Blessed

Blessed

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” 
                                                                                   James 1:12.
Here is a promise for those of us under trial. If we persevere we will receive the crown of life.
These tests can be anything depending on where you are in the world. In parts of the world the test will undoubtedly be persecution. Potential physical injury jail time or even death.
In the west the trial may be something as simple as refraining from strong drink, pornography, watching the wrong things in the media or even judging others.
All these things are tests and the promise is there. Should we withstand them we will receive a crown of life.
Think about it.

High and Low Position

High and low position

“The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.  
But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.  
For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.” 
James 1:9-11.
Here James speaks about high and low positions and it is exactly the opposite of the world.
James says a brother of humble circumstances should take pride in his high position.
Quite often a person who is of humble means. Poor Christians from a financial standpoint are the ones who grow closest to God. Simply because they have to rely on his provision each day. They truly mean it when they say, “give us this day our daily bread.”
On the other hand a person of wealth can if he or she wishes rely on their wealth to the exclusion of God.
But for the wealthy person who realizes that their wealth is because of God and that they have an obligation to help others with it can be a humbling experience. Such a person becomes as it were a servant.
The Talmud gives what I think is a good lesson,
Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
                                                                                                                   The Talmud.
In the modern world I think of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet and other billionaires who have pledged to give away half their fortune before they die to help others.
This is what it should be like for Christians with wealth. They should be asking God to direct and guide how they spend their money.
While those who are poor. Those of humble means should draw close to God knowing that he will draw close to them and provide for them.
Think about it.  

Ask for Wisdom

Ask for Wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” 
                          James 1:5-8

Here James makes what to me is a simple statement. If we lack wisdom we should ask God for it. We should ask and not doubt that God will give us that wisdom.
We all have times when we need wisdom in making decisions. Times when we can’t decide what the best path to take is in our lives.
In those times we should go to prayer. Sincere earnest prayer and ask God for guidance.
We must also expect and not doubt that the wisdom we are asking for comes from God.
If we do we may just make the wrong decision.
The key when we are asking anything from God is to ask in all sincerity. To ask expecting an answer. Then when we get that answer we must act in accordance to the way God has shown us.
Think about it.

Consider Trials

Consider Trials

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
The author of the book of James is generally believed to be the brother of Jesus. The son of Mary and Joseph.
Who he is writing to is not all that clear. All he says it is to the twelve tribes. It is certain he is writing to Christians and quite possibly the Christians from Jerusalem who were scattered after the death of Stephen. If so these Christians would understand what persecution was.
He says here consider it pure joy whenever you face trials. Sometimes, especially when we face trials for our faith we are doing the right things.
In Acts chapter five the Apostles were preaching the word of God when they were arrested and they were punished.
The book of Acts recording,
“....They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.  
Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” 
                                                            Acts 5:40-42.
I’m sure the Apostles didn’t like getting flogged but they still rejoiced that they were doing what Christ called them to do well enough that the religious leaders of their day punished them.
Unfortunately today governments and other religious groups feel threatened by the truth of the Gospel of Christ. Thus there is at times horrendous persecution of Christians in some places in the world.
These persecuted Christians despite the hardship they are going through still refuse to give up their faith in Christ.
We in the west have it easy and quite frequently we forget those of our faith that live under persecution.
Please remember the persecuted church. Lift them up in your prayers daily. Pray that God will give them peace in all they are going through.
        Pray that their persecution will end.

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.