Our duty

  Our duty

In proverbs we read,

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13.

In the book of Leviticus we read,

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

Do you do what you can to help the poor, even if it’s just giving a small amount to a reputable charity or church?

Have you ever slipped a couple of dollars, to a beggar on the street?

I’ve heard many say if I give to someone on the street how do I know they are not going to buy drugs? The answer is you don’t. But that’s between them and God. You are not responsible for what they do with the money you give them. You have given because you think it’s the right thing to do. You should not be judging them.

As believers in Christ Jesus it is our duty to do what we can to help others.

Are you?

Please think about it.

Love with Actions

  Love with actions

The apostle John writes,

"This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.... 

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:11,17,18.

The Bible is full of admonitions to the believer to help those in need. 

In the Talmud we read,

“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.

Are you making the world around you a household of Love?

Please think about it.

Do you serve?

  Do you serve?

In the book of Galatians we read,

"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13.

Do you serve others especially those who are in your church congregation?

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 I ask the question. Do you serve? Do you help those in need in word and in deed?

Please think about it.

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.