Come glorify the Lord with me

 Come glorify the Lord with me

The Psalmist writes,

"I will extol the LORD at all times; 

his praise will always be on my lips. 

My soul will boast in the LORD; 

let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 

Glorify the LORD with me; 

let us exalt his name together." 

                                        Psalm 34:1-3.

If nothing else the New Testament shows Jesus and his apostles experienced all that it is to be human. They attended weddings. The followed the rules set down in the Torah. They interacted with people of all walks of life.

They were also beaten, thrown in prison all but one dying for their faith. Yet through all of this they praised God. They praised him not only in the good times, but after they’d been beaten and while they were in prison.

They praised God because they knew that even in their darkest hour God was with them. 

How about you; do you praise God in the good times and in the bad?

Please think about it.

Revival

 Revival?

In 2 Chronicles we read,

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles, 7:14.

I hear a lot of talk in church circles about revival. They say Canada and the United States need revival. I think if you were to ask most Christians sitting in the pew what revival meant they’d say, “there is a need for the country to turn back to God.”

I don’t see revival as a country turning back to God. Especially countries that were never Christian in the first place.

I see revival as the church turning back to God. Every revival in church history has come from within the church. 

Martin Luther made it clear that the church had turned away from the gospel of Christ and needed to return. This is true of every reformation movement. The reformations throughout history have all called for the church to return to the word of God.

The same is true today. The church has slowly drifted away from the pure word of God. Mixing it with politics, ritual, and other teachings that God never meant it to be mixed with.

We are living in the time the apostle Paul predicted when he said,

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” 2Timothy 3:1-5.

Thus I believe it is time for revival, revival within the church. God’s people need to obey,  the word of 2 Chronicles where we read,

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles, 7:14.

Please think about it.

Do you?

  Do you?

The apostle Paul writes,

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone Colossians 4:5,6.

Sometimes I think Christians forget about wisdom, especially here in North America. They are too focussed on getting things their way. On protecting their rights.

They spend their time complaining that the duly elected secular government is giving rights to people they object too. Then when a group pushes back they complain even more loudly. This should not be so.

As Christians we should be asking for Gods wisdom in reaching the world around us. We should be engaging those we disagree with not in a positive none condemning way. We should remember the words of Jesus who gave us a bench mark to follow when dealing with others, when he 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.

When dealing with those outside our faith, we should be asking ourselves; would I like to be treated the way I treated that person?  

Thus my question is: Do you, in everything, you do, do to others what you would have them do to you?

Please think about it.

Paul's command

 Paul’s command

The apostle Paul wrote,

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14.

Is the above a description of what you do? When people look at your life do they see compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love?

Do you forgive others any wrongs they have done to you in the way the Lord did you? Do you forgive others unconditionally which is the way God forgave you?

Take a little time to pray and ask God to show you if you are truly doing what the apostle Paul is telling believers in Jesus to do.

Please think about it.

The Choice

  The Choice

Isaiah the prophet wrote,

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tiered or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” Isaiah 40:28.

Do you believe in God? Isaiah the prophet did. He tells us plainly that the Lord is everlasting “the creator of the ends of the earth.”

The Psalmist tells us,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

                                                           Psalm 19:1.

I believe science proves God exists. Scientists tell us that everything from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest galaxy are all in perfect alignment to allow life to exist as we know it.

John O’keefe states,

"We are, by astronomical standards, a pampered, cosseted, cherished group of creatures... If the Universe had not been made with the most exacting precision we could never have come into existence. It is my view that these circumstances indicate the universe was created for man to live in." John O'keefe.

Even Stephen Hawking one of the greatest scientific minds of our time said,

"It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us," Stephen Hawking.

Dr. Huge Ross an Astrophysicist said,

“The entity that brought the universe into existence must be the master of all space time matter and energy. 

This entity must be powerful enough to make space time at will and to exquisitely fine tune an untold number of cosmic Characteristics. More than 200 (800 characteristics have since been discovered)  have been discovered so far. The probability of all these know parameters randomly coming together would be one chance in 10215 a probability so incredibly tiny that statistically speaking is impossible. This probability is becoming more remote with every scientific discovery. 

Such a high degree of design demonstrates that this entity must be a personal being with an amazing creativity with wisdom power care and love to a degree far beyond human capabilities.

He has fine tuned the galaxy the solar system and planet earth so that spiritual life can be fused with physical life..... in this one small space for one brief span on our time line" Dr. Huge Ross  

The choice as to whether God exists or not is however always up to you. 

Please think about it.

The Resurrection

  The resurrection

The book of Acts records the apostle Paul as saying,

"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 17:30,31

This is a core value of the Christian faith. If you do not believe in the resurrection from the dead then you are not a Christian.

That being said everything around the death and resurrection of Jesus can be a stumbling block for many people. The apostle Paul admits this when he writes to the Corinthians saying,

"Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ...” 1 Corinthians 1:22,23.

The question I would ask those who are not Christians is; considering that the gospel writers were writing about Christ at the very early beginnings of the church. In some cases within living memory of the events. Why would they make a claim that was so, on the surface at least, outrageous. 

If the death and resurrection of Jesus was a lie it would certainly turn people away from the fledgeling faith.

Not only that they would have created the most monumental lie in all history. One that is believed by close to three billion people around the world today.

Please think about it.

We Must

We Must

The Psalmist writes,

"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." Psalm 1:1-3.

Who do you walk with? Who do you listen to? Do you ever question what you are being taught be it in church or in the media?

As Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus we must never compromise our beliefs. We must always be careful who we support be it an evangelist, a church congregation, a pastor or a politician.

It is possible to become guilty by association. 

We must check out everyone we take council from. We must check out anyone we support be it in religious circles or secular circles. Above all we must have open eyes and minds, listening carefully to what those whom we support are saying.

We should be asking ourselves are those we support truly are telling the truth. Asking ourselves if what they are saying lines up with biblical teaching. 

We must always ask ourselves is the person we support just telling us what we want to hear or are they telling the whole truth.

We must never follow an earthly leader be in an evangelist, priest, pope or politician blindly.

We must 

“delight is in the law of the LORD, 

and on his law, meditates day and night”

Please think about it.

Love your neighbour as yourself

 Love your neighbour as yourself.

James the half brother of Jesus wrote,

"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbour as yourself," you are doing right.  

But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. James 2:8,9.

In my previous blog I noted that if Christian leaders and politicians are truly practising Christian principles then they should be doing all they can to help everyone from the poorest of the poor up. 

Here James points out that if we are really following as he puts it “the royal law found in scripture Love your neighbour as yourself” we are doing right. Then he adds a BUT.

“if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers”

James goes on to say,

“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.

We I believe especially if we are in a position of power have a duty to help the poor in any way we can. If not I believe it shows we are not truly following the teachings of Christ.

What do you think?

Priest, Levite, or Samaritan?

 Priest Levite or Samaritan?

Jesus when asked,

"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 neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:36-40.

Quite often when I speak to Christians here in North America. A lack of love. I see this quite clearly in the actions of many Christian leaders in the United States. The talk a good talk about love and mercy but their actions do not show it.

Lack of love is particularly evident in it seems many American politicians. Their actions do not show they love their neighbour as their self. 

Jesus told this parable  

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 

He answered: " ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.''" 

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." 

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?" 

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  

So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  

But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.  

The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,' he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' 

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." Luke 10: 25-37

Politicians and Christian leaders have the power to help those in need. Be it health care, helping people to put a roof over their head and food on the table. 

Think about this. What better way to spend tax money than on the well being of the poor and needy. What better way to spend tax payers dollars than on the health care of all people.

If politicians and those claiming to be Christian leaders are truly following the words of Jesus they should be doing all they can to help everyone from the poorest of the poor to the wealthy. AND they should be doing so without favouritism. 

They should be acting like the good Samaritan.

Please think about it.

2.5%

2.5%

The book of acts speaking of the early church states,

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42.

The apostle Paul wrote,

“Be joyful in hope, 

patient in affliction, 

faithful in prayer.”  

                      Romans 12:12.

If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus do you Pray?

Here’s something to consider,

God gives you 1440 minutes every day.

A good nights sleep takes up 480 minutes.

An average round trip commute to and from work can take 120 minutes.

Work takes up 480 minutes.

That leaves you with 360 minutes.

Thus the question becomes if you consider yourself a Christian are you willing to tithe ten percent of that time to prayer?

Just 36 minutes each day.

2.5% of all the minutes God gives you each day communing with Him.

Please it. think about

Be Merciful

 Be Merciful

Jesus said,

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” 

                                                              Luke 6:36.

Mercy according to the Oxford dictionary is “compassion or forgiveness shown towards and enemy or offender in one’s power.”

I’m writing to Christians here and the question I want to ask is; Are you merciful?

I am a retired professional clown and magician. I spent a large portion of my life entertaining children and adults alike at events ranging from a small house party, to large company picnics and even weddings. And I had a lot of fun.

On one particular occasion I mentioned to someone at the church I was attending at the time that I’d been hired to perform at a same sex wedding.

This person, who sat on the board of the church said I shouldn’t be doing it. Frankly while in hindsight it shouldn’t, have shocked me, it did.

He was without meeting these two people. Judging them to be sinners. Which shouldn’t have mattered anyway. After all Jesus sat with sinners. 

I didn’t know at the time whether this couple were saved or not. The way I seen it, it was not my job to judge them. The American evangelist Billy Graham said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                            Billy Graham.

As a believer in Christ Jesus I feel I, and indeed all who believe in Jesus must not judge anyone outside our faith. We must at all times show mercy and love to those around us.

No one will ever see Gods mercy if we as believers do not show it to them. 

The apostle Paul wrote,

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  2 Corinthians 18-20.

If we are Christ’s ambassadors given the ministry of reconciliation. Then we have a duty to show mercy to all people by reaching out with the love of God in a non-judgemental way.

We must do this irrespective of a persons lifestyle, faith, or position in society.

So I repeat my question; do you show mercy to those around you?

Please think about it.

A Gift

 A Gift.

The apostle Paul wrote,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," 

                                                                              Romans 3:23,

Paul goes on to say,

“For the wages of sin is death, 

but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

                                                                                     Romans 6:23.

As Christians we believe all people sin even if it is in small ways. We believe that even the smallest sin separates us from God. That being said. The apostle John said,

"If we confess our sins, 

he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins 

and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar

 and his word has no place in our lives."

                                                                          1John 1:9-10.

Thus my question for you; do you believe what the apostle Paul and the apostle John are saying here?

If so have you confessed your sins to God?

If not why not take sometime to confess your sins directly to God and accept the saving grace and eternal life that comes through Christ Jesus.

Please think about it.