If you believe with your heart

  If you believe with your heart.

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. Romans 10:9,10.

There is no need for explanation of this portion of scripture. It says what it says.

If you confess Jesus is Lord.

If you believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead.

You will be saved.

So the question becomes: Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

A new Hope

  A new Hope

The Apostle Peter writes,

"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, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  1Peter 1:3-5.

Peter here makes it clear all who believe in The Lord Jesus Christ have been given a new birth and a living hope. An inheritance that cannot “perish, spoil or fade. Kept in heaven...”

Do you have this hope? OR is all your hope in the things of this world that one day will perish, spoil or fade?

Is your faith in God and the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus?

Please think about it.

I will tell

  I will tell

The Psalmist writes,

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

I will tell of all your wonders. 

I will be glad and rejoice in you; 

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High." 

                                                             Psalm 9:1,2

In Psalm eight we read 

“O LORD, our Lord, 

how majestic is your name in all the earth!” 

                                                            Psalm 8:9.

I believe in God. I believe that we only have to look at the universe around us. From the most magnificent Galaxy to the smallest subatomic particle all are related. 

Earth the planet we live on is in the perfect place for life as we know it to exist. I can’t believe this is by chance.

Knowing all of this I am amazed that the creator of the universe would come into the world he created to show the people he created the way to heaven. And I thank God for that.

That is why I tell people about God and His one and Only Son Christ Jesus.

Because I want the world to know God loves them. 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

Please think about it.

Jesus God in the Flesh

  Jesus God in the flesh

In the book of Hebrews we read,

"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  Hebrews 1:3.

The apostle John referring to Jesus as “The Word” States,

“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.” John 1:1-4.

In 1 John the apostle writes,

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  

The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.  

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  1John 1:1-3.

Those writing this have been, talked to and even touched Jesus. They were close to Him and believed that He was and is God in the flesh.

The question however is do you believe this?

Before you answer the question however I would challenge you to read the New Testament and see what the writers of it thought about Jesus.

Please think about it.

Faith that leads to the grave

   Faith that leads to the grave

In the book of acts we read,

“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  

He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."” Acts 16:30,31.

It is that simple. Christians believe if you truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you will be saved. You will go to heaven.

But is belief a simple thing.

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for.” Hebrews 11:1,2.

In Hebrews 11:6 we read,

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.

Having faith in someone or some thing you cannot see or touch can be very difficult for many people. That I believe is why God wants us to have faith. Because people who have true faith in something will quite literally follow their beliefs to the grave.

Is this the kind of faith you have in Christ Jesus?

Please think about it.

Even in time of Trouble.

  Even in time of trouble.

The apostle Paul writes,

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

Experience is the best way to help people. Here Paul speaks about God being there to comfort us in times of trouble. But he doesn’t stop there. He tell us that as we experience Gods comfort in times of trouble, we can assure others that God will be there to comfort them in times of trouble.

Are you going through times of trouble? Be assured that God is there for you.

The apostle Paul wrote,

"And we know all things work together for good 

to those who love God 

to those who are called according to His purpose." 

                                                                                     Romans 8:28.

God has a purpose for you even in your times of trouble.

Please think about it. 

He knows you. Do you truly believe in Him?

  He knows you. Do you truly believe in Him?

The Psalmist writes,

“For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mothers womb

I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.

My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began.” Psalm 139:13-16.

Simply put according to the Psalmist God knows you from the day of conception. They question however becomes, do you know God?

The writer of Hebrews stating, 

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.

Do you believe in God? 

Do you truly believe in God?

Please think about it.

Not Ashamed

  Not Ashamed.

The apostle Paul writes,

“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord,...” 2Timothy 1: 8a.

As Christians we should never be ashamed of telling those around us about the Love of Christ that comes through Christ Jesus.

The apostle Paul later on in his second letter to Timothy states,

"Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13.

So if you consider yourself a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus do you tell the world around you about Christ Jesus?

Are you faithfully testifying to the world around you about Jesus without being ashamed in any way?

Please think about it.

You have a purpose

  You have a purpose

The apostle Paul writes,

"For we are God's workmanship, 

created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 

which God prepared in advance for us to do"

                                                                       Ephesians 2:10.

Everyone has a purpose in life. For the Christian it is to do good works in the name of Jesus. To tell people about the love of God that comes through Christ Jesus. To show the people around them the way to heaven.

If you consider yourself a Christian are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Are you willing to pay the price?

  Are you willing to pay the price?

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.

This is how important Jesus and the salvation God offers through Him should be to us. We should be willing to sell everything we have to follow Christ.

The gospel of Mark records Jesus as saying,

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34.

Sadly all to many people here in North America don’t count the cost of following Jesus. With all the freedoms we have we can do as we wish with not real consequences providing we don’t hurt someone.

In other parts of the world however following Jesus has a price. It can be anything from being shunned by family, to being force to leave their home, to prison, to being sentenced to hard labour in prison camps to death.

Yet despite the possible consequences people around the world truly believe they have found that “pearl of great value” and are willing to die for it.

Question... If you consider yourself a true Christian are you willing to pay whatever price is required to follow Christ. Are you willing to die for the cause of Christ?

Please think about it.

The question is do you?

  The question is do you?

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  

The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.  

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. " 1John 1:1-3

The apostle John makes it clear here that he is writing this letter that the reader may know that he as seen and touched “that which was from the beginning” meaning from the creation of the world.

In his gospel John states,

"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

John firmly believed that Jesus was God in the flesh. And that salvation and eternal life came from Him. 

The question is do you?

Please think about it.

This is the testimony

  This is the testimony

The apostle John speaking about Jesus states,

“And this is the testimony: 

God has given us eternal life, 

and this life is in His Son.  

He who has the Son has life; 

he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

                                                                           1 John 5:11-12.

This statement is one of the corner stone statement of Christianity. God has given us eternal life through His one and only Son, Christ Jesus.

In John’s gospel Jesus is recorded as saying,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.

 No one comes to the Father except through me.  

                                                                          John 14:6.

If these two statements are false and as some say there is a multitude of ways to heaven. Then no one needs to worry.

If on the other hand they are absolutely true statements. Then those who do not believe these statements, have at the very least a lot to think about.

So dear reader, what do you think?

Is Jesus the only way to heaven?

Please think about it.