“As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.
Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”
Matthew 20:29-34
What I’m always amazed by in the scripture is the compassion of Jesus. He cared for the individual.
Case in point the above scripture. The crowd told the blind men to be quiet but Jesus saw their need and met it.
No matter how many crowded around him he took time for the individual. We see this in Matthew 9:18-22, when the woman with the issue of blood comes and touches his cloak. She did it quietly in faith.
Jesus realized what she did, turned and said, “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” (Matthew 9:22).
Jesus had tremendous compassion on the people around him. He set the example for us.
We should have compassion on those around us no matter who they are.
I remember seeing a poor man, a so called ‘street person’, in the down town portion of our city. He was hiding from the wind in between the double doors of a shopping complex.
It was a horribly cold day and the man didn’t have any gloves. I watched a well dressed man walk into the doors. He paused for a few seconds and tossed the man his gloves.
Then on his way out he handed the man a gift card from the coffee shop he’d just entered. I watched as eyes of recipient of the kindness light up, and he thanked the man.
I wondered to myself how many other people had just walked by that cold man that day and did nothing.
We as Christians need to learn to have compassion on all people. Matthew 7:1 makes it clear we have no right to judge anyone.
Our church congregations should be a place of love and acceptance, of compassion for all people.
Over the years sadly I’ve heard sermons from the pulpit speaking against everything from political parties, to people who have a social drink of wine, to rock and roll, to people with lifestyles that are different from the status quo in the church.
If we in the church speak out against such things we will never win these people to Christ.
Our churches must be as inclusive as was Jesus who was accused of sitting with sinners.
Our love for all people must shine. We must be known for our love and compassion for everyone whether we agree with them or not. For it is only by doing so that we will reach the world around us for Christ.
This is what it is to be Christian.
Think about it.
Wednesday 8 January 2014
Tuesday 7 January 2014
Can you imagine
“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
John 11:38-44
Christians make if you think about it, what could be considered outrageous claims. The above is one example.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Quite the feat four days after Lazarus had died.
It’s interesting here that it is four days, because it was believed that the persons spirit hovered near the body for three days. By the forth day it would have been gone. Martha noting that by this point there would be a bad odour, or to put it as the king James version puts it, “by now he stinketh.” The body was starting to decompose.
Still Jesus raised him from the dead.
If you think about this logically to put such a claim in writing for the world to read is, if not true, counter productive to bringing people to believe in Jesus.
The gospel of John was written depending on who you listen to, between 50AD and 80AD. Certainly within living memory of the people mentioned in the incident.
Therefore when it was written more than likely there would have been people around who knew Lazarus. Who knew whether he died or not and was raised by Jesus.
Even looking at it from the context of the twenty-first century Christians most certainly believe this is true. Just one of many miracles Jesus did.
For the this event or for any miracle mentioned in the bible not to be true is certainly counter productive to the spreading of the gospel. And who in their right mind would make claims that are not true and expect people to follow what they believe?
Everything that is claimed in the Bible is true and Christians ask people everywhere to believe those claims.
It all comes down to faith.
The Bible presents people with the truth about Jesus and God and asks them to accept those facts.
To as Paul said to the jailer,...“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31.
The decision is yours.
I challenge you if you haven’t read the Bible to read it. Especially the New Testament.
Read it, but before you do say this brief prayer.
Dear Lord God
If you are real, if you exist, show yourself to me through the reading of the Bible.
Now after you have said that prayer I would ask only that you read the Bible with an open mind that God may show you that he truly does exist. And that he is a rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Think about it.
If you have any questions you can Email me at nealbelieves@gmail.com
“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
John 11:38-44
Christians make if you think about it, what could be considered outrageous claims. The above is one example.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Quite the feat four days after Lazarus had died.
It’s interesting here that it is four days, because it was believed that the persons spirit hovered near the body for three days. By the forth day it would have been gone. Martha noting that by this point there would be a bad odour, or to put it as the king James version puts it, “by now he stinketh.” The body was starting to decompose.
Still Jesus raised him from the dead.
If you think about this logically to put such a claim in writing for the world to read is, if not true, counter productive to bringing people to believe in Jesus.
The gospel of John was written depending on who you listen to, between 50AD and 80AD. Certainly within living memory of the people mentioned in the incident.
Therefore when it was written more than likely there would have been people around who knew Lazarus. Who knew whether he died or not and was raised by Jesus.
Even looking at it from the context of the twenty-first century Christians most certainly believe this is true. Just one of many miracles Jesus did.
For the this event or for any miracle mentioned in the bible not to be true is certainly counter productive to the spreading of the gospel. And who in their right mind would make claims that are not true and expect people to follow what they believe?
Everything that is claimed in the Bible is true and Christians ask people everywhere to believe those claims.
It all comes down to faith.
The Bible presents people with the truth about Jesus and God and asks them to accept those facts.
To as Paul said to the jailer,...“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31.
The decision is yours.
I challenge you if you haven’t read the Bible to read it. Especially the New Testament.
Read it, but before you do say this brief prayer.
Dear Lord God
If you are real, if you exist, show yourself to me through the reading of the Bible.
Now after you have said that prayer I would ask only that you read the Bible with an open mind that God may show you that he truly does exist. And that he is a rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Think about it.
If you have any questions you can Email me at nealbelieves@gmail.com
Monday 6 January 2014
Jesus Prays
“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”
John 17:1-5
In the above prayer Jesus makes clear that he is indeed God’s son and that his purpose in coming to earth was to glorify the father. That God has granted Jesus the authority over all people that he might give eternal life to them.
He makes it clear what eternal life is when he says,
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
It is important that we know God personally. That we enter into a personal relationship with God by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus.
Jesus states in this prayer that he was with God before the world began, and he asks to be restored to that position. A position to which he was restored after his death resurrection and ascension, where he rose to sit at the right hand of the Father.
We to can have the opportunity to enter into the very presence of God as his children. Johns gospel stating,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
John 1:12,13
That is the amazing thing about Christianity, it claims we can become children of God simply by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
In Jesus, God reached down to his creation. To mankind and offered us the free gift of eternal life by simply accepting Jesus into our hearts and lives.
It is a decision each individual can only make for themselves no one can make it for them.
Just because you are born of Christian parents does not mean you are Christian. One must make that decision for ones self when one fully understands what they are doing.
Will you dear reader give you’re life to Christ this day?
Think about it.
Email me at nealbelieves@gmail.com.
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”
John 17:1-5
In the above prayer Jesus makes clear that he is indeed God’s son and that his purpose in coming to earth was to glorify the father. That God has granted Jesus the authority over all people that he might give eternal life to them.
He makes it clear what eternal life is when he says,
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
It is important that we know God personally. That we enter into a personal relationship with God by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus.
Jesus states in this prayer that he was with God before the world began, and he asks to be restored to that position. A position to which he was restored after his death resurrection and ascension, where he rose to sit at the right hand of the Father.
We to can have the opportunity to enter into the very presence of God as his children. Johns gospel stating,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
John 1:12,13
That is the amazing thing about Christianity, it claims we can become children of God simply by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
In Jesus, God reached down to his creation. To mankind and offered us the free gift of eternal life by simply accepting Jesus into our hearts and lives.
It is a decision each individual can only make for themselves no one can make it for them.
Just because you are born of Christian parents does not mean you are Christian. One must make that decision for ones self when one fully understands what they are doing.
Will you dear reader give you’re life to Christ this day?
Think about it.
Email me at nealbelieves@gmail.com.
Sunday 5 January 2014
God Knows
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139:13-16
The psalmist makes it clear here that God knows us from our mothers womb. He knows our very genetic make up. It is he who ordained all the days that we have to live.
We may not know the day of our departure from this world but God does. As a result he gives every man woman and child on this earth every opportunity to meet him on a personal level.
Throughout our lives we have a choice as to what we will do with our life. We have a choice as to whether or not we want to follow God.
God understands what it is to be a man. That’s why Jesus came to this world. To experience all that it is to be human from the best things in life such as celebrating at someone’s wedding to suffering the agony of a crucifixion for a crime he didn’t commit.
It is precisely because he understands that he sent Jesus into this world to offer us salvation.
He understands that life can be hard. That all people question at some point in their life, what is life all about and he gives an answer.
His call to all mankind is
“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.”
Matthew 11:28,29
I believe firmly in what Jesus said as recorded in Matthew,
“...the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father....”
Matthew 13:43a
The choice as to whether you shine with the righteous or not is entirely up to you the individual.
We are given one life, and the ultimate statistic tells us we will not get out of it alive.
The choice then is yours where will you spend eternity?
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139:13-16
The psalmist makes it clear here that God knows us from our mothers womb. He knows our very genetic make up. It is he who ordained all the days that we have to live.
We may not know the day of our departure from this world but God does. As a result he gives every man woman and child on this earth every opportunity to meet him on a personal level.
Throughout our lives we have a choice as to what we will do with our life. We have a choice as to whether or not we want to follow God.
God understands what it is to be a man. That’s why Jesus came to this world. To experience all that it is to be human from the best things in life such as celebrating at someone’s wedding to suffering the agony of a crucifixion for a crime he didn’t commit.
It is precisely because he understands that he sent Jesus into this world to offer us salvation.
He understands that life can be hard. That all people question at some point in their life, what is life all about and he gives an answer.
His call to all mankind is
“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.”
Matthew 11:28,29
I believe firmly in what Jesus said as recorded in Matthew,
“...the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father....”
Matthew 13:43a
The choice as to whether you shine with the righteous or not is entirely up to you the individual.
We are given one life, and the ultimate statistic tells us we will not get out of it alive.
The choice then is yours where will you spend eternity?
Saturday 4 January 2014
Children of God
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
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 1:10-14
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
The scripture tell us that to all who receive Jesus into their hearts and lives to them he gave the right to become children of God.
What an awesome promise. We as believers becoming children of God simply because we believe in his name.
I know of no other religion that makes that claim.
All we have to do is believe not just intellectually but with our very being.
It’s simple to accept things intellectually. To have a head knowledge of what one is studying about. Many people have an excellent knowledge of the bible. They know all the facts and figures. They know what Jesus and the writers of the bible spoke about. But they fail to believe. To take a step of faith and go beyond the intellectual acknowledgment that things are true and walk day by day in faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,
We can understand all the facts in the bible that’s the easy part the hard part is learning to walk by faith.
To pray and listen to what God wants for our lives then put it into action.
Abraham intellectually new there was a God and it could have ended there. But Abraham was a man of faith who listened to God then took a step of faith even when it may not have seemed logical.
The writer of Hebrews noting,
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.”
Hebrews 11:8,9
This is what faith is. Stepping out not always knowing where we are going but at the same time trusting that God has a plan for our lives.
Do you truly have faith in God or are you only intellectually believing there is a God?
Where do you stand?
Think about it.
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
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 1:10-14
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
The scripture tell us that to all who receive Jesus into their hearts and lives to them he gave the right to become children of God.
What an awesome promise. We as believers becoming children of God simply because we believe in his name.
I know of no other religion that makes that claim.
All we have to do is believe not just intellectually but with our very being.
It’s simple to accept things intellectually. To have a head knowledge of what one is studying about. Many people have an excellent knowledge of the bible. They know all the facts and figures. They know what Jesus and the writers of the bible spoke about. But they fail to believe. To take a step of faith and go beyond the intellectual acknowledgment that things are true and walk day by day in faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 We can understand all the facts in the bible that’s the easy part the hard part is learning to walk by faith.
To pray and listen to what God wants for our lives then put it into action.
Abraham intellectually new there was a God and it could have ended there. But Abraham was a man of faith who listened to God then took a step of faith even when it may not have seemed logical.
The writer of Hebrews noting,
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.”
Hebrews 11:8,9
This is what faith is. Stepping out not always knowing where we are going but at the same time trusting that God has a plan for our lives.
Do you truly have faith in God or are you only intellectually believing there is a God?
Where do you stand?
Think about it.
Wednesday 1 January 2014
The Beginning
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth....” Genesis 1:1
“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.
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 1:1-3,14New Years day. A time for some to reflect on things past.
As for me I feel it’s a time to thank God for all that He has brought us through over the past year. To thank him for His mercy in our lives. A time to simply say “thank you Lord that I have a new year, a blank slate to do as I wish and with your help to do what you wish me to do.
The bible makes it clear that God created the heavens and the earth. It also makes clear that Jesus (the Word) was in the beginning with God. That,
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
That
“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.”
That our infinite Almighty, Creator God took time to come into the world and experience what it was like to be human with all the temptations and physical limitations.
Jesus experienced everything human. Think about it.
He was knew what it was to be a child growing up. He obviously had friends that he played with.
As a teenager he undoubtedly did things teenagers did.
We know while in his teens he surprised his parents by sitting with the teachers in the temple listening to them and asking them questions.
Jesus undoubtedly understood what it was to be human. That is why He has the right to judge everyone on the face of the earth.
No one on judgement day can ever stand before Jesus and say you don’t understand what it is to be human, because He does.
Because He understands, he understands why He was sent. Why mankind needed a Saviour. Why He had to die in a most hideous way for our redemption.
That is why he offers salvation and freedom from judgment to all who come to know him. The apostle Paul wrote,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9.
The choice entering this new year is ours. Is yours dear reader. Will you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savour or will you turn away.
Please think about it.
The Answer
“Turn to me and be saved,all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.”
Isaiah 45:22Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus God through Isaiah the prophet showed that salvation was for the whole world.
“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”
Isaiah 45:22We cannot be good enough to stand before God Isaiah notes, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6
That is why Jesus came to this world. In Jesus our sins are taken away.
The Psalmist states,
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
Psalm 103:8-13Take note of the words of the Psalmist. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
We must have a reverential fear of God. We must respect Him and all that He is.
The apostle Paul in his sermon to the Athenians said,
“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.”
Acts 17:29-31Jesus made things clear when he answered Thomas by saying,
“...“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6.God always gives us a choice. You can accept Him for all He is, or you can reject Him. There is no middle ground.
The answer to what life is all about is in the Bible. All one must do is read it. Read it with an open mind asking God to show you just who He is and what He wants for your life.
The Bible makes it clear when John quotes Jesus as saying,
“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 3:16,17Will you this day receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?
Think About it?
Monday 30 December 2013
The Lord is my Shepherd
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23What more can we want than the Lord as our Shepherd?
With God in our life we can go through anything. Even in the midst of sorrow and trials God is there for us.
Psalm 139:13-18 states,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.”
To put your trust in God is a wonderful thing.
We will go through a lot in life but if we know the Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we have nothing to fear.
A few years ago I was found to have a cancerous tumour on my leg. Worse yet it had spread to the lymph nodes in my groin.
As a result I had underwent an operation to remove the tumour and the affected Lymph nodes.
Thirty nine days later I was rushed to hospital with two massive blood clots in my lungs and one in my groin, the result of the cancer surgery.
I could have died. Yet I felt no fear.
I honestly can’t say I quoted any particular scripture. Although both Psalm 23 and 139 did come to mind.
I can however remember being completely calm. I had no fear because I knew God was with me. And Christians always win.
Were I to die I knew I would be in the arms of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Were I to live, which obviously I did. I would have a wonderful testimony of how God was there for me.
God has always been there for me. Letting God into my life was the best decision I have ever made.
Over the fifty-nine years I have lived, sadly, I have witnessed a lot of personal tragedy. Yet I know God has always been their for me.
And he can be for you. Will you at least consider making Jesus Lord of your life today.
Think about it.
Friday 27 December 2013
Weeds
“He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
Matthew 13:37-43 Jesus explaining the parable of the weeds.
Jesus in explaining the parable of the weeds makes it clear that one day there will be judgment on the earth.
That weeds, the “sons of the evil one” will be plucked up and burned in the fire. In other words the world will be cleaned up once and for all. The evil of the world removed leaving the true believer to “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
Weeds can infest everything. They grow easily even when the good seed cannot.
The church is not immune from weeds and sin creeping in.
Over the years we have heard of many prominent evangelist who have let sin enter their lives and thus has destroyed their ministry.
There are also ministers and evangelist out their who are out their perverting the word of God for their own gain.
We must as Christians be careful about who we put our trust in.
We need to look long and hard at what the minister or evangelist is saying. We need from time to time question what they are saying. Asking does what they are saying truly line up with the overall word of God. Or is the person just ‘cherry’ picking. Putting together verses that make what the preacher is saying sound correct, when it really isn’t.
We need to examine what is being said.
Look at all the verses quoted in the context they were used in the chapters they were taken from.
As Christians we need to be asking hard questions of our pastors, teachers and evangelist.
It is essential that we ask them to explain anything we don’t understand or seems like it is being misinterpreted.
An honest preacher will never shy away from questions.
My pastor and I jointly teach a bible study every Wednesday. We have an agenda. We study various books of the bible and biblical topics systematically.
We are however open at any time to questions about anything.
For us a typical bible study opens by asking if anyone has any questions about anything before we start the study. People are also encouraged to stop us at any time during the study to ask questions.
The questions asked particularly prior to the start of the study have been from a wide range of topics, usually unrelated to our study. They are questions people have about what they have read during the week to what they have heard on television, radio or other forms of media.
We do our best to answer all the questions then and there. Which praise God we have nearly always been able to do so.
Every now and then while we can quote the verse pertaining to the answer we sometimes can’t find it. At that point we tell the person we’ll have the quote for the following week or for Sunday.
This I believe is how it should be.
We are even going to the point of bringing a lap top computer to our studies in the new year as one more resource in helping us study better.
I truly believe the individual should be able to question the pastor or priest of their own church. They should be able to write and expect an answer from evangelist about what they have spoken.
I believe it is up to the individual to pray and read the scriptures asking God for guidance. It is up to us to read commentaries on the scriptures from reputable sources as well as read some church history.
We in the west particularly here in North America have a great deal of resources at our finger tips. Be it from the library, Christian book stores, or the internet, the ability to inform ourselves on what is right doctrinally is there.
By being well informed we can see for ourselves when a church leader, be they a bible study teacher, priest, pastor, or evangelist is wrong and can take appropriate action to avoid the false teaching.
In a world of mass media it is easy for false teaching to enter the church. It is easy for sinful men to masquerade as honest teachers.
Jesus makes it clear that all those who do evil will one day be plucked up and cast into the fire. Until then however we need to be aware. Asking God to lead us to all that is truth.
So going into this new year of 2014 let us all pray that God will show His glorious truth through His people wherever they may be.
May this year truly be a year when all Christians everywhere reach a record number of people for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
Matthew 13:37-43 Jesus explaining the parable of the weeds.
Jesus in explaining the parable of the weeds makes it clear that one day there will be judgment on the earth.
That weeds, the “sons of the evil one” will be plucked up and burned in the fire. In other words the world will be cleaned up once and for all. The evil of the world removed leaving the true believer to “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
Weeds can infest everything. They grow easily even when the good seed cannot.
The church is not immune from weeds and sin creeping in.
Over the years we have heard of many prominent evangelist who have let sin enter their lives and thus has destroyed their ministry.
There are also ministers and evangelist out their who are out their perverting the word of God for their own gain.
We must as Christians be careful about who we put our trust in.
We need to look long and hard at what the minister or evangelist is saying. We need from time to time question what they are saying. Asking does what they are saying truly line up with the overall word of God. Or is the person just ‘cherry’ picking. Putting together verses that make what the preacher is saying sound correct, when it really isn’t.
We need to examine what is being said.
Look at all the verses quoted in the context they were used in the chapters they were taken from.
As Christians we need to be asking hard questions of our pastors, teachers and evangelist.
It is essential that we ask them to explain anything we don’t understand or seems like it is being misinterpreted.
An honest preacher will never shy away from questions.
My pastor and I jointly teach a bible study every Wednesday. We have an agenda. We study various books of the bible and biblical topics systematically.
We are however open at any time to questions about anything.
For us a typical bible study opens by asking if anyone has any questions about anything before we start the study. People are also encouraged to stop us at any time during the study to ask questions.
The questions asked particularly prior to the start of the study have been from a wide range of topics, usually unrelated to our study. They are questions people have about what they have read during the week to what they have heard on television, radio or other forms of media.
We do our best to answer all the questions then and there. Which praise God we have nearly always been able to do so.
Every now and then while we can quote the verse pertaining to the answer we sometimes can’t find it. At that point we tell the person we’ll have the quote for the following week or for Sunday.
This I believe is how it should be.
We are even going to the point of bringing a lap top computer to our studies in the new year as one more resource in helping us study better.
I truly believe the individual should be able to question the pastor or priest of their own church. They should be able to write and expect an answer from evangelist about what they have spoken.
I believe it is up to the individual to pray and read the scriptures asking God for guidance. It is up to us to read commentaries on the scriptures from reputable sources as well as read some church history.
We in the west particularly here in North America have a great deal of resources at our finger tips. Be it from the library, Christian book stores, or the internet, the ability to inform ourselves on what is right doctrinally is there.
By being well informed we can see for ourselves when a church leader, be they a bible study teacher, priest, pastor, or evangelist is wrong and can take appropriate action to avoid the false teaching.
In a world of mass media it is easy for false teaching to enter the church. It is easy for sinful men to masquerade as honest teachers.
Jesus makes it clear that all those who do evil will one day be plucked up and cast into the fire. Until then however we need to be aware. Asking God to lead us to all that is truth.
So going into this new year of 2014 let us all pray that God will show His glorious truth through His people wherever they may be.
May this year truly be a year when all Christians everywhere reach a record number of people for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Tuesday 24 December 2013
A Saviour that is Christ the Lord
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:8-11
On this day when we as Christians celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, may you find the Peace, Joy and Love that only Christ can give.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy new year to all.
Luke 2:8-11
On this day when we as Christians celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, may you find the Peace, Joy and Love that only Christ can give.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy new year to all.
Salvation
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:25-32
“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” The words of Simeon upon seeing Jesus.
Proof Christianity is about God reaching down to man.
Throughout the centuries every culture has believed in an afterlife. They have prepared the bodies of their dead for the afterlife in various ways. Everything from building the pyramids of Egypt to placing simple items people deemed important into graves.
In every case religions of the world have tried to reach up to God. To be as good as they could be.
To meditate to find ultimate enlightenment in the hopes of attaining nirvana or true perfect enlightenment.
Only in Christianity and Judaism, do we see God reaching down to mankind.
God started it all off when he reached down to Abram,
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:1,2
Because Abram followed God in faith, from his"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:25-32
“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” The words of Simeon upon seeing Jesus.
Proof Christianity is about God reaching down to man.
Throughout the centuries every culture has believed in an afterlife. They have prepared the bodies of their dead for the afterlife in various ways. Everything from building the pyramids of Egypt to placing simple items people deemed important into graves.
In every case religions of the world have tried to reach up to God. To be as good as they could be.
To meditate to find ultimate enlightenment in the hopes of attaining nirvana or true perfect enlightenment.
Only in Christianity and Judaism, do we see God reaching down to mankind.
God started it all off when he reached down to Abram,
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:1,2
Because Abram followed God in faith, from his descendants came the ultimate blessing of salvation to all people through Jesus.
In Jesus we have the infinite God, the creator of the universe enter His own creation and show in purely human terms his love for mankind and just how far He would go to redeem sinful man.
Jesus came into the world to live a perfect life and to die for the sins of every individual that has ever lived or will live.
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
Salvation is a free gift from God all one has to do is accept it.
It’s like being invited to a fine feast. The perfect meal that is beneficial to you in all ways. Yet if you do not eat it, it is of no use to you.
Jesus in John 3:18 issues a warning to those who refuse His salvation when he says “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 3:18.
There is no grey areas when it comes to salvation one must accept it as Christ points out or reject it and accept the consequences.
The choice dear reader is yours.
Think about it. came the ultimate blessing of salvation to all people through Jesus.
In Jesus we have the infinite God, the creator of the universe enter His own creation and show in purely human terms his love for mankind and just how far He would go to redeem sinful man.
Jesus came into the world to live a perfect life and to die for the sins of every individual that has ever lived or will live.
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
Salvation is a free gift from God all one has to do is accept it.
It’s like being invited to a fine feast. The perfect meal that is beneficial to you in all ways. Yet if you do not eat it, it is of no use to you.
Jesus in John 3:18 issues a warning to those who refuse His salvation when he says “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 3:18.
There is no grey areas when it comes to salvation one must accept it as Christ points out or reject it and accept the consequences.
The choice dear reader is yours.
Think about it.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:25-32
“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” The words of Simeon upon seeing Jesus.
Proof Christianity is about God reaching down to man.
Throughout the centuries every culture has believed in an afterlife. They have prepared the bodies of their dead for the afterlife in various ways. Everything from building the pyramids of Egypt to placing simple items people deemed important into graves.
In every case religions of the world have tried to reach up to God. To be as good as they could be.
To meditate to find ultimate enlightenment in the hopes of attaining nirvana or true perfect enlightenment.
Only in Christianity and Judaism, do we see God reaching down to mankind.
God started it all off when he reached down to Abram,
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:1,2
Because Abram followed God in faith, from his"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:25-32
“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” The words of Simeon upon seeing Jesus.
Proof Christianity is about God reaching down to man.
Throughout the centuries every culture has believed in an afterlife. They have prepared the bodies of their dead for the afterlife in various ways. Everything from building the pyramids of Egypt to placing simple items people deemed important into graves.
In every case religions of the world have tried to reach up to God. To be as good as they could be.
To meditate to find ultimate enlightenment in the hopes of attaining nirvana or true perfect enlightenment.
Only in Christianity and Judaism, do we see God reaching down to mankind.
God started it all off when he reached down to Abram,
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:1,2
Because Abram followed God in faith, from his descendants came the ultimate blessing of salvation to all people through Jesus.
In Jesus we have the infinite God, the creator of the universe enter His own creation and show in purely human terms his love for mankind and just how far He would go to redeem sinful man.
Jesus came into the world to live a perfect life and to die for the sins of every individual that has ever lived or will live.
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
Salvation is a free gift from God all one has to do is accept it.
It’s like being invited to a fine feast. The perfect meal that is beneficial to you in all ways. Yet if you do not eat it, it is of no use to you.
Jesus in John 3:18 issues a warning to those who refuse His salvation when he says “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 3:18.
There is no grey areas when it comes to salvation one must accept it as Christ points out or reject it and accept the consequences.
The choice dear reader is yours.
Think about it. came the ultimate blessing of salvation to all people through Jesus.
In Jesus we have the infinite God, the creator of the universe enter His own creation and show in purely human terms his love for mankind and just how far He would go to redeem sinful man.
Jesus came into the world to live a perfect life and to die for the sins of every individual that has ever lived or will live.
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
Salvation is a free gift from God all one has to do is accept it.
It’s like being invited to a fine feast. The perfect meal that is beneficial to you in all ways. Yet if you do not eat it, it is of no use to you.
Jesus in John 3:18 issues a warning to those who refuse His salvation when he says “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 3:18.
There is no grey areas when it comes to salvation one must accept it as Christ points out or reject it and accept the consequences.
The choice dear reader is yours.
Think about it.
Sunday 22 December 2013
Christ and Christians
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’’”
Matthew 2:1-6
It is believed the Magi mentioned here were from Persia. They had travelled possibly for weeks to reach Jerusalem where they ask Herod “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews.”
Herod must have been furious on the inside. Although he obviously didn’t indicate it to the Magi.
Herod the Great (37-4BC) was a ruthless ruler appointed by the Romans. He murdered his wife, his three sons, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and many, many more. Including the babies of Bethlehem.
Herod would have immediately wanted to know the whereabouts of this king whom he would perceive as a threat to his authority.
What Herod didn’t realize was he was fighting God.
God warned the Magi not to return to Herod and they returned to their homeland by another rout.
Mary and Joseph were also warned and slipped away to the safety of Egypt making Jesus technically a political refugee.
With nothing more to go on than the fact that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, Herod took his wrath out on the innocent babies of Bethlehem.
Herod like all despots failed to see the obvious, that if the prophesy was true he would be fighting God Almighty. A fight he couldn’t win.
Over the centuries many rulers have arisen and tried to take down the church. Today according to humanitarian groups Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world.
These persecutors like Herod fail to see that if indeed Christianity is the way to God. They are fighting God Himself.
The Christians over the centuries have suffered horrendous deaths. They died in the death camps of Hitler. They died for doing what was right protecting God’s people and anyone else that faced persecution under the Nazis.
Christians have died in the gulag’s of the Communist. Simply because they were Christians.
Likewise they have been crucified and tortured under the regime of Pol Pot in Cambodia and under countless other dictators and despotic regimes.
Christian churches and their houses have been burned by their opponents in riots around the world.
Yet the church still continues on with the message of God’s love and mercy to all mankind.
Perhaps of all of the great Christian leaders in my lifetime Martin Luther King jr. expressed best Christian ideals when he said,
Jesus came onto the world to offer salvation to all mankind. From the most despotic dictators such as Herod to the most innocent of children.
His message over the centuries is simple,
Will you consider giving your life to Christ?
If you have any questions please feel free to Email me at nealbelieves@gmail.com
and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’’”
Matthew 2:1-6
It is believed the Magi mentioned here were from Persia. They had travelled possibly for weeks to reach Jerusalem where they ask Herod “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews.”
Herod must have been furious on the inside. Although he obviously didn’t indicate it to the Magi.
Herod the Great (37-4BC) was a ruthless ruler appointed by the Romans. He murdered his wife, his three sons, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and many, many more. Including the babies of Bethlehem.
Herod would have immediately wanted to know the whereabouts of this king whom he would perceive as a threat to his authority.
What Herod didn’t realize was he was fighting God.
God warned the Magi not to return to Herod and they returned to their homeland by another rout.
Mary and Joseph were also warned and slipped away to the safety of Egypt making Jesus technically a political refugee.
With nothing more to go on than the fact that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, Herod took his wrath out on the innocent babies of Bethlehem.
Herod like all despots failed to see the obvious, that if the prophesy was true he would be fighting God Almighty. A fight he couldn’t win.
Over the centuries many rulers have arisen and tried to take down the church. Today according to humanitarian groups Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world.
These persecutors like Herod fail to see that if indeed Christianity is the way to God. They are fighting God Himself.
The Christians over the centuries have suffered horrendous deaths. They died in the death camps of Hitler. They died for doing what was right protecting God’s people and anyone else that faced persecution under the Nazis.
Christians have died in the gulag’s of the Communist. Simply because they were Christians.
Likewise they have been crucified and tortured under the regime of Pol Pot in Cambodia and under countless other dictators and despotic regimes.
Christian churches and their houses have been burned by their opponents in riots around the world.
Yet the church still continues on with the message of God’s love and mercy to all mankind.
Perhaps of all of the great Christian leaders in my lifetime Martin Luther King jr. expressed best Christian ideals when he said,
"We thank thee, O God, for the spiritual nature of man.
We are in nature but we live above nature.
Help us never to let anybody or
any condition pull us so low as to cause us to hate.
Give us strength to love our enemies and to do good
to those who despitefully use us and persecute us.
We thank thee for thy Church,
founded upon thy Word, that challenges us to do more
than sing and pray, but go out and work as though
the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon thee.
Then, finally, help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity.
Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace;
help us to walk together, pray together, sing together,
and live together until that day when all God’s children,
Black, White, Red, and Yellow will rejoice
in one common bond of humanity in the kingdom
of our LORD and of our God, we pray.
Amen."
Jesus came onto the world to offer salvation to all mankind. From the most despotic dictators such as Herod to the most innocent of children.
His message over the centuries is simple,
“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
Will you consider giving your life to Christ?
If you have any questions please feel free to Email me at nealbelieves@gmail.com
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