Let us make every effort

 Let us make every effort.

The apostle Paul writes,

So then, let us pursue what promotes peace 

and what builds up one another 

                                                                                       Romans 14:19 (CSB)

The New International Bible translates it this way,

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace 

and to mutual edification.”

                                               Romans 14:19.

Christians are called to do what they can to ensure peace. We are to lift others up not tear them down.

I think this can extend to not only other Christians but to those around us. The apostle Paul earlier in his letter to the Romans states,

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 

live at peace with everyone.”

                                                           Romans 12:18.

Francis of Assisi wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is discord, harmony;

Where there is error, truth;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

                                                                  Francis of Assisi

Are you doing your best to live at peace with not only other Christians but with those who are not Christians. Those who don’t believe as you do.

Please think about it.

Explanation not necessary

 Explanation not necessary 

In the book of Genesis we read,

"In the beginning 

God created the heavens and the earth." 

                                                              Genesis 1:1.

Here is a concise statement written to believers in God. And as such needs no explanation. 

Over the centuries believers have looked around and seen the hand of God. The Psalmist writes,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

                                                                   Psalm 19:1.

In the book of Job we read,

"He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; 

He suspends the earth over nothing." 

                                                        Job 26:7.

Even today as scientist study the world around us and the universe in which we live they are proving that everything is linked. From the smallest subatomic particle to the largest galaxy are all connected. 

Scientist say we are in the perfect place for life to exist as we know it.

Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics

"Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with a very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural') plan." Dr. Arno Penzias

William Philips Nobel prize winning Physicist states,

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 writes,

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.

Even Stephen Hawking one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century stated,

"It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us,"

Now I say all this to ask you dear reader do you believe in God?

Please think about it.

Is it true?

 Is it true?

In the gospel of John 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.

This is what a man that walked and talked with Jesus believed. He and Jesus’ other disciples believed that through Jesus all things were made.

If these men are lying then it is the greatest lie in all of history because close to three billion people around the world today believe it.

The question is do you believe the words above written by the apostle John a man who walked, talked and sat under the teachings of Jesus is true or a lie.

Please think about it.

With your mouth

  With your mouth

The apostle Paul writes,

"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.” Romans 10:9,10.

Many people calling themselves Christians are not. True they say Jesus is Lord but its just an intellectual belief. They don’t truly believe it in their heart.

So my question to you is; Do you deep down in your heart believe Jesus is Lord?

Please think about it.

In no other

  In no other.

In the book of Acts we read,

“He is " ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'  

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:11,12.

Jesus said,

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6.

These two statements are part of the bedrock on which the Christian faith is based. We firmly believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven. 

Thus the question become do you believe this?

If Christians are wrong no one has to worry about getting to heaven. 

If on the other hand Christians are right. Then at the very least those who do not believe in Christ have a lot to consider.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it!

Do you force it

  Do you force it?

The apostle Peter wrote,

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”1 Peter 3:15.

Are you prepared to respectfully give a reason for why you believe in Jesus? Sadly many who claim to be Christians are not. Worse still many calling themselves Christians want to force their faith on people. They even try to force governments to pass legislation that will force their faith on people.

All this does is force people away.

We as Christians must strive to present the gospel of Jesus Christ in a respectful way. If we want to see how we simply have to look at how the apostle Paul did so in Athens (Acts 17:17-34). Paul respected the beliefs of the Athenians while presenting the Gospel of Christ. The results were mixed. Some wanted to hear more. Some sneered at what he said. While some believed him.

When you present the gospel of Christ do you respect the beliefs of the people you’re presenting that gospel to?

OR do you try to force your beliefs on someone?

Please think about it.

The Teacher said

  The Teacher said,

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 neighbor as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40.

So my question to you, if you consider yourself a Christian; Do you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind?

Please think about it.

Blessed are you

  Blessed are you

Jesus said,

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11,12.

There are a great number of Christians in this world who are persecuted and put in prison for simply believing in Jesus. This has been going on since the very early days of the Church.

To say persecution is a hard thing to go through is an understatement but to those who follow Jesus despite being persecuted great is their reward in heaven

If you are a Christian please pray for the persecuted church around the world. Remember your brothers and sisters in the Lord who are in prison, or being forced to leave their homes for simply following Jesus.

Pray for those who persecute Christians around the world. Jesus 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.

Please if you are a Christian reading this don’t just think about praying for the persecuted church. Do it!

Who are you bowing to?

   Who are you bowing to?

The Psalmist writes,

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

before the "gods" I will sing your praise."

                                                               Psalm 138:1.

It is important that we as Christians are not ashamed to praise God. The world has many ‘gods' and sadly all too many people calling themselves Christians are bowing down to these gods be it the god of materialism, a politician, or even a preacher, teacher or evangelist we follow blindly.

As Christians we must always keep our priorities strait. We must focus on God and praise Him with our whole heart.

Are you praising God or are you bowing to the gods of this world?

Please think about it.

Evidenced in good works

  Evidenced in good works

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

Lets make one thing clear according to the apostle Paul,

"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.

James is not speaking against this belief. Rather James is pointing out that true faith in Christ is evidenced in good works. 

He points out,

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

James notes that simply acknowledging there is a God (having an intellectual acknowledgement that God exists) is not enough as he states, "Even the demons believe that..."  

Simply saying to a person who is in need of food, shelter and clothing "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," is not enough. We need to put legs on our prayers and help them as much as we can.

Are you doing what you can to help those in need?

Please think about it.

So you force it or present it?

  Do you force it or present it?

We must remember that Jesus 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.

That being said the only way we can reach the world around us is to sit down with non-Christians and present the gospel of Christ in the spirit of love.

We cannot do this if they see us as trying to force our beliefs on them. We cannot reach them if they believe we are trying to force our morals on them. 

It is not the Christians job to try to impose or get governments to legislate morality.

We live whether Christians wish to acknowledge it or not, in a secular society. There is no such thing as a government based on Christian principles. While some of our laws are indeed based on the Bible many are not.

This means; especially, if we live in a democratically elected free society, that governments will enact legislation that we may not like. But it's not our job to try and change that legislation. That is providing the legislation is not harming people or restricting the rights of Christians and non-Christians. 

In a democratic society change is something that takes place in ballot box. Where Christians and non-Christians alike have their say.

The apostle Paul while awaiting his death after being imprisoned by the emperor Nero wrote,

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."  1 Timothy 2:1,2.

Paul and Jesus lived in a society that was every bit as diverse as we have today. Roman society was a society that found entertainment in men and women being murdered in gladiatorial fights. A society with many gods and as we would say today lifestyles.

I'm sure when the Apostle Paul entered Athens he was appalled at what he seen. Yet he never criticised the Greeks for what they believed in.

Instead Acts 17:17-34 tells us Paul started by noting there was a temple to "an unknown God". Then going on to present the Gospel message. The results of the message were mixed. Some wanted to hear more. Some sneered at what he said and some believed.

Question: when you tell people about the gospel of Christ do you force it on people or present it, letting them make their minds up for themselves?

Please think about it.

Remember this

  Remember this

"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

Put this way it means;

If you are

demonstrating against anyone. 

You are telling them 

they can demonstrate against you.

If you are 

speaking out and trying to restrict the rights of others 

given to them by the lawfully elected government.

You are telling others 

they can try to restrict your rights.

If you are 

imposing your morals on others

however good they may be.

You are telling them 

they can impose their morals on you, 

even if they are not as good as yours.

If you are 

trying to impose your faith on others 

rather than presenting your faith.

You are telling others 

they can impose their faith on you.

If you are

judging others.

You are telling others 

they can judge you in the same way.

If you 

are telling the world you are a Christian

You should be telling the world 

I love you as Jesus loves you,...

unconditionally.

Please think about it.