Christian Principles for Living #6 (Flee Evil)

Christian Principles for living #6 (Flee evil)
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states,
“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”  2 Timothy 2:22.
The Psalmist tells us,
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” Psalm 1.
Do you flee evil?
As believers in Christ Jesus we should. That’s not to say we cannot talk to someone who just might be a sinner. That would be wrong. After all Jesus sat with people the religious men of his day deemed sinners.
Marks gospel records,
“When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:16,17.
It is the job of a believer in Christ Jesus to point sinners to God. After all the apostle Paul said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  Romans 3:23,24.
As Paul noted we are all sinners. The only difference between a believer in Christ Jesus and a sinner is we have had our sins forgiven by the grace of God “through the redemption that  came by Christ Jesus.”
Non-Christians however should be able to look at our life and see that we do our best not to take part in anything sinful. We shouldn’t have to tell them. Our actions should be enough.
So the question becomes, If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, are you doing your best to flee evil, to live a life free of sin?
Please think about it.

Christian Principles for Living #5 (At Peace with God)

Christian Principles for Living #5 (At Peace with God)
The apostle Peter writing to Christians reminds believers that Jesus will one day return and this earth will pass away. That He will come quickly when we are least expecting it. Therefor we need to be at peace with God. Peter writes,
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.
    That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.  2 Peter 3:10-14.
As believers we many times fall short of what God wants for our lives. It is however incumbent upon us as soon as we realize we have made a mistake to ask God’s forgiveness.
As believers we truly need to look at our lives from time to time and ask ourselves am I truly living a life that is glorifying God?
Am I truly at peace with God?
Please think about it.

Christian Principles for Living #4 (Living at Peace with those around you)

Christian Principles for living #4 (Live at Peace with those around you)
The apostle Paul wrote,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”  Romans 12:18.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
The Apostle Peter tells believers in Christ Jesus,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
Believers in Christ Jesus are called to live a good and peaceful life. A life of holiness.
As believers in Christ we need to take a look at the actions of Jesus and the apostles. They never spoke out against anyone outside their faith. They never protested for any reason. They did as far as was possible live at peace with those around them. They lived a life of love.
In doing so they opened up doors to talk with other groups throughout the known world. As a result in just over a century, Christianity had spread throughout the known world.
These men and women by living a peaceful loving life stood in the Areopagus in Athens and spoke to the learned men and women there. They spoke with politicians, soldiers, tax collectors, and people of every strata of society from slaves to rulers.
This is what we in the twenty-first century church need to do. Are you?
Please think about it.

Christian Principles for living #3 Christian Attributes

Christian Principles for living #3 Christian attributes
The Apostle Paul writing to believers in Christ Jesus tells us,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.
Here is a simple test for anyone calling themselves a believer in Christ Jesus. Now keep in mind believers in Christ are far from perfect. We are all human with human frailties and failings.
That being said however as believers in Christ we should be striving to be Christ like. We should be trying to make the fruits of the spirit part of our daily life.
Francis of Assisi wrote,

“The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                     Francis of Assisi.

If our lives are exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, the sermon people will see in us is the Love of Jesus.
Question: When people see your life do they truly see the fruit of the Spirit of God?
Please think about it.

Christian Principles for Living #2 Deeds

Christian Principles for Living #2 Deeds
James the half brother of Jesus states,
“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.
There are many Christians who will tell you, you are saved by faith. That is true. However James here make it clear our faith needs to be accompanied by works. Good deeds.    If we indeed have true faith in Jesus it well spur us on to good deeds. Simply believing in God should never be enough for the believer in Christ Jesus. We need to put our faith into action.
Jesus made this clear when he 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.
If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus are you putting your faith into action?
Please think about it.

Christian Principles of Living #1 Love

Christian Principles for Living #1 Love
There are some very important precepts within Christianity that all true believers in Christ Jesus I believe must be following. The first is Love.
Jesus said when asked the question,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Earlier in Matthews gospel we hear Jesus taking this concept of love one step further. He said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” Matthew 5:43,44.
When it comes to Love the Apostle Paul made clear what Christian Love should be. He wrote,

“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.

What these Scriptures from the New Testament say needs no interpretation. They make clear that believers in Christ Jesus should love unconditionally, God, their neighbour, and even their enemy. And The should be praying for those who persecute them.
If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus do you show this kind of Love to those around you?
Please think about it. 

Lunatic or Saviour

Lunatic or Saviour?
John’s gospel records this interaction between Jesus and his disciples,
“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  
If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 
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 14:5-11.
This if you think about it is quite the extraordinary statement. Jesus makes two statements that if not true makes him a lunatic. He states,
1. “I am the way the truth and the life. No one come to the Father except through me.”
2.  “I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.”
What Jesus is saying is He is divine. He is God incarnate. The way to Heaven.
 C. S. Lewis said it best in his book Mere Christianity when he wrote,
“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.
This is the choice the writers of the New Testament lay out before the whole world. Either Jesus is God incarnate, the Saviour of mankind, or he is not. The choice is yours.
Please think about it.

What do Christians Believe

What do Christians believe?
Over the years I’ve been asked many times what I as a Christian believe.
First of all I believe in God. An almighty God that created the Universe and everything in  it. The Bible does not debate God it simply states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
The New Testament states very clearly that Jesus is God incarnate. It states,
“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....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14.
The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”  Hebrews 1:3
Jesus is divine.
Henry Ward Beecher
If Christ is not divine, every impulse of the Christian world falls to a lower octave, and light and love and hope decline.  Henry Ward Beecher.
The Apostles Creed while not written by one of Christ’s Apostles states very clearly what all Christians believe. It states,
1.I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth
2. I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.
3. I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary
4. I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.
5. I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.
6. I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
7. I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost
9. I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,
10. I believe in the forgiveness of sin.
11. I believe in the resurrection of the body.
12. I believe in life everlasting.
This is what I as a Christian believe. All I ask anyone who will listen to me, is that they take time to read at least the New Testament for themselves. But before you do, pray sincerely and ask God to show you the truths that are in it.
Please think about it.

A Sermon

A Sermon
I admire the apostle Paul. Inspired by God he wrote a large portion of the New Testament. He had complete faith in God and his conviction that Jesus was the Christ the Messiah sent by God to save the world both Jew and non-jew alike.
Paul sets an example of how believers in Christ Jesus should speak and act. A perfect example of that was when he was in Athens. The book of Acts records,
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.   Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”  
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘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.” 
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”Acts 17:17-34.
Paul never insulted the beliefs of those he was speaking to. He never said you are wrong and I am right.
Paul noted that his audience was very religious. That they were looking for spiritual answers. After which he presented his beliefs about Jesus Christ. Then let them think about it.
Which is what I am doing here.
The apostle Paul tells it all. Thus it is up to you the reader to decide for yourself whether or not you believe what Paul said or not.
Please think about it.

Do you drive people away?

Do you drive people away?
There are many things in Judaism that are very relevant to Christians. One such thing comes from the Talmud.
Now I know the Talmud is not a Christian book but truth is truth wherever it is found. Thus this example given in a story about Abraham.
“An aged man, whom Abraham hospitality invited to his tent, refused to join him in prayer to the one spiritual God.  Learning that he was a fire-worshipper.   Abraham drove him from his door.  That night God appeared to Abraham in a vision and said: ‘I have borne with that ignorant man for seventy years: could you not have patiently suffered him one night?” The Talmud.
Do you drive people away from God. It is very easy to do so. Christians I think do it all the time, many times without realizing it. One way is Christians object very vocally to things they disagree with. Be it a persons moral beliefs, religion, or even lifestyle. Put simply many Christians judge others. Something we shouldn’t do.
Jesus said,
Matthew recording,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2.
The apostle Paul states,
"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.
We live in a secular society, with a secular government. It is that government that God allows to govern, that gives us our rights and freedoms. It is that same government that allows other groups we disagree with to have the freedoms they have.
Christians must also remember that God gives each and every person complete freedom to do as they like with their life. Even if they do things God is not happy with. Even if they refuse to accept the existence of God.
Billy Graham the great American evangelist said,

It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge

 and 

my job to love, 

                            Billy Graham.

As Christians we must be careful about what we say and do. We must never judge anyone outside our faith. AND even if we judge someone within our faith it should only be to make sure they are teaching sound doctrine. We have no right to say if any person is going to Heaven or Hell. That is not our job.
In fact we have an obligation to open dialogue between ourselves and others no matter who they are, what religion they are, or what their lifestyle is.
Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20.
Jesus said we are to evangelize. Jesus did not say to judge anyone. He said,
 ...“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40.
He also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” Matthew 5:43,44.
Thus as Christians, believers in Christ Jesus. We must love. We must be ever cautious that our words and deeds are not pushing people away from God.
Please think about it.

Going to Hell

Going to Hell
The Apostle John quotes Jesus as praying,
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3.
There are many people within our churches calling themselves Christians who will end up in Hell. Men and women who have read the Bible over and over. Who have memorized many portions of scripture yet are destined for an eternity apart from God. This includes not only people sitting in the pews but Christian teachers pastors, evangelist, even Popes.
They will end up separated from God because they do not know Him. They know all about God but they do not know Him.
Some have diluted the truths found in the Bible. Some have deliberately twisted the word scriptures for their own purposes. Some have even mixed their faith with politics. Still others have chose to simply listen to what others have to say about the Bible and believe them without question, rather than study for themselves.
The Apostle Paul wrote,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
There is no doubt in my mind that there is a lot of false teaching in churches all around the world. There was even in the days of the apostles.
 Thus if you call yourself a Christian, a true believer in Christ Jesus, then you need to truly know God. You need to study the Bible and learn all you can about God. So much so that you truly come to know Him. The verse I quoted at the top of this article says it all. Jesus praying to God said,
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3.
Eternal life is knowing God on a personal level. Do you?
Please think about it.

I Praise God

I Praise God.
The Psalmist wrote,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16.
This is one of my favourite portions of scripture. I am, and each person is wonderfully made.
God made each of us unique. Then gave us complete freedom to do as we wish. It is our choice what we do in life that even includes not believing in God.
I however am a believer in God, in Christ Jesus and I choose to worship him. What I would ask of all who claim to believe in God today is to take a few minutes right now and worship him in any way you can.
The Psalmist tells us,

Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; 

praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; 

praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, 

praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, 

praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, 

praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD. 

                                   Psalm 150.

If you are not a believer in God, in Christ Jesus, I would simply ask you to have an open mind, read the Bible for yourself and consider what it says.
Please think about it.