Gods Demonstration

 Gods Demonstration

Jesus said,

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 1:10,11.

The apostle Paul wrote,

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

I believe these words to be true. I believe God sent Christ into this world to show in human terms how far He would go to point each individual to heaven.

The question however is, Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

You cannot say

  You cannot say

In John’s gospel we read,

"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth."— John 1:14.

One day we will all stand before God to be judged. On that day we will never be able to say to God “you did not know what it is to be human.”

We will not be able to say this because God knows what it is to be human. You see God entered this world in the form of Christ Jesus.

Jesus while on this earth experienced all that their was to be human. He was a refugee, his parents having to flee to Egypt to avoid the murderous wrath of Herod.

Jesus knew what it was like to be persecuted by those who should have welcomed him, the holy men of his day.

He knew what it was to be flogged and put to death for a crime He didn’t commit. 

On a more mundane level Jesus knew what it was like to smell the flowers. To feel the sun and rain. He attended weddings and other events. He cried over the death of a friend.

In short Jesus experienced all that there is to be human. 

More importantly He offers eternal life to all who believe in Him. 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.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

Do you acknowledge God?

  Do you acknowledge God?

The Psalmist speaking about God states,

"He guides the humble in what is right

 and teaches them his way." 

                                                   Psalm 25:9.

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways acknowledge Him, 

and He will make your paths straight."

                                              Proverbs 3:5,6.

Do you trust in the Lord with all your heart? 

Do you humble yourself before God and learn of His ways?

Do you in all your ways acknowledge God?

Please think about it.

Time to Praise

  Time to Praise

The Psalmist writes,

Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; 

praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; 

praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, 

praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, 

praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, 

praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD. 

                                 Psalm 150.

A simple question... do you praise God in any of the ways the Psalmist is telling us to do?

Please think about it.

Speak of Gods righteousness

  Speak of Gods righteousness

Speaking about God. The Psalmist states,

"My tongue will speak of your righteousness 

and of your praises all day long." 

                                                               Psalm 35:28.

If you consider yourself a Christian do you speak of the righteousness of God to those around you when you get the opportunity?

By this I don’t mean force your beliefs on someone. I mean tell them softly and in love about what you believe. Engage in an open and respectful conversation in which you listen to them and what they believe also.

For its only in engaging people in respectful conversation that they will listen to us. And the message of salvation we offer them through Christ Jesus.

Please think about it.

Seek and Pursue

  Seek and Pursue

The Psalmist states,

"Come, my children, listen to me; 

I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 

keep your tongue from evil 

and your lips from speaking lies. 

Turn from evil and do good; 

seek peace and pursue it." 

                                                     Psalm 34:11-14.

Do you love life and desire many good days?

Next question. Do you keep your lips from lying?

                Do you turn from evil?

                                Do you seek Peace and Pursue it?

Please think about it.

A note to Christians

  A note to Christians

In the book or Colossians we read,

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:16,17.

This portion of scripture needs little explanation. As believers in Christ Jesus we are to let His teachings dwell in us both in word and deed. 

We are to admonish one another when there are problems in love.

And above all in all we do, in word and deed do it in the name of Jesus.

If you consider yourself a Christian,

Don’t just think about it. 

Do it!

The choice is up to you

  The choice is up to you

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.” John 3:16,17.

I read a sobering statistic the other day. It stated that approximately 160,000 people world wide die each day. 

We all know that one day we will be a part of that statistic. The cold hard fact is every person born will one day die..

Thus the question becomes; where will you spend eternity?

It’s a question we need to settle here and now. 

Do you believe in Christ Jesus and that He is the way to heaven or not?

The choice is yours.

Start with Love

  Start with Love

Matthews gospel record, 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.

Jesus here is echoing what the God is telling us to do in the book of Deuteronomy,

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  

Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  

Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9.

As this new year starts let us all do our best to follow what God is telling us to do. Remembering the definition of true love being,

"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.

Please take time to show true love to all you come in contact with throughout the coming year.

Rest in Jesus

  Rest in Jesus.

In the gospel of Matthew we read Jesus saying,

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.

Today is the last day of the year of our Lord 2023. It has been a year of trials for my family and I. A year that proves what Jesus said in the scripture verses quoted above is true.

I cannot imagine going through what I have gone through without Jesus. Without the ability to turn to God in prayer and see those prayers answered. 

Question: Do you know God? Have you received the Saving Grace offered to all who believe in Christ Jesus?

The early apostles certainly did. And even though they were beaten, stoned, put in prison and even put to death they still believed.

Here’s a challenge for you if you have never accepted Christ into your life.

Take some time this coming year to read the New Testament and see what the early church and the apostles believed. Then decide for yourself if it is true or false.

Please think about it.

In the House of Mourning

 In the House of Mourning

The writer of Ecclesiastes states,

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour. 

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.

The writer of Ecclesiastes is telling us that ultimately all of the things we do on this earth is meaningless. All that we have “toiled to achieve” is meaningless. It’s meaningless because we will leave them in this world when we depart to stand before God.

Later on he writes,

"The thoughts of the wise are in the house of mourning,

 but the thoughts of fools are in the house of pleasure."

                                                                             Ecclesiastes 7:4.

At first glance this statement seems unusual, but think about it. We will one day die. All of our possessions will be passed on to others while we will stand before God. Our only possessions being the words and deeds we did in this world.

Thus we should always keep in the back of our mind what we will take with us when we stand to be judged by God.

As a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus. I firmly believe the most important thing we can do in this world is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul writing,

"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.

Do you believe in The Lord Jesus Christ?

Please think about it.

What fruit are you eating?

  What fruit are you eating?

In proverbs we read,

“The tongue has the power of life and death, 

and those who love it will eat its fruit.” 

                                                              Proverbs 18:21

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, 

but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 

                                                               Proverbs 12:18

In the book of James we read,

“Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, 

but it makes great boasts. 

Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.”  

                                                                                      James 3:5.

Simply put what we say and do can cause great harm or great good. And we will be judged not only by God but by those around us.

So the message is be careful when you speak. For you will eat the words that come out of your mouth.

Remember what the writer of Proverbs said,

"Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,

 and discerning if he holds his tongue." 

                                                             Proverbs 17:28.

Please think about it.