Do people see God in you?

  Do people see God in you?

The apostle Peter writes,

“If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1Peter 4:11.

What Peter is saying here is; If you are a Christian your life should always reflect God. So that God may be praised. 

Thus the question becomes, If you are a Christian a true believer in Christ Jesus, is your life reflecting God?

When people see your deeds and here your words, do they see the Love of God reflected in them?

Please think about it.

Do they see it?

  Do they see it?

In the book of Ephesians we read,

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

                                                                                                      Ephesians 4:1.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, do you live a life worthy of Him?

When people see your life do they see the fruit of the spirit?

The fruit of the spirit being listed in the book of Galatians as,

love, 

joy, 

peace, 

patience, 

kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness,  

gentleness...

self-control.... 

Galatians 5:22.

Do people see these fruits in your words and deeds?

Please think about it.

Their Stronghold

  Their Stronghold

The Psalmist writes,

"The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; 

he is their stronghold in time of trouble." 

                                                                      Psalm 37:39

We many go through a lot in life but if we put our trust in God, He will be there for us in our time of trouble.

That being said it takes a man or woman of faith to truly trust God in the hard times of life.

Do you trust God in both the good times and hard times of life?

Please think about it.

Treat others

  Treat others

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.

This is something I live by. We must be willing to treat others the way we would like to be treated. By doing so we can reach the world for Christ. If we fail to do so we risk turning people away from Christ.

Question. Do you treat people the way you like to be treated?

Please think about it.

A Believers Pledge

  A Believers Pledge

I’ve listened with interest and disgust over the last little while at the debates in political circles around the world but particularly in the United States. 

Sadly it seems hate and prejudges seems to be flooding into our society from all directions. Even men and women calling themselves Christians are being drawn into it.

With that in mind I felt prompted to write this the Believers Pledge.

As a believer in Christ Jesus,

I pledge...

To Love.

I Pledge...

As far as it depends on me...

To live at peace with all people.

I Pledge...

Never, Never, Never! To attack anyone...

Physically, or verbally.

Even if I vehemently disagree with them in any way.

I Pledge...

Never to demean anyone.

No matter their race, their ethnicity, their religion, or their lifestyle.

I Pledge...

As far as humanly possible,

To uphold the dignity of all whom I come in contact with.

I Pledge...

To obey the words of Christ Jesus who said,

“So in everything, do to others what you would have others do to you

for this sums up the law and the prophets.” 

                                                     Matthew 7:12.

   Please think about it.

God's Love

 God's love

The apostle Paul wrote,

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:38,39.

God’s love for mankind is incredible. While God has given each person the right to choose whether they believe in God or not. He still reaches out in love to not only those who believe in Him but those who don’t.

Jesus speaking of Himself showed how far God would go to reach everyone on the world He created, when He 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.

 So my question is; do you believe in God.

Please think about it.

Life is eternal

 Life is eternal

In Ecclesiastes we read

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11.

C. S. Lewis stated,

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."  C.S. Lewis.

Lewis was right. Life is eternal. This life is just the beginning of a journey that continues on through eternity. 

This life however determines where we will spend eternity. 

As a Christian I believe following Christ leads us to an eternity in heaven. That being said it is up to each individual to decide for themselves if my beliefs are right or wrong.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it.

You are the light

  You are the Light 

Jesus said,

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16.

This is as clear as it can be. If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus “you are the light of the world”.

The apostle Paul wrote,

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.

We are Christ’s ambassadors. Christ’s representative on this earth. We are the ones who have a duty to spread the salvation message throughout the world.

So my question to you is; Are you telling the world around you in word and deed, about the Salvation that comes from God through Christ Jesus?

Please think about it.

Theirs and your fruit

  Theirs and your fruit

The apostle Paul writes,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control....” Galatians 5:22,23a

Above are listed what the apostle Paul stated were true Christian fruits. If we look at a person who claims to be a Christian we should see these fruits.

This should be doubly so for our religious and political leaders.

As believers in Christ Jesus we should be looking to see if those we follow are exhibiting 

 love, joy, peace, 

patience, kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control

Question; Do you and the people you support exhibit these qualities?

Please think about it.

The resurrection and the life

 The resurrection and the life

In the gospel of John we read,

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes Lord" she told Him, "I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world," John 11:25,26,27.

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.” John 3:16.

Believing that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, is the cornerstone of Christian belief. We Christians believe that by believing in Christ Jesus we will have eternal life with Him in heaven.

The way I see it I have nothing to lose by truly believing this.

Blaise Pascal wrote,

"Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists." Blaise Pascal.

So where will you place your wager?

Please think about it. 

Will you be with Jesus?

 Will you be with Jesus?

The Psalmist writes,

"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, 

whose hope is in the LORD his God,

 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—

the LORD, who remains faithful forever.” 

                                                                Psalm 146:5,6.

Are you blessed by God? Is your hope in God.

The apostle Paul writes,

"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 

"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 2:10-13.

So do you truly love God? 

Are you willing to suffer and die for Jesus?

Will you live with Jesus?

Will you reign with Jesus?

Please think about it.

You'll be treated the same way

 You'll be treated the same way

Luke’s Gospel records this incident between Jesus and a rich man,

“A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.  

You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.''" 

"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. 

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.” Luke 18:23. 

The message here is simple. Anyone wishing to become a Christian must be willing to give everything up for Christ.

Jesus never promised us riches or an easy life. He simply offered us eternal life with Him in heaven after this life is over.

In fact Jesus said,

"Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." John 15:20.

      When becoming a Christian one must remember that they will be treated in the same way the world treated Jesus

Please think about it.