Do you Know?

  Do you know?

In Proverbs

Those who trust in their riches will fall, 

but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

                                                               Proverbs 11:28

The Psalmist writes,

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, 

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

                                                                            Psalm 20:7.

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....

"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 16:19-21,24.

C. S. Lewis wrote,

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future

 to a known God." 

                                  C. S. Lewis

Thus my question to you the reader is do you know the God of the writer of Proverbs, Psalms? Do you truly know Jesus?

If not why not take some time to read the New Testament and see what those who knew Him best said about Him.

Please think about it.

Who do you believe in?

Who do you believe in?

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.

As Christians we believe you cannot live a life good enough to enter heaven. That being said we believe that Jesus paid the price for our sins when he died on the cross. But Jesus did not stay in the grave. He rose again to life. He walked briefly on the earth, was seen and spoken to by some of His followers before being taken up to Heaven.

The apostle Paul believed this telling us that anyone who truly believes that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead they will get to heaven.

Thus all who read about Jesus must decide for themselves if what the apostle Paul and all the other disciples said about Jesus is true. 

So the question is. Do you believe Jesus Lord Saviour of all who would believe in Him or not.

Please think about it.

What the Apostle Peter Believed

  What the Apostle Peter Believed.

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.

The apostle Peter one of the men closest to Jesus during His life on this earth truly believed that all who believed in Jesus has a new birth a living hope that came from the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Peter believed that all who believe in Jesus has an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for us.

Thus my question to you is; Do you believe this? Do you have an inheritance waiting for you in Heaven?

Please think about it.

The Key

  The Key

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

Here in a nutshell is why Jesus came to earth. He didn’t come to condemn the world but to save the world. 

Jesus came to give each and every individual a Choice. You can either choose to follow Jesus and accept the salvation He offers or you can reject that offer of salvation. 

If Christians are wrong about this choice there is no need to be afraid. If on the other hand Christians are right about this. Then at the very least everyone has at the very least a lot to consider.

Please think about it.  

Why do Christians Preach?

  Why do Christians Preach?

Jesus said,

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  

When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46.

People have asked me why Christians want to tell the world about Jesus. Well the words of Jesus here recorded in Matthew 133:44-46 says it all.

Christian believe that having a personal relationship with Christ Jesus is the most important thing in their lives and they want to introduce those around them to this belief. A belief they believe has eternal consequences.

So do you believe Jesus is the one and only Son of God, Saviour of all who would put their trust in Him?

Please think about it.

Have you heard The Song?

  Have you heard The Song?

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

 the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

                                                                   Psalm 19:1

There are many around that say God does not exist. That is their choice and I respect that.     That being said I do believe in God. I believe that God made the universe and everything in it. 

I believe it because looking at the science of the universe I see a universe that is perfectly designed so that life as we know it exists. Something I cannot believe happened purely by chance.

I believe we don't have to see God to know He exists.

There is a beautiful work written by Ben Zion Bokser that states,

“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.

Have you heard this song?

Do you believe God exists?

Please think about it.

Are you

  Are you?

The apostle Paul writes,

“Love must be sincere. 

Hate what is evil; 

cling to what is good.  

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 

Honour one another above yourselves.” 

                                                          Romans 12:9,10.

Here is another must for Christians for those who believe in Christ Jesus. 

1/ Our love must be sincere at all times.

2/We must hate evil in all its forms. 

3/We must cling to what is good.

4/We must be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

5/We must honour others above ourselves.

Perhaps a sixth point would be to pray and ask God to show us what is good and what is evil, because it seems to me that Christians at times fail to see what is right and wrong.

Never has this been more important that in 2023. We have seen last year, in both North America and around the world evil rise. Not only that evil is rising under the guise of doing right. 

As I looked at the so called freedom convoy here in Canada and the make America great again in the United States. I see people who espouse to be Christian, fooled into thinking what these groups are doing is right.

But are they. 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.

Think about this. Do you honestly believe that those involved with the freedom convoy or make America great again would allow others to protest against them?

Do you honestly believe that those people who want to take away the right to same sex marriage, a right given them by a duly elected secular government would bow down and accept their rights being taken away.

When Jesus made the 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.

He didn’t say you had to always agree with the people around you. What He made clear was treat other people the way you wish to be treated.

So are you doing this?

Are these things active in your life?

1/ Sincere love at all times.

2/ hating evil in all its forms. 

3/Cling to what is good.

4/Devoted to one another in brotherly love.

5/Honouring others above ourselves.

Please think about it.

The definition of Christian Love

  The definition of Christian Love.

The apostle Paul writes,

"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.

These are the words of the Apostle Paul. They are the definition of Christian love. For someone to call themselves a Christian and not follow this definition of love, is at the very least a slap in the face to God.

If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus are you showing this kind of love to God, your family, your neighbour, and even your enemy?

Please think about it.

Aliens

  Aliens

The apostle Peter states,

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:11,12.

If you are a true Christian, you represent God and the kingdom of Heaven. You are in the world but not a citizen of the world. You are a citizen of Heaven and thus living as an alien in this world.

Sadly particularly for individuals living here in North America they see themselves as a Canadian or American first and a Christian second, or worse they equate their earthly citizenship with being Christian.

For me it is of prime importance that we who call ourselves Christians. True followers of Christ Jesus, remember we are citizens of heaven. As such we must remember to represent God in the best possible way.

Please think about it.

Declaring His Praises

 Declaring His Praises

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. 

                                               Psalm 134:1,2.

From what I’ve read this Psalm is written to those who serve The Lord, the Levitical workers and priests. 

The apostle Peter stats

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1Peter 2:9.

So as believers in Christ Jesus we should be praising God.

Are you taking time at the very least each day to praise The LORD?

Please think about it.

Go Proclaim

  Go Proclaim 

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.

To proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the whole world around them is the duty of all who claim to be Christians. Of all who claim to be true followers of Christ Jesus.

Jesus saying this was not New Testament thing. The Psalmist writes,

"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.

Thus my question to you is are you telling those around you about Jesus? Are you proclaiming Gods salvation at the very least to your family, friends and neighbours?

Please think about it.

A Longing

  A Longing

The Psalmist writes,

“As the deer pants for streams of water, 

so my soul pants for you, O God.”

                                                      Psalm 42:1 

Have you ever been out on a very hot summers day and find you want a drink of water. You long for a drink of cool clear water. But not just a drink. You want to just gulp a full glass or more to quench your thirst.

This is how it should be for those who believe in God. We need to be so thirsty for the truths God gives us in the Scriptures, that we long to have a deep spiritual drink.

Is this you today?

Why not take time today to pray and read the Bible. Asking God to show you the spiritual truth that are within it and how they relate to you.

Please think about it.