I will Praise The LORD

I will Praise The LORD
The Psalmist writes,

“I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonders. 

I will be glad and rejoice in you; 

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” 

                                                         Psalm 2:1,2.

I firmly believe that as Christians. As a true believers in Christ Jesus we must take time as often as possible to praise The Lord.
In Psalm 150 we read,

“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 claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus a believer in God why don’t you take sometime right now and praise God.
Please don’t just think about it. Do it.

Are you faithful?

Are you Faithful?
The apostle Paul writes,

“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ 

and stewards of the mysteries of God. 

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

                                                                                                1Corinthians 4:1,2.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus. Are you a faithful servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God?
As believers in Christ Jesus we must be a faithful servant and a good steward of God.
A steward is “a person employed to manage a large house or estate.” Joseph was a steward to Potiphar. He was in charge of Potiphar’s household.
The most important quality of a steward is to be completely honest in all his dealings. Not only that he should be completely faithful to his master.
This is how it should be with believers in Christ Jesus. We should be completely faithful to God, and good stewards of the word of God.
We should never pollute our faith by mixing it with other things. We should never twist it to say what we want it to say.
The apostle Paul warns,
"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.
This is happening today. People both in the media and out of it. Men and women calling themselves pastors, evangelist and Christian teachers are twisting the word of God for evil intent.
    Many times they are using the Bible to enrich themselves monetarily. Quite often to the detriment of others. 
There are many people especially here in North America that mix their politics with their faith.
Jesus and his apostles never mixed politics and faith. They never tried to line their own pockets with money.
The apostles of Christ stayed true to the word of God which is what we must do.
Thus my question to you.
Are you a faithful servant and a good steward of the word of God?
Please think about it.

Of infinite importance?

Of infinite importance?

Luke's gospel records what happened just days after the birth of Jesus when he was brought to the temple to be dedicated. Luke states,
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." 
The child's father and mother marvelled at what was said about him.  
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, Luke 2:25-34.
In the book of Hebrews we read,
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
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 1:1-3.
In the gospel of John we read,
"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.
This is what all true believers in Christ Jesus believe. We believe Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh who entered the world He created to pay the price of our sins and show each individual the way to heaven.
C. S. Lewis said 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.
Thus the question comes down to you the reader; Is Christianity true of false?
Please think about it.

Madman or God?

Madman or God?
In Matthews gospel we read of this conversation between Peter and Jesus. Matthew records,
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:,15,16,
In John’s gospel we read of this conversation between Martha and Jesus. John records,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” John 11:25,26,27.
In John’s gospel we also read,
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.
All of what I have mentioned above are part of the foundation of Christianity. You cannot be a Christian without believing these scriptures. Jesus was no ordinary man.
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.
If what Christians, believers in Christ Jesus, say is false then anyone who disagrees with have nothing to fear.
If on the other hand we are right then it has eternal consequences.
Please think about it. 

Do you believe this?

Do you believe this?
The apostle Paul wrote,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
Romans 10:9-13.
Here is what Christians believe in a nutshell. We believe

1. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord. 

2. If you believe in your heart God raised him from the dead.

You will be saved.

It is really that simple. There is no middle ground. Each person must decide for themselves if they truly believe Jesus is Lord, and that God raised Him from the dead.
Thus my question to you the reader.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.

What is unseen

What is unseen
The apostle Paul wrote,

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,

 but on what is unseen. 

For what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal.” 

                                              2 Corinthians 4:18.

Sadly for many in the world today they only believe in what they can see, feel and touch. They have the attitude that the world we live in is all there is. There is nothing after death.
My question is, are you sure there is nothing after this life ends?
Since the dawn of mankind all societies have believed there was life beyond the grave. It seems as though we humans are hardwired to believe in an afterlife. It’s how we get there and what it’s like that seems to be the debate.
As believers in God, believers in Christ Jesus, we Christians have assurances that there is life beyond the grave. The whole Bible speaks of life after death. A life that cannot be seen in this life.
As Christians we are called to “fix our eyes on what is unseen”. To have faith there is a God who loves us. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“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.
The writer defining faith as,
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1
It is this leap of faith that many if not most people in the world today cannot bring themselves to make. Yet it is one each and every person must make if they are to have peace with God. If they are to have eternal life.
Thus my question to you the reader; are you willing to make this leap of faith fixing your eyes by faith on what is unseen, fixing your eyes on God?
Please think about it.

Who are you sitting with?

Who are you sitting with?
The Gospel of Matthew records,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.  
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.
If you consider yourself a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus who are you sitting down to dinner with?
Are you reaching out to the world around you or do you confine yourself to living among Christians, those who agree with you?
Jesus speaking of himself 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.” John 3:16,17.
This is the reason Jesus came into this world. To save the world. To save individuals. This is the reason we as believers in Christ Jesus should be reaching out to the world around us, especially non-believers.
Thus my question to any believer in Christ. Anyone who claims to be Christian; who are you sitting down with? Who are you sharing the gospel of Christ with?
Please think about it.

Sell Everything?

Sell Everything?
Matthew’s gospel records,
"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" 
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." 
"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, " ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honour your father and mother,' and ‘love your neighbour as yourself.''" 
"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" 
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth." Matthew 19:16-22.
Now let’s get one thing strait. There is nothing wrong with being rich. It is what emphasis you put on your wealth that can cause problems.
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
Money should never be first in our lives. In fact we should be willing to give up our wealth if necessary.
In the incident above recorded by Matthew the man believed there was a God. He had even obeyed the commandments. Yet his faith was not in God to provide for him. His faith was in his wealth. He put his wealth ahead of God. His faith in his money being his god.
God makes it clear nothing should come before Him.
In the book of Exodus we read,

"You shall have no other gods before me.” 

                                                              Exodus 20:3.

Anything that is more important to us than God is a god, and we shouldn’t be putting our faith in it. Our faith should be entirely in God. 
In the book of Hebrews we are told,
“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.

Thus my question to you; if you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus. If you consider yourself a Christian is your faith entirely in God?
Are you willing to sell everything, give up all our earthly wealth if necessary, and follow Christ?
Please think about it.

Are you Merciful?

Are you Merciful?
Jesus said,
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  
If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.  
Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  
Do to others as you would have them do to you. 
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' love those who love them.  
And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' do that.  
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' lend to ‘sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full.  
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:27-36.
The above statement by Jesus I think is self explanatory and is something every true believer in Christ Jesus needs to do.
Thus my question to anyone who calls themselves a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus is. Do you do what Jesus is saying?
Are you merciful in the same way God is?
Please think about it.  

A simple message

A simple message
Jesus said,

"So in everything, 

do to others 

what you would have them do to you,

 for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" 

                                                              Matthew 7:12.

This to me is self explanatory. Teat other in the same way you want to be treated. That is especially true for Christians.
The reason is simple. If Christians don’t obey the word of Jesus here in Matthew 7:12, they will never win a soul for Christ.
Please think about it.

A Christians job

A Christians job
The Psalmist writes,
“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.
For me when I read this portion of scripture it says to be God knows my DNA. God knows why I am the way I am. As a result only God has the right to judge me or any individual.
Over the years I’ve heard many people calling themselves Christians judging people saying such and such a person is not going to heaven for whatever reason.
Saying where a person will spend eternity is not the job of a Christian.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.” Tony Campolo.
Telling people about Jesus is what all who call themselves a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus should be doing.
Jesus talking to his disciples, and through them to us 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.
We as believers in Christ Jesus are called to love the world around us. To show the unconditional love of God to all, family, friend, and foe.
As the American evangelist Billy Graham put it,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love.” 

                            Billy Graham.

If you consider yourself a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus are you doing this?
Please think about it.

Peace Maker

Peace Maker
Jesus said,

“Blessed are the peacemakers, 

for they will be called sons of God.” 

                                                      Matthew 5:9.

If you claim to be a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus you should also be a peacemaker.
As I write this the world is in turmoil. Every day terrorist groups are attacking and killing innocent men women and children. War is an every day reality for millions of people.
Even in the western democracies people are protesting against discrimination and hatred.
No government it seems in the history of man has been able to truly bring peace to the people it governs.
Bernard Baruch noted,
"No government has ever succeeded in making everyone equally happy.  Too many governments have succeeded in making everyone equally miserable." Bernard Baruch.
  Thus the call of Jesus to the world is,
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.
This is the message we as believers in Christ Jesus need to be bringing to the world.
So if you consider yourself a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus is this the message you are bringing to the world?
Please think about it.