the LORD. 

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary 

and praise the LORD. 

May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth,

 bless you from Zion. Psalm” 

                                                    134:1-3.

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus. If you claim to be a true Christian will you take time now to Praise The Lord?

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

Look out

   Look out

"Let each of you look not only to your own interests, 

but also to the interests of others."

                                                                  Philippians 2:4.

I live in Canada and since the pandemic hit I have heard many Christians say, “I’m not taking the vaccine that’s my right.”.

And it is there right. In Canada everyone has the freedom to choose to do as they wish. 

Christians however have a duty to those around them to look out for the interest of others. And if that means taking a safe vaccine so be it.

The pandemic and vaccine aside. Christians have a duty to those around them the help those in need. Especially those brothers and sisters in the church.

So, especially if you live in one of the worlds true democracies, are you looking out for those around you?

Please think about it.

Jesus flips it

 Jesus flips it 

In the gospel of Mark we read,

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." Mark 9:35.

Do you have a servants heart?

If you consider yourself a Christian, a true believer in Christ Jesus do you truly have a servants heart? Do you do your best to help those around you to the extent you are able?

How about the ministries, pastors, evangelist and even politicians you support, do they truly serve others?

One of the many ways a person shows they are a true believer in Christ Jesus is by being a servant. 

There are many in our world today who believe the greatest person is the wealthiest, or most successful in business or in politics. In Christianity that is not so. Jesus himself flips that idea around, saying.

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and servant of all”

Is this you?

Please think about it.

The rights of the poor

 The rights of the poor

"A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge."Proverbs 29:7.

Here’s something those calling themselves Christians should think about. In Jewish law there is a thing called Tzedakah.

Here’s a definition I got from a Jewish website.

"The word "tzedakah" is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. 

In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due....

Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. 

Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper..."

I believe this is what James meant when he wrote,

"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 believe Christians from every walk of life, especially if they are materially blessed, a politician, or a pastor or an evangelist has a duty to help the poor.

Are you doing what you can to help the poor?

Please think about it.

Apart from God

Apart from God

The Psalmist states,

“You are my Lord; 

apart from you I have no good thing.”

                                               Psalm 16:2

If you consider yourself a true believer in Christ Jesus can you truly say what the Psalmist is saying here?

Please think about it.

Justice, Love, Kindness

  Justice, Love, and Kindness

The Prophet Micah said,

“He (God) has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8.

This is for many people hard to do. It’s very easy to see the wrong someone does. Many people who call themselves Christians are quick to point out the sin someone is committing.

This is not what God wants of all those who call themselves Christian. Of those who claim to be true followers of Christ Jesus.

Yes it’s true the apostle Paul said,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23.

But you’re not going to win a soul to Christ if you don’t first show justice, love, and kindness to those around you.

When a person sees you love them and do not judge them. It is they will listen to you and the Holy Spirit can work in their lives.

The late evangelist Billy Graham once said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                                 Billy Graham.

If a person is honest with themselves they will know they are not perfect. They know more than anyone else the mistakes they make. They know they sin Not only that many people hang on and quite often brood over their mistakes.

As Christians it is our job to show Gods love to them and remind them of what the apostle John said,

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."1John 1:9.

If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Will be saved

 Will be saved

The apostle Paul writes,

"for all have sinned 

and fall short of the glory of God," 

                                             Romans 3:23.

The encyclopaedia Britannica states, 

“Sin, moral evil considered from a religious standpoint. Sin is regarded in Judaism and Christianity as a deliberate and purposeful violation of the will of God”.

It is something we all have done at one time or another. 

Sin separates us from God. Thus God sent Christ Jesus to pay the price for our sins and open the door to heaven. The apostle Paul writing,

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

The apostle John writes,

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.

The apostle Paul stating 

“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.

Do you believe this? If so have you confessed your sins to God? Have you accepted Jesus Christ into your life?

Please think about it.

Leave Judgement to God

  Leave judgement to God

Jesus said,

"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 6:37.

If you are a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus, do you judge other people? If you see someone with a lifestyle you disagree with do you judge them?

According to what Jesus is reported to say in the above quote from Luke’s gospel you shouldn’t be judging anyone.

When we judge someone outside our faith we give them the right to judge us. 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.

The American Evangelist Tony Campolo said,

“Let us preach Christ, let us be faithful to proclaiming the Gospel, but let's leave judgement in the hands of God.” Tony Campolo.

So if you believe in Christ Jesus if you claim to be a Christian are you doing this?

Please think about it.

A Sacred Duty

   A Sacred 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.

We Christians. We who believe in Jesus Christ have a sacred duty to perform. A responsibility to God, to point people to heaven. To make disciples for Christ. It is that simple. 

We must do our best to present the gospel of Christ to those around us in a loving and caring way.

Thus the question becomes; If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus are you doing your best to present the Gospel message to those around you?

Please think about it.

A Mote of celestial dust

   A mote of celestial dust

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

In him was life, and that life was the light of men....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1-4,14

         Above it a picture taken by the Voyager space craft from a distance of 6 billion Kilometres, (4 billion miles).

Carl Sagan said,

"From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it's different. Consider again that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam." Carl Sagan.

What amazes me more than this is that God chose to set foot on that pail blue dot in the form of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. And He did so to point mankind to Heaven.  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.  

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.

Believe it or not.

Please think about it.

I Know

  I know

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

                                                                     Psalm 19:1

When it comes to Gods existence, God wants us to have faith that He exists. But I don’t believe He expects blind faith.

Ben Zion Bokser writes,

"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.

The more science reveals to us about the world, indeed the universe around us. The more they are discovering that it is created in such away as to allow life to exist as we know it.

Stephen Hawking one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century said,

“The universe and the laws of physics seem to have been specifically designed for us" Stephen Hawking.

William Philips Nobel prize winning Physicist, said.

“I believe in God more because of science than in spite of it"William Philips.

Werner Heisenberg father of Quantum Mechanics Nobel prize in physics notes,

“The first gulp from the glass of natural science will make you an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you" Werner Heisenberg.

These men who are far more knowledgeable than me have come to the realization that God exists through their work in science.

That being said there are many out there who don’t believe the science. They simply have the idea that God doesn’t exist, which is their right.

The question is do you believe God exists?

Please think about it.