“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
We need each other. There are time in all our lives that we stumble. When it is good to have a brother or sister in Christ to help us through the trouble. To hold us up in prayer and to if necessary council us in love.
Jesus in John 13:34,35 pointed his disciples to the most important factor in being Christian when he said,
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
If we esteem one another in love there can be no rivalry.
Love does not envy.
Within the Christian life there is no room for envy. All are equal.
A true Christian isn’t looking to be better than his brother and sister in the Lord. Conversely a brother or sister in Christ should not look at other Christians and say my work for the Lord is not important therefore I don’t want to be a part of things.
The apostle Paul put’s it this way,
“ Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”
1 Corinthians 12:14-20
We are one body, and are there to help each other. Paul writing to the Ephesians makes this clear when he states,
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians4:2-6
A true believer attempts as far as possible as far as it depends on him to live in harmony and peace with fellow believers and the world around them.
Do you?
Monday 13 January 2014
Sunday 12 January 2014
Quintessence of being Chrsitan
Quintessence: “the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form.”
"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
God Loved. To quote a rather flippant saying from my early days as a Christian, “the bible says it. I believe it. That settles it.”
It has been said that love is the predominant theme of the Bible. That God is love, therefore Love is the purest of emotions.
Perhaps the best definition of love comes from the apostle Paul when writing to the Church at Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 13 he writes,
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
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 13:1-8a,13
If we are truly Christians. If we believe the Bible is the inspired word of God then we must believe John 3:16, that God loved and that Love is everything Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians thirteen.
Jesus when asked what the most of important law was said,
“Jesus said to him, ‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like it you shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’” Matthew 22:37-40.
Jesus spoke a lot about love. He told us to love our enemies to pray for our persecutors and those who spitefully use us.
His ministry was a ministry of Love.
All to many Christians remember John 3: 16 but they fail to see its ramifications.
Take a close look at that verse,
• For God so loved the world
• he gave His only Son
• that whoever believes in Him shall not perish
• but have eternal life.
God Loved us,
Paul writing to the Romans tells us in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God took the first step. He demonstrated his love for us while we were still sinners.
And he says to us all we have to do to inherit eternal life is believe in him.
God wants a relationship with us. He wants us to give our life to him to become part of his family,
John 3:17 states clearly, “
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
That is a key element in a Christians life. God reached down to mankind and said here am I. Come to me and I will give you rest.
The exact verse reads,
"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
If we are truly followers of Jesus, and take up Christ’s cause then we will have peace even in the darkest days of our life.
In accepting Christ into our lives we are making God our father. A father who is there for us at all times. Someone we can share our joys with as well as someone to hold our hand through the trying times of life.
Think about it.
"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
God Loved. To quote a rather flippant saying from my early days as a Christian, “the bible says it. I believe it. That settles it.”
It has been said that love is the predominant theme of the Bible. That God is love, therefore Love is the purest of emotions.
Perhaps the best definition of love comes from the apostle Paul when writing to the Church at Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 13 he writes,
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
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 13:1-8a,13
If we are truly Christians. If we believe the Bible is the inspired word of God then we must believe John 3:16, that God loved and that Love is everything Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians thirteen.
Jesus when asked what the most of important law was said,
“Jesus said to him, ‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like it you shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’” Matthew 22:37-40.
Jesus spoke a lot about love. He told us to love our enemies to pray for our persecutors and those who spitefully use us.
His ministry was a ministry of Love.
All to many Christians remember John 3: 16 but they fail to see its ramifications.
Take a close look at that verse,
• For God so loved the world
• he gave His only Son
• that whoever believes in Him shall not perish
• but have eternal life.
God Loved us,
Paul writing to the Romans tells us in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God took the first step. He demonstrated his love for us while we were still sinners.
And he says to us all we have to do to inherit eternal life is believe in him.
God wants a relationship with us. He wants us to give our life to him to become part of his family,
John 3:17 states clearly, “
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
That is a key element in a Christians life. God reached down to mankind and said here am I. Come to me and I will give you rest.
The exact verse reads,
"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
If we are truly followers of Jesus, and take up Christ’s cause then we will have peace even in the darkest days of our life.
In accepting Christ into our lives we are making God our father. A father who is there for us at all times. Someone we can share our joys with as well as someone to hold our hand through the trying times of life.
Think about it.
Saturday 11 January 2014
Children of God
Children of God
“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
“To all who received him, to those who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God.”
What a promise. All we have to do is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and we have the right to become children of God.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” John states in 1 John 3:1.
Our heavenly Father loved us so much that he allows us to be called children of God. What a privilege. What an honour. We are, “children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
John also points out that, that is the reason the world does not know us or understand us at times because it does not know God.
We here in the west live in a world that is moving further and further from belief in any kind of God.
Consumerism and the philosophy of doing your own thing is the norm.
People are wrapped up in acquiring material things. They seek to find happiness in everything from sports, to the arts, to personal achievements. Non of which are bad in themselves.
These things however end with this life.
How many people today know who Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister was? How about Christiaan Neethling Barnard or John Logie Baird?
Bannister was the first person to run the mile in under four minutes, Barnard was a South African doctor who performed the first successful heart transplant and Baird was the inventor of the televison.
All great achievements yet for the most part the names of these men are lost to history.
Our names however are not lost to God. Especially if we have received him as our Lord and Saviour.
Read John’s words again,“To all who received him, to those who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God.”
We as Christians are God’s own children and thus will be without a doubt, with Him in heaven.
What a glorious thought. To be in heaven having a personal relationship with the very creator of the universe.
It is something we as believers should be praising God for every day of our lives.
Why not take a few minutes now and just thank God for the salvation He has given you so freely.
“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
“To all who received him, to those who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God.”
What a promise. All we have to do is believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and we have the right to become children of God.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” John states in 1 John 3:1.
Our heavenly Father loved us so much that he allows us to be called children of God. What a privilege. What an honour. We are, “children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
John also points out that, that is the reason the world does not know us or understand us at times because it does not know God.
We here in the west live in a world that is moving further and further from belief in any kind of God.
Consumerism and the philosophy of doing your own thing is the norm.
People are wrapped up in acquiring material things. They seek to find happiness in everything from sports, to the arts, to personal achievements. Non of which are bad in themselves.
These things however end with this life.
How many people today know who Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister was? How about Christiaan Neethling Barnard or John Logie Baird?
Bannister was the first person to run the mile in under four minutes, Barnard was a South African doctor who performed the first successful heart transplant and Baird was the inventor of the televison.
All great achievements yet for the most part the names of these men are lost to history.
Our names however are not lost to God. Especially if we have received him as our Lord and Saviour.
Read John’s words again,“To all who received him, to those who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God.”
We as Christians are God’s own children and thus will be without a doubt, with Him in heaven.
What a glorious thought. To be in heaven having a personal relationship with the very creator of the universe.
It is something we as believers should be praising God for every day of our lives.
Why not take a few minutes now and just thank God for the salvation He has given you so freely.
Friday 10 January 2014
Our Earthly Tent, Our Heavenly Dwelling
“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,
because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
We live by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Paul here contrasts our “earthly tent” to our “heavenly dwelling”. He tells us that we as believers know that if this body of ours is destroyed then we have an eternal house in heaven.
He points out that while we live in this tent we groan but it will end and “what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”
Paul notes that believers are given a “the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come”.
The Holy Spirit witnesses, guarantees, to the spirit of the believer that there is greater things to come when we pass from our mortal life to life eternal.
He reminds us to live by faith not by sight and to work for Christ to please God in all that we do. That we may receive what is due us.
He also notes that both Christians and non-Christians will appear before the judgement seat of Christ “that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Dear believer
Are you doing your best for the Lord or are you to wrapped up with the things of this world.
What is more important to you having the fancy house, the nice car, the best designer clothing or serving the Lord?
Perhaps it’s time to evaluate your life? Are things keeping you from doing more for God.
Are you working long hours to pay the mortgage on your house or to meet your car payments.
Can you perhaps down size. Get a smaller house with smaller mortgage and a good used car, or new one that you paid cash for?
There’s nothing wrong with having an expensive car and house. It’s when it take you away from the things of God that becomes the problem.
There’s an old saying that goes like this, “there is only one life, that will soon be past. Only what is done for Christ will last.”
Think about it.
Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,
because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
We live by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Paul here contrasts our “earthly tent” to our “heavenly dwelling”. He tells us that we as believers know that if this body of ours is destroyed then we have an eternal house in heaven.
He points out that while we live in this tent we groan but it will end and “what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”
Paul notes that believers are given a “the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come”.
The Holy Spirit witnesses, guarantees, to the spirit of the believer that there is greater things to come when we pass from our mortal life to life eternal.
He reminds us to live by faith not by sight and to work for Christ to please God in all that we do. That we may receive what is due us.
He also notes that both Christians and non-Christians will appear before the judgement seat of Christ “that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Dear believer
Are you doing your best for the Lord or are you to wrapped up with the things of this world.
What is more important to you having the fancy house, the nice car, the best designer clothing or serving the Lord?
Perhaps it’s time to evaluate your life? Are things keeping you from doing more for God.
Are you working long hours to pay the mortgage on your house or to meet your car payments.
Can you perhaps down size. Get a smaller house with smaller mortgage and a good used car, or new one that you paid cash for?
There’s nothing wrong with having an expensive car and house. It’s when it take you away from the things of God that becomes the problem.
There’s an old saying that goes like this, “there is only one life, that will soon be past. Only what is done for Christ will last.”
Think about it.
Thursday 9 January 2014
Legalism
"At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.
Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?
I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.
If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?
How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus."
Matthew 12:1-14
Here we have an example of legalism. Jesus and his disciples are walking through the grain field. They are hungry so they pick some grains of wheat, probably roll them in their hands to remove the chaff and eat them.
The Pharisees instantly interpret what they are doing as work. In the eyes of the Pharisees they were harvesting and processing the wheat. Work not to be done on the Sabbath.
Further down in the scripture Jesus heals a man with a shrivelled hand again something the Pharisees regarded as work.
The Pharisees were too worried about breaking laws to see that God had, had compassion on the man with the shrivelled and healed him.
They should have been celebrating instead they plotted to kill Jesus.
Legalism happens in the church today.
We can get so hung up on our rituals within the church that quite often we miss the blessing of God.
We tend to put God in a box expecting Him to do things exactly the way our church traditions and rules dictate.
One denomination I know of only permits ordained ministers to perform the communion service. Nowhere in scripture does it say that we need ordained ministers to do this.
Another says we need to go through a priest to confess our sins. Scripture doesn’t say we have to.
Scripture tell us,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9
We can confess our sins directly to God without a middle man.
Scripture tell us,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
John 1:12
If we are God’s children it then stands to reason that we can go directly to God and talk to him.
Sadly Christianity in general over the centuries has picked up a lot of baggage that was never intended. All denominations and individual congregations have their own baggage and we need to be aware of it.
We need every now and then to look around at what we are doing and how we are doing it and question is this the way the God intended things to be done.
Do you have things at your church or do you yourself do things that are more tradition and ritual than from the scripture?
Think about it.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.
Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?
I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.
If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?
How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus."
Matthew 12:1-14
Here we have an example of legalism. Jesus and his disciples are walking through the grain field. They are hungry so they pick some grains of wheat, probably roll them in their hands to remove the chaff and eat them.
The Pharisees instantly interpret what they are doing as work. In the eyes of the Pharisees they were harvesting and processing the wheat. Work not to be done on the Sabbath.
Further down in the scripture Jesus heals a man with a shrivelled hand again something the Pharisees regarded as work.
The Pharisees were too worried about breaking laws to see that God had, had compassion on the man with the shrivelled and healed him.
They should have been celebrating instead they plotted to kill Jesus.
Legalism happens in the church today.
We can get so hung up on our rituals within the church that quite often we miss the blessing of God.
We tend to put God in a box expecting Him to do things exactly the way our church traditions and rules dictate.
One denomination I know of only permits ordained ministers to perform the communion service. Nowhere in scripture does it say that we need ordained ministers to do this.
Another says we need to go through a priest to confess our sins. Scripture doesn’t say we have to.
Scripture tell us,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9
We can confess our sins directly to God without a middle man.
Scripture tell us,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
John 1:12
If we are God’s children it then stands to reason that we can go directly to God and talk to him.
Sadly Christianity in general over the centuries has picked up a lot of baggage that was never intended. All denominations and individual congregations have their own baggage and we need to be aware of it.
We need every now and then to look around at what we are doing and how we are doing it and question is this the way the God intended things to be done.
Do you have things at your church or do you yourself do things that are more tradition and ritual than from the scripture?
Think about it.
Wednesday 8 January 2014
The Compassion of Jesus
“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.
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.
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?
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