A Cry of Deliverance

A Cry of Deliverance

“O LORD, I call to you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you. 
May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. 
Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. 
Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.” 
                                              Psalm 141:1-4.
Here is something we all need to do from time to time. Call on the name of the Lord to keep us from sinning through day to day things of life.
We need to pray, pray, pray. We need to lift our hands to God in surrender and ask him to keep us from the temptations around us.
I like what the Psalmist says,
“Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. 
Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.”
As Christians we can easily be drawn into evil without really realizing it. A classic example is when we think we are doing good yet we are judging people.
Jesus told us not to judge.
Another way is when we fail to love and show love to our enemies.
There are time in our life when we need to guard our mouths.
Times when we see things in the world that are against everything we believe as Christians, yet are perfectly legal in the secular world.
We want to cry out against such things but we should not. Paul reminds us,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                     1Corinthians 5:12,13.
Sometimes being a Christian means just remaining silent and asking God to help you to not sin despite everything that is going on around you.
Think about it.

I Thank God

I Thank God
“I thank my God every time I remember you.  
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"
                                                                 Philippians 1:3-6
Here’s a question to Christians. Could your pastor say to you what Paul is saying here to the Philippians?
Is the work of God has started in you when you were saved still continuing on? Are you serving the Lord to the best of your ability?
Or
Do you put things of the world above the things of God.
Yes I know we have to work. I know we from time to time have to work over time. But where are you priorities?
We live in a 24/7 world.
I know of one family that hardly have enough time to eat. They get home from work and school between four and five. By six they are out of the door going to dance classes, hockey games, music lessons even acting lessons.
While they claim to be Christians, and I don’t doubt that they are, they are hardly at church.
Their kids do attend Sunday School or junior Church but that’s about all. The parents hardly ever attend a mid week Bible study or prayer meeting.
They do attend church on Sunday morning but their priorities are definitely serving the Lord fully.
Now there’s nothing wrong with dance lessons, hockey, music lesson, or anything that gives children and adults a good rounded life.
The problem comes when one is pulled away from God.
All to many Christians today are pulled away from God’s work by the World. This should not be.
I have always taken the stance that my life and lifestyle starts with God. I go to church and help around the church the best I can.
My children as they were growing up were encourage to go to church functions first and other things second.
It must have worked because my now adult Children spend a great deal of their time at church when they are not at work.
Further more it is not a hardship for them. They delight in serving the Lord and that is what counts.
So are you working for the Lord. Could your pastor say as Paul did to the
“I thank my God every time I remember you.  
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"
                                                               Philippians 1:3-6
Think about it.

Doxology

Doxology

I was challenged the other day to make a positive statement about God in less that two hundred words. The Apostle Paul made it easy for me.
This is what I wrote or rather what I borrowed from the Apostle Paul,
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” 
Romans 11:33-36.
Think about it.

Peace

Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
                                                                 John 14:27
Here Jesus uses what I am told is a common Hebrew greeting. But the way he uses it has a deeper meaning.
He is referring to the salvation. The redemptive work Christ will achieve in the lives of the disciples and those who accept Christ because of their work.
Inner rest of the spirit that can only comes from true fellowship with God.
This is something that the world cannot give.
This is something the Psalmist spoke of when he wrote the 23rd Psalm,

“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 23.
No matter what we are going through in this life, even in the darkest valley we, if we have that personal relationship with Christ have that peace that passes all understanding.
I know we live in a world that at times drags us in all directions. We live in a twenty-four, seven world that seems to be moving faster and faster.
A world when there just doesn’t seem to be enough time to do anything. A world devoid of peace. But be assured God is there for us. All we need to do is trust in Him, and let his peace become effective in our lives, rather than the cacophony of noises that is the world.
I found this poem from All Saints convent Cantonville, Maryland it’s called the Nun’s Twenty-Third Psalm. I present it hear for you,
The Lord is my pace-setter, I shall not rush.

He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals;

He provides me with images of stillness, 

which restore my serenity.

He leads me in ways of efficiency 

through calmness of mind.

And His guidance is peace.

Even though I have a great many things to

accomplish each day,

I will not fret, for His presence is here.

His timelessness, His all importance will keep me in

balance.

He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of

my activity

By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquillity.

                                                                                  All Saints convent Cantonville, Maryland
Are you letting Christ do these things for you, or are you dancing to the fast paced continuous drumming of an uncaring world.
Think about it.

On giving

OnGiving

“As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  
He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  
“I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  
All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” 
       Luke 21:1-4
Here’s a lesson for Christians from Judaism. The Jews have a term called Tzedakah
I Got the following from a Jewish website and for me it illustrates what Christians should be doing also. It’s a prime example of how Jewish ideals are those of Christians also.
The person writing states,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due....
According to Jewish law, we are requiered to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes....
Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence my give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden.”
Paul writing to the Corinthians states,
“Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do.  On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”  
       1 Corinthians 16:1-3.
Such money collected in the church should go not only for the up keep of the church building and the pastors salary but also to help the poor and for missions. It is something even very small churches can do.
I know I go to a church that has on a good day between twenty-five and thirty members yet we send help to two small orphanages in India.
If we can do it any congregation can do it.
Think about it.

A foot note to ponder.

When it comes to  tzedakah a Jewish teacher set what he considered levels of Tzedakah from the least meritorious to the most. I think he was right. He put it this way,

“Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, bu giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant.”

Think about it

Quotes of Note

Quotes of Note

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun”
Ecclesiastes 1:9
The writer of Ecclesiastes states he has seen all things under the sun and it’s all chasing after the wind.
He makes it clear that there is nothing new under the sun that what has been will be done again.
What he says is true. Someone once told me, “we in the twenty first century are not doing anything different to those in the first century or those in the centuries before and after.
The only difference with us today is that we do it with high tech toys. Sin is sin whether done in the market square or streets of ancient civilizations or on the internet of our day and age.
Truth likewise is the same in all ages.
Thus what Ecclesiastes states is true when he says,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” 
Ecclesiastes12:13,14
Many today do not believe there is a God. They do not recognize that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he came to earth as a sacrifice for our sins.
This proves what the apostle Paul wrote,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,”  
                                              1 Corinthians 1:18-23.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” 
                                                                             C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
Do you believe in God?
Think about it.

A Point from Paul's Pen

A point from Paul's Pen

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.  
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 
1 Corinthians 15:12-20.
In Corinth there were people who believed that there was no resurrection from the dead. Just as there are today.
Paul notes that if this is so then our faith as Christians is useless.
The bedrock on which Christianity is based is on the death, his physical resurrection and ascension of Christ into heaven.
Christ died for our sins. He rose conquering death and sin and he ascended to be at the right hand of the father where he will one day judge the world.
Our beliefs as Christians are a three legged stool remove one leg and our beliefs fall apart and all the Christians throughout the ages have believed for nothing.
The beliefs of Christianity are either completely true or they are potentially the biggest lie ever perpetuated on mankind.
Christianity presents to the world the facts that Jesus is the Son of God. That he is indeed God. That died for our sins. That he rose from the dead conquering death and that he ascended into heaven.
Christians asks people to believe that. Do you?
Think about it.

The Apostle Paul's Testimony

The Apostle Paul’s Testimony

“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.  
By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,  and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” 
                                                                                      1Corinthians 15:1-11.
Here is what Paul believed. Written above by the hand of the Apostle Paul is what he believed to be true.
He makes some very important points
1/ By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
If we are not saved by the grace of God through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then Christianity is of no effect what we believe is worthless.
2/ that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day...
Paul truly believed that Christ died for our sins. That he died, was buried and rose on the third day.
3/  he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  
Paul also bears witness that the resurrected Jesus appeared to Peter and the twelve apostles. That he appeared to five hundred others, AND that at the time of his writing this most of those who’d seed the resurrected Christ were still alive.
4/ he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,  and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 
Paul also notes that he appeared to James, all the apostles and him personally.
For Paul to lie about such a thing when writing this could have been potentially disastrous for the early church.
All it would take to disprove Paul and the early church’s credibility would be for one of those who had witnessed Christ’s resurrection to deny they did. And as far as we know no one did.
Many over the centuries, even up to the present day deny there even was a Jesus but the facts prove otherwise.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
                                                               C. S. Lewis
  Think about it.

On Kindness

Kindness

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
                                                                                                                Mark Twain
Do you show kindness to those around you. Do you show love even to those with whom you disagree and is that love sincere?
Paul writing to the Romans wrote,
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.  
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  
Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” 
                                                                                Romans 12:9-18
I’ve found where love and kindness is lacking hate can get a foothold. Love and kindness requires giving of one’s self.
A young Jewish girl named Anne Frank,  hiding from the Nazis in world war two Holland wrote this,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can?  And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!  If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world.  Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.  Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!  No one has ever become poor from giving!”                                                                                                                                                      Anne Frank.
Anne Frank knew what hate was all about. She was in hiding from evil men that hated her because she was Jewish. Yet Anne could write the above words.
She doesn’t seem to have been bitter about things. Instead she probably seen the love and kindness offered to her by those who hid her and she seems to expounded on that rather than dwelling on the evil all around her.
Showing kindness is an important part of being Christian and there are a myriad of ways to show kindness to the people around us.
Kindness is handing a bottle of cold water to a homeless man on the street.
Kindness is helping an elderly neighbour on your street.
Kindness is giving what you can, when you can to help the less fortunate.
Kindness comes down to this,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 
                      Matthew 7:12.
Think about it.

What Business is it of Mine

What business is it of mine
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                     1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Question do you judge those around you that are not Christians? Sadly all to many Christians do.
Christians have no right to judge others Jesus states,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 
                      Matthew 7:1,2.
True Christians will not judge,
James writing to believers states,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” 
             James 2:12,13.
The express job of a Christian is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world around us in word and in deed.
We cannot win a world to Christ if we are judging them.
Think about it.

Creation

Creation

“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.” 
                                                                                                    John 1:1-3.
I believe in that God created the heavens and the earth. I believe that Jesus is God and that he was responsible for making the universe and everything in it.
When I witness to someone and creation comes up. The one thing that comes up is alway well God couldn’t have made the heavens and the earth in six day.
I shock people by saying that isn’t the point. The point is he created the universe. It doesn’t matter how long it took him.
The point is we can look into the stars and see God’s handy work. We can look at the smallest life form on earth or into the tiniest particle and see how wonderfully made they are.
We can look at everything on the earth and see how beautifully balanced things are. Everything is perfectly in balance. If something was to go to much out of balance we would not be able to exist.
A few degrees hotter of colder on average over the whole world would spell the end of human life.
If we were just a little bit in astronomical terms closer or further away from the sun we would either fry or freeze.
Mathematics to me is a pure science and you can use mathematical formulas to determine everything from the orbit of the planets and galaxies to the decay rate of an atom.
For all of these reasons I believe in divine creation.
What do you think?
Think about it?

Are You

Are You?

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
 Matthew 10:16
Jesus knew what kind of world we were going into. He understood that the world we entered would be one with morals and beliefs that were objectionable to the Christian.
Take a look at the Roman Empire. It was as culturally diverse as Canada and the Western nations are today.
They had people who believed everything and nothing. People who worshipped what to the early Christians were strange Gods.
There were raucous celebrations that lasted days to god’s such a Bacchus. In Corinth there was temples to the goddess Aphrodite that at its height had over a thousand priestess prostitutes working there.
Corinth had such a bad reputation that to Corinthianize meant to practice sexual immorality.
Yet the early church thrived in that multicultural environment. They did so I believe because they heeded the words of Jesus who said,
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” 
      Matthew 10:16
They were careful to keep on topic. They didn’t judge they met people where they were at. They spoke the language of the people.
We know from Paul’s speech to the Athenians that Paul at least didn’t use a lot of scripture and Paul was well educated in the scriptures.
Instead he met them where they were at and presented the gospel from that point.
That’s how we should be.
We should have a good grasp of the scriptures but we should also be aware of what is happening in the world around us.
I’ve met Christians that all they do is listen to Christian programming. They rap themselves in the scriptures. There is nothing wrong with it. But if you can’t relate those scriptures to the real world around you. It means nothing.
Most people on the street will not and for the most part cannot relate to scripture but if you can as Paul did with the Athenians start from a point they understand they will at least listen to you.
How do you witness. Do you quote great mounds of scripture or do you at least try to understand where your audience is.
Think about it.