On Suffering
Allen R. Hunt wrote,
“Suffering often draws us closer to God. Instead of being a sign of God's punishment or distance, suffering can purify us, lead us into the heart of God, and transform our souls.”
Honestly I don’t know why we suffer. The only explanation I have is that it is because of choices we or others make.
Those who are suffering because of war for example suffer because of the decisions some politician or rebel leader.
Those who are suffering from an illness is because of our environment, genetic disposition or simply the lack of societies will to pump sufficient funds into research to find a cure or man’s inability to find a cure for things.
Suffering however can do one of two things to us. It can draw us closer to God or push us away.
Some people actually believe suffering is a sign we have a loving God,
Peter John Kreeft ph.d said,
“think about that. How is it possible that over ninety percent of all human beings who have ever lived usually in far more painful circumstances than we, could believe in God?
The objective evidence, just looking at the balance of pleasure and suffering in the world, would not seem to justify believing in an absolutely good God. Yet this has been almost universally believed.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d
I for one believe in a loving and caring God, even though I live with an incurable illness. An illness that can only be controlled with medication.
My wife who was the victim of child sexual abuse and now lives with other physical illnesses that restrict her movements still believes in a loving caring God.
Both of us get up in the morning and thank God we have another day to be with our family and friends.
We thank God for all the good things that have happened to us over the sixty years we’ve been on this earth.
I know we are not alone. Many of our friends have gone through rough times. Fights with cancer and other serious illnesses. And through all of this they have thanked God for their blessings.
All of us have hope. A hope in God and in the Salvation that can only come through His one and Only Son, Jesus Christ.
We believe the Words of Jesus who said,
“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.
Do you?
Think about it.
Thursday 11 December 2014
Wednesday 10 December 2014
Jesus
Jesus
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Luke 2:1-7,21.
I am a Christian I believe the above passage from the Bible. The birth of Jesus was a birth that changed the world. You can deny the birth ever happened, but you cannot deny that Jesus had a lasting impact on the history of the world.
The Roman and Greek gods and demigods have long since passed into history. They have had no lasting effect on society.
Yet Jesus, this Child born in Nazareth, born in a back water village of the Roman empire far from Rome’s capital, has had influence that has lasted to this day. His message, a message of Love for God, one’s neighbours, and even one’s enemies, is a message unsurpassed from any writing coming from the ancient world.
His claim to be the Son of God and the Christ, for his day was to say the least a dangerous claim. Yet he did and many believed him both then and now.
The French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte said of him,
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
This Jesus of Nazareth is no myth. He is the Son of God. You can deny it but that does not change the fact.
He came to this earth to meet you where you are at.
Charles R. Swindoll wrote,
“Jesus didn't come to earth to establish a new religion. He came to restore a broken relationship.”
When God created man he gave him the ability to choose, knowing full well that man might choose to stray from what God had intended for him.
Man chose to stray. But God did not give up on man, instead he chose to reach down to offer man the chance to reconcile to Him.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8.
Jesus offered us a choice 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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18.
The choice is always yours do you believe in Jesus and all he taught, or not?
Think about it.
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Luke 2:1-7,21.
I am a Christian I believe the above passage from the Bible. The birth of Jesus was a birth that changed the world. You can deny the birth ever happened, but you cannot deny that Jesus had a lasting impact on the history of the world.
The Roman and Greek gods and demigods have long since passed into history. They have had no lasting effect on society.
Yet Jesus, this Child born in Nazareth, born in a back water village of the Roman empire far from Rome’s capital, has had influence that has lasted to this day. His message, a message of Love for God, one’s neighbours, and even one’s enemies, is a message unsurpassed from any writing coming from the ancient world.
His claim to be the Son of God and the Christ, for his day was to say the least a dangerous claim. Yet he did and many believed him both then and now.
The French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte said of him,
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
This Jesus of Nazareth is no myth. He is the Son of God. You can deny it but that does not change the fact.
He came to this earth to meet you where you are at.
Charles R. Swindoll wrote,
“Jesus didn't come to earth to establish a new religion. He came to restore a broken relationship.”
When God created man he gave him the ability to choose, knowing full well that man might choose to stray from what God had intended for him.
Man chose to stray. But God did not give up on man, instead he chose to reach down to offer man the chance to reconcile to Him.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8.
Jesus offered us a choice 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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18.
The choice is always yours do you believe in Jesus and all he taught, or not?
Think about it.
Tuesday 9 December 2014
Creation
Creation
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
A Nebula taken from Hubble space telescope
A day old human embryo
The surface of Mars a planet too far from the sun it has no life as we know it.
Earth our home. Just the
right distance from the sun for life to exist.
With all the elements necessary for life.
The book of Job states,
“He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.”
Job 26:7
Not a bad description for a man who had never seen an image from space. Who had only seen the world around him.
The more I look into the heavens or through a microscope the more I see the hand of God. Everything is in balance. Everything we need to sustain life as we know it is there. Contrast earth to Mars. Earth has everything necessary for life Mars has as far as we know has some water and little else.
We are a divine creation. Created by God to have fellowship with Him. God did not want robots. Quite the contrary he wanted people who could think. Thus he gave us the ability to choose knowing full well that we may choose to turn away from him, as many people have done.
Never the less he has seen fit to show us the way back to him. He did so by sending his one and only son into the world.
Jesus came into the world I believe to experience everything a man could possibly experience.
Jesus as far as we know grew up in a devout family and had a relatively normal childhood. He did however have to become a political refugee while still an infant. He and his parents escaping to Egypt to avoid the wrath of a despot who wished to kill him.
Jesus also studied the scriptures. His parents finding him in his early teens talking with the scholars of his day, who marveled at his knowledge.
Throughout his ministry he spoke to the average person about God and the way to heaven.
He made things clear about himself saying,
... “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6.
After a three year ministry he suffered the indignity of an illegal trial, was flogged and put to death in a most hideous way.
In between all of this he lived an exemplary life and understood all was to be human. Everything from the rain against his face. To the heat of the sun, to the pleasing scent of a flower.
He even understood what it was like to be tempted and go his own way, away from God. That is why when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ we can never say to Him you don’t understand what it is to be human.
Over the years many ideas about God have arisen. Many ideas about how we get to heaven but non have made the claims Christians make.
The apostle Paul while speaking to the Athenians said of Christ,
“‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
Acts 17:28-31.
There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus will one day judge mankind. The question is will you meet him as your Judge or you Saviour?
The apostle John in his Gospel writes,
“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.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.”
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 1:1-4,12,13.
Think about it
a
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
A day old human embryo
Earth our home. Just the
right distance from the sun for life to exist.
With all the elements necessary for life.
The book of Job states,
“He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.”
Job 26:7
Not a bad description for a man who had never seen an image from space. Who had only seen the world around him.
The more I look into the heavens or through a microscope the more I see the hand of God. Everything is in balance. Everything we need to sustain life as we know it is there. Contrast earth to Mars. Earth has everything necessary for life Mars has as far as we know has some water and little else.
We are a divine creation. Created by God to have fellowship with Him. God did not want robots. Quite the contrary he wanted people who could think. Thus he gave us the ability to choose knowing full well that we may choose to turn away from him, as many people have done.
Never the less he has seen fit to show us the way back to him. He did so by sending his one and only son into the world.
Jesus came into the world I believe to experience everything a man could possibly experience.
Jesus as far as we know grew up in a devout family and had a relatively normal childhood. He did however have to become a political refugee while still an infant. He and his parents escaping to Egypt to avoid the wrath of a despot who wished to kill him.
Jesus also studied the scriptures. His parents finding him in his early teens talking with the scholars of his day, who marveled at his knowledge.
Throughout his ministry he spoke to the average person about God and the way to heaven.
He made things clear about himself saying,
... “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6.
After a three year ministry he suffered the indignity of an illegal trial, was flogged and put to death in a most hideous way.
In between all of this he lived an exemplary life and understood all was to be human. Everything from the rain against his face. To the heat of the sun, to the pleasing scent of a flower.
He even understood what it was like to be tempted and go his own way, away from God. That is why when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ we can never say to Him you don’t understand what it is to be human.
Over the years many ideas about God have arisen. Many ideas about how we get to heaven but non have made the claims Christians make.
The apostle Paul while speaking to the Athenians said of Christ,
“‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
Acts 17:28-31.
There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus will one day judge mankind. The question is will you meet him as your Judge or you Saviour?
The apostle John in his Gospel writes,
“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.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.”
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 1:1-4,12,13.
Think about it
a
Monday 8 December 2014
On Love
On Love
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Matthew 12:28-31
Here I believe is a universal truth. Love God and love your neighbour as yourself. If we are truly loving someone we cannot hurt. Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
This to me is true love. Thus if we are practicing true love we will not hurt anyone.
You don’t have to be a Christians to practice true love.
Love, true love, can change the world around you. Love is all about giving.
Anne Frank a young Jewish Dutch girl who spent most of World war two in hiding from the Nazis and later died in a death camp wrote,
“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
It is when we stop giving. When we stop loving that things go wrong.
During World War two love throughout occupied Europe was in short supply. Countries that could have helped persecuted Jews around the world, turned their backs on helping them.
Leaving it to individuals to show love and at the risk of their own lives to protect Jews from the death camps.
We only have to look around the world today to see love is in short supply. Christians are dying at the rate of one every four minutes for their faith. Others are dying simply because they are from the west.
Love in areas occupied by terrorist groups is fading away in favour of hate.
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate. Love is always a refuge. Hate is never a refuge. Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates. But love is the enduring sanctuary of life. Life may rob you of many things. It often does. But it can never bereave us of love itself. That remains.
-Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, rabbinic leader, from a December 22, 1940, sermon, quoted in Therefore Choose Life: Selected Sermons, Addresses and Writings of Abba Hillel Silver, Volume One, edited by Herbert Wiesner (1997)
Think about it.
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Matthew 12:28-31
Here I believe is a universal truth. Love God and love your neighbour as yourself. If we are truly loving someone we cannot hurt. Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
This to me is true love. Thus if we are practicing true love we will not hurt anyone.
You don’t have to be a Christians to practice true love.
Love, true love, can change the world around you. Love is all about giving.
Anne Frank a young Jewish Dutch girl who spent most of World war two in hiding from the Nazis and later died in a death camp wrote,
“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
It is when we stop giving. When we stop loving that things go wrong.
During World War two love throughout occupied Europe was in short supply. Countries that could have helped persecuted Jews around the world, turned their backs on helping them.
Leaving it to individuals to show love and at the risk of their own lives to protect Jews from the death camps.
We only have to look around the world today to see love is in short supply. Christians are dying at the rate of one every four minutes for their faith. Others are dying simply because they are from the west.
Love in areas occupied by terrorist groups is fading away in favour of hate.
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate. Love is always a refuge. Hate is never a refuge. Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates. But love is the enduring sanctuary of life. Life may rob you of many things. It often does. But it can never bereave us of love itself. That remains.
-Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, rabbinic leader, from a December 22, 1940, sermon, quoted in Therefore Choose Life: Selected Sermons, Addresses and Writings of Abba Hillel Silver, Volume One, edited by Herbert Wiesner (1997)
Think about it.
Sunday 7 December 2014
True Greatness
True Greatness
"Former Secretary of State James Baker once said, "Someone asked me what was the most important thing I had learned since being in Washington. I replied that it was the fact that temporal power is fleeting." Baker went on to observe that once driving through the White House gates he saw a man walking alone on Pennsylvania Avenue and recognized him as having been Secretary of State in a previous administration. "There he was alone - no reporters, no security, no adoring public, no trappings of power. Just one solitary man alone with his thoughts. And that mental picture continually serves to remind me of the impermanence of power and the impermanence of place."
What is true greatness? Throughout history there has been many great men and women. Men and women who have done noble deeds. Most are lost to history.
Jesus said,
“The greatest among you will be your servant.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:11,12.
Ben Zion Bokser wrote,
“The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment. He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’ He said too himself. Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding aan hour before. Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound. One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service? My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted. And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when aa bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people. They live in deeds, not in time. My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye. I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness. So don’t grieve for me. My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent. The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.”
Ben Zion Bokser.
True greatness is doing one’s duty no matter how humble it is. It is to give of one’s self in an unselfish way. To show love to all men, even your enemy.
The greatest people are not necessarily men and women with political, religious or military power. They are the average person on the street who see a need and meet that need in what ever way they can.
James writes,
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ? "
James 2:14-20.
Greatness lies in our deeds no matter how big or small. It lies in our willingness to help and serve people without expectation of recognition or remuneration.
Think about it.
"Former Secretary of State James Baker once said, "Someone asked me what was the most important thing I had learned since being in Washington. I replied that it was the fact that temporal power is fleeting." Baker went on to observe that once driving through the White House gates he saw a man walking alone on Pennsylvania Avenue and recognized him as having been Secretary of State in a previous administration. "There he was alone - no reporters, no security, no adoring public, no trappings of power. Just one solitary man alone with his thoughts. And that mental picture continually serves to remind me of the impermanence of power and the impermanence of place."
What is true greatness? Throughout history there has been many great men and women. Men and women who have done noble deeds. Most are lost to history.
Jesus said,
“The greatest among you will be your servant.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:11,12.
Ben Zion Bokser wrote,
“The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment. He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’ He said too himself. Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding aan hour before. Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound. One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service? My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted. And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when aa bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people. They live in deeds, not in time. My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye. I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness. So don’t grieve for me. My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent. The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.”
Ben Zion Bokser.
True greatness is doing one’s duty no matter how humble it is. It is to give of one’s self in an unselfish way. To show love to all men, even your enemy.
The greatest people are not necessarily men and women with political, religious or military power. They are the average person on the street who see a need and meet that need in what ever way they can.
James writes,
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ? "
James 2:14-20.
Greatness lies in our deeds no matter how big or small. It lies in our willingness to help and serve people without expectation of recognition or remuneration.
Think about it.
Saturday 6 December 2014
Of God, Faith, and Works
Of God, Faith and Works
Peter J. Kreeft said,
“think about that. How is it possible that over ninety percent of all human beings who have ever lived usually in far more painful circumstances than we, could believe in God? The objective evidence, just looking at the balance of pleasure and suffering in the world, would not seem to justify believing in an absolutely good God. Yet this has been almost universally believed.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d
He also states,
“The evidence is that God is all-powerful. The point to remember is that creating a world where there’s free will and no possibility of sin is self contradiction and opens the door to people choosing evil over God, with suffering being the result. The overwhelming majority of pain in the world is cause by our choices to kill, to slander, to be selfish, to stray sexually, to break our promises, to be reckless.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d.
In short we bring pain on ourselves and quite often on innocent people because of our choices. War be it global or local conflicts is drastic evidence of this.
Politicians and radical extremists make war and innocent men, women and children pay the price. Over fifty six million in world war two alone. Millions more in so called “dirty wars” since.
Even as I write this there are thousands dying because of radicals who have no regard for life.
War aside we as individuals bring grief on ourselves by the choices we make. Be they anything from smoking cigarettes to engaging in dangerous behaviour.
Our politicians who have the power to effect change to end suffering for the most needy and vulnerable in the world choose not to effect change largely because of politics.
God gave us free will and depending on how we use that free will, will determine where we will spend eternity.
While salvation is a free gift offered to all people we must reach out and receive that free gift. We must also I believe do our best to help our fellow man be we Christian or not.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18
He also said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25:34-46.
James writes,
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.... "
James 2:14-18
God, I believe will one day judge both believers and non-believers.
When we stand before Him we will not be able to deny His existence. At that moment the words of Hebrews will ring true for that person.
The writer of Hebrews writing,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith being defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
Do you believe in God?
Do you do what you can to help those in need?
Think about it.
Peter J. Kreeft said,
“think about that. How is it possible that over ninety percent of all human beings who have ever lived usually in far more painful circumstances than we, could believe in God? The objective evidence, just looking at the balance of pleasure and suffering in the world, would not seem to justify believing in an absolutely good God. Yet this has been almost universally believed.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d
He also states,
“The evidence is that God is all-powerful. The point to remember is that creating a world where there’s free will and no possibility of sin is self contradiction and opens the door to people choosing evil over God, with suffering being the result. The overwhelming majority of pain in the world is cause by our choices to kill, to slander, to be selfish, to stray sexually, to break our promises, to be reckless.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d.
In short we bring pain on ourselves and quite often on innocent people because of our choices. War be it global or local conflicts is drastic evidence of this.
Politicians and radical extremists make war and innocent men, women and children pay the price. Over fifty six million in world war two alone. Millions more in so called “dirty wars” since.
Even as I write this there are thousands dying because of radicals who have no regard for life.
War aside we as individuals bring grief on ourselves by the choices we make. Be they anything from smoking cigarettes to engaging in dangerous behaviour.
Our politicians who have the power to effect change to end suffering for the most needy and vulnerable in the world choose not to effect change largely because of politics.
God gave us free will and depending on how we use that free will, will determine where we will spend eternity.
While salvation is a free gift offered to all people we must reach out and receive that free gift. We must also I believe do our best to help our fellow man be we Christian or not.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18
He also said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25:34-46.
James writes,
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.... "
James 2:14-18
God, I believe will one day judge both believers and non-believers.
When we stand before Him we will not be able to deny His existence. At that moment the words of Hebrews will ring true for that person.
The writer of Hebrews writing,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith being defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
Do you believe in God?
Do you do what you can to help those in need?
Think about it.
Friday 5 December 2014
Of Christianity
Of Christianity
“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.
The first church I ever attended had a huge sign emblazoned above the alter saying, “What think ye of Christ.”
Throughout the ages there have always been men and women who have questioned the credentials of Jesus. Men and women who have chose to simply call him a good man.
Likewise there have been many who deny both the existence of God and Jesus, calling them a myth. That is there choice.
That’s the nice thing about God, he gave us a choice whether to believe in him or not.
The evidence is all around us not just in the scriptures but in the world as a whole.
The Psalmist wrote,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1.
The bible is a book of faith but it does not ask us to accept what it says with blind faith. Quite the contrary it asks us to read it with an open mind and see the truths that are in it.
It challenges us to look around at the world, the universe, we live in and see just how perfect it is. So perfect that it could only have been created.
Once we have read the bible and looked around at the world, we are then asked to make that leap of informed faith. The writer of Hebrews saying,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
If the Bible is wrong it is then as C. S. Lewis states,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance,...” but if it is true then it is also true what Lewis said, it is “...if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
Think about it.
“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.
The first church I ever attended had a huge sign emblazoned above the alter saying, “What think ye of Christ.”
Throughout the ages there have always been men and women who have questioned the credentials of Jesus. Men and women who have chose to simply call him a good man.
Likewise there have been many who deny both the existence of God and Jesus, calling them a myth. That is there choice.
That’s the nice thing about God, he gave us a choice whether to believe in him or not.
The evidence is all around us not just in the scriptures but in the world as a whole.
The Psalmist wrote,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1.
The bible is a book of faith but it does not ask us to accept what it says with blind faith. Quite the contrary it asks us to read it with an open mind and see the truths that are in it.
It challenges us to look around at the world, the universe, we live in and see just how perfect it is. So perfect that it could only have been created.
Once we have read the bible and looked around at the world, we are then asked to make that leap of informed faith. The writer of Hebrews saying,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
If the Bible is wrong it is then as C. S. Lewis states,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance,...” but if it is true then it is also true what Lewis said, it is “...if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
Think about it.
Thursday 4 December 2014
Who is Jesus to You?
Who is Jesus to you?
“Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.”
John 14:8-11.
Jesus couldn’t have made things more clear He and God are one. To say this at the time he said this would be to invoke the death penalty.
Jesus makes it very clear that his is indeed the Son of God. That he is God incarnate. C. S. Lewis said of Jesus,
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
The New Testament makes it clear as to who Jesus is. It lays down the facts for all who wish to read them.
Be we Christians or not we must all decide who Jesus is. Is he the Son of God the Saviour of the World or is he a fraud who along with is disciples has perpetuated the greatest lie in human history.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?
Think about it.
“Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.”
John 14:8-11.
Jesus couldn’t have made things more clear He and God are one. To say this at the time he said this would be to invoke the death penalty.
Jesus makes it very clear that his is indeed the Son of God. That he is God incarnate. C. S. Lewis said of Jesus,
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
The New Testament makes it clear as to who Jesus is. It lays down the facts for all who wish to read them.
Be we Christians or not we must all decide who Jesus is. Is he the Son of God the Saviour of the World or is he a fraud who along with is disciples has perpetuated the greatest lie in human history.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?
Think about it.
Wednesday 3 December 2014
A common Obligtion
A Common Obligation
“Not until the creation and maintenance of decent conditions of life for all men are recognized and accepted as a common obligation of all men and all countries—not until then shall we, with a certain degree of justification, be able to speak of mankind as civilized.”
Albert Einstein
As I write this thousands of Children here in Canada and the United States are living below the poverty line.
Twenty-five years ago all the parties in the Canadian parliament in an act of unanimity promised to end child poverty within twenty years. Now twenty-five years later and the number of children living in poverty is still the same. This, in one of the richest nations in the world.
Sadly new statistics just released show that the number of families using food banks is increasing right across the country.
We have enough food and resources to end poverty. No man, woman or child should ever have to worry about having a roof over their head, enough food to eat and clothing.
Sadly for all the idealistic words that comes from the government there is no real action.
As Christians we should be doing what we can to help the poor.
Jesus said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:34-40.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.”
Tony Campolo
We as Christians need to be speaking out for the poor. To partitioning our government leaders asking them to do more to help those less fortunate in our society.
We as individuals need to be doing what we can to help those in need.
Francis of Assisi wrote,
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The Prayer of St Francis of Assisi
Think about it.
“Not until the creation and maintenance of decent conditions of life for all men are recognized and accepted as a common obligation of all men and all countries—not until then shall we, with a certain degree of justification, be able to speak of mankind as civilized.”
Albert Einstein
As I write this thousands of Children here in Canada and the United States are living below the poverty line.
Twenty-five years ago all the parties in the Canadian parliament in an act of unanimity promised to end child poverty within twenty years. Now twenty-five years later and the number of children living in poverty is still the same. This, in one of the richest nations in the world.
Sadly new statistics just released show that the number of families using food banks is increasing right across the country.
We have enough food and resources to end poverty. No man, woman or child should ever have to worry about having a roof over their head, enough food to eat and clothing.
Sadly for all the idealistic words that comes from the government there is no real action.
As Christians we should be doing what we can to help the poor.
Jesus said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:34-40.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.”
Tony Campolo
We as Christians need to be speaking out for the poor. To partitioning our government leaders asking them to do more to help those less fortunate in our society.
We as individuals need to be doing what we can to help those in need.
Francis of Assisi wrote,
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The Prayer of St Francis of Assisi
Think about it.
Tuesday 2 December 2014
Your Legacy
Your Legacy
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
Joshua Loth Liebman wrote
“Give your children unconditional love, a love that is not dependent on report cards, clean hands, or popularity. Give your children a sense of your whole-hearted acceptance, acceptance of their human frailties as well as their abilities and virtues. Give your children your permission to grow up to make their own lives independent of you. Give them a sense of truth; make them aware of themselves as citizens of a universe in which there are many obstacles as well as fulfilments. Bestow upon your child the blessings of your faith. These are the laws of honouring your son and your daughter. Out of these laws will be built the Declaration of Independence for the coming generation, a spiritual and emotional independence that, in turn, will make the world free, democratic, safe, creative.”
Joshua Loth Liebman
We as Christians need to bring our children up in our faith but not force it on them. I know of many Christian families that a lot of the time without knowing it force their faith on their children.
I know of families that will not let their children watch secular television or allow them to go to the movies. Who hit their children over the head with the bible. Correcting them with scripture.
As a result I’ve seen most of these children rebel and turn away from God at the first chance they get.
These children I have found over the years are hard to reach. They attend church they know “church speak”. In other words they know what to say when they pray, they know the music, they know when its appropriate to say Amen and Hallelujah. The thing is they do not know the Lord.
My wife and I are along way from perfect and over the years we were criticized by well intentioned friends for letting our then young boys watch secular television. They were horrified when they found out my young teenagers watched the Simpsons.
Yet the Simpsons was a chance for my boys and I to talk about various things. It opened doors for me to teach biblical truths.
The only rule we had when our boys were growing up was that they must go to church with us. We also encouraged them to ask questions about everything. Nothing, and I mean nothing was off limits.
My wife and I tried to put into action the words of Francis of Assisi who said,
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”
Francis of Assisi.
We encouraged them to try thing to do things for the Lord.
We were and are not alone. By enlarge the majority of successful Christian families I know had this same philosophy.
They didn’t bash their children over the head with the Bible. They didn’t try and isolate them from the world. Quite the contrary they encouraged them to watch the news, and yes the Simpsons also.
At the same time the parents were always there for their children to answer the questions and yes, at times to pick up the pieces of mistakes made.
As a result the children grew up to know and serve the Lord.
My boys today are in their late twenties and early thirties respectively. Ever since they were in their early teens they were helping around the church.
Today one volunteers at his church that ministers to the less fortunate in our cities downtown. While my younger son a carpenter, volunteers at another campus of the same church and during the winter months when his business is slow goes on short term missions trips for four to six weeks helping orphanages and schools overseas.
I had not realized how well respected they were until just recently at my Sons wedding when people came up to us and complimented us on how appreciated and respected both were.
It proved to me truth of Proverbs 22:6
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6.
Like I said my wife and I are not special. We know of a lot of parents who like us lived the Christian life in front of their children. Who admitted to them that we were along way from perfect. Who admitted they made mistakes and used it as a learning experience.
As Christians we have a great legacy to give to our children. What better legacy can we give than that of our faith and eternal life.
Billy Graham wrote,
“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”
Billy Graham
Think about it.
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
Joshua Loth Liebman wrote
“Give your children unconditional love, a love that is not dependent on report cards, clean hands, or popularity. Give your children a sense of your whole-hearted acceptance, acceptance of their human frailties as well as their abilities and virtues. Give your children your permission to grow up to make their own lives independent of you. Give them a sense of truth; make them aware of themselves as citizens of a universe in which there are many obstacles as well as fulfilments. Bestow upon your child the blessings of your faith. These are the laws of honouring your son and your daughter. Out of these laws will be built the Declaration of Independence for the coming generation, a spiritual and emotional independence that, in turn, will make the world free, democratic, safe, creative.”
Joshua Loth Liebman
We as Christians need to bring our children up in our faith but not force it on them. I know of many Christian families that a lot of the time without knowing it force their faith on their children.
I know of families that will not let their children watch secular television or allow them to go to the movies. Who hit their children over the head with the bible. Correcting them with scripture.
As a result I’ve seen most of these children rebel and turn away from God at the first chance they get.
These children I have found over the years are hard to reach. They attend church they know “church speak”. In other words they know what to say when they pray, they know the music, they know when its appropriate to say Amen and Hallelujah. The thing is they do not know the Lord.
My wife and I are along way from perfect and over the years we were criticized by well intentioned friends for letting our then young boys watch secular television. They were horrified when they found out my young teenagers watched the Simpsons.
Yet the Simpsons was a chance for my boys and I to talk about various things. It opened doors for me to teach biblical truths.
The only rule we had when our boys were growing up was that they must go to church with us. We also encouraged them to ask questions about everything. Nothing, and I mean nothing was off limits.
My wife and I tried to put into action the words of Francis of Assisi who said,
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”
Francis of Assisi.
We encouraged them to try thing to do things for the Lord.
We were and are not alone. By enlarge the majority of successful Christian families I know had this same philosophy.
They didn’t bash their children over the head with the Bible. They didn’t try and isolate them from the world. Quite the contrary they encouraged them to watch the news, and yes the Simpsons also.
At the same time the parents were always there for their children to answer the questions and yes, at times to pick up the pieces of mistakes made.
As a result the children grew up to know and serve the Lord.
My boys today are in their late twenties and early thirties respectively. Ever since they were in their early teens they were helping around the church.
Today one volunteers at his church that ministers to the less fortunate in our cities downtown. While my younger son a carpenter, volunteers at another campus of the same church and during the winter months when his business is slow goes on short term missions trips for four to six weeks helping orphanages and schools overseas.
I had not realized how well respected they were until just recently at my Sons wedding when people came up to us and complimented us on how appreciated and respected both were.
It proved to me truth of Proverbs 22:6
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6.
Like I said my wife and I are not special. We know of a lot of parents who like us lived the Christian life in front of their children. Who admitted to them that we were along way from perfect. Who admitted they made mistakes and used it as a learning experience.
As Christians we have a great legacy to give to our children. What better legacy can we give than that of our faith and eternal life.
Billy Graham wrote,
“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”
Billy Graham
Think about it.
Monday 1 December 2014
Equal
Equal
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26-28.
All are equal in Christ. Once we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour we are one with Christ. There is no discrimination and there should be no discrimination in the church.
The apostle James writes,
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?...
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
James 2:1-4, 9,10.
Sadly over the years I’ve seen discrimination in churches because someone has a few dollars.
Don’t get me wrong we need wealthy people in the church. They help fund the growth of the church and most that I know do it without fan fair.
In the churches I’ve attended you can’t tell who has large bank accounts and who doesn’t.
Still we do discriminate. Here in Canada racial discrimination within church congregations is as far as I can tell at a minimum. Most churches especially the larger ones are very multi cultural and diverse.
However many make Gay and Lesbians and other members of the LGBT community uncomfortable, even unwelcome. This should not be so.
Our churches need to get rid of any prejudges we have and concentrate on ministering to the souls of individuals.
We need to look around us and see nothing but men and women in need of the love of God.
We need to be calling out to all people within our cities, towns and villages with the words of Jesus who said,
“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.
Jesus never turned anyone away. He never discriminated between saint or sinner, between believer and none believer. Both He and his disciples reached out to the world around them and in so doing changed the world.
This is what we should be doing.
Think about it.
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26-28.
All are equal in Christ. Once we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour we are one with Christ. There is no discrimination and there should be no discrimination in the church.
The apostle James writes,
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?...
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
James 2:1-4, 9,10.
Sadly over the years I’ve seen discrimination in churches because someone has a few dollars.
Don’t get me wrong we need wealthy people in the church. They help fund the growth of the church and most that I know do it without fan fair.
In the churches I’ve attended you can’t tell who has large bank accounts and who doesn’t.
Still we do discriminate. Here in Canada racial discrimination within church congregations is as far as I can tell at a minimum. Most churches especially the larger ones are very multi cultural and diverse.
However many make Gay and Lesbians and other members of the LGBT community uncomfortable, even unwelcome. This should not be so.
Our churches need to get rid of any prejudges we have and concentrate on ministering to the souls of individuals.
We need to look around us and see nothing but men and women in need of the love of God.
We need to be calling out to all people within our cities, towns and villages with the words of Jesus who said,
“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.
Jesus never turned anyone away. He never discriminated between saint or sinner, between believer and none believer. Both He and his disciples reached out to the world around them and in so doing changed the world.
This is what we should be doing.
Think about it.
Do Not Judge
Do Not Judge
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Luke 6:37
Take a look at what Jesus is saying here. He is laying down the foundation of what it is to be a Christian. What we need to be to reach a lost and dying world.
We are living in a world that judges us all the time. How we look, how we act what we say.
We as Christians are faced daily with a barrage of things that we don’t agree with. We live in a Democracy that votes laws and allows practices that are not in keeping with what we believe.
We face people that are at times violently opposed to what we are saying. To all of this Jesus says DO NOT JUDGE. He make it clear that if we do not judge anyone for what they are doing we will not be judged.
If we do not condemn people for what they are doing we will not be condemned. Its that simple.
The Apostle Paul wrote,
"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
We may hate the practice of some people, but we are told plainly that we are not to judge. That’s God’s job and He is big enough to fight his own battles.
“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Forgive and you will be forgiven. People look positively on someone who forgives.
All to often I here the Phrase “I forgive them but...” forgiveness with a but is not forgiveness.
Jesus who had the right to Judge and condemn never said while on the cross “Father forgive them for they know not what they do BUT”
He said Father forgive them, period, no but’s. This is how we should be.
When I think about the Christian life it is about forgiving and giving. That can only be done if we have love.
1 Corinthians 13:3-8a states,
“Love suffers long and is kind: love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13: 3-8a
If we truly have the love of Christ in us we will not judge or condemn people. We will give our very life if necessary for the cause of Christ.
We will realize our actions have eternal repercussions and it thus of paramount importance that we show love as apposed to judgement.
Think about it.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Luke 6:37
Take a look at what Jesus is saying here. He is laying down the foundation of what it is to be a Christian. What we need to be to reach a lost and dying world.
We are living in a world that judges us all the time. How we look, how we act what we say.
We as Christians are faced daily with a barrage of things that we don’t agree with. We live in a Democracy that votes laws and allows practices that are not in keeping with what we believe.
We face people that are at times violently opposed to what we are saying. To all of this Jesus says DO NOT JUDGE. He make it clear that if we do not judge anyone for what they are doing we will not be judged.
If we do not condemn people for what they are doing we will not be condemned. Its that simple.
The Apostle Paul wrote,
"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
We may hate the practice of some people, but we are told plainly that we are not to judge. That’s God’s job and He is big enough to fight his own battles.
“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Forgive and you will be forgiven. People look positively on someone who forgives.
All to often I here the Phrase “I forgive them but...” forgiveness with a but is not forgiveness.
Jesus who had the right to Judge and condemn never said while on the cross “Father forgive them for they know not what they do BUT”
He said Father forgive them, period, no but’s. This is how we should be.
When I think about the Christian life it is about forgiving and giving. That can only be done if we have love.
1 Corinthians 13:3-8a states,
“Love suffers long and is kind: love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13: 3-8a
If we truly have the love of Christ in us we will not judge or condemn people. We will give our very life if necessary for the cause of Christ.
We will realize our actions have eternal repercussions and it thus of paramount importance that we show love as apposed to judgement.
Think about it.
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