A Caution to the Wealthy

  A Caution to the wealthy

Jesus told this story,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31.

The message here I believe is quite strait forward. It is aimed at those who are rich and I believe at those in political power who have the means to help the poor.

We are not told here whether the rich man during his life believed in God. He however knew about what Moses and the Prophets said and obviously didn’t listen choosing to go his own way. A way that ended in torment.

Thus the question becomes; If you who are reading this are wealthy, or have political power, what are you doing for the poorest of in society?

Please think about it. 

Helping those in need

  Helping those in need

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.

Here is a warning to all those who call themselves Christians. As Christians we are called to help those in need.

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.

If you consider yourself a Christian are these your issues?

Read what Jesus said in Matthew 25:41-46 carefully. Do you fall into this category?

Please think about it.

The King will say

  The King will say

"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.' Matthew 25:34-36.

When you stand before God what will He say about you?

Will He note that you have helped the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, those who needed clothing. Will he note you remembered the prisoner and visited him?

We as individuals cannot necessarily do all of these things, but we can do some of them. We can give to a food bank or even offer to volunteer at the food bank. We can volunteer with a prison ministry.

There are many little things we can do even if it’s only dropping some spare change at a Salvation Army kettle during Christmas. 

The question however is are you willing to do this? You many this side of eternity never get recognition for what you do. But God sees what you do and in the long run that is all that is important?

So what are you doing to help those in need around you? Pray and ask God to show you what you can do.

Please don’t just think about it. 

Do it. 

What are you noted for?

  What are you noted for?

In the book of Acts we read,

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.” Acts 9:36.

What are you noted for? Your faith? Your good deeds? What?

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.

So does your deeds reflect your faith?

Do you do what you can to help others?

Please think about it.

Your best

 Your best

The Apostle Paul writes,

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.

We are human. We make mistakes. That being said the apostle Pauls admonition to Timothy and through him to us is to do our best when presenting the word of God to those around us.

God understands we are human and all the frailties we have. That’s why I firmly believe He will judge us justly, based on what we know.

So, are you doing your best to present the word of God in spirit and in truth?

Please think about it.

Remember them

 Remember them

Jesus said,

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  

Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.  

They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.  John 15:18-21.

We will from time to time suffer for our faith. There are many Christians around the world as you read this suffering for their belief in Christ Jesus. These men, women, and children in prison or prison camps. Men women and children forced to leave their homes because they believe in Christ.

We who believe in Christ Jesus living here in the western democracies have a lot to give thanks for. At the same time we need to be praying and doing what we can to help the persecuted Church around the world.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

False Prophets and teachers

False Prophets and Teachers

The apostle Peter warns,

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  

  Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  

In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 2 Peter 2:1-3.

The Apostle Peter couldn’t have made it more clear. There were people in the past who were false prophets and just as then there will be false prophets in the church today.

Sadly many Christians don’t study the Bible for themselves. They rely on pastors evangelist and other teachers to teach them the scriptures. Relying on them to be preaching the truth all of the time.

Sadly as a result of this many people have been led astray. These false prophets and teachers will one day be judged by God. In the mean time however it is up to each believer to watchout for these men and women.

Thus the question is; Have you ever questioned if what a pastor, evangelist, or Christian teacher is teaching correct?

Do you even study the Bible for yourself?

Please think about it.

Ready to repent?

  Ready to repent?

In Johns gospel we read,

"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.

Here John clearly states that Jesus whom he refers to as “the word” is God incarnate. John and the other apostles truly believed that Jesus was God in the flesh sent down to show mankind the way to heaven.

The apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost said,

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:36-39.

The question I pose to you today is do you believe this?

If so are you willing to admit you are a sinner and turn to Christ?

Please think about it.

Freedom began

  Freedom began

 The writer of Genesis states,

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." 

                                                                                            Genesis 1:1.

  The Bible dose not debate the existence of God. It simply says "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" and leaves it there.

   Abba Hillel Silver wrote,

 "Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority." Abba Hillel Silver.

As I look at individuals around the world be they from primitive tribes to the most advanced society on earth, each person seems to instinctively know what is right and wrong. I cannot believe this is because of evolution, or a group of stone age men sitting around a rock and deciding what should be right and wrong.

Knowing right and wrong seems to be in our very DNA. I believe put there by God Himself.

In order to have true freedom we need to acknowledge there is a God and that God has given us freedom to do as we wish. That includes the right to do what is right or wrong according to Gods law.

Even Adam and Eve had complete freedom. They had the right to choose to obey God with respect to not eating of the tree of “the knowledge of good and evil”(Genesis 2:16). They chose to eat of it and suffered the consequences for doing so.

The same is true of people today. We have the choice to follow the basic rules God has set down for mankind or ignore them. Leaving us to accept the consequences of our actions. 

Thus my question for you the reader are you following Gods most basic of rules as listed in Exodus 20:2-17. Paraphrased here,

1/You shall have no other gods before Me.

2/You shall make no idols.

3/You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

4/Keep the Sabbath day holy.

5/Honour your father and your mother.

6/You shall not murder.

7/You shall not commit adultery.

8/You shall not steal.

9/You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10/You shall not covet.

Please think about it.

Only by Love

  Only by Love.

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 neighbor and hate your enemy.'  

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,..." Matthew 5:43,44

Napoleon the late emperor of France said,

  "...can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory?... Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him." Napoleon Bonaparte.

Jesus made it clear we are to love God our neighbour and even our enemy

Sometimes when I look at what tries to pass for Christianity here in North America where I live, I wonder if it truly is Christianity.

There are groups that look upon Christians as bigots intent on taking away their rights. There are others who see Christians intent on gaining political power so they can force their agenda on others. Neither of these groups see love.

Martin Luther Kin jr. the late American civil rights leader rightly said,

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

                                                                                   Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love opens doors to present the gospel of Christ Jesus. This is why we as believers in Christ Jesus must Love, God, family, friend and foe alike.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

The writer writes

 The writer writes

Jesus said,

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.... 

Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:27,28,31 

The Eleven O Clock Parable

  It’s eleven o clock. Inside the court house a judge is about to make his ruling. A community, a nation waits.

  Will the new law be legal?

 Outside the court house men and women with placards chant. On one side of the street stand a group of gay men and women. All in favour of the new law.

 On the other side of the street separated by a line of police stand radical evangelicals, denouncing the new law.

 One man among them screams angrily . “HOMOSEXUALS ARE GOING TO HELL!!!”

 Approached by the media he says it again, “homosexuals are going to Hell.”

 From my office window I watch asking myself the question, ‘is this man an Christian?”

  Wasn’t it Christ who told us not only to love our neighbour but our enemy also?

  Wasn’t it Christ who told us not to judge, lest we be judged likewise?

 Wasn’t it Christ who said go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?

 Is this man showing love?

 Is this man judging another?

 Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world?

 A question keeps rolling through my mind for which I know the answer, “Can we truly know what is in someone else’s head?

 Do we really know why a person is like they are?”

 For a moment I stare down at the crowd. All the time asking myself who is on the way to Hell this day.

 Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, “Lord guide me this day. Let me make the right decision on this law.”

Question: If you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus would you vote in favour of a law that restricts the rights of someone else?

Remember 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.

Please think about it.

The Poet writes

  The Poet writes

                                                           Ticket”

                                                      “Where am I?

                                                          What, am...

                                                        I doing here?”

                                                        “You are her.”

                                                     Says the Conductor.

                                                      “Your ticket please.”

                                                     “I bought no ticket.

                                                          I took no ride.

                                                           Where am I?”

      “Your ride is over,                  You are here.                    All take the ride.

       Your ticket’s paid for,           Says the Conductor            You are here.

        Your ticket please,                 Please your ticket.              Your ticket.

                                                                                                   please.”      

                                                      “I took no ride!

                                                         Where am I?

                                                      I demand to know!

                                                          I took no...

                                                             ride...

                                                            Am I...”

                                                    “You are here.

                                                     All take the ride.

                                                   The ticket paid for,

                                                    With My blood.

                                                   You were offered

                                                       The Ticket

                                                    Did you refuse?”

                                                   “Wait a minute...

                                                     I am here...

                                                    I have no ticket...

                                                    And you are...?”

                                                         “Jesus.

                                                     Your Judge

                                                           OR

                                                    Your Saviour?”

The apostle Paul referring to Jesus with respect to God’s judgement wrote,

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  

For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30,31

Please think about it.