A question

A Question

"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

Someone asked me, What do you most desire from Christians living in America?
I replied, That Christians turn to the back to the Bible. Stop mixing politics with their faith, and follow at least three things Jesus said,
1/ “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
2/ “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.
3/ “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
If Christians followed these three things, the world would change for the better.
Please think about it.

Words

Words
In the book of Proverbs we read,

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, 

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” 

                                                      Proverbs 12:18.

Over the years I’ve been a Christian I’ve seen many things done in the name of Christ that should never have been done.
I’ve seen men and women both in the pulpit and in the pew that have said things that turn people away from God.
I’ve heard well meaning Christians say Atheist are going to burn in hell and expect to win Atheist to Christ. Hell being something an Atheist could care less about since they don’t believe in Hell.
I’ve seen Christians standing in front of Abortion clinics with signs condemning the practice.
While this may at first glance seem a good thing. It isn’t. If anything it will push people away from Christ.
Billy Graham the American evangelist wisely said,

"It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge

 and my job to love," 

                                 Billy Graham.

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.
The reason for Christ’s coming to this earth was to save individuals. To offer them eternal life with God. This is what Christians should be doing.
We have no right to judge anyone outside the church. The Apostle Paul said,
"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
         Jesus said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2.
While I am not in favour of abortion it unfortunately is allowed in our secular governed society.
It perhaps is also a failure of the Church. That for many years heaped condemnation on women for getting pregnant out of wedlock, instead of showing them the unconditional love and compassion of Christ and providing them with help when they most needed it.
Likewise I cannot condemn an Atheist who’s turned further from God by hearing some Hell fire and brimstone Christian. A Christian who should have been sitting down and reasoning with him or her in good faith.
Sadly for a multitude of reasons Christians forget the words

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, 

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” 

                                                      Proverbs 12:18.

Do you?
Please think about it.

What are you saying

What are you saying
Jesus said,
"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.
This if you will is the prime directive of all Christians. We are to go and make disciples of all nations.
The way I see it is we are not to get involved in politics or combine our faith with other philosophies or anything else. We are to go into all the world and tell people of the saving grace of Christ Jesus.
And! Like it or not if we tell the world we are a Christian. The world is watching us. They are watching our every move. Francis of Assisi put it this way,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon 

some persons will hear today” 

                                            Francis of Assisi.

So my question to anyone claiming to be a Christian is.
What is your sermon telling people about yourself and Christ?
Please think about it.

Do not Mestreat

Do Not Mistreat
In the book of Exodus we read,

“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, 

for you were foreigners in Egypt.” 

                                           Exodus 22:21.

Here is, it seems, a verse forgotten by many calling themselves Christians here in Canada and the United States.
Not so long ago I was invited to an informal breakfast with a group of men from various churches at a local coffee shop. I’d been there before and knew that while we feasted on eggs, bacon and potatoes prepared in various ways, the discussions would be lively covering a wide range of topics.
I was not disappointed.
Prominent in the discussion was the immigration and refugee question. One man in particular was worried that the influx of certain groups would change Canada fundamentally. That laws would be changed to accommodate them and we’d all have to live by that law.
Sadly what he was saying is not all that uncommon within some circles. I even had a woman in the congregation I attend come up to me and say the same thing.
In both cases neither knew anyone from the group they were talking about. And when I asked what they found offensive about the law they feared would come in they couldn’t tell me. Both were ignorant and ignorance breeds fear.
That being said God himself tell us,

“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, 

for you were foreigners in Egypt.” 

                                           Exodus 22:21.

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, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”Matthew 5:43-45
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 neighbour as yourself.'  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40.
The way I see it refuges and immigrants are a mission field coming to our doorstep. Many are fleeing a horrible situation in their homeland looking for a better life.
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.
If you consider yourself a Christian would you want to be sent back to a situation that put you and your family in danger? I think not.
Therefore as Christians we should be showing the unconditional love of Christ to those who come to this country.
I know I am eternally thankful for those Christians who showed me, a new immigrant, at to Canada the time, the love of Christ.
If you consider yourself a Christian. Please consider carefully the way you view refuges and immigrants.
Not only that take a good look at yourself and examine how you look upon all those who may be different from you. Ask yourself the question. Am I truly showing those around be the love of Christ?
Please think about it.

Eternity and you

Eternity and you
In the book of Ecclesiastes we read,
“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 labor. 
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.
If there is no God then the above statement is true.”everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind;...”
Some atheist say when we die we will live on in the memories of others. A statement that is not completely true. Perhaps if we have made a great discovery we may be remembered in some history book. But most of us will be forgotten within a generation or so.
Ask yourself, where was your great, great, great grandmother or father born? What was the colour of their eyes? What was their favourite piece of music? Where is their grave? What was their greatest achievement? Few people can answer these questions.
So my question to anyone who does not believe in God is where is the purpose in life if we are forgotten within a few generations? If all we are on this earth to do is procreate.  If all our achievements are only remembered in some dusty history book.
The way I see it without God life is meaningless. God’s existence makes life worthwhile. God gives us something to look forward to when this life is over. Eternal life with Him.
The writer of Ecclesiastes after a close examination of life states,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14. 
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.
Ultimately the choice is yours. You can choose to believe there is no God, or you can choose to believe in God.
Think carefully about it for the choice you make, I believe, has eternal consequences.
Please think about it.

What are we?

What are we?

“A voice says, “Cry out.” 

And I said, “What shall I cry?” 

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

because the breath of the LORD blows on them. 

Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of our God stands forever.” 

                                                      Isaiah 40:6-8

The poet writes,

What are people?

What are they?

Are they but shadows in the mall?

Are they?

Are they shadows in time,

Shadows wandering...

 collecting the latest trinkets, bobbles and beads.

What is life?

What?

Is life but a wisp of smoke carried in the air?

A wisp in the eternal aether 

Are people wisps?

What of man’s, or woman’s! accomplishments?

What of them?

Is the sum total of all ones life simply 

a pile of shinny tin, brass, and wood?

Is that life?

Is life simply a cacophony of sounds travelling through endless time?

Is it?

Or 

Is life.

Yours and mine...

 more?

Is it a divine opera?

An opera played out on a high mesa 

A stage suspended between heaven and hell.

Are we as Shakespeare said simply actors?

Life,

 I believe, 

Is an opera played out before God.

Lived in a world suspended between heaven and hell.

And we,

We are real life actors in a high stakes play.

Actors who write their own script.

Actors awaiting the final curtain call 

That sends us to eternity.

Are you ready for the final curtain call?

Are you?

What is the sum total of your life?

What?

What will “they” say about you as you pass on?

What will God say?

Where will you spend eternity?”

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.  
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.

All take the ride

All take the ride

                  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

The poet wrote,

“Ticket”

“Where am I?

What, am...

I doing here?”

“You are her.”

Says the Conductor.

“Your ticket please.”

“I bought no ticket.

I took no ride.

Where am I?”

“Your ride is over,         You are here.                  All take the ride.

Your ticket’s paid for,   Says the Conductor          You are here.

Your ticket please,      Please your ticket.          Your ticket.”

“I took no ride!

Where am I?

I demand to know!

I took no...

ride...

Am I...”

“You are here.

All take the ride.

The ticket paid for,

With My blood.

“I am here...

I have no ticket...

And you are...”

                                                         “Jesus.”

Is Christian belief Foolishness?

Is Christian belief Foolishness?
       Luke's gospel records,
"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23:32,33.
Here we have one of the most important incidents in the whole history of Christianity, the crucifixion of Jesus. The apostle Paul has noted of the crucifixion of Jesus,
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1Corinthians 1:18.  
As one person noted to me, “God does not do things the way man would do them.”
Certainly to man’s way of thinking having the Saviour of mankind crucified seems counter intuitive. After all God could have revealed himself to mankind in all his glory and people would have believed in him.
There is to my way of thinking a flaw in thinking that if God was suddenly to appear in all his glory it would produce true believers in Him.
Quite the contrary if this happened many would believe in him simply because they feared what He could do to them. That’s not what God wants.
God wants true believers. Jesus said,

“God is spirit, 

and his worshipers must worship 

in spirit and in truth.”

                                John 4:23.

The writer of Hebrews states,
“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
The writer of Hebrews defining faith as,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see."  

                                         Hebrews 11:1.

God knows a true believer will follow Him in good times and in bad. No matter what the circumstances are. True believers believe in the death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. True believers believe Christ had to die for the sins of each individual. Even if in human terms that doesn't make sense.
What do you believe?
Please think about it. 

He who does not

He who does not
James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" James 2:12,13.
This I firmly believe is not only a warning to Christians it is a warning to everyone. “Judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.”
While Christians believe it that you are saved by faith we also believe that, that faith should spur us on to good works.
James tells us,
“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.
Doing good. Helping those in need. Helping the sick. Are universal truths that all people can understand. These are deeds that please God.
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.
Ultimately it comes back to what 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.
If you were in need, or sick, or in need of help of any kind would you not want someone to help you if they could.
Please think about it.

As you have done

As you have done
In the book of Obadiah we read,
“The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your head.” Obadiah 1:15niv.
We need to consider this verse of scripture carefully. God will one day judge all people and nations. God speaking through the prophet Obadiah makes it clear “as you have done, it will be done to you....”
Jesus tells this story,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”Luke 16:19-31
The rich man in this story could have had compassion on Lazarus but he didn’t. He showed a complete lack of compassion. And while he got away with not helping Lazarus in this world. He payed the price in the next.
This rich man in his lifetime showed the love of God was not within him. Thus on the day he died he was punished for his lack of compassion and understanding.
Lazarus on the other hand was comforted.
This serves as a warning to all people be they pastors, politicians, evangelist, the average men and women. All people.
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.
What Jesus is saying could be interpreted this way.
If you treat people badly. Then you are saying you want to be treated badly. If you treat people without compassion. Then you want to be treated without compassion.
Please think about it.

You

You
           In the book of Exodus we read that God tells us,

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

                                                            Exodus 20:3.

Here is one of the absolute values of Christianity. Christians are to have no other god’s except the Lord God Almighty.
Sadly however to many people especially here in North America have many other gods. Gods that they put ahead of the One True God. These gods range from the god of materialism, to the gods of politics, to their love of self and much more.
As Christians we must be careful that we don’t let other gods into our lives. Just because you have said the sinners prayer doesn’t mean you will necessarily get to heaven.
Leonard Ravenhill an English/American evangelist has said,

“The sinner's prayer has sent more people to hell 

than all the taverns in America.” 

                                                   Leonard Ravenhill

“I doubt if 5% of professing Christians in America are born again

and that's true of England!” 

                                  Leonard Ravenhill 

To be a Christian you have to truly believe the teachings of Christ and to put those teachings in your day to day life. You have to be willing to give up everything. As someone has said,

F. A. I.T. H. 

Forsaking 

All             

I               

Take Him. 

That means putting aside the gods of this world, materialism, money, politics, self. It means being willing to follow Christ to the grave if necessary.
So my question to anyone reading this who claims to be a Christian is, Are you willing to
Forsake all and follow him?
Please think about it.

A Sermon from Athens

A sermon from Athens
The following is to my mind one of the best sermons ever spoken. It is recorded in the book of acts.
It was spoken by the Apostle Paul in Athens and makes it clear what he and the church of that day believed. The book of acts states,
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.   Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”  
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.” Acts 17:17-34.
To the non-Christian I would ask what would your reaction to Paul’s sermon be? Would you sneer, want to hear more, or would you (will you) believe what Paul said?
To the Christian I would ask. If someone saw you discussing your faith in a modern market square, would non-believers the modern day equivalent of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers invite you to present your faith to them?
Please think about it.